How to Care for Itchy Skin
There are many conditions that cause itchy skin, including psoriasis, inflammation of the skin, scabies, lice, chickenpox hives, allergies, pregnancy or dry skin. More often than not, itchy skin is not serious and can be easily identified and treated. The itching may affect your entire body or a specific part, such as the hands, stomach or back.
- Difficulty:
- Easy
Instructions
-
-
1
Take prescribed or over-the-counter oral antihistamines to treat allergies and hives, and eliminate the itching.
-
2
Use corticosteroid creams or topical ointments designed to stop annoying itching caused by skin inflammation, dry skin and other common skin conditions.
-
3
Apply a wet dressing to the skin by covering the affected skin area with a medicated cream. Soak a cotton cloth in warm water, squeeze excess water from the cloth and cover the medicated skin area. The moisture from the wet dressing will help the skin absorb the medicated cream quickly, effectively relieving the itch.
-
4
Seek medical attention to treat internal conditions such as kidney disease, iron deficiency or thyroid problems. Treatment for these disorders will generally relieve the itch as well.
-
5
Expose the affected skin to light therapy on a regular basis. Sessions of ultraviolet light treatments are sometimes necessary to get the itching under control.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Seek medical assistance for proper diagnosis and treatment for your itchy skin if you suspect a serious underlying cause.
If itching occurs primarily on your hands, wear gloves while using cleaning products, detergents and chemical solutions. If you itch all over your body, you may want to change your laundry detergent.
