What works for Pruritus Ani (Anal Itching)

I have previously written about my problem with Pruritus Ani or anal itching.

Within the past six months, my itchy-rear-end suffering resurrected itself. I was unable to sleep at night. Daytime, I was unable to find peace and quiet. I was a desperate wreck.

Previously, I had written that shea butter worked a miracle for me. However, shea butter did not alleviate my new episode.
 
I tried all possible over-the-counter remedies from the U.S. pharmacies, including all chemical-based hemorrhoidal ointments, wipes, hydrocortisone creams, etc. Nothing brought any relief. In fact, my rear end became painful.

I also tried sitz baths with Epsom salt, tea tree oil, or smoke tree leaves. The baths relieved slightly the condition; however, the itching sensation returned almost as soon as the bath was over.

As I stated, I had become a desperate wreck.

And then, by chance, I remembered a powerful medication I had acquired previously for inflamed skin, Betasone. The particular ointment I had was with three active ingredients, but the component that  worked the miracle was the betamethasone, an adrenocorticosteroid.

According to WebMD, Betasone treats: seborrheic dermatitis, atopic dermatitis (a type of allergy that causes red and itchy skin), plaque psoriasis, granuloma annulare, itching of the genital area, psoriasis of scalp, itching of the anus, skin inflammation, cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, contact dermatitis, a type of skin rash that occurs from contact with an offending substance, itching, inflammation of the skin due to an allergy, skin rash that becomes thick and discolored from rubbing it.

The warning for this ointment is that its prolonged use causes skin thinning and with time, this thinning may exacerbate the original problem further. Therefore, I used the ointment for five days by tapering it off. The beneficial effect was felt on the first day, with the very first use.
 
During my desperate search for a remedy, I was recommended to try a herb-based hemorrhoidal cream, FitoroiD. It contains essential oils from tree oil, cypress, Mentha piperita, roots of Ruscus aculeatus, gel from leaves of Aloe vera, Hypericum perforatum (known as St John's-wort), jojoba oil, shea butter, and something called “Helydol” - freeze-dried extracts of Helichrysum flowering tops lipophilic fraction.

So, from the Betasone, I switched to FitoroiD.
I was also told about the healing properties of the Bariederm cica-cream for atopic dermatitis. This cream contains copper and zinc to sooth any irritated skin.

Since I was at my wits’ end, I bought and used both FitoroiD and the cica-cream at the same time. Ideally, I would have used them sequentially, to find out which is truly beneficial for the condition. After another four to five days on these ointments, the itch was almost gone.

The final stage was using Alergozan ointment. Its active ingredient is chloropyramine, an antihistamine compound that is approved in Eastern Europe and Russia for the treatment of allergies, conjunctivitis, allergic rhinitis, bronchial asthma, and other atopic (allergic) conditions. This cream helped with the occasional and slight sensations of itching. At present, I am tapering off its use as well.

In conclusion, I believe that I had developed a contact dermatitis, which is an allergic reaction. Menstrual periods and sanitary pads, as well as uncomfortable (non-cotton) underwear have been irritating my skin further. Occasionally, I also develop hemorrhoids and that further exacerbates the problem.

Until the irritants are around, I may have to rely on the above-described ointments. Hopefully, with age, and change of conditions, the dermatitis would disappear.