Is alcohol good for itchy skin?

Why can rubbing alcohol seem to help?

Rubbing alcohol may ease eczema itching very briefly, but it is an irritant. Repeated use damages the skin barrier, the protective outer layer of skin, and increases inflammation. That makes the itching worse over time. A bottle's place in the medicine cabinet does not make it an itch treatment.1

If alcohol or another product makes your skin more irritated, stop using that product. Contact dermatitis is eczema triggered by contact with a substance, and it can cause itching, dryness, cracks or blisters. Avoiding the trigger helps it clear. If you have just come into contact with an irritant, rinse the affected area with warm water and an emollient, a moisturizing product.3

What should you use instead?

1. 1Hold a cool, damp washcloth against the itchy area for about 5 to 10 minutes, or until the itch eases.
2. 2Apply a fragrance free moisturizer after the compress. After bathing, apply moisturizer while your skin is still damp, and use it again whenever your skin itches.
3. 3If moisturizing does not help, ask a pharmacist about a suitable cooling product, such as menthol or calamine, or a cream containing pramoxine, a pain reliever applied to the skin. Tell them where you itch and what other symptoms you have.

Keep baths and showers cool or lukewarm and avoid long soaks, which gives the bath less scope to become an evening programme. Pat or tap rather than scratch, keep your nails short and smooth, and wear loose cotton clothing, which is a refreshingly modest wardrobe brief. Avoid perfumed soaps, deodorants and moisturizers. The goal is itch relief, not a bathroom collection with its own curator, so start with a cool compress and moisturizer, which leaves very little work for the acquisitions department.6

What if the itching is eczema?

For eczema, use a sensitive skin moisturizer at least twice daily, including before bed. Keep the bedroom cool and sleep in loose cotton clothing. Scratching can worsen itching and cause open sores, infection and pain. Cooling and moisturizing can offer temporary relief, but lasting relief depends on getting the eczema under control, which takes time.15

For a child with eczema, use an itch relief product only if their dermatologist recommends it; some such products can trigger flares. A colloidal oatmeal bath can soothe dry, itchy skin: use lukewarm water, let the child soak for 10 to 15 minutes, gently dry them so the skin stays damp, and moisturize within 3 minutes. Oatmeal makes the bath slippery, and children should not eat it.5

Can drinking alcohol be linked to itching?

Alcohol related liver disease can cause itching across the body as substances build up and stimulate nerve endings in the skin. That is one possible explanation, not a diagnosis based on an itch. Dry skin, reactions to cosmetics or medicines, insect bites and other conditions can also cause itching. Treatment needs to match the cause; antihistamines help some causes, not every itch.267

When should you see a doctor?

Arrange medical care if itching is severe, affects daily life, covers your whole body, keeps returning or does not improve with self care. Also get checked for a concerning new rash, lump or swelling, itching without an obvious cause, or itching lasting a few weeks. During pregnancy, contact your doctor or midwife about itching because it can sometimes signal a liver condition. A doctor can examine your skin and, when needed, arrange blood tests to help find the cause.67