Menthol Mind Games?

As we transition to spring, some may begin embracing the outdoors. The bouquet of allergens that accompany the top #wildflowerseason posts may contribute to an increase in itchy skin. Indeed, these airborne allergens can cause rashy skin.

Itchy skin is often served with a skin calming lotion containing menthol, an ingredient whose use dates back to antiquity. The sensation of relief, may be followed by a cold chill, often triggering a call for additional warm blankets, which may contradict the arrival of spring and warmer conditions. 

Menthol was first isolated and produced in the late 1700’s. The naturally derived form can be crystallized from peppermint oil which is extracted from peppermint leaves and evidence for its use dates back to 1000BCE in the  Egyptian pyramids. Having been used since the antiquities for treating various ailments, the annual global production was recently reported to approximate 34,000 metric tons (or 75 million pounds).

Why has this ubiquitous ingredient become synonymous with the skin cooling sensation associated with itch relief? It turns out that we have a temperature receptor that is responsible for sensing cold, and menthol targets that same receptor to elicit a cold sensation. Rather than turning down the thermostat, menthol, by binding to these receptors, signals a cold sensation to the brain. This biological mechanism bypasses the cooling sensation resulting from physical processes such as the evaporation of sweat, for example, or the evaporation of volatile components such as water or alcohol, in the case of skin care products. 

While the cooling sensation of menthol may dampen the experience of itchy skin, turning down the thermostat or taking a cold shower has also been reported to achieve a similar effect. The absence of definitive clinical studies demonstrating the efficacy of menthol for treating itch points to its role in reducing itch perception, and not necessarily to its role in treating itch.

Posted on March 29, 2026.