Painful Itchy Skin: What You Should Know

Dry, cracked skin can occur with Asteatotic Eczema, while Atopic Dermatitis commonly causes itchy inflamed patches. Contact Dermatitis may follow exposure to a product, metal, plant or chemical. Psoriasis can produce thick, sore plaques, and Hives usually create raised areas that move or fade. Skin Yeast Infection is more likely in warm, moist folds. Scabies can cause severe itch, often worse at night, and Lichen Planus may cause persistent itchy or sore areas. The location and surface changes are useful clues.

Use a fragrance-free moisturiser soon after a lukewarm wash, keep nails short and apply a cool compress instead of scratching. Choose loose clothing and pause products that sting or were introduced before the rash began. Do not use someone else’s prescription cream, particularly on the face, folds or broken skin. If itch is widespread, recurrent or linked with a new medicine, a clinician can identify the trigger and select treatment.

Get urgent help for breathing difficulty, swelling of the lips or tongue, faintness, or a rapidly spreading rash. Seek prompt assessment for fever, warmth, pus, marked tenderness, purple spots, blistering or skin peeling. Make an appointment if itching disrupts sleep, causes bleeding, involves other household members, or continues despite gentle skin care.

Does the distribution suggest Contact Dermatitis, Atopic Dermatitis, Psoriasis, Scabies or a Skin Yeast Infection? Which moisturiser and cleanser should I use? Could a recent medicine be involved? What symptoms should make me seek urgent care?