An itch can have several causes, with insect bites, small skin injuries, eczema and allergies among the most common triggers. Against the nerve-racking itching and scratching, however, help many home remedies from cold to salt to vinegar, which are in almost every household.
What helps against itching?
A decoction of horsetail can be placed on the skin with a poultice and provide relief against itching. In particular, the kitchen offers a variety of home remedies that effectively help against itching. For smaller areas of skin, such as an acute insect bite, a potato can provide relief. The potato is cut into slices, placed with the cut sides on the itchy sting and fixed by a gauze bandage or a cloth. The same is done with half an onion, which is used to rub the itchy skin area. The raw onion juice also has an antibiotic and anti-inflammatory effect, so swelling and inflammation can also be prevented. In case of itching based on too dry skin, a banana can also be mashed and applied to the skin. The relaxing and moisturizing effect of the banana is further supported if some fatty cream is added to the banana mash. Large areas of skin that cause itching can be treated with compresses. For example, a poultice with curd or yogurt has proven effective against the itching of a sunburn. The dairy products are applied directly to the skin and covered with a clean cloth. Sensitive skin types also benefit from compresses with vinegar or lemon water, although highly diluted full baths are also an option. For a poultice, a concentration of one tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to one liter of water is recommended, while for a full bath, three tablespoons each are sufficient as an additive. Preference should be given to ecologically sound varieties that have not been chemically treated. Vinegar and lemons have acids and ingredients that have an anti-inflammatory effect and promote blood circulation. Due to the slightly acidic pH, the skin barrier is strengthened in its function.
Quick help
A quick help against itching offers cold. Especially after insect bites, it is helpful to hold an ice cube on the stung area for a few minutes. Ice packs or cold packs from the freezer are suitable for treating larger areas of skin. If ice is not available, the affected body part can also be held under cold water several times. Cold therapy not only relieves itching, but also prevents swelling. Chronic itching, which comes from many allergies and eczema, can be relieved in the short term by a decoction of black tea. For this purpose, a tea is boiled from 500 ml of water with five tea bags of black tea. After brewing for five minutes, the tea bags are removed and the brew is allowed to cool. A compress soaked in the tea is then placed on the affected skin area for five to ten minutes, where the tea poultice can exert its cooling, antibacterial and healing effects. In addition, the tannins contained in black tea have a slightly drying effect, so that weeping eczema and even neurodermatitis can also be successfully treated with it.
Alternative remedies
Alternative remedies for itching include juniper berry, rosemary and tea tree oils, which are effective against itching in washes, poultices and baths because of their germicidal and wound-healing properties. In addition, horsetail, with its high concentration of silica, is one of the alternative treatments. A decoction should be boiled from a handful of horsetail and a liter of water for 10 minutes, which is applied to the skin as a poultice after cooling. The horsetail poultice binds moisture in the skin and promotes both wound healing and cell renewal. Finally, salt baths can help against the annoying itching and scratching. Salts from the Dead Sea and the Himalayas have proven effective for skin treatment, although normal sea salt or household salts without added iodine can also be used. For a full bath 400 grams of salt are sufficient, whereby the bath temperature should not exceed 38 degrees Celsius. A bath duration of about 20 to 25 minutes twice a week is recommended. After the bath, the skin should be carefully dried and rubbed with nourishing St. John’s wort oil to support the effect.
