I have Perioral Dermatitis…I know moisturizers can make the condition worse, but I found a medicated moisturizer by Dermarest that reduces redness, soothes irritated skin and helps prevent scaling…which is very similar to my symptoms. Psoriasis is a little more intense than Perioral Dermatitis, so I'm wondering if it would be a bad idea to use the moisturizer. would it have negative side affects?

Also, is there a moisturizer you would recommend for Perioral Dermatitis that won't make it worse? Thanks for any answers!

Itchy skin is a very irritating, uncomfortable sensation that may make the urge to scratch impossible to resist. it is quite unassuming. When an individual itches somewhere, he/she will scratch. However, skin that is itchy may be caused by hundreds of possibilities. Itchy skin is also referred to as pruritus and can be the product of a rash or additional problem such as dermatitis or psoriasis. Or in some cases, itchy skin can be one of the symptoms of an inner disorder, for example kidney failure or liver disease. Although itchy, the skin may look absolutely typical. Or, it can go together with rough skin, redness, blisters, or bumps.

Diagnosing and managing the causal reason of skin which is itchy is the first step to getting continuing relief. Itchy skin treatments can include wet dressings, medications as well as light therapy. Measures considered self-care, include anti-itching products and baths which are cool, can help as well.

Skin which is itchy can occur in very small areas, such as on the arm or leg. Or can occur over the whole body making an individual wanting to scratch everywhere. Itchy skin can happen without any visible or other noticeable changes on the skin. it can be associated with:

• Bumps, blisters or spots
• Redness
• Scaly or leathery surface to the skin
• Cracked or dry skin

Often itchiness will last for a very long time and may be very intense. and as you scratch or rub the area, it only gets worse. and the itchier it gets, the more you scratch and worse it gets. The challenge is to break this itch-scratch cycle.

An individual should see their primary care physician or a specialist in skin disease – dermatologist – if the itching:

• is a problem for more than 2 weeks
• Does not improve with self-care measures
• So severe and uncomfortable that an individual is distracted from daily routines or prevented from sleeping
• Is not able to be explained
• Affects the whole body

Has other symptoms, such as:

• Weight loss
• Extreme fatigue
• Changes in urinary or bowel frequency
• Redness of the skin
• Fever

Dry Skin

Skin which is itchy and that is not accompanied by any skin modifications, for example, a rash, is often caused simply by skin that is dry or xerosis. Skin which is dry normally is caused from factors in the environment that can be influenced. these include cold or hot weather together with humidity levels which are low, air conditioning or central heating used for long period of times, and bathing or washing too often.

Other Probable Causes

Other situations such as internal diseases, skin disorders, drug reactions as well as allergies can as well cause skin to be itchy. these include:

Skin rashes and conditions

Numerous conditions of the skin can cause skin to be itchy, including psoriasis, eczema (dermatitis), scabies, chickenpox, lice, hives as well as dermatographism. it is these cases where itching normally distresses definite areas as well as causes other problems, such as irritated, red skin or blisters and bumps.

Disease of the Internal system

This can include abnormal absorption of wheat (celiac disease), liver disease, kidney failure, thyroid problems, iron deficiency anemia, and cancers, including lymphoma and leukemia. it is these cases where the itching normally affects the total body, instead of just one precise area. The skin can look normal otherwise except for this repeatedly need to scratch itchy area.

Nerve disorders

These are circumstances that upset the nervous system –for example diabetes, multiple sclerosis, nerves that are pinched as well as herpes zoster or shingles – and cause itching.Allergic and Irritation reactions

Chemicals, wool, soaps and other materials may aggravate the skin and cause intense itching. Often the matter causes what is known as an allergic reaction for example poison ivy or cosmetics. Allergies of food can also cause skin to have itchy reactions.

Drugs

Drug such as antifungal drugs, antibiotics or narcotic pain drugs can cause itching and rashes which is widespread

Pregnancy

Many women develop skin which is itchy during pregnancy, particularly on the thighs, arms, abdomen and breasts. As well, other itchy skin problems for instance dermatitis can get worse during pregnancy.

Itching and scratching which is prolonged can actually increase the intensity of the itch and this leads to neurodermatitis – lichen simplex chronicus. Neurodermatitis is a condition where the area of skin that is scratched frequently becomes leathery and thick. The patches can become red, raw or darker than the other parts of the skin. Scratching which is persistent may also lead to a bacterial infection of the skin as well as causing permanent scarring as well as changes in color of the skin.

As soon as a cause is diagnosed, treatments for skin which is itchy can include:

Corticosteroid creams

This is applied topically to control itching. The doctor may advise applying this medicated cream to the affected areas, and then cover the areas with cotton material which is damp with water or other solutions. this moisture in the wet dressings will help the skin to absorb the cream.

Antihistamines Oral

Used for hives or allergies to add with corticosteroid creams for itching for skin inflammation.

Treating the underlying disease

If a disease internally is found, whether it is iron deficiency, thyroid problem, or kidney disease, treating the disease will most of the time relieve the itch.

Light therapy or Phototherapy

Phototherapy encompasses exposing the skin to wavelengths of ultraviolet light. Many sessions are normally scheduled until the itching is under control.

Relief which is short-term:

Even with many kinds of itching responding well to treatment, relief may not always be immediate. but, there are a number of ointments and creams which are specifically created to relieve short-term itching including:

• Topical anesthetics such as benzocaine or lidocaine
• Lotions and ointments such as calamine, menthol, or camphor

Although these products can offer immediate relief of the itching, treatment of the causal problem is the most important method for any relief which is long-term.

Tags: Itchy Skin, during pregnancy, bumps, rashes, causes, treatment, home remedies, relief, drugs, medications, at night, itchy skin all over, in winter

by Anya Martin, MarketWatch

DECATUR, Ga. (MarketWatch) — an allergy to natural rubber latex may trigger a life-threatening reaction — including difficulty breathing, increased heart rate and low blood pressure — or it may simply cause an ugly, itchy, red rash.

That’s because there are different types of latex allergy. The dangerous “anaphylactic” Type I allergy is a potentially fatal immune-system reaction that affects multiple organ systems and can lead to death; avoiding it requires numerous precautions. But people who simply break out after contact with latex gloves or another latex product may have either irritant dermatitis (skin inflammation) or contact dermatitis (often called a Type IV allergy) which only affects the skin.

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Still, many people are told they have a latex allergy based on a skin reaction — without clarifying these differences or investigating other causes. That makes this often-misunderstood allergy a good teaching tool for what to do when you suspect you may have an allergy, experts say.

from epidemic to incidental

Allergies occur when your immune system is hypersensitive to a particular substance. One of the nation’s fastest growing chronic diseases, more than half of all Americans (54.6%) test positive to one or two allergens. Allergic diseases, such as asthma, affect as many as 50 million Americans, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI).

The first step to developing an allergy is exposure, said Dr. Jackie Eghrari-Sabet, a Gaithersburg, Ma.-based allergist. You cannot have an allergy to something the first time you encounter it.

in 2000, 1% to 5% of the general population, 5% to 15% of health workers, and up to 60% of people with spina bifida, which requires numerous surgeries, were estimated to have latex allergy, according to the AAAAI.

this “epidemic” led most hospitals and medical facilities to eliminate latex gloves, said Sue Lockwood, executive director of the American Latex Allergy Association (ALAA), an educational and support organization.

at first, allergists and health-care workers who either had or suspected they had the allergy were her most frequent contacts, but now she more often hears from pediatricians, primary-care physicians and gynecologists, as well as restaurant employees, postal workers, hairdressers and people who got a rash on their chin after visiting the dentist, Lockwood said.

“The reason is that things are getting better, but also allergists are no longer the ones treating or diagnosing the patient,” she said. “Now the patient is more likely to be a consumer, a layperson, a child, a student.”

Recognizing an allergy

On the two to three days a week she spent in the operating room, Lockwood, a former surgical technician, would develop itchy hives, a runny nose, and a cough, and her eyes would become teary and almost swell shut, she said. then she’d go home for several days and return to normal.

Her symptoms worsened over several months until she suffered anaphylaxis for the first of eight times. “It comes on quickly and each person is probably a bit different with the symptoms, but mine were that my mouth started to itch, I could feel something swelling in my throat, and then I would start to wheeze,” Lockwood said.

a general guideline for identifying that you may have a Type I allergy is having a reaction in at least two organ systems such as skin and respiratory, said Dr. Andy Nish, an allergist in Gainesville, Ga. Other examples of Type I allergies include hay fever, asthma, eczema, and food and drug allergies.

Irritant dermatitis, an immediate rash reaction, is technically not an allergy at all, while with contact dermatitis, skin redness and swelling may appear 24 to 48 hours after exposure, a familiar case being poison ivy, Nish said. both are not related to immune system antibodies, he said.

People may develop symptoms from certain chemicals that are present in the latex paint such as: formaldehyde, amines, free monomers and ammonia.

Allergy sufferers may also respond adversely to the polymers, pigments, vinyl acetate and acrylic that are found in latex.

Paint allergy manifests as:

• Rash over the skin, itching and burning of the skin, red blotches, hives and dermatitis / eczema.
• Sneezing, coughing, sore throat and wheezing
• Headaches
• Watering of the yes, burning and puffy eyes
• Breathlessness, gasping and asthma like symptoms
• Occasionally, one may develop anaphylaxis.

Latex paint is used for commercial purposes and in homes. the latex found in paint is not similar to the latex that is utilized in balloons / rubber gloves. Some people react, or have sensitivities to latex paint.

The latex in paint is a chemical, unlike natural rubber. most latex paints contain a solvent, ethylene glycol, which is a noxious agent.

• Primarily, you must avoid and stay away from the offending substance; in order to check the symptoms of the allergy.
• In case of contact wash the affected area thoroughly.
• Anti-histamines help check and reduce the intensity of the symptoms effectively.
• Your doctor may prescribe corticosteroids in certain cases. these medications help reduce the sneezing, nasal discharge, watering of the eyes, headaches and rash.
• Nasal drops and eye drops are recommended.
• Visiting your doctor is advocated.