In many people it is common to have itchy skin We think it is a symptom of illness but it is not. It is the most common in dermatology and affects a third of the world's population. There are many types of itchy skin, whether localized, generalized, occasional or chronic. But why does itching appear on the skin?
In this article we are going to detail the main reasons and what you should do to alleviate the symptoms. Do you want to learn about it? Keep reading and you will find out 🙂
Reasons for itching
There are many reasons why itching can appear. You may have some type of allergy to a food or fabric. Many people are allergic to certain medications and do not know it. It is not usually a reaction that obstructs the airways and is too serious, but it can manifest itself with itchy skin.
These reasons can trigger atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, or hives. The consequence of itchy skin is that there is an alteration in the skin since the skin barrier is damaged. Therefore, the immune system tries to defend it by releasing histamine. We remember that histamine is a powerful dilator of blood vessels and, therefore, it causes redness and itching.
The skin reacts in an exaggerated way to stimuli that, in general, would not affect normal skin but it does affect sensitive ones. These reactions can be from mild itching to excruciating discomfort. It is capable of reaching such a point that it is forced to scratch intensely, sometimes even causing some injuries.
Next, we are going to analyze the types of itchy skin and what to do to eliminate or alleviate them.
Spikes at specific times
There are people who only get itchy skin during certain times of the year, for example, in spring. Most likely in these types of situations is that it is atopic dermatitis. It occurs especially in drier skin or if you suffer from asthma or rhinitis. It is common for them to appear at the coldest times in winter or spring due to allergies to pollen.
When there is atopic dermatitis on the skin, there is usually redness that itches a lot. This causes discomfort to those who suffer it, since if you are working or facing the public it is something really uncomfortable.
To relieve these itches it is important to moisturize the skin frequently. If we keep it hydrated we will make the itching last less time. In the pharmacy we can find various types of hypoallergenic body and face creams. In specific cases, when there are outbreaks of very severe itching on the skin, a corticosteroid cream should be used to relieve the itching.
Itchy when you touch a lot of things
It is possible that we are in a shopping center and we are touching clothes, food products and other products that are on the shelves. Sometimes your skin starts to itch and there is swelling, redness, and sometimes even blisters.
And is that there are almost 3.000 chemical agents of all kinds between soaps, detergents, cosmetics, etc. That produce itching in contact with the skins. The most affected people are those who suffer from a pathology called contact dermatitis. It can also be caused if there is any type of allergy to certain metals or foods. Many people are allergic to jewelry and accessories if they are not beach or gold.
For all those who suffer with these itches, the fundamental thing is to stop touching the things that cause the itch. If you can't stop touching them because you're working with it, wear gloves to avoid direct contact. Once the itching has appeared, it can disappear simply by washing your skin and not touching it again. But if there is also swelling and redness, you will probably have to use oral corticosteroid or antihistamine ointments.
If this happens frequently, the ideal is to go to an allergist and get allergy tests done.
Itchy skin with little red spots
If the area where it bites us is reddened and small red spots start to appear similar to insect bites, you suffer from hives. This is usually an allergic manifestation and it is very common for the appearance of these red dots to be related to the intake of any medicine or food.
To remedy it, if it is caused by an allergy to a food or medicine, stop taking them and look for alternatives that do not cause allergies. If it's more of an outbreak, take oatmeal baths to soothe your skin.
Itching between the fingers
Sometimes the itching only occurs between the fingers and not in a generalized way. Here the cause of this is a fungus that tends to settle in areas where more sweat and heat accumulate. This is normal in the toes, since we are giving them the ideal conditions to live.
If you suffer from foot fungus, you have to take extreme precautions. It is preferable to change your socks twice a day so that they always remain dry. Wearing flip flops is a good idea and dry thoroughly, insisting on the toe part. Sharing towels is not recommended. This way we will avoid infecting another person. The best way to combat them is by using an antifungal spray or powder sold in pharmacy.
Itchy when it's hot
It is common for the arms to itch a lot in hot weather. However, if it is something too continuous it is a cholinergic urticaria. It is quite common when body heat increases and sweat begins to appear. This happens more when doing sports or eating very spicy dishes. Hives that itch a lot usually appear and are preceded by a sensation of heat or burning. And, although its appearance is more frequent in the arms and chest, they can appear in any area of the body.
To treat it, it is better to avoid situations in which you sweat a lot, since when we stop sweating the problem disappears. Therefore, if we do not sweat from the beginning, nothing will happen to us. To avoid this we can use cotton garments that perspire better.
I hope that with these tips you can combat annoying itchy skin.