Itching, dry, chapped, irritated skin can make you feel as though you are going to lose your mind if you don't scratch. Skin allergies cause inflammation and itching of the skin surface. Unfortunately, scratching can cause damage to the dry cracking skin which in turn increases the inflammation and irritates nerves close to the surface of the skin. To top it all this causes more intense itching than before scratching and prolongs the suffering with the rash. The vicious cycle is started and the more you try to scratch the itchy rash to get some relief the more intense the problem becomes. Often if you can stop scratching the irritated skin is able to heal and the problem is cured.
CAUSE
Rashes from skin allergies can have many causes. Most skin rashes and allergies can be treated the same way. First, if you know what is causing the allergy, it is best to avoid the cause to keep from having any more outbreaks. When you don't know what is causing rash, you can still do a few things to prevent problems.
PREVENTION
Using moisturizers twice daily can reduce itching while softening and hydrating the skin. A humidifier in your home can help the skin stay hydrated. Using a moisturizing cleanser on your skin can irritate the skin, but using mild cleansers that do not contain soap is often the best solution for cleaning skin that is prone to allergies. Wearing gloves while doing housework or anything else that requires you to have your hands in something wet for a period of time is a good way to protect your hands from skin irritants. Keep your fingernails short so you don't damage skin when you cannot keep from scratching and if the problem is severe you may want to wear cotton gloves to bed at night to keep from being tempted to scratch when you aren't fully awake.
Changing some habits is also helpful. Don't scratch the itch or it will get worse. Changing your laundry products can often cure your allergic reactions. Shower products and perfumes can also be causing a problem as well. Showering daily can irritate and dry out the skin so showering every other day or two to three days a week may be needed while you are waiting for a skin outbreak to subside. Wool clothing and blankets can irritate the skin so avoiding these may be helpful. Deodorant, jewelry, fur, some types of clothing and tags in clothing can be irritating to the skin. When you start having allergy symptoms, it is a good idea to reduce the use of these products.
TREATMENT
While you are working on your prevention methods you can treat the skin with hydrocortisone cream. This cream is an anti-inflammatory steroid cream that is purchased over the counter for the use of reduced itching and healing irritated skin from allergic reactions. This is probably the strongest anti-itching medication available without a prescription.
Using oatmeal bath products can help your skins to keep the natural oils in the skin. Other moisturizers you can use are humectants. These are better than lotions or hand creams as they pull moisture from the air into the skin to keep the skin hydrated and keep it from itching. Eucerine cream, Eucerine Plus, and Aveeno products are all widely available products. You can use these products in your daily skin care routine to reduce the problems that arise from skin allergies. If you can't get the itching under control with these then seeking help from your physician is the next step.
