Causes of Itchy Skin and Ways to End That Misery

 

Itchy skin can drive you crazy besides lead to infection from scratching the skin until it is raw. I should know as one having allergies for most of my life. There are a lot of other causes that can account for itchy skin, but I am going to discuss a few common ones here in case you’re prone to itchy skin as well and seeking some possible solutions.

My itchy skin problem developed when I was just a child. My mother used to have a tendency to make me wear tights and dresses when shopping. Her thought was dressing me that way would keep me warmer during cold days. However, her good intentions always backfired.

Those tights never lasted long on my tiny legs because I would start scratching through that material. We wouldn’t get far until the itching got so bad that those tights needed to come off. Instead, I always would get a new pair of cotton socks time and time again. Needless to say, my mother finally got the message after I accumulated a sizeable sock collection. After that, I happily remembered wearing pants on cold days and socks on warmer ones instead of those dreaded tights.

Tights or leggings can cause itchy skin not only from a textile component in the fabric like lycra, latex, nylon or spandex, but also from dry skin beneath. As young children, we typically don’t use a body lotion or moisturizer. Therefore, the problem that I had could have resulted from the legs being dry and later sweating from walking to irritate that enclosed skin.

Another explanation for such itchy skin could be detergent. Troublesome ingredients range from lye, oil, fragrances to colors. While blaming detergent as the culprit may be true for other clothing, my mother washed tights by hand, being a delicate fabric. She always used a gentle soap like Woolite without scent to be on the safe side.

Besides detergents and fabrics, you can also get itchy skin from lotions and moisturizers. Just because skin care products are labeled hypoallergenic, dermatologist-approved or fragrance-free doesn’t give them a clear pass. Those labels mean that you stand a better chance of avoiding an allergic reaction due to their formulas. It does not rule out that there will be an ingredient that can still cause you a skin problem.

Another point that I want to make is that just because you’re using an organic skin care or a natural skin care product doesn’t put you in a completely better safety position either. You can always become allergic to ingredients like essential oils to various herbs, etc.

Some likely product offenders that can cause itchy skin are perfumes, preservatives, lanolin, sulfates, parabens, benzyl alcohol, propylene glycol, alpha hydroxy acids, glycolic acid, lactic acid, forms of retinol, BHA, and mineral oil are among primary ones to be aware of. If after using the product, you notice itchy skin, redness or swelling, stop using it. Each time that you use something that may have caused an allergic reaction, the more you can increase severity of the problem.

Ingredients are less likely to pose an itchy skin problem are ones such as glycerin, hyaluronic acid (believe it or made from a rooster’s comb) and ceramides.

Another way to steer clear of itchy skin or experiencing an allergic skin reaction is to shop for skin care products with as few ingredients as possible. Although you can become allergic to any ingredient at any time even if you used it many times before without a problem, you drastically cut that risk the more that you narrow the number of ingredients down.  Keeping this in mind is especially helpful if you have sensitive skin.

Itchy skin can also come from exposure to external influences such as environmental ones like trees, plants, grass, flowers, pets, etc. Jewelry also can cause grief with itchy skin that you want to be careful with.

Allergic problems such as itchy skin also can occur internally. You can eat a certain food that can trigger high levels of histamine resulting in a rash, itchy skin, hives, swelling, redness to taking a medication or even vitamin supplement like a horrible experience I went through.

Trying to pinpoint an itchy skin problem might lead you to an allergist, but hopefully these skin care tips can help stop your scratching. Take care and remember that you are not alone!