What should you know about severe itchy skin?

Itching may come from dry skin, eczema, contact with an irritating product, hives, psoriasis, scabies, or a yeast infection. Scratching can break the skin and make irritation or infection easier to develop. The appearance and location of the rash, whether itching is worse at night, and any new medicines, foods, fabrics, or personal-care products help narrow the cause.

A clinician may examine the skin and ask about allergies, household contacts, travel, and general symptoms. Severe itching without an obvious rash can also need assessment for causes outside the skin.

Use a fragrance-free moisturiser frequently, keep showers lukewarm and brief, and choose loose cotton clothing. Avoid scrubbing, fragranced products, and deliberate scratching; smooth nails can reduce skin injury. A cool compress may calm a small itchy area. Do not apply prescription creams or anti-itch medicines to extensive, broken, infected, or facial skin without professional guidance.

Possible related conditions include Atopic Dermatitis, Contact Dermatitis, Hives, Scabies, and Psoriasis.

Seek urgent help for itching with facial or tongue swelling, breathing difficulty, faintness, rapidly spreading hives, blistering, or skin peeling. Arrange prompt medical review for fever, pus, marked pain, yellow crusting, severe night-time itch affecting others at home, or itching that persists despite gentle skin care. A new widespread rash after starting a medicine also needs prompt advice.

Could my medicines, products, workplace, or household contacts be contributing? What findings would distinguish eczema, scabies, infection, or an allergy? Which treatment is suitable for my body area and skin type, and how should I protect scratched skin?