Grandpa's pine tar soap from health food store. 3x a day in a cold shower.
Nettle tea to cleanse liver. safe for pregnancy but not too much (traditional medicinals pregnancy tea makes some.)

I know this is a bit late for the original gal but it might be of use to future readers. I tried two different things to relieve the itching and both worked. I used Gold Bond medicated powder first and had good results. Then I bought Sarna lotion. It is pricey and stings at first but it really works great and dries it up very fast. You can get both items at Walgreens or any drug store.

I am in my 3rd trimester with my first baby and I use sarna lotion.. you can get it at walmart of some place like that and I take oatmeal baths.. sometimes when I dont want to take a bath I use the aveeno oatmeal shower gel... I've noticed that regualar lotions and soaps make it worse.. I also keep benadry by my bed at night for thoes nights that i can't seem to sleep

Oh what a terrible rash! I've had it for nearly 3 weeks now and am lucky if I get 3 hours sleep at night! I look like a lepar and I scratch until I bleed and it still itches grrrrr. Anyway for any ladies that may be suffering this terrible thing heres a couple of things I found that helped. Menthol - My dermatologist prescribed a menthol and aqueous cream but you can buy 'Ice Gel' instead it's only ingredient is Menthol (if you can't find ice gel, go to the heat rub section of your pharmacy/supermarket and look at the ingredients..you want one that only has menthol) and if you're using a moisturiser as well you will get exactly the same effect. I found this quite good but it only lasts around 1 hour.
Secondly soaking in oatmeal baths for at least 20 minutes...this will provide short term relief but it feels great while you're in there and can really relax you if you are having trouble sleeping!
Pine tar soap is ok, allthough I found myself just using this as a substitute for soap instead of using it just to cure my itch...it helps to bath in it regularly but not as a quick itch fix.
Possibly the best remedy I've tried so far......Baking Soda Paste (just make a paste out of baking soda and water). I read somewhere a lady had used this and yes it is great - if you have open sores like I do from scratching they will burn but I found the pain much easier to tolerate than the itch, and as for the hives it just seemed to take the itch away.
I really hope this helps ladies it is horrible and when I'm up all night crying and scratching I will know I am not alone and will be thinking of you all. I am off to obstetrician today so I will see if there is anything else I can do.
(also the dermatologist prescribed me steroid creams but they don't seem to help at all)

Take Care ladies and best of luck
Mel xoxox

i'm 9months pregnant and i have puppps what can i do to stop the itching and soreness .
I TRIIED OATMEL BATH IT JUST BURNED AND ITCHED MORE

HELP ME

My last week of being pregnant I started to see a rash begin on my stomach. I gave birth to my daughter and suddenly it has spread to my legs, butt, arms, back and chest. I have no idea what to do. I have tried oatmeal, the doctor prescribed a cream that doesn't seem to help. I have oatmeal cream as well. It's really hard to breast feed when all I feel is itchy. Please help!!

I tried Sarna, Benadryl, etc.
The BEST thing I've tried is IcyHot, if you can stand the smell.

Bedtime routine: Benadryl, IcyHot & Hydrocortisone (cream, not ointment) anywhere the itch appears (even if not itchy at the moment)
AM routine: Sarna and hydrocortisone, mostly because I am so tired of the IcyHot smell, and the Benadryl makes me sleepy! I would suggest using the Hydrocortisone proactively...before it starts to itch again.

It is stinky (smells like Pepto Bismol) and not perfect, but it actually lets me sleep most of the night!

I was recently recommended Pine Tar by a different doctor...haven't tried it yet.

I had this itchy rash too. Started one day in week 33. I used Calomine lotion morning and night for 3 days and now it is totally gone. Recommend it even tho it's a bit messy. No more itching or rash.

I suffered PUPPPS when I was pregnant. Nothing stopped the itchiness and desperation this condition gave me.
I tried everything.
Finally I turn to my Latin roots ( I am native from Costa Rica, but I live in USA) where homeopathy is a very acceptable and popular way of healing.
And I used Apis mellifica, that is a homeopathic remedy made from the sting of the honeybee.
The exact dose to use I am not sure, what I know is that the Homeopathic Dr. sent me the smallest dose twice a day for 2 months.
After one week of taking the Apis Mellifica the PUPPPS disappear after attacking me for three long months where I used every possible remedy (corticosteroids, Benadryl, creams, sleeping with ice bags in all my body, etc). The Homeopathic Dr told me not to suspend the treatment before time.
Of course I asked my OBG if I the treatment will not affect my pregnancy before take it, and he said that if I was sure that I was not allergic to any bee product that he could not imagine why not to try.
I tried and was a miracle, I was able to feel well again and finish my pregnancy happy and safe .

ugh...im only 24 weeks and i have Pupps rash, i started getting it around my 18th week. nothing seems to help, i itch till i bleed. i have sores from itching so much.....im only 15 i shouldnt have to suffer with this lol. but the thing i noticed helps most is alvenno lotion and st. Ives. also but regular oatmeal in a pantyhoe leg and let the water run though it, it works a little bit, and also the benidril spay....it will sting at first if u have open sores but its worth it. i cant wait til i deliver and i dont have the rash anymore!!!!

I had such an extreme case of PUPPPs that I was sent to specialists, biopsies were taken, etc. I was told it was the worst case the doctors and dermatologist had ever seen. I was in AGONY for most of my pregnancy and tried most of the treatments that people have mentioned above. However, the one thing that actually worked for me and was prescribed by a dermatologist was to go TANNING(apparently it is often perscribed to people with skin conditions). Some insurance will even cover this treatement. I'm sure not everyone is comfortable with this but I would tan for only a few minutes (5-6 mins) and feel instant relief. I ended up going about 2 times a week and felt SO MUCH BETTER! I wish someone had recommended this to me--I feel the need to spread the word! It's the only way I got any sleep at all. The good news is that I felt instantly better after my daughter was born!

It's a gluten free diet consisting of red vegetables and fish oils. Good luck sweetie.

Try applying any cocoa butter lotion on your rashes. And oh, it's good for stretch marks too. Hope it works for you.

I developed a rash on my hip stretch marks that spread to my bum. It covered my breasts and was intensely itchy. Since reading and looking at photo's I realise it is a severe case of PUPPP's .. I also have tried Pintarsol, Steroid creams, moisturizer's etc with not much relief.

I have since taken a 2 mg polaramine(antihistamine) (ONLY with DR advise!!!) and panadol tablets after feeding (to reduce it being given to baby in my milk) and have a cold shower. I then lather myself in moisturiser mixed with calmoseptine (zinc oxide or nappy rash cream) This gives me relief for about 4 hours... until my next feed is due. I had to be really careful not to get the cream anywhere near baby's face while feeding and try not to feed after taking a tablet. I have had it for 2 weeks now with no signs that it is subsiding!! I also live in Tropical weather and think the humidity has a fair bit to do with it....

I have heard that tanning (in small doses) can also help.... I also had a c-section so I am unable to bath for another 3 weeks so bath washes are out for me...

Anyone else with relief/cure.... I have heard the juice of boiled beetle nut works great... however a bit skeptical after hearing its a natural narcotic... anyone with any info on this would be of great help!!! or where I can find some in Darwin Australia....

i started getting an awful rash three years ago just after i had an abortion. i was convinced it was some sort of punishment and was miserable and itchy for over a year. I went everywhere. tried all types of remedies, herbalists, accupuncture, GP, private doctor, creams, lotions, potions, no one could give me a satisfactory diagnosis and i slowly scratched and scared and ruined my body from head to toe, constantly sad, irritated and unable to sleep.

After a year i had eventually been transfered to a specialist dermatolagist and after a few visits she diagnosed me with urticaria. I took medication and had creams prescribed but the best pain relief came from my own experimentation, a freeze gel that you would buy to ease muscle aches. In england you can buy 'deep heat' and more recently 'deep freeze' a gel with menthol. of course it doesnt cure but it relieves all the pain of the stinging and that stoppe me from itching, crying and calmed me down and let me sleep at night.
Time cured my sores and then the best follow up remedy would be sun. Failing that i booked a course of sunbeds. (never done it before but a friend reccomended it for skin healing). After a couple of months the scars were fading, the scabs were healing and my skin felt amazing and with a little colour any other marks were hidden a little.

Ive just given birth and have got awfully itchy raised and bumpy stretch marks, (puppp) i am saving up for another course of sunbeds to give my skin a boost and for now im using nappy rash creams and keeping my skin moisturised. It is itchy but if you can raise your self control not to itch you will save yourself from worse scarring.

Reach for cold things! heat as a catalyst, is a perpetual cycle for the continuation of the rash. keep the area cool.

I first got this rash at 34 weeks on my belly but I didnt have any stretch marks after appling the prescribed steroid creams the rash went away and appeared on my arms, feet, hands and legs. It is worse now than when i first got it but I have tried everything i have read about including puppp relief soap, grandpa's pine tar soap, sarna lotion, calemine lotion and even ice packs. The only thing that makes a difference is the soaps but it only last about a hour or 2 and i'm thinking that the grandpa soap is making the rash worse. I have read about dandelion root and i'm going today after work to get some i'm praying that this gives me relief!!!

i see the original discussion started ages ago but ppl keep posting, and i am sure that they keep reading too.
so heres my experience:
this rash started only 10 days before i delivered - 10 painful, miserable, aching, excrutiating days.
the nite before i went into labour, my husband actually started to pack a bag for the emergency room, stating that he was taking me there to demand that they induce
i went into labour the next morning...
the rash was so bad, that when they gave me my epidural, all i cared about was that i couldnt feel the rash from the waist down.
after delivery - and mind you i was COVERED in this rash - they sent me a very young (read: new at this!!) dermatologist who tried to perscribe a topical corticosteroid cream. i literally SAT on my hands, so as not to grab the lapels of his shirt - and uttered 2 words: "PREDNISONE. NOW". my mother called him out of the room for a moment and told him that i had already stated that i wanted to die (which was true). they gave me prednisone.
the rash cleared within a few days, however, it took us 3.5 months to ease me off of the prednisone, since every time we brought the dose below 10mgs a day, the rash would start to come back. i only took the high dose - 30mgs a day - for about a week or so - the rest of the time was low-dose, and eventually we managed to get m off of it altogether. it involved raising and lowering the dose over a long period of time, alternating between 15-5-2.5 mg doses for a while.
why am i writing this? to tell you the following:
if the rash is bad enough, you can be induced the day you come to term.
(b) YOU CAN AND SHOULD TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT ORAL STEROIDS. THEY WORK. THEY CAN BE USED SAFELY EVEN WHILE BREASTFEEDING (short halflife, taken after BFing).
(c) even in the worst cases, it does go away. somehow you will get rid of it.
(d) TRY NOT TO SCRATCH; THIS REALLY *DOES* MAKE IT WORSE.

I recently developed the Puppps rash in the past few days and I am just at 16 weeks. The first day I noticed I blew it off because it was only my stomach and breasts itching, which I felt was normal because they are expanding. Then I woke up the other morning out of a dead sleep and my hands and legs itched uncontrollably. Knowing that I was going to the doctor in a few days I held out and used Aveeno lotion and took an antihistamine even. Nothing really provided relief. As soon as the doctor looked she said I definitely had Puppps and it WILL get worse. She advised me to get Sarna lotion and I also bought Aveeno Skin Relief body wash. Which I feel does provide some relief during the ever so difficult shower time. Most info I have read says PUPPPS occurs much later in pregnancy. Is there anyone out there who has had it this early in pregnancy? I am curious to know if I have a rough road ahead because I have a long while to go. I also do have very severe allergies, which I thought was the original cause of the rash.

My puppps rash
I just realized that I never blogged about one of the worst things I went through In my whole life..I am not being dramatic either it was so bad I just wanted to die!! I would never even wish this on my worst enemy... so here it is and here is what I did about it with NO help from the doctors they are so useless!!! such robots!! I called the advice nurse to make sure that the dandilion root is safe and they would give me no advice due to the fact that the herb is not tested by the food and drug admin. this is bullshit!!! I searched and searched online and everything indidcated that dandilion root is safe for me and the baby so what the hell better than steroids and benadryl which is soooooo bad!!! anyway here is my story...
I had the puppps rash for about 1 month starting around 31 weeks. I tried the dandilion root tea for about a week and it did nothing. The doctors prescribed me steroids omg!!!! So bad!!! and some other horrible things that could cause the baby to have seizures and convulsions. Here is what I tried and it worked...Natures way dandilion root capsules you just get thim from Fred Meyers in the nature section. I took 3capsules a day 3 times a day after I would eat something. I drank as much water in ounces that are 1/2 my weight so Im around 194lbs so i drank 100 ounces a day. I bought flax seed oil w/lemon and I took 1 tblspoon a day. I did not drink any coffee and stayed away from citrus fruits like oranges. Basically clensing the liver is what you want to do. I ate lots of strawberries and blueberries and i mean alot!!! The rash took about 5 days to go away and the scars are slowly clearing up but I am 37 weeks prego and sleeping much better. I still itch a little bit in spots but it is only where the rash has healed. I also put on this jones brand aloe lotion the is 70% aloe vera its not the best smelling but it helps the healing and it makes my skin really soft. It has been a slow process but I dont know how I would have delt with having this rash until I have my son...that would have been horrible. I would never wish this on anybody it by far has been the worst thing I have ever been through if you know anybody that has ever gotten this rash spread the word because I tried everything that was safe during pregnancy and it didnt work until I tried this I should send my doctors office a bill for finding a cure!!! if only it worked that way!!!
If you would like to see some pictures I took while I had the rash they are under my albums under puppps rash of pregnancy... they are not the best pictures and it was really hard to capture on photo but anybody that saw me and saw the rash would know how bad it was expecially on my legs and underarms...anyway take a look if you have time....

I feel sorry for anyone reading this who has had to endure this awful rash! It is one of the worst things I've dealt with in my life. I got it when I was 36 week preg with twin boys. I delivered at 37 & 1/2 weeks and was told it would go away soon after delivery. It did not. It got worse and spread over my entire body except my face. My OB told me to use hydrocortisone cream which is a joke. I talked to my family practice dr. and he have a shot of prednisone, but didn't want to do more b/c I was nursing. Well, it seemed like it was going away, and then after a week it came back worse than before. It was awful. I then asked him to refer me to a dermatologist. He didn't want to do anything for me b/c I was nursing, and just had me use a topical cream that wasn't doing anything. He did have me use Sarna lotion, which helped a little with the itching, but it wasn't helping the rash to go away. At my 6 week pp appt, I talked to the nurse practioner who saw me and she said they should put me on a steroid taper. I had to tell my derm that she said it was ok even though I was nursing for him to presribe it for me. I have just now finished the taper, and the rash seems much better, but I'm very concerned that like a previous poster said that it will keep coming back once I'm done with the steriods. It's been so bad. He did change my topical cream to clobetasol, which seems better than the other one I was using, but haven't had it long enough to know if it will help or not. This rash sucks! Make sure your dr. listens to you - even if you are nursing, they can still give you things to make it go away! If anyone finds anything else that helps this rash go away, please post!

I am 34 weeks pregnant & have developed PUPPP's. It has to be the worst thing to ever happen to me. I can't find relief, no matter what i do or try. It started in the stretch marks on my stomach, itched me to death. Now it has made it's way down my arms, they look so horrible! & down my legs, front & back, to the tops of my feet! My skin is constantly itching & burning. It's sore. It hurts. It sucks. I feel like my skin will never be the same. I can't believe that there isn't better treatment for this. I had never heard of the rash & felt silly going to the doctor because my stretch marks were itching. Never would've imagined that I had a rash that won't go away until sometime after delivery. I wish my little guy was ready, cause God knows, I sure am!!!!

I had this rash after I gave birth to my first baby. It was horrible. The OB/GYN didn't want to listen to anything I had to say, wouldn't do anything for me, and sent me to my family doctor who, thank god, actually gave a damn. I had to be on steroids to get it to go away. The itching was terrible, I couldn't sleep, looked like a freak and none of the over the counter lotions did anything for me. I am so grateful for my family physician, he also saved my life by diagnosing my cancer in it's early stage. I am now pregnant with baby boy number 2 and I am getting a rash on my stomach. Itches like crazy! I have an OB appt. tomorrow, wonder if I should even mention it to them, or, just go directly to the man who really listens to me! So, get ya some steroids and you'll feel much better. Good luck to all.

i am currently 36 weeks now and my rash started 3 weeks ago from my stretchmarks. i didn't think anything at first cause stretchmarks usually itch, but it spread to my legs, arms, and butt. there was even a point in time where it was hard to sit down because the back of my knees were so sore from open areas. i went to my doctor and it must have been his first time seeing this cause he was freaked out i could tell. he thought it was the scabies, but i told him i have had this for a while and nobody else got it. i took benadryl and applied sarna lotion. just started with the oatmeal baths and it seemed to work well. it's been a week now and i'm healing but i have scratch marks and discoloration everywhere. there were red patches all over my arms that are now flat and not raised like before. the skin is peeling so hopefully it gets better. can't wait to deliver this baby and get rid of this rash.

I have never felt like i was going crazy till I got this. I am also a family doctor so frustrated with the medical professions lack of understanding re this condition !!! This rash is so awful and NO ONE CARES!!!
I forced a dermatologist to see me after 2 sleepless nights. Dragged myself to work and realised everyone just thought I was being a bit vain. At that point you could have covered me in boils and i would not have cared- i just wanted to stop itching!!!
The dermatologist gave me a steriod cream - betnovate and told me to take piriton - although I'd already said it did nothing.
Besides myself day 4 I spoke to a collegue who said her friend had taken promethazine ( antihistamine)for it - this at least bought me some sleep. I swear the nights are the worst.Spoke to my obgyn re this and she just said I dont know much about it. Then stalked a pharmacist to research re this- seems safe and to be honest I was suicidal by this point.
Week 2 of rash now (34 weeks pregnant) and steriods seem to be calming it down. The antihistamine leaves me very drowsy. Advice PLEASE MAKE YOU DR REFER YOU TO A DERMATOLOGIST. PUSH, PUSH, PUSH- no one will help you unless you irritate them till they listen!!!!
I HATE THIS CONDITION!!!!

I had this 35 years ago with my first pregnancy. It started at about 32 weeks and lasted 6 weeks, in the heat, in Texas. The doctors had no idea what it was and I went through all kinds of tests. The only things that gave me any relief were menthol creme, cold baths, and atarax. I think it may be hereditary, as my daughter also had it with her first pregnancy. I felt so sorry for her. It seemed they had made no progress on treatment in all those years. At least neither of us had it it with our future pregnancies, and she had someone who could sympathize with her completely. In fact I almost felt like I "gave" it to her myself. I hope someone comes up with at least a better treatment if not a cure!

I have had this crap for the past 2 weeks - it still itches worse and worse everyday and night. The only time I have releif is when I am actually rubbing lotion, or powder on the rash...which has spread from my belly ALL over my BODY - back, butt, legs, belly, arms, feet - EVERYWHERE! As soon as I stop rubbing and the powder or lotion dries - it actually starts itching AGAIN! I have tried things like ZEASORB-AF powder, GOLDBOND powder and medicated cream, MEN-PHOR lotion, Benedryl (sp?) cream and tablets at night to sleep, and AVENO oatmeal baths and lotion. As far as sleeping at night - there is NO rest at all. I get up every hour just to rub more stuff on...then again when it dries - I am up again rubbing more and the Benedryl tablets don't work for sleep.

I think we all have the same compliant and I don't know that there is any help what so ever. I have 4 weeks left of my pregnancy and I hope and pray it will go away soon! This is worse than any other problem I have had during the whole pregnancy. Morning sickness, sinus infections - nothing compares to the misery of this RASH!!!! I go back to the Dermatologist today and we will see what he says - if anything helps I will let everyone know...but so far it's just misery! Sorry girls! I FEEL your PAIN!!!

I am 39 weeks pregnant and I have PUPPS. It is the worst thing that can ever happen to a women. It started a couple days before I turned 39 weeks. It itches like CRAZY!!!! My doctor prescribed me some prescribed cream. It relieves the itch for a while, but not all day. I went through a tube in 1 day and had to get another refill the next day. What seems to relieve it for a while is, Take a nice hot bath and sit there for 30 minutes and right after taht sit in a cold room and relax. If you have to itch put a sock on your hand inside out and rub! Do not scratch. Or put a cold rag on the spot where it itches most and relax. Just try not to think about it. I am getting induced, so that will be some relief for me.

I'm 30 weeks pregnant and I started getting PUPPP about 3 weeks ago. It started in my stretch marks on my stomach, and the gradually moved to my hips, back, legs, and arms. I am so completely miserable. This is my first pregnancy. I'm 19. I can't handle it, and i don't know what to do. I've tried creams, lotions, baths, and even going two FULL days of not scratching it. My doctor said he could guarantee that I went two days without scratching a single itch that it would go away... I seriously want to go a ring his neck. I think what pissed me off the most is that he didn't really look at it. He thinks it's just some normal rash, but I know it's PUPPP.

I can't take this anymore, and i really need help... Please help me?