Rash After Shower: Know It’s Causes & Home Remedies

There is a wonderful saying; “Showers are great! They make you feel nice and clean, you sound like a professional singer and they also help you make all of life’s decisions.” It is true, showers may leave you clean at skin and keep you relaxed. However, in case you have rashes after showers, then you probably find them more enervating than refreshing. Now, what are the causes of a rash after shower, and what are the remedies for the same? To know all of these, read the following array of the article.

Some people might spot little red spots on their skin, especially on their shoulders, face, neck, legs, etc. these spots appear in the form of raised, inflamed bumps that are reddish in color and looks more like a heat rash. Research has shown that women are more affected with this condition than men. These kind of rash appears after taking a shower and is known as Keratosis Pilaris. This condition cannot be transmitted from one individual to another, based on sharing bathing items. So rash after shower or Keratosis Pilaris is not contagious.

These rashes and bumps go away on their own. Still, there is a need to consult your dermatologist so as to get an appropriate treatment for the condition, in case the problem persists.

There are a lot of causes for the rash after shower. The most common cause may be because of an allergic reaction to the chemicals that are present in water.

One of the causes of rash after shower could be Water urticaria or Aquagenic urticaria. This is a rare condition where hives develop within 1 minute to 15 minutes after being in contact with water. These hives generally last for 10 minutes to 120 minutes. Most researchers believe that such a condition is actually exquisite skin sensitivity to additives found in water, such as chlorine. Water urticaria is sometimes described as a “water allergy” which however, may not be accurate.

Now, how would you know if someone has water urticaria that might be causing rash after shower? Well! This condition is diagnosed by applying tap water and distilled water to the person’s skin and observing the reaction. This condition is usually treated with a cream called Capsaicin (Zostrix) that is applied to the irritated skin or skin rash. It is a good idea to talk to your health care provider or dermatologist and know about the treatments.

In case you do not have water urticaria and still noticing rashes on your skin after shower, then it may be caused from the chlorine present in your water. Tap water usually contains more chlorine than the amount recommended for use in swimming pools. In such case, while showering more chlorine enters the human body through inhalation than through drinking tap water. Chemicals found in the water you use in shower vaporizes at a faster rate than the actual water. So, this means the steam in a shower contains a higher chemical concentration than the water itself.

It is recommended not to take such hot showers for reducing the amount of chemicals present in the air. The best thing would be to have a shower filter so as to remove chlorine or a whole house filter for removing the entry of chlorine at the home’s entry point.

One more cause of rash after shower could be dry skin. It may look paradoxical to develop dry skin from standing under water. However, if you take a hot shower it may parch your skin as the water evaporates. Our skin produces oil naturally that acts as a barrier between the skin and the harsh environment outside. But, hot water sluices this oil from the skin, stripping it of its protection and thus leaving it feeling dry, tight and itchy.

You can know if dry skin is the culprit behind rash after shower by taking a long hot shower and noticing if there is a severe itching on your lower legs and forearms. You can try using a moisturizer on the affected skin.

Contact dermatitis is a general name for temporary skin irritation in response to a stimulus. Your shower brings you in contact with everything from the chemicals that comprise your soap, shampoo, cleaning products you use on your shower enclosure. Apart from this, your towel also bears traces of detergent and fabric softener in it. All of these things might potentially be causing contact dermatitis that may cause rash after shower in your skin.

There is also one primary cause of rash after a shower or skin rash and itchy skin, and that is, a poor imbalanced diet. If you are not taking a balanced diet containing nutrient required in retaining the skin, it may lead to skin sensitivity. Thus, the skin may lack some crucial elements, making it sensitive to some of the causes of skin rash or itchy skin.

NOTE:

Skin rash can also be caused by aspirin and by food coloring and preservatives and these are easy to determine and one must stop using these products.

Irrespective of the causative factor of rash after shower, some of the home remedies can help you in getting rid of the irritation, itching and rash caused by allergic skin reactions. Let us take a look on some of the home remedies you can use in case you have rash after shower.

The skin can sometimes feel warm to touch and you may experience symptoms like red, itchy rash with an allergic reaction after shower. You can use a simple home remedy of cool compress for easing the pain, itchiness and rash caused on the skin.

One of the best home remedy for skin rash or the itchy skin rash is baking soda. You need to use a cup of baking soda in a cool bath and soak self for at least 30 minutes or 60 minutes for maximum relief from the rash.

If you experience rash after shower, you can bath in colloidal oatmeal, that provide amazing relief for skin rashes caused due to allergic reactions. Oatmeal is a humectant that helps in moisturizing the skin and it also contains inflammation-quelling compounds. Add 1 to 2 cups of colloidal oatmeal, to slightly warm water and soak your body for 30 minutes. However, ensure not to use hot water for the bath.

There is a calamine lotion that is an anti-itch medicine. You can use this on your affected skin that may provide a soothing cool feeling as it evaporates from your skin, thus making it a wonderful remedy to get rid of skin rash after shower.

In case you have dry skin that is causing skin rash after shower, you can try this useful remedy of sleeping with a humidifier. These humidifiers add moisture to the air and thus helps you get rid of the rash.

Moisturizer is a great home remedy to get rid of rash after shower caused due to dry skin. You can choose any OTC brand of moisturizer so as to help relieve your dry skin condition. In order to make your moisturizer even more soothing for your dry, itchy skin, and skin rash, keep your skin covered after applying the moisturizer.

Yet another effective home remedy for allergic reactions, dry skin and rash on the skin could be apple cider vinegar. You can use apple cider vinegar on a rash by applying a teaspoon of it to the affected area of the skin. You can, in fact, use a cotton compress with apple cider vinegar so as to allow it to continue to pull the toxins out of your skin.

Being antiseptic and anti-fungal, apple cider vinegar can also help with several other skin infections. Apple cider vinegar also helps in fighting dry skin that might be a cause of rash after shower. It balances the skin’s acid-base level and increases moisture.

Consuming a balanced diet, a lot of fruits, and plenty of water may mean purification of the body and also the skin. It is essential that your diet includes vitamins like vitamin A, B and E which are helpful to the body.

Some individuals may consider using lemon for reducing skin rash or itchiness. Lemon, being anti-inflammatory in property, when used on the affected skin may bring about the best result.

Aloe Vera is a well known home remedy to soothe the rash and irritation after shower. This is a substance that is used to prevent skin impurities, and using this substance may really mean a lot to relieve itchiness, rash after shower.

Apart from all the above mentioned home remedies to get rid of rash after shower, you must also keep in mind that in case your rash is caused by coming in contact with water, then you need to come out of the shower very quickly without spending hours in the bathroom. Also, be very much sure that the material you use to scrub your body while taking shower is very soft, so as to prevent any skin irritation.

We talked about the causes and some of the remedies for rash after shower. Though these remedies might be useful in mild cases of skin rash, it is very much essential for you to see your dermatologist who can help you decide on a course of medical treatment in case you have rash after shower because of any of the mentioned causes.

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