I'm itchy and scratching and I've scarred up my legs. How do I get rid of these scars?
June 8, 2011 12:23 PM Subscribe
I'm allergic to something and have scratched the bejesus out of my legs. What can I put on them to help clear up the scarring?
I've been scratching the hell out of my legs for about a month, and only last week did it occur to me to see my doctor about it. She suggests that I'm probably allergic to something, and every time I scratch I'm activating the histamine response. I now take generic Claritin every morning and that has alleviated the itchiness, but the aftermath ugliness of the scratching remains.
She told me to use lotion like Eucerin to relieve the dry skin (if that's part of the issue), but no advice for how to clear up the scars. Will hydrocortisone help? Any advice? It looks pretty bad, so much so that I don't really want to wear shorts right now. Thanks.
I've been scratching the hell out of my legs for about a month, and only last week did it occur to me to see my doctor about it. She suggests that I'm probably allergic to something, and every time I scratch I'm activating the histamine response. I now take generic Claritin every morning and that has alleviated the itchiness, but the aftermath ugliness of the scratching remains.
She told me to use lotion like Eucerin to relieve the dry skin (if that's part of the issue), but no advice for how to clear up the scars. Will hydrocortisone help? Any advice? It looks pretty bad, so much so that I don't really want to wear shorts right now. Thanks.
Best answer: Neosporin. But if you've just got red marks, they'll fade.
posted by Ideefixe at 12:31 PM on June 8, 2011
posted by Ideefixe at 12:31 PM on June 8, 2011
Response by poster: likeso - yes, most have "healed" - they aren't scabby at all, they just kind of look like mosquito bites when you scratch them a lot (red areas).
posted by Sal and Richard at 12:32 PM on June 8, 2011
posted by Sal and Richard at 12:32 PM on June 8, 2011
I have this problem with my knees! Bag Balm has helped dramatically with itching and dryness. Hydrocortisone has done nothing. When I forget and scratch open a scab, I immediately clean it and put Neosporin on it. That seems to prevent scarring. I don't know if you can clear up existing scars.
posted by katillathehun at 12:33 PM on June 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by katillathehun at 12:33 PM on June 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
Gotcha. I've had some success with StriVectin. (I get allergic reactions to mosquito bites sometimes, leaving red bumps which can laaaaaast.) Took care of both bumps and redness.
My best success story is with vitamin E oil - I literally opened up my left shin crashing rapids in a kayak once. But this was liberally applied while the wounds were still wounds. No scars.
(Ideefixe's suggestion sounds interesting- but you're not talking keloid tissue.)
posted by likeso at 12:42 PM on June 8, 2011
My best success story is with vitamin E oil - I literally opened up my left shin crashing rapids in a kayak once. But this was liberally applied while the wounds were still wounds. No scars.
(Ideefixe's suggestion sounds interesting- but you're not talking keloid tissue.)
posted by likeso at 12:42 PM on June 8, 2011
Hydrocortisone will help with itchiness if it's an allergic response; Neosporin will help with scabs/scars.
My husband got a rash like this and it turned out to be heat rash - hydrocortisone only helped for about 15 minutes at a time. As it so happens, cold cream was an amazing help - it permanently (so far) soothed the itchiness and helped it heal. If you're wearing pants in summer, it could be heat rash.
However, you've seen a doctor and IANAD.
posted by bookdragoness at 12:46 PM on June 8, 2011
My husband got a rash like this and it turned out to be heat rash - hydrocortisone only helped for about 15 minutes at a time. As it so happens, cold cream was an amazing help - it permanently (so far) soothed the itchiness and helped it heal. If you're wearing pants in summer, it could be heat rash.
However, you've seen a doctor and IANAD.
posted by bookdragoness at 12:46 PM on June 8, 2011
they just kind of look like mosquito bites when you scratch them a lot (red areas)
I am pretty allergic to mosquito bites and some times have extreme allergic reactions that sounds like it has similar aftereffects (lots of red areas). In my experience, only time will get rid of them, and a week is not enough.
It's possible that your doctor might be willing to prescribe a steroidal anti-inflammatory, but if not, you could try an NSAID like Aleve. These have sometimes helped lessen more extreme redness.
posted by muddgirl at 12:55 PM on June 8, 2011
I am pretty allergic to mosquito bites and some times have extreme allergic reactions that sounds like it has similar aftereffects (lots of red areas). In my experience, only time will get rid of them, and a week is not enough.
It's possible that your doctor might be willing to prescribe a steroidal anti-inflammatory, but if not, you could try an NSAID like Aleve. These have sometimes helped lessen more extreme redness.
posted by muddgirl at 12:55 PM on June 8, 2011
Stop picking, scratching and itching! In the future when you start to itch, put cortisone on it immediately. If that doesn't help, ask your doc for an rx topical corticosteroid cream.
Keep everything moisturized and clean and you should heal up.
posted by radioamy at 1:26 PM on June 8, 2011
Keep everything moisturized and clean and you should heal up.
posted by radioamy at 1:26 PM on June 8, 2011
Vitamin E oil (tocopheryl acetate/Vitamin E acetate), available at the pharmacy in a nice little bottle. I'm not 100% sold on its scar-minimizing reputation, but it's the only thing that doesn't make things worse for my skin when I have a severe allergic reaction (other lotions/ointments burn like hell). Some people have a reaction to it, so do test it out before you spread it everywhere, but for me it's a life-saver. Moisture and protection without any irritation at all.
I also like Bio-Oil, which you can get on amazon, and which I do use on scars and which has had a noticeable affect for me- I've used it on healed scrapes and a little keloid, and it helped them fade and flatten.
posted by notquitemaryann at 1:36 PM on June 8, 2011
I also like Bio-Oil, which you can get on amazon, and which I do use on scars and which has had a noticeable affect for me- I've used it on healed scrapes and a little keloid, and it helped them fade and flatten.
posted by notquitemaryann at 1:36 PM on June 8, 2011
I have super-sensitive skin and rely on Calamine Lotion to soothe itches.
posted by Carol Anne at 2:56 PM on June 8, 2011
posted by Carol Anne at 2:56 PM on June 8, 2011
Incidentally, if you are scratching badly in your sleep - get an oversized long sleeved undershirt and sew the armholes closed at the wrists, with a slash on the side for your thumbs. This will keep you from clawing at yourself while still giving you reasonable grabby freedom with your hand, and is harder to take off in your sleep than gloves/mittens.
posted by elizardbits at 4:53 PM on June 8, 2011
posted by elizardbits at 4:53 PM on June 8, 2011
My brother swears by Arnica (wikipedia disclaimer: "Arnica montana has been used medicinally for centuries, however there are no scientific studies that prove the medical effectiveness."). I've used it to apparent success, anyhow.
posted by alon at 8:48 PM on June 8, 2011
posted by alon at 8:48 PM on June 8, 2011
If it's just on your legs, it's more likely to be bedbugs than an allergy. Certainly it's worth checking out.
posted by KRS at 6:14 AM on June 9, 2011
posted by KRS at 6:14 AM on June 9, 2011
I've been plagued by itchy legs for over a year now. The scabs do look like I've scratched the crap out of mosquito bites--it took me several months to convince my own husband that wasn't the case! A gluten-free diet seems to be helping me and the redness is slowly fading. I would just give it time, especially if you're particularly fair.
posted by wallaby at 10:56 AM on June 9, 2011
posted by wallaby at 10:56 AM on June 9, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by likeso at 12:29 PM on June 8, 2011