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Itchy Skin Cures

| Modified on Oct 05, 2024
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Symptoms, Causes and Treatment of Itchy Skin

Medically termed pruritus, itchy skin can arise as the result of several different skin conditions. Marked by an excessive itching of the skin and frequently an unusual rash or texture to the skin, itchy skin is often uncomfortable and can even be embarrassing. As dry itchy skin can develop due to several factors, identifying the underlying cause of the issue is crucial discern an appropriate treatment.

Itchy skin may develop on a single part of the body, such as the arm or leg, or over the entire body. While dry itchy skin can occur without any additional noticeable symptoms, it is often associated with characteristic changes of the skin. Common symptoms of itchy skin include redness, bumps, blisters, spots, lesions, dry and cracking skin and a leather or scaly texture to the skin. The duration and intensity of itchy skin varies by case, but it often lasts a long period of time and is intense. Additionally, rubbing or scratching the area typically intensifies the condition or at least the itch, so it is important to not scratch the dry itchy skin.

Itchy skin is most often caused by dry skin or xerosis; however, xerosis is not the only cause of itchy skin. Additional causes of itchy skin include skin conditions or rashes include eczema and psoriasis, internal disease such as liver disease and celiac disease, nerve disorders, irritation and allergic reactions, drugs and pregnancy.

Natural Itchy Skin Cures

While many cases of itchy skin heal without treatment, effective treatment options can shorten the duration of the issue and prevent additional complications. Topical applications of healing substances are often the most effective for offering immediate relief. Apple cider vinegar, aloe vera, coconut oil and calcium bentonite clay offer almost immediate relief. Additionally soothing baths with baking soda or borax can also treat and relieve the issue.

The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
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Alcohol

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Posted by Rob (Kentucky) on 10/04/2024
 ★★★★★

ALCOHOL (ethyl alcohol – Vodka or rubbing alcohol). – Itchy skin of mysterious origins. – Alcohol, strong: "one application, well rubbed in, cures in 5 minutes.”

I use this technique for when I get bite by a mosquito or itchy skin with no visible cause. I carry a hand sanitizer spray pen for disinfecting my hands which works great for the above purpose.

From the Book: The Medical Genius 4th Ed., page 13, 1894 by Stacy Jones M.D.

Anti-Chlorine Itch Spray

Posted by Michelle (Melbourne, Australia) on 05/31/2015

Hello, I need some help with mixing vitamins and minerals. I would like to make some home made 'swim spray' by mixing vitamin c powder with water for spraying on the body after swimming in a chlorine pool. I'm hoping this will help my daughter (7) to not be so itchy after her swimming lessons. I was wondering if also adding some magnesium oil to the Spray would cause any problems? My daughter thrives after an Epsom salt bath so I hope it would be like an extra boost for her. Would there be any problems mixing the two? Thank you for your advise. I love this site so much. It's been so helpful!

Replied by Timh
(Ky)
05/31/2015
2048 posts

M: The best place to start for skin health is Vit-A & Vit-E and the mineral Selenium works well w/ both, so maybe a very good children's multivitamin/mineral supplement will suffice. As for Vit-C, I would recommend a "C Complex" is C plus citrus bioflavonoids for maximum benefit (taken orally).

Hurray on the Epsom Salts which would probably proof something of the equivalent of Magnesium Oil for topical app.

As for the sensitivity to Chlorine, this could be a sign of Iodine deficiency. Be sure to use Iodized Sea Salt in the kitchen, and also consider supplementing Kelp tablets. Adequate or more than adequate Iodine levels provides a barrier against Chlorine and Bromine found in drinking water and public swimming pools all of which is disastrous on Thyroid function.

As for a topical spray for removing Chlorine, the best solution would be mixing some Sodium Thiosulfate in the water bottle. You can buy ST at fish or aquarium shops as it is sold for "de-chlorination" in water environment. Be careful to make the mix weak to start as ST also can be absorbed into the skin and reduce the good Iodine. Hopefully you will not need this ST spray with these previous suggestions.

Replied by Tony
(Alberta, Canada)
04/08/2016

I get woken at night with ferocious itching around the ankles and shins. I've tried different approaches, but I found that rubbing a bit of peppermint oil on it would let me go back to sleep.

Replied by Susan
(Citrus Heights, Ca)
07/20/2017

I itch at night, too, but I itch on my breasts and my armpits. On the other hand I've stopped eating and drinking any dairy and I eat 100% Raw Food. The itching is keeping me up at night. Any suggestions?

tony
(Alberta)
10/31/2023

Mix a little DMSO and peppermint oil and apply.

This will get very hot for a minute or two then cool relief.

Replied by Charity
(Faithville, Usa)
07/21/2017

You give very little info . It could be dehydration, iodine detox or liver health ...so drink some extra water - if you took some iodine, eat some selenium, sea salt, and vitamin C, --- if not then take some milk thistle or a half a dime size of raw ginger and chew and drink 16 oz. water.

If you ate something you are allergic to, then take 1/4-1/2 tsp baking soda and disolve in 12 oz. water and drink .

Replied by Lynn
(Slave Lake Ab. Canada)
09/03/2017

You need more carbs.

Apple Cider Vinegar

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Posted by Julie (Springfield, Mo) on 07/05/2011
 ★★★★★

I've had good luck with it clearing up itchy skin issues. I dilute Apple Cider Vinegar with water 50/50 and dab it on several times a day, even when it is not itching. Using it consistently is the trick, it takes awhile for it to heal. vinegar will help some with itching but it will help more with healing.

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Sharon (Nickerson, Ks) on 06/19/2011
 ★☆☆☆☆

I have a question... I have had a place on the back of my right arm and around my neck that have itched for quite awhile... At least 2 yrs or better. Sometimes it worse than other times. I have tried meds from several different drs. With nothing really helping. Lately it's been really bad all day & nite. Will wake me up at nite itching. I scratch until I have little welts or pimple like things. I have tried taking Organic apple cider vinegar internally at least 3x's a day in RO water as well as splashing it on the area, which burns quite a bit. I am looking for some type of home remedy that actually works. I really can't see that the vinegar has helped any. I also use a lotion that a dermatologist perscribed that can be bought over the counter. Any suggestions would be most welcome. Desperate for some relief. Been taking the vinegar for atleast 3 wks. Thanks

Replied by Cathyw
(Encino, Ca)
06/25/2011

Hi Linda, I have the same problem for the last 2 months and immediatly took one of my mothers probiotics. I also saw a message that mentioned apple cider vinegar, honey in water. Figured I have nothing to lose and drank that as well. If this works I will be forever grateful to the two of you. Thanks Cathy W

Replied by Megan
(Glastonbury, Ct, Usa)
07/01/2011

It is important to note that constant symptoms of itching (especially if it is worse at night or in your hands and feet) could be a signal of increased bile levels in the liver. This symptom can emerge during pregnancy as a fetus can put strain on your liver, and can remain after pregnancy if not treated. It can also happen without pregnancy. Ask your doctor to check your bile levels.

Replied by Presouz
(CA)
12/03/2021

Do you know what, if it's been in one spot and it's been there for a long time it could be a Candida rash. You might need to look up oral yeast Removal supplements. I finally got rid of mine after trying everything with some 1% steroid cream from the doctor and some yeast removal powder from the doctor. good luck I know they're not home remedies but sometimes you just have to use big Pharma unfortunately.

Replied by L N
(Suffolk)
02/03/2024
★★★★★

I have had tremendous immediate relief with a wet wrap around calves/shins. I used long crepe bandages wrung out in distilled water (i would like to try adding a couple of drops of MMS but we aren't allowed to buy that in UK) The bandages can be left on damp a couple of hours but if you want to protect sheets or clothes cling film makes a reasonable job of that - not too tight. This didn't cure the itching, but relieved it.

jay
(Central Canada)
02/04/2024

To L N (Suffolk) re: Itchy Skin treatment-

Yes, apple cider vinegar will relieve the itch, but if you want to both relieve the itch quickly and heal the skin, buy a tube of Desert Essence Tea Tree Oil & Neem Toothpaste Wintergreen flavor and apply a layer of this to the affected area of skin. Ideally, leave it in place for 4 to 6 hours or even overnight and then wash off. Yes, this is very unconventional but it works. I found this product a few years ago when I had severe itchy skin which I thought was fungal in nature and was looking for a safe neem product to try. The Tea Tree Oil component was a bonus and they work very well together. Itchy skin is either bacterial or fungal in origin and both the Neem and Tea Tree Oil in this toothpaste are antifungal and antibacterial. They both treat the cause and heal as well. Being in a toothpaste results in a product that can be spread easily on the skin for this purpose. Of course this can be messy in application but it dries in place fairly quickly and can be easily washed off later without any staining or residue. You can buy this product on Amazon UK and of course use it as toothpaste as well. Let us know if you try it.

Replied by Jacqueline
(Mumbai, Maharashtra)
02/08/2024

Use Aloe propolis cream after spraying with Aloe First.

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Victoria (San Diego, CA) on 07/15/2009
 ★★★★☆

I've had what I think is brachial radial pruritus for about 6 years. I first noticed while living in Thailand during my pregnancy. It is extremely itchy, especially at night and has some relationship with heat and/or humidity and may be related to problems with the cervical disk. The itch is followed by small red bumps on the upper arms and shoulders. No amount of scratching helps and the itch seems to be deep inside the nerves. It is the worst itch ever and will keep you up all night and in tears trying to find relief. The bumps become unsightly and painful from picking and get pin prick like painful impulses going through them when the situation is really inflamed. I tried every product imaginable and the only relief I eventually found was by using ice packs to numb my arms at night until I passed out. In the winter it goes away. Recently I tried ACV as the weather was getting hotter and I could feel it coming on. I don't believe it is curing it, but I think the ACV is helping to minimize the itching and symptoms so that I am not scratching uncontrollably.

I hope to find a cure eventually, but in the meantime this is helping.

Replied by Kiti
(San Diego, CA)
07/28/2009

Try using borax (20 mule or other). First, pour regular over-the-counter hydrogen peroxide on the area, then mix borax with water and pour the solution over the area or use a cotton to rub it on. The peroxide brings whatever is in there out, and the borax kills it. Hope this works. You shouldn't have to be in so much pain.

Lou
(Tyler Tx)
09/08/2020

Thank you so much. I accidentally ate some cookies with soy bean oil and I was itching on my knees and elbows. I used a lotion with manuka honey first, but your remedy gave me relief.

Replied by Clara
(Georgia)
06/17/2017

Mix half white vinegar half alcohol and apply it to the itching.

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Marsha (Pittsburgh, PA) on 07/13/2009
 ★★★★★

I used pure apple cider vinegar to cure my itching feet. My feet breakout in tiny itching bumps (not athlete's feet). The itch was so bad, I would scratch until they bled and then still scratched after the bleeding. I soaked my feet in 1 quart of undiluted APV for approx. 30 min. and finally the itching was gone immediately. All the dry dead skin, which I thought had all been scraped off was also gone. I don't know if it should have been diluted, but I was desperate.

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Sue (Ontario, Canada) on 01/30/2009
 ★★★★★

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. I have not idea why my arms were so itchy. Intense itch that kept my up through the night. Recently i felt a crawling sensation and biting.Yikes! I figured it was some sort of skin parasite(non-contagious) After spending alot of money and going to the doctors , nothing was working.... until a finally stumbled on your site. The first day, i bathed in ACV(1/2 cupt) plus applied it directly.Then i drank it 2x (2 tablespoons) a day, applied it directly 2x a day as well. Now i am on day 6 , and my arms are almost completely healed. lots of sores prior to. little sign of any parasite. God bless you and Thank you!

Replied by Michele
(Madison, Ct)
01/17/2010

what is the best brand of undiluted apple cider vinegar to buy (is this the same as the one you drink or a different version)? Any help asap would be greatly appreciated. I'm scratching as I type : (

EC: An organic brand with "the mother" is typically what people take.

Replied by Jennifer
(Sevierville, Tn)
11/21/2015

Yikes my arms are just as your sound but have been on and off flare ups for 10 years. Currently using prednisone but not working. Read tonight all the body pain and tight chest I am experiencing could be a side effect of it. I plan to stop prednisone tommorrow and give this a try. This itching runs my life and I would and have tried so many things in hoping to resolve it. Thank you for the post. Jen

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Mario (London, United Kingdom) on 02/27/2008
 ★★★★★

Yesterday I was terrified with an itch in my but and very stressed to find a solution for my problem. I thought to myself, must have something to put on to finihed or to easy this terrible problem. When searching the net I found Earthclinic, and I try Apple Cider Vineger as a topic solution,its works... and today i am fealing much better, no itchin that's great!! thannk you Earthclinic.

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Trish (Kansas City, MO) on 02/24/2008
 ★★★★★

I tried bathing in Apple Cider Vinegar, as suggested by others, and had luck. I added just a 1/4 cup of the raw ACV I always keep in my refridgerator to my bathwater and laid in it for about half an hour. I felt immediate relief after getting out of the tub. I still have just a slight itching today, but it is remarkably better.

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Tim (Kent, WA) on 11/18/2007
 ★★★★★

I have been on acid reflux medications for a year and a half. First I was on Ranitidine, then Prevacid, then Omeprazole, which I take each night just before I go to bed. I also have been using HCTZ and Lisinopril for high blood pressure. Recently, for about 6 weeks I got very sick. I felt dizzy, nausea, headache, and lost appetite completely. I went 5 days with almost no food and lost about 10 lbs in 10 days. I changed diet, tried everything but nothing worked. At the end of this episode I would get the "feeling" of high fever in my head plus headache. I also felt very cold and had to crank up the heat quite a bit. However, every time I took my temperature it was totally normal. If I took Advil or Tylenol for headache it didn't do anything because I really didn't had a headache or temperature, it was something else. In addition to all this, I also had severe itching all over my body as soon as I went to bed. It lasted for about 30-60 minutes. There was no redness or any other marks on my body.....just plain itching.

My doctor finally told me to get off of Omeprazole. The next day was a new day in my life. All the symptoms were completely gone as if were never sick in the first place. The nightly itching also went away completely the night I skipped Omeprazole. My doctor correctly predicted that it may take up to 7 days to get rid of all the symptoms. Well, on the second day some of the symptoms came back but at half the strength and things got progressively better each day. The bad thing was that my acid reflux really started to bother me the second day (48 hrs after quitting Omeprazole). I had lot of chest pain and rumbling activity in my stomach.... like a little storm inside my stomach. Unlike other people I do not have heartburn from acid reflux. I have chest pains in different part of my chest or sometime stomach. I also experience bloating and gas.

I found earthclinic.com and tried 1 tsp of Apple Cider Vinegar in 1 cup of water and it worked immediately. Three hours later the acid reflux came back and I experienced a lot of discomfort. I took another dose (1 tsp in 1 cup of water) and the rest of the night was perfect with no problems. The following day I increased the dosage to 1 TBSP of ACV in 1 cup of filtered water 3x a day just before each meal and have been using this dosage daily. So it took practically took one day for ACV to do its magic. For the past 10 days I feel I have acid reflux totally under control. My blood pressure is also going down every day. I expect to be off of blood pressure medication soon. As an added bonus the acne on my back is finally under control. I was on antibiotics for 15 years until I found a supplemental milk shake that helped me get off of antibiotics for the past 3 years. I had to stop using it to figure out what was causing my sickness and the acne flared up again. I read about hydrogen peroxide on this site and that worked amazingly well on the acne on my back. So the combination of hydrogen peroxide and ACV is working great.

I do feel some affect of ACV on the back of my tongue or sometimes in my throat. Luckily, in 10 days it is not too bad, maybe because I only use 1 TBSP instead of 2. My doctor has approved ACV and said that it doesn't have any harmful affects so I am free to try it for acid reflux. However, the doctor clearly said NO BAKING SODA because of high blood pressure. I see that baking soda and sea salt is mentioned a lot on this site to help reduce the acid taste but some of us can't use baking soda or salt. Does anyone have any suggestions? If you do, please email me. Because of sugar I would rather not use too much honey or apple juice if I can help it because I am taking this 3x times a day but if I have to then I will. May be I can add only a little bit apple juice in water rather than adding ACV to apple juice directly. Not sure if that's OK. If you could share any personal experiences in this regard that would be great. Thanks.

Replied by Lou
(Tyler, Tx)
02/26/2012

I was allergic to Omeprazole too. I believe it was red dye in the medication (a known carcinogen).

Replied by Kaybee
(Mountain City, Tn)
07/17/2013

try mixing 1 tsp of ACV in 16 oz of water and drink through the day. Some say this takes the need of baking soda away while still keeping the reflux under control. The vinegar keeps ph under control. Keep up the good work!

Replied by Kelly
(Auckland, Nz)
02/01/2014

Thanks for that. I've been on omeprazole for about 3 years now and would love to come off it, but everytime I don't take a tablet for a couple of days my reflux comes back. I don't get the usual burning symptoms. I actually get very breathless to the point I'm near collapse so it's strange but serious symptoms. I also take apple cider vinegar, a capful to a tall glass, it helps but not 100%

Replied by Tia
(London)
09/01/2017

Have you tried slowly reducing a bit of the Omeprazole (break up the pill) over a period of time to wean yourself away from it? Am sure you'll find something online that will guide you.

Replied by Cindy
(Illinois, Usa)
06/29/2020
523 posts

ACV works because it buffers the acid in the stomach and ACV is quite acidic.

Two cups of water when suffering indigestion will fix it and the same, 3x per day, will eliminate it.

People say water just dilutes the stomach acid, which is true as maintaining proper acidity in the stomach is accomplished, by the body, using water. And all ACV does is buffer it - chemically.

Drink plain water. The "water" in food, juice, tea etc doesn't count - it's treated as food and belongs to the colon which the body will simply steal from it when you're dehydrated.

When you're dehydrated, your body has to jump through hoops, rationing water and stealing it from vital systems. Dehydration is an emergency mode that, to handle, requires - you guessed it - WATER. So it's having to use a lot of the little water it is getting to ration and steal/extract it from other the rest of the body. And that's not easy. Try extracting pure water from tea without raising the temp above 99 degrees.

Don't over consume water if you're chronically dehydrated. It can take a couple of years to get the body out of emergency mode and properly hydrated. Plain water is handled differently. It gets snagged and distributed, right now, but it can't do all that it needs to do all at once. If you're chronically dehydrated, that extended emergency mode involves the slow shut down of organs. VITAL organs that get relegated to a "not AS vital" list.

It takes time to reboot and patch damaged organs that have been in the process of being shut down so don't over-consume it but drink plain water. Which is not the same as sucking on a single bottle of water all morning. Drink it.

This is much longer than I intended but no one should have indigestion - nor many other issues - these days as indigestion and all related issues are synthetic "illnesses". You're not sick. You're dehydrated. Many people - including those with indigestion - will swear they drink plenty of water when they actually don't drink much at all. I do not know why.

CFitz
(Georgia)
12/11/2021

Hello, Cindy:

It could take YEARS to get properly hydrated? This is discouraging, but I would like to know if you could recommend a paper or a book (from a trusted source) that would help those who are chronically dehydrated? Thank you for your time and attention to this.

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Joe (Philadelphia, PA) on 05/27/2007
 ★★★★★

Hello, I recently had an outbreak of itching, mainly in my groin area and innner thigh. I believe it was a reaction to eye drop drugs I'm taking for an eye problem, but I am still trying to figure out the cause.

Anyhow, the itching was relentless and I was trying all kinds of stuff for relief. I was extremely irritable to say the least. Then I remembered that my dad once told me cows used to be fed apple cider vinedar to ward off infections and other ailments. So I tried it and within an hour ALL ITCHING STOPPED!!! I was SO RELIEVED I couldn't stop smiling!!!!! Right now I am itch free and will take apple cider vinegar daily.

Replied by Karin
(Leeuwarden, The Netherlands)
03/11/2011
★★★★☆

Hi, Ive had exzema for years and use cortisol lots.. Im a Lab technician. Cortisol works for a bit but it always comes back. I was feeling really tired my neck muscles where stiff, exzema vlammed up and even a bit down. I typed in exzema cure on u tube there was this boy talking about EC. I went there and start reading. He sounded so serious and honest. After reading all the notes, ive buyed a bottle organic ACV and jar of coconut oil. Started drinking according to the receipt 2 spoons on a glass of water with a bit of honey. I feel like I just took a redbull..! My face is glowy and my neck stiffness seems almost gone! My head feels clear and my mind too! I will continue to drink and see how I feel and if my skin get better. whith these 2 ''new'' old remedies.

I already used tea tree 100% from chi to keep the bacteria/yeast/fungus away from my itchy red patches in my elbows. Its cooling, kills bacteria and anti iching. Will try ACV too (diluted)

I am dutch can anyone tell me where to get baking soda in our stores? Or what the product name is in the netherlands?

TYVM EC for providing this info!!

Darlingrosepink
(Canada)
12/01/2023

Try looking for bicarbonates or sodium bicarbonate!

Replied by John
(Portland, Or, Usa)
03/12/2011

Hi Karin, the Dutch name for baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is Natriumbicarbonaat.

Replied by Valerie
(New York, NY)
03/28/2023
2 posts

To answer the ending question of a Dutch person from the Netherlands asking what baking soda is called in the Netherlands: Natriumbicarbonaat en azijn.
In the UK it's called: Bicarbonate of soda

Apple Cider Vinegar, Dietary Changes, Acidophilus

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Posted by Deb (Washington, Dc) on 12/14/2009
 ★★★★★

Thank you. Your site helped me. I used an application of apple cider vinegar to reduce skin inflammation, and my rash 1) stopped itching, 2) shed skin in the healing process 3) reduced inflammation and redness 4) started to grow new skin. I improved my diet, took acidophilus and ate more leafy green veggies. My skin has been itchy for months. I did not realize how tired the itchiness was making me. I was not able to sleep through the night due to the itchiness. Although, I'm still in the healing process, I can tell I'm going to get 100% better as long as I continue to eat well. It's wonderful to feel good again.

Apples

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Posted by Sheila (San Diego, Ca, Usa) on 05/12/2011
 ★★★★★

What I'm experiencing right now could be contact dermatitis, a reaction to ACV or iodine/dide, detoxing results, or a diamine oxidase deficiency/food allergy/histamine intolerance. A ER doctor Dx'ed my skin condition as being contact dermatitis of unknown origin or cause, so I listed the other possibilities of my dry, itchy skin. I'm currently on the tail-end of my symptoms. I'm also trying to stick to natural remedies, staying off any Rx.

What has worked so far for itchiness is eating an apple. I've done this thrice now and each time has eased my itching so that I don't have the urge to scratch for several hours. The organic, red delicious apple has definitely helped the skin on my eyelids and my neck and chest. I only buy organic produce due to pesticides -- I definitely have reactions to pesticide-treated fruits. (for the diamine oixidase/histamine intolerance, I've started a eating journal and eating low histamine foods)

Baking Soda

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Posted by EB (England) on 12/29/2022
 ★★★★★

I have been irritated and itching for weeks and have tried all sorts of creams. Eventually went to dr, got canesten, helped a bit then itching came back. Suffered every day. Had baths with acv/baking soda/ sea salt. Itching always returned

Last night I applied a paste of 50-50 baking soda and water. It BURNED TERRIBLY, washed it straight off, thought omg that was terrible thing to do.

BUT today was the first day when I had no feeling of itching or irritation all day! Cannot believe it and would do it again, being ready to wash off the paste when it burns. It obviously did something to neutralise the itch!!

Baking Soda
Posted by joanofark06 (S.Carolina, USA) on 12/07/2021
 ★★★★★

For itchy skin,

Pour as much baking soda as you want in a bath of warm water, and soak. Your skin will turn softer the more you do this.


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