Skin Conditions

What is Itchy Skin?

Dry, inflamed and itchy skin can be incredibly difficult to live with and pinpointing the cause is often a difficult process. A quarter of people in the UK have a form of skin condition, ranging from mild and infrequent bouts of itching and sensitivity to chronic and painful eczema.

Those living with eczema, asthma or hay fever are classed as being atopic with an immune system that is overactive, with skin prone to inflammation.

There are a number of different factors which may cause dry skin, it is important to be aware which triggers affect your skin in order to prevent and best manage flare ups if they occur.

Itchy Skin Causes:

Typical causes of itchy skin include:

• A skin condition, such as eczema
• An allergy to a chemical, material or food
• Insect bites
• Fungal infections
• Hormonal changes in the body
• Thyroid problems
• Diabetes
• Poor liver function

If you are concerned about itchy skin you should visit your GP to rule out any underlying medical conditions such as those mentioned in the above list. If you are continuing to experience prolonged itchy skin without an obvious cause, it may be a good opportunity to take a closer look at your diet.