The Best Home Remedies Against Itching

Itchy and red skin can become very uncomfortable or even painful for affected people. Itching, as the itch is technically called, can last for several days and even weeks. We present the best natural remedies to relieve itching.

Witch hazel

This plant, native to North America, is often found in herbalists in the form of creams and ointments.

A very popular preparation is witch hazel, which should be part of any natural medicine cabinet worth its salt.

To make it, leave 20 g of witch hazel in half a liter of freshly boiled water and let it rest until it cools completely. Strain this water and it is ready to apply to the skin.

In addition to being useful in case of itchiness, Hamamelis virginiana helps to naturally improve the fat and moisture content of the skin.

Horse tail

Horsetail ensures sufficient hydration for the skin and, consumed orally, contributes to the regeneration of cells from within thanks to its silicon content.

To treat the skin you can make an infusion. To do this, boil two liters of water with two handfuls of dried horsetail. Strain it and let it cool, then store it in a bottle in the refrigerator.

To use it, soak a gauze pad in the liquid and place it on the affected area.

Rosemary oil

Rosemary essential oil also helps against annoying itching. The pleasant aroma that this oil gives off also produces a relaxing effect when you massage it into the skin.

Simply mix 3 drops of rosemary essential oil with a tablespoon of sweet almond oil, jojoba, or other carrier oil, and massage into the affected skin area two to three times a day.

St. John’s wort oil and bath

A well-known home remedy for itchy skin is a warm bath with magnesium or bicarbonate, followed by a massage with St. John’s wort oil, rich in hypericin with an anti-inflammatory effect.

Magnesium and sodium have a relaxing effect on the skin, so they can provide immediate relief. The bath helps your skin to regenerate its protective acid mantle and also has an anti-inflammatory effect.

For a relaxing sea salt bath, fill your bathtub with warm water, not too hot, and enrich generously with half a cup (100 grams) of magnesium sulfate, baking soda, or an oatmeal-based bath product (you will find it in pharmacy).

The bathing time should not exceed 15 minutes, as more time can help the skin to dry out again.

After the bath, apply St. John’s wort oil. This reddish oil is prepared by macerating St. John’s wort ( Hypericum perforatum ) flowers in a vegetable oil.

Yogurt, banana and cream

All you have to do to benefit from this remedy is mash a ripe banana with a fork and mix it with a tablespoon of yogurt and a teaspoon of unsweetened whipped cream until it becomes a soft dough.

Apply the paste to the itchy areas and let it work on the skin for about 20 minutes. Then remove the dough with warm water.

Potatoes

Itching can be triggered, among other things, by an imbalance between acids and bases or by skin irritations.

If you put some slices of raw potato on the skin, cover them with a bandage and leave them on the affected area for half an hour, you can counteract the itch very well.

Lemon

This citrus can also help with itching thanks to its acidity and vitamin C.

Cut a lemon in half and massage the affected areas with one of the two cut halves.

If your skin is very sensitive, do not use lemon on your skin, as it can be irritating.

Infusion against itching

To make an infusion against itching you need:

• 20 g elderflower
• 20 g of arraclán bark
• 20 g fennel
• 20 g birch leaves
• 20 g oak bark
• 20 g of pansy flower

Mix all the plants and take one tablespoon per cup. Pour in hot water and let it sit for about 5 minutes. Drink a cup three times a day.

Relaxation

Stress, restlessness and psychological stress can promote and intensify the appearance of skin symptoms such as itching.

You can’t do all your worries by magic, but you can take breaks from work and learn relaxation techniques to practice when your nervousness rises or before you go to sleep at night.

When to see your doctor

If the itching lasts more than two weeks, does not improve with home remedies or is so intense that it makes your daily tasks difficult or does not let you sleep, it is advisable that you go to the family doctor, who will refer you to the dermatologist if necessary.

If the itch affects the whole body or is accompanied by other symptoms such as weight loss or fever, you should also consult a professional.