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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffItchy skin may occur in small areas, such as on an arm or leg. Or your whole body may feel itchy. Itchy skin can occur without any other noticeable changes on the skin. Or it may be associated with:
- Redness
- Bumps, spots or blisters
- Dry, cracked skin
- Leathery or scaly texture to the skin
Sometimes itchiness lasts a long time and can be intense. As you rub or scratch the area, it gets itchier. And the more it itches, the more you scratch. Breaking this itch-scratch cycle can be challenging.
When to see a doctor
See your doctor or consult a specialist in skin diseases (dermatologist) if the itching:
- Lasts more than two weeks and doesn't improve with self-care measures
- Is extremely severe and uncomfortable and distracts you from your daily routines or prevents you from sleeping
- Can't be easily explained
- Affects your whole body
- Is accompanied by other symptoms, such as extreme tiredness, weight loss, changes in bowel habits or urinary frequency, fever, or redness of the skin
- Cassano N, et al. Chronic pruritus in the absence of specific skin disease. American Journal of Clinical Dermatology. 2010;11:399.
- Yosipovitch G, et al. Pathophysiology and clinical aspects of pruritus: Introduction. In: Wolf K, et al. Fitzpatrick's Dermatology in General Medicine. 7th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies. 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2960463&searchStr=pruritus#2960463. Accessed Oct. 26, 2010.
- Pruritus. American Academy of Dermatology. http://www.aad.org/public/publications/pamphlets/common_pruritus.html. Accessed Oct. 26, 2010.
- Fazio SB. Pruritus. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Oct. 26, 2010.
- Metz M, et al. Chronic pruritus - Pathogenesis, clinical aspects and treatment. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology. 2010;24:1249.
- Berger TG. Dermatologic disorders. In: McPhee SJ, et al. Current Medical Diagnosis and Treatment. 50th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies. 2011. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=747&searchStr=pruritus#1682. Accessed Oct. 26, 2010.
- Gibson LE (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Nov. 8, 2010.
- Benzocaine topical products: Sprays, gels and liquids — risk of methemoglobinemia. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformation/SafetyAlertsforHumanMedicalProducts/ucm250264.htm. Accessed Apr. 8, 2011.
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