Common Causes of Skin Irritation and Tips for Relief
It may, however, affect just a limited part of the body or cover a large area. Rashes can be dry, moist, raised, flat, cracked, or blistered. They can ache, sting, itch, or change color.
Some rashes are going to go away without any treatment; some may get better with applications of home remedies, but some will let one know of a serious underlying condition and will need a professional medical assessment.
Rashes can be caused by skin infections, allergies, medications, and diseases such as bacterial, fungal, or viral infections, as well as parasites, among others.
Skin Irritation Causes
Ringworm
- Itchy, circular, scaly patches are outlined by raised borders
- The patches have a pink or red colour on lighter skin tones
- Gray or brown colour on the patches on darker skin tones
- The skin in the middle of the ring seems clear.
- The edges of the ring increase outward
- Hand, foot, and mouth disease
- In most cases, it affects children below the age of 5 years
- Red, painful blisters may develop on the mouth, tongue, and gums
- Red flat or raised spots may appear on the soles and palms
- The spots, however, may have a skin-coloured or greyish-brown colour on darker skin
- The spots may also appear on the buttocks or genital area
Urticaria
- Urticaria or hives presents the sufferer with raised, red, and itchy skin welts.
- Hives can be caused by allergic reactions that emanate from airborne allergens or even insect stings.
- The sudden changes to extreme temperatures or specific bacterial infections may also cause hives to appear.
Contact Dermatitis
- Dermatitis can be a result of various reactions of the body to some substances.
- Several people are found to be allergic to fragrances, preservatives, nickel, and even poison ivy.
- Soaps, detergents, chemicals, and cleaning products are very common skin irritants.
Psoriasis
- Skin patches with silvery, scaling texture.
- Patches appear dusky or purple on darker skin.
- Common on the scalp, elbows, knees, and lower back.
- Patches may itch or cause no symptoms.
- Patches have well-defined edges
Flea Bite
- They generally appear in groups on the lower parts of the leg and the foot.
- They present as Pruritic, small red papules on white skin and of a more purple colour on darker skin.
- The symptoms begin very shortly after the insect bites.
- Impetigo
- Common in children from 2-5 years old, it can affect a person at any age.
- It causes several kinds of itchy rashes, including fluid-filled blisters that may easily break and form a honey-coloured crust. Brown, purple, or grey areas are also likely to appear in darker skin.
- The changes that take place in appearance always start in an area around the mouth, chin, and nose area.
- While these are some of the general causes of skin irritation, there could be a hundred different reasons your skin is itching. It's better to see a doctor for relief.
How to Prevent Skin Rashes and Itchiness?
- Avoid known allergens and irritants.
- Do not lend or borrow your things or clothing from people who have a viral rash infection.
- Wash as soon as possible after contact with a known allergy or irritant
- Implement measures to prevent contact with potential allergens and irritants.
- Shower or bathe with tepid water—not hot water—to avoid irritating your skin. Try not to spend too long in the bath or shower; 10 minutes should be the longest you stay soaking.
- Always select lotions, soaps, and detergents that are fragrance-free to promote less irritation. Be aware that "unscented" products may still contain some perfumes and other chemicals that can irritate your skin.
- Apply topical medications as prescribed by your dermatologist before applying moisturizer. Remember to apply moisturizer to skin folds where you have applied medication.
- Wear loose and preferably cotton clothes; avoid scratchy clothing like wool that can often cause excessive itching and irritation of your skin.
- Maintain a relatively cool temperature at your home and keep the humidity relatively low to prevent extreme changes in temperature. However, in case of dry skin and eczema, a humidifier may relieve during winter.
- Decrease stress as much as possible because stress can increase itching.
Conclusion
Itching is an uncomfortable feeling that brings about the urge to scratch the part of the body that it affects. Itching can, however, manifest itself in several ways, like when the itch a patient feels is all over the body or sometimes confined to one spot of the body. Sometimes, the itching will result in a rash or spot accompanied by it. While mild and temporary itching is normal, severe and persistent instances stress a person's quality of life and would, therefore, require consultation with a doctor.