Itchy body skin: what are the causes and how to eliminate the problem

Itchy skin is an unpleasant phenomenon in which you constantly or with some frequency want to scratch the affected area of the skin. It is worth remembering that itching is not an independent disease, but only a symptom of some illness, most often associated with diseases of the epidermis, internal organs or central nervous system. Itching can be acute or chronic, sometimes it is localized to a certain area of ​​the skin, and sometimes it seems that literally the whole body is itching. In any case, it will be necessary to get to the root of the problem, especially since active scratching often causes infection.

Causes of itchy skin

If itching makes itself felt without any external manifestations on the skin - rashes, pustules, allergic reactions, most often it is generalized, that is, it spreads throughout the body.   The cause of the phenomenon may be:

• disturbances in the functioning of the endocrine system - thyroid diseases, diabetes mellitus;
• malfunction of the kidneys, which are accompanied by frequent urination, high body temperature, and spasms in the lumbar region;
• liver diseases (mainly jaundice);
• lack of iron in the body;
• nervous and mental disorders;
• cancer;
• menopause period;
• the so-called senile itch, associated with age-related changes, affects elderly people;
• In pregnant women, itching is caused by sudden hormonal changes.

Unbearable local itching is accompanied by rashes, redness and peeling of the skin. The main factors influencing these signs are:

• fungal (candidiasis, trichomoniasis) and parasitic infections (scabies, lice, demodicosis, helminthiasis);
• childhood infectious diseases - measles, chickenpox;
• dermatological ailments - contact and atopic dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis;
• allergies to medications or chemicals;
• insect bites.

Itchy scalp

An itchy scalp is a severe irritation that causes the affected area to become flaky and itchy. Factors influencing the onset of the disease can be both external and internal health problems. Be that as it may, treatment must be immediate, otherwise the disease will worsen.

Causes of itchy scalp:

• Pediculosis (scabies) is a disease caused by infestation with insects (lice) that settle on the scalp. Lice bites can be very painful and cause extreme itching.
• The appearance of seborrheic dermatitis is associated with impaired functioning of the sebaceous glands against the background of reduced immunity or disturbances in the gastrointestinal tract. With increased secretion, the hair and scalp suffer from excess sebum, and crusts and scales form on the surface. If secretion is reduced, the skin, on the contrary, becomes dry, cracked, dandruff and acne appear.
• Itching can also be caused by lichen - this is a fungal disease transmitted from pets, accompanied by purulent rashes and peeling.
• The desire to scratch an itchy area of ​​the head is not necessarily caused by any illness. This happens if the skin is not sufficiently hydrated and due to an excess of dead particles of the epidermis - dandruff.
• Diseases of the liver and gall bladder.
• Stress and nervous tension.
• Various types of dermatitis.
• Allergy for cosmetics.

Red skin rashes and itching

Any rash on the surface of the dermis is a kind of protective reaction of the body. The cause may be stressful situations, allergies, and the introduction of dangerous pathogens (fungal, bacterial, viral infections). The disease can spread to any part of the body; as a rule, itchy red spots appear first, then they change somewhat, the skin becomes uneven, scaly, the patient wants to scratch the affected area, but this does not bring relief; rather, it only aggravates the situation.

In dermatology, there are about 60 types of ailments associated with the appearance of rashes, which are divided into 2 stages - primary and secondary.

Types of rashes:

• Regular red spots do not rise above the skin level; their formation is associated with excessive blood flow.
• The papules or plaques are called nodules and range in size from the size of a pinhead to the size of a fingernail. Papules have a round or conical shape.
• Vesicles (blisters) are small, transparent sacs filled with cloudy liquid that, under certain conditions, appear above the surface of the skin.
• Pustules look similar to vesicles, however, they are most often filled not with liquid, but with pus. Sometimes these painful neoplasms burst without opening and a crust forms on the surface of the dermis.

If measures are not taken in time to get rid of the disease, it will begin to progress, and the rash will go into the secondary stage:

• Peeling is added to the skin itching.
• The surface of the dermis becomes darker in color or, conversely, becomes partially discolored.
• When scratching, abrasions and scratches appear, and when new growths are opened, ulcers and crusts appear.
• Leather compacted.

Itching and flaking of the skin

Many are sure that itching is a harmless phenomenon and most often goes away without the use of medications. In fact, this opinion is erroneous; the disease signals some problems in the body - dermatological problems (dermatitis, scabies, eczema), disturbances in the functioning of internal organs, as well as allergic reactions of varying severity and localization.

Over time, itching tends to develop into more severe chronic forms of the disease, so if the desire to scratch the affected area lasts more than two weeks and becomes increasingly unbearable, you should immediately consult a doctor and undergo an examination.

Sometimes peeling of the skin is added to the itching. In principle, this is a completely normal physiological phenomenon, unless it is accompanied by other suspicious symptoms - spread of the disease over the entire area of ​​the body, burning, pain when scratching, separation of dermal scales, “wetting”, weakness, poor health, elevated temperature, negative reaction from the gastrointestinal tract.

What are the causes of itching and flaking?

• allergies caused by external factors, chemicals, cosmetics, food, medications;
• irritation, rash;
• sunburn due to excessive exposure to open sunlight;
• skin diseases;
• dysfunction of internal organs;
• infections, viruses, fungal diseases;
• bites of blood-sucking insects.

Itching and peeling is not always considered a signal of danger and can be the cause of increased sweating in the hot season, deficiency of vitamins and minerals, and insufficiently balanced nutrition. Often discomfort appears after using creams, shower gels and other cosmetic and hygiene products that contain an excess of fragrances and dyes.

Treatment of itchy skin

Experts distinguish two main types of skin itching - itching as a subjective symptom of a disease and idiopathic itching, as an independent disease that does not have a sharp clinical picture other than scratching, and sometimes, when a bacterial infection occurs, and various inflammations in the form of rashes, boils and blisters.

If itching is a factor provoked by any pathological process, then the underlying disease must be treated. However, most often it is of a neuro-allergic nature, then therapy includes several stages of getting rid of the problem:

• sedatives and antidepressants - Phenobarbital, Doxepin, etc. (prescribed exclusively by a specialist);
• antihistamines - Suprastin, Zyrtec, Claritin, Zodak;
• external agents - tincture of salicylic and carboxylic acid, Fenistil-gel, Radevit, Advantan, hormonal ointments, novocaine blockades;
• sorbents for removing toxins;
• physiotherapy, psychotherapy;
• traditional methods - infusion of thyme, oregano, burdock, mint.