Itchy body: what it can be and what to do

The itchiness in the body arises when a reaction stimulates nerve endings in the skin, which can happen for several reasons, the main ones including some type of allergy or skin irritation, such as dryness, sweat or insect bites.

However, the itch that does not pass may be related to diseases, which can be dermatological, infectious, metabolic or even psychological, such as dermatitis, ringworm, psoriasis, dengue, Zika, diabetes or anxiety, for example.

Depending on its cause, the itchiness being alone or accompanied by other symptoms, such as redness, lumps, spots, blisters or sores, and these can be caused by a disease or formed by the frequent act of scratching. To treat it, it is important to discover and resolve its cause, but the symptom can be relieved with an antiallergic or with a moisturizing or anti-inflammatory ointment, prescribed by the general practitioner or dermatologist.

So, some of the main causes of itching and what to do in each case, include:

1. Allergic reactions

Any type of skin irritation can cause itching, which is common for an allergy. Some of the most common causes include:

• Excessive heat or sweat; Insect bite; Fabrics, cosmetics, such as soaps, creams and shampoos, or cleaning products; Animal or plant hair; Food; Allergic reaction to medications; Dust or dust mites from clothes, books and upholstery.

The allergy can arise in an isolated situation or can often occur in people who have a tendency to have allergies, and the episodes can be mild or severe, and treatment with a dermatologist may be necessary.

What to do: it is necessary to walk away and avoid contact with the substance that causes allergy. In some cases, it may be necessary to use anti-allergic drugs, such as Dexchlorpheniramine, Loratadine, Hydroxizine or corticosteroid ointments, for example. Learn more about how to identify and treat skin allergy.

2. Dryness of the skin

Dry skin, a condition known as cutaneous xerosis, is caused mainly by the excessive use of soaps or by very hot and long baths, which causes constant itching due to skin irritation and flaking.

Other causes of this dryness of the skin may include the use of certain medications, such as cholesterol-lowering drugs, opioids or diuretics, for example, in addition to situations such as dehydration, living in cold and low humidity regions, and even certain diseases that can cause changes in the keratinization of the skin.

What to do: The treatment involves the use of moisturizing creams that contain ceramides, glycolic acid, vitamin E or urea, for example. To relieve symptoms more immediately, it may also be necessary to use anti-allergic medications, such as Loratadine or Dexclorfeniramina. Check out the recipe for a great homemade moisturizer for extra dry skin.

3. Dermatitis

Dermatitis is an inflammatory skin disease, usually of genetic or autoimmune cause, in which there is a chronic allergic process, which causes constant and intense itching, and may be accompanied by other skin changes.

Some of the most common forms of dermatitis include:

• Atopic dermatitis: most common in the folds, accompanied by redness, peeling or swelling of the skin; Seborrheic dermatitis: causes redness or peeling of the skin, especially on the scalp, where it can be known as dandruff; Contact dermatitis: causes intense itching accompanied by blisters and redness, in places on the skin that have been in direct contact with an irritating substance, such as jewelry or cosmetics, for example; Herpetiform dermatitis: causes an inflammatory reaction that forms small itchy blisters on the skin, similar to lesions caused by herpes, being more common in people with celiac disease; Psoriasis: it is a chronic skin disease that causes inflammation and hyper proliferation of cells in its most superficial layer, causing scaly lesions.

Other rarer examples of itchy skin changes include luminary or bullous dermatitis, as well as other dermatological diseases such as bullous pemphigoid, fungal mycosis and lichen planus, for example. Check out more details about the main types of dermatitis.

What to do: the person with a dermatitis must be accompanied by a dermatologist, who will assess the characteristics of the lesions and guide treatments according to each case, which may include moisturizing creams based on urea, corticosteroids or anti-allergens, for example.

4. Skin infections

Infectious diseases that affect the skin, caused by fungi, bacteria or parasites, usually cause injuries and inflammatory reactions, which causes itching. Some of the most common infections are:

• Skin mycoses: characterized by the presence of rounded, reddish or whitish lesions on the skin caused by some types of fungus, and some examples are Ringworm, Onychomycosis, Intertrigo and Pityriasis Versicolor; Cutaneous candidiasis: infection by the Candida fungus, and causes red and moist lesions, more common in the folds of the body, such as under the breasts, groins, armpits, nails or between the fingers, although it can appear anywhere on the body; Scabies: also known as scabies, this disease is caused by the mite Sarcoptes Scabiei , which causes severe itching and reddish lumps, and is quite contagious; Herpes: infection by the herpes virus causes redness and small blisters, which can cause itching or be painful, being common on the lips and genital region; Impetigo: skin infection caused by bacteria that cause small wounds that contain pus and form scabs.

These infections can be transmitted from one person to another, and usually arise in situations of impaired hygiene or when there is a drop in immunity.

What to do: the treatment is guided by the doctor, made with medicines, usually ointments, to eliminate the microorganism that causes it, with antifungals, such as Nystatin or Ketoconazole, antibiotics, such as Neomycin or Gentamicin, Permethrin or Ivermectin solutions for scabies, and antivirals, such as Acyclovir, for herpes. Itching can also be relieved with anti-allergy.

5. Systemic diseases

There are several diseases that reach the bloodstream and can present, as one of the symptoms, itchy skin. Some diseases that can this situation, are:

• Viral infections, such as Dengue, Zika, chickenpox or that cause changes in circulation and immunity, causing itching; Bile duct diseases, caused by diseases such as Hepatitis B and C, primary biliary cirrhosis, bile duct carcinoma, alcoholic cirrhosis and autoimmune hepatitis, for example; Chronic renal failure; Neuropathies, caused by diabetes, stroke or multiple sclerosis, for example; Endocrinological diseases, such as hyperthyroidism, diabetes or mastocytosis; HIV, both due to skin infections and because of immune changes that may arise; Hematological diseases, such as anemia, polycythemia vera or lymphoma; Cancer.

These diseases can cause itching with different frequency and intensity in each person.

What to do: In these cases, the doctor will indicate the treatment of the main disease, which may be causing the itching. Meanwhile, to control the symptoms, the use of anti-allergic drugs such as Hidroxizine can be advised, to relieve discomfort.

6. Psychological diseases

Itchiness of psychological origin, also called psychogenic pruritus, is suspected when the cause of the itch cannot be found even after detailed and lengthy medical investigation, with physical examinations and evaluations.

This type of itching can arise in people who have diseases such as depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, eating disorders, drug addiction or personality disorders, for example. Sometimes, the symptom is so intense, that the person can live with skin lesions caused by the itching.

What to do: After confirming that it is not a dermatological or systemic disease, monitoring as a psychiatrist may be necessary, which may indicate psychotherapy or treat the underlying disease, with, for example, the use of anxiolytics or antidepressants.

What causes itching in pregnancy

During pregnancy, the pregnant woman undergoes changes in her body and naturally gets drier skin, which can cause itching.

In addition, there are some skin problems that may arise or worsen in this period, such as gestational pruritus, caused by altered biliary tract, or other dermatoses such as urticaria, papular dermatosis or gestational pemphigoid, for example.

Thus, if the itchiness is persistent, and does not relieve with hydration or removal of possible situations that may cause allergies, such as new cosmetics or cleaning products, it is recommended to consult with the obstetrician or dermatologist, to assess the possible causes and indicate the correct treatment.