Anyone else have skin condition that makes it hard to exercise?

fibonacci11235
fibonacci11235 Posts: 4 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
For example, as embarrassing as this sounds, I have a really bad scalp--sebhorrheic dermatitis. Every single time I start exercising and begin to sweat I get an EXTREMELY itchy scalp and upper chest and neck. It isn't that I'm dirty or unclean, I take showers everyday and otherwise maintain a healthy diet. I'm just cursed with bad genetics. By extreme itching I really do mean extreme. Imagine the worst case of poison ivy youve ever had and multiply the itchiness by 10. It is literally debilitating to simply start breaking a sweat due to the itchiness. Anyone else have this issue? What do you do then to maintain fitness levels? Really a peculiar and embarrassing condition.

Replies

  • 1nprgr3s
    1nprgr3s Posts: 61 Member
    I wonder if there is any active wear that wicks sweat away better than others. Perhaps a steroid cream for use after exercising may reduce the itching and inflammation. Or perhaps a more gentle exercise like yoga?
  • eluvscats
    eluvscats Posts: 54 Member
    I'm so sorry, I have this as well, but on my legs! It's exercise-induced urticaria for me and I've had it since childhood and it certainly contributed to becoming obese since just walking could set it off. It is absolutely debilitating, and you wouldn't think that itching could be "that bad" but oh my god, it makes me want to cut my legs off and die when it's happening. I feel you, I really do.
    Silver lining: Allergy meds help me though. I take Zyrtec every day and I can do normal things without wanting to chop off the excruciating body parts. It took about 25 years for a doctor to recommend this though, and it went away for the most part. If I miss the dose for a day or two, it comes right back though... :-/
    I don't know if this helps you because I have a routine to manage it now, but I wanted to provide solidarity in case someone says "itching isn't that bad," or something equally flippant. You're not alone. :)
  • firef1y72
    firef1y72 Posts: 1,579 Member
    I've got chronic urticaria, with multiple triggers including getting hot and sweaty, but it's mostly kept under control by taking daily antihistamines. I find Zyrtec/cetrizine the best and take a daily maintenance dose of 2 tablets (twice the standard recommended dose) going up to 4 tablets if the severe itching starts to rear it's ugly head. I do need to make sure I take the daily dose though, even if I've had no symptoms for weeks and the double dose at the first sign of weals, if I don't then I'm normally flaring within 24hours and a flare up can last weeks. Maybe you could speak to your doctor/pharmacist/dermatologist and try a similar regime.

    The pic shows my back after 2xtrips to A&E, 3 different antihistamines plus steroid treatment (both iv and oral). So like the above poster says, I know full well just how much distress itching can cause.

    2mbrnkmg8c22.jpg

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