• Welcome to Phoenix Rising!

    Created in 2008, Phoenix Rising is the largest and oldest forum dedicated to furthering the understanding of and finding treatments for complex chronic illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia (FM), long COVID, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and allied diseases.

    To become a member, simply click the Register button at the top right.

Sauna... Now I'm sooooo itchy!

place

Be Strong!
Messages
341
Location
US
After reading about the PEM, I wanted to see if 30 min. Might Mitigate the effects. And it has, but now my skin is insanely itchy. I tried copper, but Nothing! Any advice?
 

Sushi

Moderation Resource Albuquerque
Messages
19,935
Location
Albuquerque
After reading about the PEM, I wanted to see if 30 min. Might Mitigate the effects. And it has, but now my skin is insanely itchy. I tried copper, but Nothing! Any advice?

A dry sauna, a steam sauna, an FIR? Just wondering if it could be simply dehydrating the skin?

Sushi
 

tdog333

Senior Member
Messages
171
Did you shower off afterwards and wash your skin really well? It could be toxins you sweat out irritating your skin.
 

Martial

Senior Member
Messages
1,409
Location
Ventura, CA
Usually its a result of toxins coming out, especially FIR sauna.. Do it long enough and you will be disturbed as to the stuff that will keep coming out!
 

place

Be Strong!
Messages
341
Location
US
Fir sauna. My skin has been dry this winter.... I do take a quick shower after. I use soap, which in the winter I only use soap on my important bits, not the whole body : ) it's so weird!
 

Martial

Senior Member
Messages
1,409
Location
Ventura, CA
FIR Sauna is an extremely potent de toxer of the body, as well as very healing for the cells and mitochondria, it also works very well in assisted infection clearing.. You would do very well to get at least 3 FIR Sauna treatments a week at least 20 minute session times.

Just be sure to stay hydrated ;)
 

tdog333

Senior Member
Messages
171
Thanks for this thread, its reminded me I need to start saunaing again, I've gotten lazy :D
 

Cheesus

Senior Member
Messages
1,292
Location
UK
My immediate thought when seeing the title of this thread was 'it's all the crud coming out'.

I guess just keep it up, but make sure you take it slow and steady and are sure to wash off afterwards :) I am currently awaiting the delivery of my FIR and I am praying that it can help me feel a little less spacey.
 

Wayne

Senior Member
Messages
4,300
Location
Ashland, Oregon
After reading about the PEM, I wanted to see if 30 min. Might Mitigate the effects. And it has, but now my skin is insanely itchy. I tried copper, but Nothing! Any advice?

IMO, 30 minutes is way too long to do a sauna, especially if it's your first one and you have CFS. When I did saunas regularly, I usually limited myself to 20 minutes. The owner of the spa I went to said he learned that 10 minutes worked better for him.

He felt the "sweating effect" is often over emphasized, and that shorter (and cooler to the body) saunas were more effective for detoxification than longer ones. --- I don't know however, whether a shorter sauna would have had a different effect on your skin or not.
 

place

Be Strong!
Messages
341
Location
US
Thanks everyone! I have yet to suana again, but will today and use different soap. If I am still itchy, I will apply lotion. And if I am still itchy, I will have a drink…

I will let you know if I have any success.
 

Sushi

Moderation Resource Albuquerque
Messages
19,935
Location
Albuquerque
IMO, 30 minutes is way too long to do a sauna, especially if it's your first one and you have CFS. When I did saunas regularly, I usually limited myself to 20 minutes. The owner of the spa I went to said he learned that 10 minutes worked better for him.

He felt the "sweating effect" is often over emphasized, and that shorter (and cooler to the body) saunas were more effective for detoxification than longer ones. --- I don't know however, whether a shorter sauna would have had a different effect on your skin or not.

@place

I've used an FIR regularly for some years. I could only handle about 10 on a very low setting in the first weeks, so I'd agree with Wayne here. I also don't sweat much. Now I have a longer session but I don't use high heat--seem to do better on medium.

Good luck!

Sushi
 

place

Be Strong!
Messages
341
Location
US
Well for the record…. it was the soap. Thanks everyone for the help! There are just so many factors when it comes to our health, it sucks!
 

Seven7

Seven
Messages
3,444
Location
USA
@place After reading about the PEM, I wanted to see if 30 min. Might Mitigate the effects. And it has, but now my skin is insanely itchy. I tried copper, but Nothing! Any advice?

What do you mean about PEM and sauna? Do you have a Link to literature?
 

place

Be Strong!
Messages
341
Location
US
Seven, I wish I knew! It could be a histamine problem or a dryness issue. I looked around the web and it is a known issue but hydration was the only solution given.


Nope… no literature, I just knew that we have high lactic acid after working out/ moving about than the average person. Many have commented on the sauna negating the effects of exercise. The sauna gets things moving without causing any more cell junk.


On a personal note, one summer, it was 95 degrees and we needed to dig a ditch, I have never sweated so much in my life. The next morning, both my dad and I felt amazing (he has similar issues). The best we had felt in years. We should not have felt that good with the amount of back breaking work we did.