Raechele Cochran Gathers, MD Just like the eyes are the windows into the soul, our skin is the window into our health. Your skin is your largest organ, and it can reflect stress, illness, vitamin deficiencies and even serious internal medical problems.
Why Am I Itchy All Over?
Besides winter dry skin, itching can be associated with common skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis. Medical conditions like diabetes can also lead to drier and more itch prone skin. If you’re itching all over though, it’s important to know that sometimes itching skin can be a sign of a serious medical condition or disease. If you’ve got itching that just won’t quit, and especially if it’s not associated with any rash that you can see, it’s important to see your doctor so they can make sure that you don’t have a serious medical condition.
Medical Conditions that Cause Itchy Skin
- Liver disease
- Kidney disease/Renal Failure
- Iron Deficiency Anemia
- Thyroid Problem
- Diabetes
- Nerve problems like Multiple Sclerosis
- Cancer (malignancies like multiple myeloma and lymphoma)
Lotions for Soothing Itchy Skin
Dermatologists commonly recommend products like Sarna lotion for itchy skin. Sarna lotion contains menthol and camphor, which can be soothing for itchy skin.
Another great product for itching skin is Eucerin Calming Lotion. Eucerin Calming Lotion is certainly not the cheapest lotion available, but it has a rich texture and has ingredients that soothe irritated and inflamed skin.
If you’re itching, there are also other ‘skin soothing’ steps that you can take. Limiting the length of your shower or bath to less than 5 minutes, and making sure to use warm (not hot) water can also help with itching. Mild soap free cleansers like Aveeno and Dove are also better than harsh deodorant soaps. You can read more on how to care for dry skin here.
Conclusion
If you’ve got itchy skin that isn’t going away, make sure to see your dermatologist and primary care doctor. Don’t assume that it’s something that you’re doing wrong. It’s important that you take steps to make sure that you don’t have a serious medical condition associated with your itchy skin!
