Itch Causes

An average-sized human body is covered by approximately 2 square meters (20 square feet) of skin. The skin is one organ of the human body that faces constant exposure to potential irritants. With the numerous things that come into contact with your skin every single day, it is quite normal for anybody to get an itch. Intense itching can be caused by diseases, allergies, infections and even emotions. As soon as we experience slight itchiness too, we have the tendency to scratch the area immediately. This is the most common and immediate itch treatment that we follow. This simple action normally gives some relief to the itch, which is recognized by the brain. However, even though scratching provides some relief, it does not remove the cause of the irritation. In fact, scratching can further lead to pain and even bleeding. Normally, the irritant that causes the itch is barely a few microns in length and cannot disturb more than a few nerve endings. But when an area is scratched by a fingernail, we tend to disturb more nerves than the original irritant. This is how an itch spread to a wider area or even different parts of the body. Therefore scratching the area is not an effective and advisable itch remedy. Given below are some of the most common itch causes:

• Heat: Hot and humid weather can lead to excessive sweating and can even cause the sweat ducts to get blocked, trapping the sweat under the skin, which leads to a itchy rash.
• Plants: People who spend a lot of time gardening, hiking or camping usually encounter some of the most common skin irritants such as sumac, poison ivy and oak. In order to prevent irritation and allergies caused by plants, you could wear protective clothing or gloves and should wash your hands with soap and water thoroughly, after any exposure.
• Household cleaning products and detergents: Most laundry detergents and household cleaning products contain certain chemicals that can irritate or even damage the skin. Therefore, when using such products, it is best to use gloves. Detergents left on the clothes after a wash could also irritate the skin. In order to avoid such irritation, you could opt for dye-free and fragrance-free detergents and fabric softeners that are much milder.
• Soaps, cosmetics and sunscreens: There are chemicals present in most skin care products like lotions, deodorants, creams, sunscreens and make up products. Use soaps and cosmetics that are well-reputed and are within their shelf life and PABA-free sunscreens to reduce the possibilities of an allergy and itch. Clean make-up applicators regularly.
• Insects, bugs and repellents: Stings and insect of bug bites usually have a very unpleasant reaction on the skin, causing intense itching, irritation, redness and swelling. At times the insects repellents used could harm your skin too, because of the chemicals present. The best form of defense is wearing protective clothing. This also serves as an effective itch cure.
• Clothing and certain fabrics: At times you may be allergic to certain fabrics, which can cause your skin to redden and itch. Avoid wearing such fabrics to prevent the onset of a rash and itch.