How to stop itching fast: Heat from a hot hair dryer (set on high) used as close to the skin as possible can stop severe itching anywhere on the body: your head, scalp, arms, legs, fingers, crotch,...
How to stop itching fast: Heat from a hot hair dryer (set on high) used as close to the skin as possible can stop severe itching anywhere on the body: your head, scalp, arms, legs, fingers, crotch, butt, toes, athletes foot, jock itch, feet, nipples, vagina, anal area, anus, etc.
The same way that a pin-prick of pain near an itchy point on the body will counteract the itch sensation, heat and momentary localized pain from a hot hairdryer has the same instantaneous effect to stop itching immediately. Pain immediately counters and neutralizes the itch by signaling the brain that something more important is going on. The body recognizes pain as a more important warning signal, so the brain focuses on the pain and ignores the itch. Distracting the brain with momentary pain is an excellent way to end an itch.
The pain ends the itch, because the enzymes are destroyed by the high heat of the hot hair dryer. Itching is caused by enzyme activity at the cellular level of the body. The enzymes that cause us itching, and discomfort can be neutralized with enough HEAT to generate one second of pain. Anything is better than itching. Would you rather itch all day or say "ouch" once and be done with it?
How it works: Applying heat (just like when cooking food) destroys enzyme activity by burning it out. By destroying the enzymes the itching ceases instantly.
An example is when a mosquito bites its victim with its needle-like mouthparts, it injects a liquid containing its digestive enzymes and anti-coagulants. The proteins in this liquid are the cause of the allergic reaction and the itch. The body responds by releasing histamines. Histamine is released into the synapses and triggers an inflammatory reddening and wheal response.
Many types of enzymes exist in the body and each type has a specific function. Enzymes are proteins made by cells in our bodies and are specialized proteins that do work such as biological nerve signaling to the brain with an itch.
This works on all bug bites like fleas and bees (even chiggers), poison ivy, poison sumac, poison oak, from camping etc. It may even work on chronic conditions like dermatitis, seborrhea, psoriasis, and eczema. You should try it and discuss the results with your doctor or dermatologist.
In the case of poison ivy or other plants, Urushiol (pentadecylacatechol) triggers an allergic reaction when it comes into contact with skin. This is a form of contact dermatitis. Specifically, "allergic contact dermatitis" is a form of hypersensitivity mediated by white blood cells sensitized by the contact of the resin urushiol to the skin.
I discovered it 15 years ago after getting a bad case of poison ivy. Since then I have used it on everything that itches. Think of this video the next time you itch. It's one of the best working homeopathic remedies that I know of. It's simple to prove it to yourself with just a hot hair-dryer.
The science behind itching: You would think that such a universally experienced sensation like Pruritus (itching) and scratching would be well understood by now, but its still very much understood. Scratching temporarily relieves isolated itches, however, scratching can intensify itching and even cause further damage to the skin, called the "itch-scratch-itch cycle".
Pruritus or itching is caused by invading enzymes such as from a bug bite which causes the body to release Histamines, which triggers the inflammatory response in the body's unmyelinated C-polymodal neuron fiber receptors. When the body senses a foreign substance, called an antigen, the immune system is triggered.
The central chemical involved in itching is histamine, a molecule released by mast cells in the skin. Histamine is the chemical that causes the itch and reddening wheal when bitten by insects. The more you scratch, the more histamine is produced. Scratching very hard causes pain to temporarily ease the itch, but it also damages the skin and leaves it open to infection from staphylococcus or streptococcus (impetigo).
Acute itching serves as a protective function, while chronic itching is can be a miserable nuisance with severe underlying medical conditions. Acute itching responds well to antihistamines, while chronic itch does not. Chronic itch, which does not respond to antihistamines, can be caused by more than 50 underlying diseases and conditions (including kidney disease, eczema, shingles and HIV), and is estimated to plague as many as 1 out of 10 people.
Antipruritics and antihistamines such as topical corticosteroids like hydrocortisone topical creams, including Benadryl, menthol and phenol are effective for acute itching. (The best treatment of all for itching as discussed here is to use a HOT HAIR DRYER)
How can I get rid of itching from poison ivy, itchy flea bites, mosquito bites, chigger bites, poison ivy?
How can i stop an itch?
The pain ends the itch, because the enzymes are destroyed by the high heat of the hot hair dryer. Itching is caused by enzyme activity at the cellular level of the body. The enzymes that cause us itching, and discomfort can be neutralized with enough HEAT to generate one second of pain.