Can hot water be used to relieve itching?

This statement is unscientific

Many people believe that washing the skin with hot water can relieve itching, but this method not only fails to really relieve itching, but may cause more problems.

Some people think this works because the moment hot water hits the skin, it may feel less itchy because the nerve endings are temporarily "numbed" by the heat. However, hot water dilates blood vessels and increases blood circulation, which can make symptoms worse, especially in skin conditions such as eczema, urticaria or dermatitis.

In addition, excessive heat stimulation can make the skin drier, destroy the skin's natural barrier function, cause the skin to lose protection, and increase the risk of external irritation and infection.

The correct way to relieve itching should be to wash the affected area with warm water instead of hot water, and avoid using irritating cleaning products. At the same time, keeping the skin moisturized is often a basic care measure.

In addition, for more serious skin problems, you can use correct medication to relieve itching under the guidance of a doctor, such as glucocorticoid ointments containing anti-inflammatory ingredients, or antipruritic ointments containing antipruritic ingredients.

In short, although washing with hot water may have an anti-itching effect on the surface, from a scientific point of view, this method is not only unsafe, but may also make the problem worse, which is like drinking poison to quench thirst.

Author: Tang Jiaoqing, MD, attending physician of dermatology

Review | Feng Jun, deputy chief physician of the Dermatology Department of Sinopharm Tongmei General Hospital