Question: I have pruritus and the itch is driving me mad, but I am pregnant and reluctant to use medications. What can I do?
Answer: Pruritus — or itchy skin — can be triggered by several things, including athlete's foot, a lack of essential fatty acids, and an allergic reaction to a food, perfume, soap powder, lotion, or drug.
It can also affect some women badly during pregnancy, due to underlying hormonal changes.
Conventional treatment does usually include antihistamines and low potency steroid creams containing hydrocortisone.
If you wish to avoid these at this time, then aloe vera gel or calamine lotion (from your chemist) are safe alternatives.
Vitamin C can help by lowering histamine levels in the body; histamine increases inflammation and aggravates pruritus.
Nettle tea serves as a natural antihistamine and chamomile may reduce itchiness when used in a cream, and relieve stress when drunk as a tea.
A cool oatmeal bath will also help relieve the itchiness. Put one cup of rolled oats in a piece of cheesecloth or a face washer and tie it with string; hang it under the tap or float it in the tub, squeezing to release the milky essence. Soak in tepid water for 20 minutes.
A strong infusion of chickweed in bath water can also soothe itchiness. Another idea is to add 5 drops of peppermint essential oil to a bowl of warm water. Soak a clean face-cloth in the mixture, wring out the excess liquid, and place on the affected area for 4-5 minutes once or twice a day.
Your say: Do you have any remedies for pruritus?
Video: Preparing your body for pregnancy
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