为什么你总是皮肤发痒?
What's causing your itchy skin? Around 10% of people experience notable itching, officially called pruritus. You can have itchy skin due to simple dryness, poison ivy, chickenpox, bug bites, or more serious conditions like psoriasis and eczema. Sometimes itching plagues your whole body, other times just one place. Itchy skin can last for weeks-or more. Sometimes itchiness comes with redness, rashes, bumps, or cracked skin, and sometimes it doesn't. If you have itchy skin, you're going to want to get to know what's causing it so you can figure out how to stop it. Most of the time it's no big deal and may be as simple as following Grandma's instructions: Don't scratch! Here are a few common itchy skin causes to look out for-and how to stop that itch. Dry skin This is one of the most common causes of itchy skin, and one that usually doesn't come with a rash. Dry skin is especially common in older folks or people who smoke, spend too much time in the sun, or overuse skin products. It's also prevalent in the winter and in dry environments. Dry skin feels rough and flakes, but you shouldn't see any red bumps, which are usually a sign of something else. Dry skin often itches, but not always. Your first strategy against dry skin is to moisturize three to four times a day. Limit the time you spend in the bath or shower, as this can further dry your skin. A common next step is 1% hydrocortisone skin cream, available over the counter. If that doesn't help after about a week, see your doctor; she may prescribe a stronger steroid cream or an antihistamine pill. Atopic dermatitis Atopic dermatitis is the most common form of eczema. It can appear as dry, red, irritated skin. If it becomes infected, you may also have small, fluid-filled bumps, which can break and crust over. "The mainstay of eczema therapy is moisturize, moisturize, moisturize," says Nishit Patel, MD, assistant professor of dermatology at the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine in Tampa. |