According to research, 80% of all Dutch people sometimes suffer from tickles, itching or skin irritation. In some cases it is best to do something, for example with medication, but often it is enough to use a home remedy or even just avoid something: such as the use of perfumes and irritating components of care products. How do you know what you’re dealing with, and what to do next? Read more… According to research by Neutral, 80% of all Dutch people sometimes suffer from itching, and 40% even several times a day. More than two-thirds of these people experience the jitters as ‘annoying’, or even ‘very annoying.’ And yet in a third of those cases, nothing at all helps with the itching. While there is often something that can be done about itching. But one itch is not the same as the other. Sometimes you have to treat itching medically, other times the use of home remedies helps, and then there are cases where you should avoid something sooner: namely, the use of certain perfumes or irritating ingredients.
Tickle pointer
You can, to a limited extent, learn more about the nature of your skin itch online via the Kriebelwijzer, an initiative of the aforementioned manufacturer of skin care products and cleaning products Neutral. For each itch, you can see here what kind of problem you are specifically dealing with and what you can do about it. There is a caveat to this: the information is very limited, and it is often recommended to use an unscented product… which Neutral happens to make. Of course, Neutral is not a completely ‘neutral’ party in this case. This brand has recently been responding to the trend towards purer living, cleaning and lubrication by pointing to our abundant use of perfumes for the same cleaning and lubrication. But still, Neutral has a point. We have been using our products quite thoughtlessly for years, and manufacturers for cleaning and lubricating products are just as thoughtlessly provided with substances such as parabens, dyes and fragrances and other ingredients that sometimes cause skin problems. If you have skin itches, it is a good idea to see if a more neutral use of cleansers and care products for skin and home will help you. This is certainly an indication if you have recently switched to a new product or, for example, dyed your hair.
What is a tickle?
What is tickle? In general, you are talking about a ‘light itch’ on your skin. However, light can sometimes be quite heavy, especially if the tickling is frequent or long-lasting. Moreover, in the case of somewhat hypersensitive skin, it may be a matter of cooling and soothing, while in other cases it may be necessary to examine the use of medication or to determine any contact allergy. How does itching manifest itself? Usually, or in 60% of the cases in the aforementioned study, due to the appearance of red spots on the skin. And in most cases we are mainly left with the itch in our arms and legs. If the itching is more or less manageable, it appears that only a minority, or a scant third of respondents, go to a doctor to determine the nature of the itching. But then the group that does not take any action also includes cases of allergies or skin irritation that actually require diagnosis and possible treatment or prevention measures.
From itch to solution
The good news is that itching can often be helped. The bad news is that there are such a range of causes for itching that sometimes you can’t see the forest for the trees. Sometimes itching is due to a disease, which can be relatively harmless or more serious. As you get older, a lack of skin oil can require supplementation via the signal of itching. There may also be external causes, such as strong temperature fluctuations, or contact with substances that your skin cannot tolerate, such as (glass) wool. Even vigorous exercise can cause itching due to sweating. Medicines can have itching as a side effect, but there can also be a problem internally. For example, a parasite. Itching can be reduced by cooling, especially at symptom level – so not necessarily as a permanent remedy. In milder cases, menthol-containing preparations can help. In more serious cases, more drastic medications are indicated.
( source: Dr. JR Mekkes, AMC Amsterdam )
Smear over the counter
In addition to the third of respondents who go to a doctor, approximately 40% of respondents still take some form of action, namely going to the drugstore for an ‘over the counter’ ointment – something that can certainly suffice. if the case of skin itching is not too severe, and there is no structural underlying cause that needs to be addressed. In addition, there is also a group, comprising 11%, that is ‘reducing perfume’: this group consciously uses less perfumed products for home and skin care, and more unscented ones. According to dermatologist Njoo, the latter action is often also fruitful. Njoo: “There is a good chance that itching and skin irritation can indicate a starting allergy, or hypersensitivity to certain perfume substances. Switching to products without perfume can make a big difference.” If there are no acute and serious complaints, there is little reason to first seek a solution through your own measures, such as improving your skin care regimen. But muddling through is certainly not an option. If only to be on the safe side, it is a good idea to visit your doctor if you have an itching problem of which you do not know the nature. Dermatologist Njoo warns for good reason: “An allergy can manifest itself suddenly and develop into a major discomfort.”
Jitters inside
Neutral immediately used the research into the theme of ‘jitters’ to take a nice sidestep: namely, the jitters that we do like to have… the ones inside. What gave the people surveyed in the study those coveted butterflies in their stomachs? 55% mentioned the famous spring fever. But love remains the boss when it comes to stomach butterflies. No fewer than three-quarters of those surveyed get pleasant tickles from their own partner, or from a beautiful woman or man. It is not surprising that seeing a beautiful woman scores relatively high among men, while spring or a nice day off relatively often gives women a butterfly in the stomach…
