What Causes Your Skin to Itch? And How Do You Treat It?

Your skin is the most susceptible part of your body. Depending on what you do to or with it, it could be your center of attraction or the opposite. For some people, spending heavily on skincare regimens and products is a big deal and not a thing to be joked with, while for others, mere bathing and oiling the skin is enough regimen. However, for both the former and latter groups of people, red, bumpy, itchy skin is a condition no one desires. When your skin begins to itch all over, myriads of thoughts begin to run through your mind. You begin to ask yourself millions of questions like, what could be the cause? How do I remedy this? Do I need to see a Doctor? How worse can this be? Answering these queries is a fantastic first step to returning your skin to its fresh, lush, and succulent state.

What is Pruritus?

Pruritus is a dermatological condition characterized by severe itching of the skin. According to research, it is the most frequent or most common dermatological condition. It comes with an uncomfortable and irritating sensation, with a serious urge and temptation to scratch your skin for relief.

As mild as the mere scratching of the skin might sound, it could be severe in some people and can be triggered by chronic underlying health conditions. This itch sensation leaves you with the desire to scratch as many times as you can until you feel less pain or urge to scratch. However, constant scratching can cause the condition of the skin to get worse. It could inflict ugliness on the skin by imposing zebra-like stripes on your skin due to constant scratching. Asides from making your skin unattractive, it could also put your skin and general health in danger. Wondering how possible this could be? Well, scratching your skin can cause your skin to bleed, and when the skin is exposed enough to bleed, infections can easily be introduced through that opening on the skin. In other words, the first thing to do when you notice you have pruritus is, “Do not scratch it,” no matter how tempting it feels, try not to.

Having attained success in overcoming the desire to scratch, the next question you need to ask yourself is, “what is the source of this Itchiness?” Knowing the source is one of the great first steps to achieving results in terms of treating your skin condition.

Research has demonstrated that one of the most common causes of pruritus is dry skin, an inevitable condition that occurs as you age. Thus, old age is enough risk factor for pruritus. However, this is not common in everybody, especially for those who take preventive measures against this skin condition. Other factors include severe health conditions like cancers, liver diseases, and kidney failure. Identifying the cause of your itch is very important, and this is one of the focal points of this article.

Types of Pruritus

Localized

This involves the itching of one area of the body. It is milder and easier to treat. The most common localized pruritus occurs on the thighs, hands, legs, sometimes the face, and other selected areas of the body.

Generalized

Unlike localized pruritus, generalized pruritus causes you to itch on every part of your body. It is more severe and more difficult to treat compared to the localized one. This type of pruritus lasts for up to 2 weeks and might require professional medical attention to remedy.

Both the localized and generalized pruritus can be worse, especially at night.

Symptoms of Pruritus

Pruritus affects different areas of the skin, ranging from the scalp to the hands, legs, abdomen, thighs, and face. However, sometimes, the symptoms of pruritus are not noticeable. In cases where they are, you might experience the following on your skin;

• Blisters or spots on the affected area(s)
• Scratch marks
• Scaly skin
• Patches in the skin
• Redness and swollen skin

These symptoms cause you to scratch your skin. The itching can last for up to 3 days if it is not treated, and it can become intense as well. As difficult as it might be, resisting the urge to scratch the affected area will speed up the healing process and also prevent the introduction of infection into your skin.

Risk Factors and Causes of Pruritus

Anyone can develop itchy skin, but some people are more vulnerable to experiencing constant itching of the skin. The following are people who are susceptible to pruritus;

• Pregnant women; due to hormonal changes and imbalance
• People with seasonal skin conditions like eczema
• Elderly people; are mostly caused by dry skin that results from the reduction in the quality of the skin due to old age.
• People suffer from severe health conditions like kidney failure, liver diseases, and cancers like lymphoma and leukemia.
• Diabetics
• People with seasonal allergies like asthma and hay fever

One of the first things to check when you have itchy skin is what the possible triggers may be. Identifying this will help in the administration of appropriate treatment for your condition. For instance, pruritus caused by underlying health conditions cannot be treated by merely applying medicated ointments. Rather it can only be rooted out completely by treating the underlying health condition that must have caused it. The following are causes of pruritus;

Dry Skin

Dry skin is the most common factor that causes itchy skin. This is mostly a result of old age. As you age, your body and organs begin to depreciate. Your skin is not an exception, as it gets dry and even drier as you age. Pruritus caused by dry skin can easily be treated with medicated ointments and few changes to diet and lifestyle. It is most common on the abdomen, legs, and hands. Other skin conditions that can trigger pruritus include eczema, among others.

Underlying Health Conditions

Itching throughout the body can be a result of severe underlying health conditions like cancers, diabetes, kidney diseases, and liver diseases.

Allergies

Allergies such as food or skin allergies can also trigger pruritus. Skin allergies can result from substances that irritate the skin. This is why it is advisable to conduct a patch test on your skin when you want to adopt a new skincare product or regimen. This is to ensure that your skin does not react negatively to the product. In addition, foods and drugs have also been discovered to cause allergies. Treating these allergies involves putting an end to those drugs, foods, and skincare substances that may trigger pruritus.

Insect Bites

Bites from insects like spiders, mosquitos, crickets, and so on can cause your skin to fire up with red bumps and itches. Although, the effects of these bites on your skin begin to reduce between 3 and 7 days after the bite. On the other hand, bites from mites and bed bugs can cause more severe itching than the aforementioned insects. However, these bites can be treated at home by applying over-the-counter medicated ointments to the affected areas. Also, controlling these insects, eliminating their breeding sites, and sealing your house can help prevent further bites.

Psychological Conditions

Psychological problems can also contribute to pruritus. Studies have shown that conditions such as depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder can cause symptoms of pruritus to appear on your skin.

Treatment

Knowing the cause of your pruritus is the first step to take towards treating it. When the underlying cause is treated, the itching ceases. Be it an underlying health condition like cancer or a severe skin condition, identifying the underlying cause will help you know what to treat to get rid of the itching. However, if the itching is caused by mild factors like bugs, drugs, or food allergies, you can change your lifestyle and diet.

Adopt new lifestyles that will not expose you to the possible triggers of pruritus. In addition, remove from the diet foods that you suspect that you are allergic to. Also, avoiding drugs that trigger this condition is important.

Consult Your Doctor or Dermatologist When;

• Pruritus persists for up to or more than 6 weeks.
• Have underlying health conditions like cancer, liver, or kidney diseases.

Home Remedies

• Apply itch ointments to the affected area(s)
• Apply a cool compress to the affected area(s)
• Avoid substances that irritate your skin
• Get your skin cleaned with lukewarm water and mild soap

Conclusion

Pruritus can be mild in some people and severe in others, depending on the factors involved. However, it is best to identify the cause of your itchy skin first to know what treatment method is the most appropriate for your condition.