10 Effective Home Remedies for Pregnancy Itching

Pregnancy itching can often be eased with simple home care, such as applying a gentle moisturiser, using cool compresses, and avoiding hot showers or irritating skincare products. When your skin feels dry, tight, or constantly itchy, these small changes can make a noticeable difference in your day-to-day comfort.

If the itching keeps coming back, though, you may wonder what else you can do for relief. This article covers a few simple itching in pregnancy home remedies that can help soothe irritated skin and keep you more comfortable. We’ll also look at when it’s best to stop relying on home care and speak with your doctor.

Causes for Itchy Skin During Pregnancy

The following are a few reasons you may have itchy skin during pregnancy.

• The skin on your abdomen stretches and becomes quite taut, which could lead to itchiness.
• An increased blood supply to the skin can cause a mild itching sensation (1).
• You may be afflicted with a condition known as obstetric cholestasis, which leads to a buildup of bile salts in the body. This, in turn, leads to itchiness (primarily in the hands and feet) in different parts of the body (2).
• You may also be suffering from a non-threatening condition known as prurigo, which is characterised by marks on the skin that look like insect bites or scratches (3).

Home Remedies for Itchy Skin During Pregnancy

Here are body itching during pregnancy home remedies, particularly the third-trimester home remedies, to relieve the sensation.

1. Using a Cold Compress

What You Will Require

• A single ice pack

What You Should Do

• Place the ice pack on the itchy areas for a few minutes.

How Many Times You Should Do This

• You can apply ice packs when you need quick relief.

Why This Remedy Works

Applying an ice pack to the affected areas helps relieve skin inflammation and itchiness, particularly from a PUPPP rash (4). The ice instantly soothes the area, offering you relief.

2. Using Juniper Berry Lotion

What You Will Require

• Some olive oil, sweet almond oil or any other oil
• A little beeswax
• Few juniper berries
• Some ground cloves

What You Should Do

• Heat the oil you would be using on a low flame in one pan.
• In another pan, take the beeswax and allow it to melt over a low flame.
• Pour the melted wax into the oil and mix them properly.
• Add cloves to this mixture and stir well.
• Pour this mixture into a glass jar and allow it to cool.
• You can apply this substance to the affected areas.

How Many Times You Should Do It

• You may apply the substance up to two times a day on the affected area.

Why This Remedy Works

Juniper berries contain strong anti-inflammatory constituents (5). Conversely, cloves have eugenol, an aromatic and oily substance that is also antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, and antineoplastic (6). When mixed, they form a substance that can be a pretty strong cure for the itch.

3. Using a Paste Made Out of Gram Flour

What You Will Require

• Some gram flour, also known as besan
• Oil
• Water

What You Should Do

• Add some gram flour to a bowl, add oil and water, and mix it properly to form a nice paste.
• You can use milk instead of water for extra moisturising.
• Use this paste on the itching area and let it dry for some time.
• Later, wash it off.

How Many Times You Should Do It

• Apply this paste up to two times a day on the affected area.

Why This Remedy Works

Besan has been observed to keep the skin fresh and extremely soft. Because of these inherent properties, using it as a paste allows the skin to be moisturised and reduces itchiness (7).

4. Using Calamine Lotion

What You Will Require

• A small amount of calamine lotion

What You Should Do

• Apply the lotion and massage it till it covers the entire area.

How Many Times You Should Do It

• Apply this lotion at least two times a day on the affected area.

Why This Remedy Works

Women suffering from a condition known as polymorphic eruption of pregnancy (PEP) get itchy skin and red rashes all over their bodies (8). When it comes to itchiness in the stomach area during pregnancy, calamine lotion is the best bet. It reduces itchiness and stops any irritation or inflammation from reappearing (9).

5. Using Coconut Oil

What You Will Require

• Some extra virgin coconut oil

What You Should Do

• Make sure your skin is clean and dry.
• Take a few drops of the oil and apply it to the affected area.
• Massage it over the area for a few minutes until the skin completely absorbs the oil.
• Keep it as is, and do not wash it.

How Many Times You Should Do It

• Apply the oil on the affected area up to two times a day.

Why This Remedy Works

Coconut oil can permeate the skin and reach dry skin cells, providing them with the necessary fatty acids to help reduce itchiness and irritation. The oil’s antimicrobial properties also deal with skin infections that might be causing irritation or inflammation (10).

6. Using Aloe Vera Gel

What You Will Require

• A leaf of the aloe vera plant

What You Should Do

• Take the aloe vera leaf and cut it sideways.
• Collect and store the gel that is present in it inside an airtight container.
• Apply the gel on the itchy area and massage the area well.
• Keep the remaining gel in a cool place.

How Many Times You Should Do It

• The gel can be applied to the affected area twice a day.

Why This Remedy Works

The aloe vera plant is well known for its health benefits and treatment of various skin conditions. Its anti-inflammatory properties and inherent hydrating constituents give the skin the moisture it requires, making it soft and soothing any itchiness (11).

7. Using Oatmeal During Bath

What You Will Require

• One cup of oatmeal
• Some warm water

What You Should Do

• Take the oatmeal and add it to the bathwater.
• Immerse yourself in this water for about 10 to 12 minutes.
• Later, rinse off with clean water.

How Many Times You Should Do It

• Use oatmeal in your bath up to two to three times a week.

Why This Remedy Works

An oatmeal bath is highly recommended for treating itchy skin (12). Its soothing properties provide relief to the affected areas.

8. Lemon Juice

What You Will Require

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ¼ cup water
• Cotton Pads

What You Should Do

• Mix the lemon juice with the water thoroughly
• Take the cotton pad, dip it in the solution, and dab it on the affected areas
• Leave it in for 30 minutes, then rinse

How Many Times You Should Do It

• Apply this solution only once a day to avoid skin irritation

Why This Remedy Works

Lemon juice is a source of Vitamin C, which contains antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties. It is also antimicrobial and kills off germs present on the skin. The citric acid in it also helps balance the skin’s pH levels, reducing inflammation (13).

9. Using a Sandalwood Paste

What You Will Require

• 1 teaspoon sandalwood powder
• A little water

What You Should Do

• Add sandalwood powder to a clean bowl.
• Mix it with enough water to make a smooth paste.
• Apply a thin layer to the itchy area.
• Leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Rinse gently with cool water.

How Many Times You Should Do It

• You can apply the paste once a day if your skin tolerates it.

Why This Remedy Works

Sandalwood has traditionally been used as a cooling and soothing ingredient for irritated skin. Applying a thin paste may provide temporary relief from the sensation of itching. Always use pure, clean sandalwood powder and discontinue use if irritation occurs.

10. Using a Cucumber Pulp

What You Will Require

• 1 fresh cucumber

What You Should Do

• Wash and peel the cucumber.
• Grate or blend it into a smooth pulp.
• Apply the pulp gently to the itchy areas.
• Leave it on for about 10 to 15 minutes.
• Rinse the area with cool water and pat dry.

How Many Times You Should Do It

• You can use cucumber pulp once or twice a day when needed.

Why This Remedy Works

Cucumber has a high water content and can provide a cooling sensation when applied to the skin. This may temporarily soothe dry, irritated areas and provide relief from itching.

FAQs

1. When should I be worried about itching during pregnancy?

If you experience itching more towards the evenings or night, have been diagnosed with cholestasis or PUPPP or have sustained itching with lesions, cracked skin, bleeding, bumps, or redness, contact your doctor immediately.

2. What infection causes itching all over the body during pregnancy?

Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) is a potentially dangerous liver condition that can cause itching all over the body during pregnancy. If you have been diagnosed with ICP or experience symptoms of ICP, contact your doctor immediately for further treatment advice (14).

3. How can I prevent itching from getting worse during pregnancy?

Keep your skin moisturised, take lukewarm rather than hot showers, wear loose and breathable clothing, and avoid strongly fragranced soaps or skincare products. Try not to scratch, as repeated scratching can further irritate the skin.

4. Is it safe to use natural remedies for itchy skin during pregnancy?

Not every natural remedy is necessarily safe during pregnancy. Gentle options such as moisturisers, oatmeal baths, and cool compresses are generally preferable to concentrated essential oils or strong herbal preparations. When in doubt, check with your doctor before applying a new remedy.

Itchiness can become quite an irritating problem throughout the pregnancy journey. However, with some body-itching during pregnancy, home remedies that can be done easily can relieve this problem. However, if your condition is not alleviated over some time with these itching pregnancy home remedies, consult your doctor for proper treatment.

Also Read:

Home Remedies for Cold during Pregnancy
How to Treat Constipation while Pregnant
Natural Ways to Treat Cough during Pregnancy
Home Remedies for Morning Sickness in Pregnancy

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Sources References

1. American Pregnancy Association – How to Treat Itchy Skin Naturally During Pregnancy

2. Cleveland Clinic – Cholestasis of Pregnancy

3. Yale Medicine – Prurigo Nodularis

4. Cleveland Clinic – PUPPP Rash

5. Heliyon – Potential of Juniperus communis L as a nutraceutical in human and veterinary medicine

6. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases – Livertox; Eugenol (Clove Oil)

7. Frontiers in nutrition – Nutritional composition, health benefits and bio-active compounds of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

8. Dermatology reports – Polymorphic eruption of pregnancy

9. Cleveland Clinic – Calamine Lotion

10. Cleveland Clinic – Should You Use Coconut Oil on Your Skin?

11. Aloe vera: a short review – Indian journal of dermatology

12. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol – Oatmeal in dermatology: A brief review

13. South African Journal of Botany – Antimicrobial and antioxidant efficacy of Citrus limon L. peel extracts used for skin diseases by Xhosa tribe of Amathole District, Eastern Cape, South Africa

14. NHS – Itching and intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy