Itchy, Crawling Skin and Weird Reactions? Hint: It’s Not Allergies

Andree Noye
May 28
4 min read

By Andrée Noye, Clinical Herbalist. Reading Time: 5 minutes

A serene marble statue of an angelic figure, captured in monochrome, stands in a moment of contemplation with an ethereal expression, nestled against a smooth wall.

You’ve probably heard of hormones like estrogen and progesterone. And maybe you’ve felt them swinging wildly during perimenopause: hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, skin changes, and anxiety.

But here’s something most doctors never mention:

There’s a whole other part of your body reacting to this hormonal shift. It’s your immune system. More specifically: your mast cells.

If you’ve been dealing with:

Itchy skin (even without a rash)
A dry scalp that’s somehow also oily
Sudden sensitivity to smells, foods, or fabrics
Flushing, headaches, or "crawling" sensations under the skin
An anxious, wired feeling even when you're tired...

It might not be hormones alone. It might not be “just stress.” And it’s probably not an allergy. It could be your mast cells overreacting because of hormones.

Let’s break this down.

What Are Mast Cells?

Mast cells are a type of white blood cell. They live in tissues that connect you to the outside world—your skin, lungs, gut, sinuses, and reproductive tract.

Their job is to sense danger and send the alarm. When mast cells think there’s a threat, they release chemical messengers like:

Histamine (which causes swelling, itchiness, and redness)
Prostaglandins (which increase inflammation)
Cytokines (which tell the immune system what to do next)

This is helpful if you're fighting off a parasite or recovering from injury.

But if your mast cells become too sensitive, they can cause all kinds of annoying, uncomfortable, or downright bizarre symptoms, even when there’s no real threat.

A person rides a bicycle adorned with a vibrant bunch of pink flowers in the basket, creating a refreshing and lively scene.

What Does This Have to Do with Menopause?

A lot, actually.

Mast cells have estrogen receptors. That means when your hormones change (especially in your 40s and 50s), mast cells can become:

More active
Less predictable
Prone to overreacting

This is especially true during perimenopause, when estrogen doesn’t just drop—it spikes and crashes, sometimes violently. Your mast cells feel those swings and react.

So what happens?

Histamine gets dumped into your system. You get itchy. You feel flushed. Your scalp tingles or crawls. You might even get anxious or restless and not know why.

And here’s the kicker:

Histamine increases estrogen, and estrogen increases histamine.

Yes. A feedback loop from hell.

That’s why so many women feel like they’re becoming “allergic to everything” in midlife.

But it’s not true allergies. You’re not broken. Your immune system is just confused.

“But I’ve Never Had Allergies Before…”

Exactly. This isn’t an allergy in the traditional sense.

Allergies are triggered by specific immune responses—your body misidentifies something harmless (like pollen or peanuts) as dangerous and reacts.

Mast cell overactivity, on the other hand, is like your immune system is chronically on edge.There might be no allergen at all—just hormones, heat, stress, or emotion triggering the release of histamine.

Think of it like a smoke detector going off every time you boil water. The sensor isn’t broken—it’s just hypersensitive.

Common Symptoms of Mast Cell Overactivation in Midlife:

Itchy scalp, especially at night
Tingling or crawling skin
Heat rashes or flushing after wine, cheese, or chocolate
Bloating or reactions to foods you used to tolerate
Heart palpitations, especially after eating or during stress
Feeling wired and tired at the same time
Mood swings that don’t track with your cycle
Waking up at 2–3 a.m. with your heart racing

If some of that sounds familiar, you’re not alone.

A solitary figure walks along a winding path, surrounded by the tranquil beauty of nature in an autumn landscape.

So What Can You Do About It?

Here’s the good news: You don’t need allergy meds or hormone therapy to calm this down. There are gentle, herbal, and lifestyle-based ways to support your body’s mast cell balance.

Let’s start with food and herbs.

Nutrients That Help:

Magnesium glycinate – calms the nervous system and regulates mast cells
Vitamin C – naturally stabilizes mast cells and reduces histamine
Quercetin – found in onions, apples, and hers like nettle; a powerful natural antihistamine
B6 and B12 – help your body break down histamine properly

Herbs That Calm Histamine (and Support Menopause):

Urtica dioica (nettle): nourishes deeply and reduces histamine over time
Scutellaria baicalensis (Chinese skullcap): strong mast cell stabilizer
Glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice): regulates cortisol and supports estrogen naturally
Albizia julibrissin (silk tree): calms emotional reactivity, eases histamine-linked anxiety
Matricaria recutita (chamomile): gentle but effective anti-itch and anti-inflammatory
Melissa officinalis (lemon balm): soothes nerves, balances histamine, and supports thyroid
Perilla frutescens (perilla leaf): rich in rosmarinic acid, a powerful antihistamine compound

You don’t need to take all of these. A skilled herbalist ;) can guide you to the right combination based on your symptoms, constitution, and stage of life.

Topical Relief: It’s Not All in Your Head

If your scalp or skin feels weird, don’t dismiss it. Try:

A cool compress of chamomile or rose hydrosol
A few drops of jojoba oil infused with calendula or plantain
Scalp sprays made with nettles, lavender, and lemon balm
Avoiding drying shampoos, sulfates, or heavy fragrances

Sometimes, even something as simple as switching pillowcases or rinsing with cooler water can make a noticeable difference.

Final Thoughts: You’re Not Imagining This

If you’ve been feeling like your body is betraying you, or like no one understands why your skin itches, your head tingles, or your moods shift by the hour—please know this:

You are not crazy. You are not weak. You are not “just sensitive.”

You are likely experiencing the effects of hormonal change on your immune system. Mast cells are reacting to this transition. And it’s absolutely real.

With support, those symptoms can ease. You can feel clear again. You can reclaim comfort in your own skin.

And no—you don’t need an allergy test to prove it.

Would you like a custom tea, tincture, or scalp spray to help with this? We can work with herbs that support both hormone balance and mast cell calming—naturally and gently.

Reach out when you’re ready.

In light,

#CirceEtMedee #PerimenopauseRelief #WitchcraftAndWellness #MastCellAwareness #NotAnAllergy #HistamineHelp #HolisticHormoneSupport