"Still itchy afterward, but way less intense..."
Barrier creams can help a bit, but honestly, I've found that investing in a decent disposable coverall suit and gloves makes a bigger difference. Creams might reduce irritation slightly, but fibers still find their way onto your clothes and hair, prolonging the itchiness. A full-body suit isn't glamorous, but it saves you from hours of discomfort later...trust me, learned this the hard way after renovating a client's attic last summer.
Barrier creams are decent, but honestly, they're more of a "better than nothing" solution in my experience. Even with cream, those tiny fiberglass particles still manage to sneak onto your skin and clothes. The disposable suits mentioned above are definitely the way to go—just make sure you tape up around your wrists and ankles, or you'll still end up itchy.
One thing I'd add is don't overlook eye protection and a decent respirator mask. Fiberglass dust floating around can irritate your eyes pretty badly, and breathing it in isn't great either. A simple pair of safety goggles and an N95 mask can make a huge difference. Learned that lesson after spending a weekend insulating my own attic...thought I'd be fine with just gloves and long sleeves. Nope. Eyes burned for days, and I was coughing like crazy.
Also, if you're working in hot weather, try to schedule the job early in the morning or late evening. Those disposable suits trap heat like crazy, and sweating underneath them just makes the itching worse. If you have no choice but to work midday, take frequent breaks and hydrate well.
And here's something else I've found helpful: keep a shop vac handy and vacuum yourself off thoroughly before removing the suit. Sounds weird, but it helps pull off loose fibers before they can settle onto your skin or clothes when you're changing out of your gear.
Good luck with it—fiberglass insulation is effective stuff, but man, it can be miserable to work with if you're not prepared.
Disposable suits and barrier creams help, sure, but honestly, why not skip fiberglass altogether? I've switched to cellulose insulation—way less itchy, eco-friendly, and no coughing fits afterward. Might be worth considering next time you're up there...
Cellulose is great in theory, but I tried it once and ran into a moisture issue—ended up with some mold spots after a damp winter. Maybe my attic ventilation wasn't ideal, but it made me cautious. Fiberglass, despite the itchiness (and yeah, it's brutal), seems a bit more forgiving in humid climates. Though I'll admit, if my attic was bone-dry I'd probably give cellulose another shot...
Had a similar issue with cellulose myself—humidity can really mess things up if ventilation isn't spot-on. Fiberglass is itchy as heck, but at least mold isn't usually part of the package. Maybe tweaking your attic airflow could make cellulose viable again someday...
