Because livejournal is for epidemiology

[fivemack]

Have any of my readers noticed their lower legs and upper arms becoming more than usually itchy in the last three or so weeks? I have; I complained to my co-worker and found that he and his wife both had, and so why not ask everyone I know ...

(I suspect it may be a matter of very cold outside weather translating to very low humidity inside central-heated houses)

Comments

[mobbsy.livejournal.com]

I haven't noticed any such effect.

[lnr]

Me neither.

[sonicdrift.livejournal.com]

Yes! I put it down to my wooly jumper.

[txanne.livejournal.com]

Just my ankles, but I think you're right about the cause.

[j4.livejournal.com]

I have noticed my legs getting very itchy, but that's because I've been wearing tights all the time as an extra layer of warmth... :-}

(Also, I have an insect-bite. How the hell can any bitey things still be alive in this cold???)

[pseudomonas.livejournal.com]

I've been itchy around sides of waist a bit more since taking to wearing jogger-bottoms under my trousers. The warm more than makes up for it.

[dd-b.livejournal.com]

They move indoors for the winter.

[beckyc.livejournal.com]

Yes, but I put it down to low-level urticaria (because, well, asthmatic amn't I? Stands to reason, innit?).

[liv]

What she said.

[dd-b.livejournal.com]

Absolutely, even though I've started the winter moisturizing lotion regimen. It's a routine part of winter in Minnesota, caused, as you suggest, by the low humidity indoors when the air is getting heated this much.

[arnhem.livejournal.com]

Yes. And yes, I'm reasonably confident it's a temperature/humidity reaction (and particularly rate-of-change).

[emperor]

I haven't (yet?!?)

[sphyg.livejournal.com]

Yes for legs, which I put down to weather/heating skin wibbles.

[vyvyan.livejournal.com]

Yes, very much so (in fact, all over my legs and arms). But it can't be a feature just of central heating, because the two houses I spend most of my time in lack working central heating, and so I have been keeping warm with individual and rather inadequate room heaters, and many layers of clothing and blankets.

[addedentry.livejournal.com]

My legs have been itching; I'd intended to launder my clothes in something different but the plan faltered at the getting-round-to-laundering-my-clothes stage.

[scat0324.livejournal.com]

Count me amongst the itchers.

[tau-iota-mu-c.livejournal.com]

I reckon it's something in our collective water supplies, because I'm itching all over right now.

[frostfox.livejournal.com]

My skin itches more when I have been wearing trousers. Like my Mum and Grandma, I am developing shiny shins with thin tight skin. When I get older it will bruise easily.

I don't find trousers anywhere near as warm as a skirt with leggings or tights or long johns and a petticoat. Three layers better than one.

I also have a mozzie bite on my arm, I react worse in the winter, I'm usually on antihistamines for hayfever in summer, of course, so the histamine reaction can be quite dramatic.

FF

Itchy and Scratchy

[(Anonymous)]

Yes, I definitely have. I have been putting lots of cream on my lower legs and thinking that I was growing like my mother, who used to suffer from twitchy legs in bed. And how about the itchiness on one's ears and scalp?
Joanna.

[downybearded1.livejournal.com]

I have before noticed the effect and concluded the same as yourself. E45 is the gift of the Gods in such circumstances. It's a peculiar phenomena which only happens at this time of year...

[sparrowsion]

Head and body, legs to a lesser extent, not arms. The weather station says humidity inside is 33%—it's usually at least 45%.