FIGHTING THE ITCH

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So... not so beauty and glamarous topic today, my loves! Let's talk about the healthy stuff for a while. 

My legs and armpits were incredibly itchy. My legs were even so itchy that it woke me up from the sleep several times and I had to scratch the skin on my legs until bleeding. Naturally, I got really scared about what is going here, so I started my little investigation, haha. First, I thought there was something wrong with the water, maybe. Because, I have never had any skin related problems before and these issues started after my moving to London. So naturally, I thought it might be the water here. Or maybe the washing powder. Not that I would invest in incredibly gentle non bio washing powder. Then I realised this is only local itch - on my legs and armpits. And usually after a shave. Damn. 

This summer was terrible for me, because after every shaving, my legs and my arpits went completely red, itchy, with tons of little red spots. So basically, I could not wear any shorts, skirts and sleeveless tees as people would see either my red spotty limbs or a hairy carpet (in case I would try to save my skin from some killing itching). So I spent my summer being very sad, wearing long sleeves and reading about how to fight itchy skin. I have tried many products to help relieve my skin, to fight the redness and to minimaze the itch. I did not want to swap my razor shaving method for wax or creams as my hair grows usually very fast and very dark and waiting longer then 3-4 days for a shaving is humiliating, depressing and neverending ordeal. 

I read so many articles and forums and discussions from all the women all over the world complaining about this problem and yet I have not found any treatment for the itch, spots and redness. I (and it seems no one actually) do not know what is causing the itch. What I know is that I have been shaving my legs since I have been 13 years old (it seems bit too early, I know, but you shold know that I used to run home from school with tears, because other kids called me "Monkey" and "Gorilla" as my hair was long and very dark) and I have never experienced anything like this. My skin was always so okay that I could even shave my legs every day without any cream for shaving, without moisturizer ater and even with a rubbish razor. I see, times are changing :(. I tried to find out what has changed and what is different that my skin is so sudden so sensitive, but not sure.

Like I said, I have not found any treatment or cure for this itchy feeling and red spotty skin, but I found a few little helpers that make my suffering bit easier. First, I "invested" in a better razor. I tried few and I am pretty happy with these Wilkinson ones. What I would suggest is, always try to find a razor with the moisturising stripe and with moveable head and with at least three or four little razors, so you do not have to shave one area of your skin more than once. What also helps is to shave in the direction of growth of the hair. I know it does not give you such a perfect results as shaving against the growth, but it definetely does not irritate the skin that much. Always use shaving cream or foam to prep the skin. If you can, pick up one for a sensitive skin, maybe with some additional oils or aloe vera. The last step is very important also - moisturize. You do not want to leave your legs with dry, cracking skin. That will make the irritation even worse. If your skin is itchy more after using the moisturizer, then it' s neccessary to buy a moisturizer suitable for itchy and sensitive and irritated skin - that' s why I love my one. I finally found the perfect moisturizing cream for my legs.It was recommended from many itch suffering girls/women, it's from Aveeno - Skin Relieve mostiurizing lotion with Shea Butter. I would swear on this one. It was made for very sensitive skin, smells like oats, very this, easy to disturb over skin and dry in seconds. I love this cream.

Another trick - I also bought the"Itch relief" cream in Boots. In case the itching starts, I always use the cream on the places I need before it goes absolutely unbearable and painful. What probably also helped me was to start taking Zyrtek and similar allergy relief tablets. Not sure if it' s related, but it did help me. I also heard that sometimes it's caused by eating way too much of fruits. Might be true. 

For my armpits I started to use Sanex products and it helped so much. I especially like the Dermo Repair ones as they are designed for very sensitive and delicate skin underneath the arms. Good stuff, good stuff, indeed. I used to have a massive itch after some perfumed products. Happy with Sanex, indead. When shaving, I am using the shaving cream as well. Just in case, you know. But since I have started using Sanex products, my armpits went from "absolutely painful" to "almost normal", that means sometimes (very rare I can feel my armpits are bit sensitive/red - but only tiny tiny bit). 

This topic is very important to me as I was suffering the whole summer and collecting information and I felt lost. Like the only girl who has to deal with (so suddenly) sensitive skin. Hope this helps someone who is in similat situation.