Suddenly Sensitive To Lotion?

[FruitEnthusiast]

I've been using Curel body lotion for longer than I can remember, and I like it. Of all the ways I tend to be sensitive, one thing I've never experienced is a problem with products bothering my skin. Yesterday I put in on all over, like always, after my shower and I felt itchy all over, not horrible, but annoying. I knew something was starting to make me feel itchy. It started with a slight burning feeling in my eyes in the last week which I guess was from the "fumes" of the lotion. I usually wear it on my face too. Then I noticed itchiness around the elastic in my clothes. I thought it might be the scent in my laundry soap.

 

So, I took another shower (sigh) that evening to wash the lotion off, and I scrubbed all over with a washcloth and it helped but not completely. Now today it's mostly gone, I think.

 

I looked up past posts about lotion and it didn't seem that Curel had gluten from what others said. There may be something else in it that's bothering me. I know anyone can develop a new allergy at any time. Looks like I will have to find a new lotion for sensitive skin. I'm not thrilled.

 

I'm wondering (or wishing rather) if the lotion got too old and went past it's expiration date. I didn't see one on the bottle, and I haven't had it that long, but I don't go through that fast. It's a 20 oz bottle.

 

I may have developed a new issue or it may be the lotion. Any thoughts or suggestions.? I'm lotion-less now, and I'm still wondering about my laundry soap, since that's what my washcloth was washed in. I'm starting to fell like Sherlock Holmes, with this gluten thing, always searching for clues.

 

 

[Adalaide]

When I started having this same issue it took me a long time to figure out. It is certain scents used in things for me. I now have to use a dye and scent free detergent and dryer sheets. If it is a problem with scents, it could be anything you use on your entire body. Your laundry soap, dryer sheets, lotion, shower soap, even your shampoo or conditioner because it washes down your whole body.

 

As a tip, although this will seem super weird, if you use a homemade body scrub made with olive or coconut oil you won't need body lotion. I have terribly dry skin, and aquagenic pruritis and no longer need lotions to have amazingly soft, non-itchy skin, fresh out of the shower. As for lotions that won't irritate, I love Eucerin and there are some all natural ones made with coconut oil that are great if you're into that sort of thing.

[LauraTX]

As someone who seems to be sensitive to everything that is a personal care product... I have way too much experience with this.  First thing to know is product formulations change all the time.  Every time I buy something even if it is the same face wash I have used for years, I look at the ingredients and sniff it to see if the smell has changed or is stronger.  

 

If I were in your place (and like I said I have to do this a lot, it is a pain in my hiney) I would discontinue use of the lotion and re wash all of your clothes in one of the fragrance and dye free detergents.  I have tried tide, all,and purex and liked how they all perform, but I use all free and clear because I can get the giant thing at sams club.  I really think it may be your laundry soap because of the increased irritation around the seams of your clothing... and if any of those spots are where you do not put lotion on (wasn't said) I would definitely peg it on the detergent.  If it is a place where you do use the lotion, the seams of your clothes increase friction there and increase any existing irritation.

 

So anyways, If you can't notice any changes in ingredients like "new improved scent" or "new better cleaning formula" kind of thing written on one of the bottles which would peg it to be more likely one than the other, I would stop using both the detergent and the lotion and then add them back in one at a time.  Add in the one which you think was most likely not the culprit and wait about two weeks and if it doesn't do anything it was the other, and vice versa.

[cyclinglady]

In the meantime, put your laundry through a second rinse cycle.

[FruitEnthusiast]

Yep, as I read all of your posts, and the more I thought about it, I too think the laundry detergent is the culprit and is at least the beginning of the solution. I still had the eebie jeebies all over when I tried to go to bed and it was hard to get comfortable enough to fall asleep. This morning I'm going out to buy a fragrance/dye free detergent to start rewashing everything, and I will give it a second rince to get all the old detergent out.

 

I share the washer with two others and I will try to get them to use my detergent too if possible. It's a front loader so the detergent goes down that tray thing into the clothes. I'm going to run it once without clothes and pour warm water down the tray to rince out any old detergent. I don't use dryer sheets.

 

I will also check out Eucerin lotion and I already have olive and coconut oil on my shelf. In the meantime I use liquid baby soap in the shower anyway and it's gentle enough to wash your hair too. I'll have to check that for a scent too I guess, and see about a fragrance free conditioner. I can try my usual hair products again after I'm feeling better to test them.

 

Thanks everyone. I'll let you know how it goes.

[FruitEnthusiast]

If it is a problem with scents, it could be anything you use on your entire body. Your laundry soap, dryer sheets, lotion, shower soap, even your shampoo or conditioner because it washes down your whole body.

 

As a tip, although this will seem super weird, if you use a homemade body scrub made with olive or coconut oil you won't need body lotion.  As for lotions that won't irritate, I love Eucerin and there are some all natural ones made with coconut oil that are great if you're into that sort of thing.

 

Ok, so I've re-washed my bedding, towels, everything that's touched my skin. I showered and scrubbed with a washcloth washed in the All free and clear, before using the re-washed clothes. That seems to have helped, but I haven't re-washed my hair and my scalp is still itchy, so I need to wash it again with something fragrance free. I have a generic version Johnson's liquid baby soap that I always use in the shower anyway and it's gentle enough to wash my hair with it, but my hair is long and if I don't use a conditioner It will be tangled and probably dry, so I need to find a good new shampoo and conditioner.

 

I bought Eucerin and have used it on my face and hands, it seems ok. I haven't used it on the rest of my body, guess I could go for it. I usually cover my entire body with lotion usually after a shower, it's soooo soothing to be moisturized all over. I did try olive oil on my hands before I was brave enough to try the lotion yesterday and it worked great for the dryness but felt, well, sort of oily. I was afraid it would come off onto fabric etc.

 

I still feel generally itchy a little but it could be the hair products. I know how itchy in one place can feel itchy all over. I'm going to wash my hair with baby soap and skip the conditioner for now.

 

I think I'll be brave and try the Eucerin on my body too, see how that feels.

 

I guess I have to get fragrance free dish soap and hand soap too...

[JNBunnie1]

I have found that coconut oil on the skin after a shower has a better 'feeling' than olive oil, it

soaks in nicely, without leaving an oily residue. Ans it smells nice! Don't be surprised if it takes

a few days for the itchies to go away entirely, either.

[gilligan]

Curel regular strength is gluten free.  Curel Ultra Healing is NOT gluten free, and contains oatmeal.  This may have changed in the last 6 months since I researched it.

[LauraTX]

Good to hear, Sara.  It will take a little time for your skin to go back to normal depending on how severe the irritation was.  Try not to try anything too new or crazy on it until you feel like it has healed up, don't want a reaction on top of a reaction, leads to a bad day, haha.

[FruitEnthusiast]

It will take a little time for your skin to go back to normal depending on how severe the irritation was.

 

I knew I wasn't crazy... that the itchiness wasn't all the way gone and I wondered if that was the reason. I did re-wash my hair and it did help, but the over all eebie jeebies are driving me nuts!!! I've exhausted myself re-doing all this laundry. Now I can tell I'm going to have to give in and take a nap and I just want to say, I HATE NAPS!! I'd rather do anything else and it makes me mad. I feel like a five year old trying to bargain some way out of the inevitable... oh brother...where's the kleenex box?

[LauraTX]

I'm glad my suffering experiences with these kinds of things has finally helped someone!  LOL. 

[FruitEnthusiast]

Anybody try Free and Clear hair products? The reviews on Walgreens are good. They have a soap too. Think I'll give 'em a try.