Itchy Hands

Skin Dryness

Our human body is mostly water, but several conditions can make our skin become dry causing itchy feeling. The things that can cause skin dryness and itchiness includes not drinking enough water, exposure to sunlight, aging, changes in the weather, air conditioning or travelling that makes the body go through drastic condition changes.

Drug Reaction

Our body is very sensible to certain medications and drugs. Sometimes the itchy hands are the side effects of the drugs we take. Class A drugs, particularly heroin, can often cause disorders and skin itching. Sometimes due to a natural or genetic condition the patient was born with, prescribed medications can also cause itchy hands. In these cases, finding out the offending drug is crucial to cure itchy hands and prevent other complications.

Allergy

Allergy can cause various symptoms like sneezing and itchy hands. Allergic reactions are caused by the defense mechanisms of our body when it believes a harmless external agent is hazardous. Pollen sets a good example. Allergic reactions particularly affecting our skin are generally termed as dermatitis. These reactions usually tend to be delayed and will recur when the skin is exposed to the allergens again.

Psoriasis

People with psoriasis have thick, red and scaly patches on their skin, which can be really itchy. Although psoriasis is rare, we might have seen it before for its bizarre and conspicuous looking. Psoriasis can pass down by generations and can be trigger by stressful situations, injuries and certain prescriptive medical drugs, but the actual cause of it is still unknown.

Irritant Contact Dermatitis

This case is more extreme than the one before. In this case, the effect on the skin is actually an inflammation caused by the direct contact with a chemical or excessively acidic substance. It first causes a stinging burning pain in most patients and then develops into harsh itching.

Dyshidrotic Eczema

Unlike the last case, this one develops blisters uniquely in the palms, fingers or on the feet. The cause of this medical phenomenon is unknown. It is also less dramatic than the Irritant Contact Dermatitis. Quite often blisters appear and disappear intermittently.

Pitted Keratolysis

This condition focuses more on the feet, but it can happen on the palms, which is caused by a bacteriological infection. White patches with bizarre ununiformed shapes appear over the epidermis, often emitting nasty odors and causing itchy or painful feelings.

Soak in Baking Soda

Dipping your hand in a bowl or lying in a bathtub of baking soda is a great natural remedy for itching. Symptoms will disappear soon, leaving you with great relief. Soda neutralizes excessively acidic or other reactions taking place in your organism.

Apply Moisture Lotions

Wherever you go always take some moisture lotion on you, especially during winter. Applying certain oils and creams on your hands is an effective and widely recognized way of relieving itching. Lipids or natural unsaturated fats can be smeared on your skin to greatly alleviate the itchy feeling.

Use Corticosteroid Cream

This magical cream works by neutralizing chemical reactions occurring in your body and causing the unpleasant itching sensation. Applying the cream over the affected areas will soon alleviate the symptoms and get relief.

Avoid Irritants and Allergens

Itching is also frequently caused by an irritants or chemical reaction taking place inside your body. Get to know what you might be allergic to and try you best to avoid them. Keep in mind that allergic reaction is always delayed, so think the things around you before you have allergic reaction to find the true causes.

Take Calcineurin Inhibitor

White blood cells, the microorganisms of our immune system, fabricate calcineurin to deal with itchy allergic and chemical reactions. Sometimes our white blood cells don't produce enough this kind of enzyme and need a little back up from us in order to effectively carry out their job. Calcineurin inhibitor is a good option.

Drink Enough Water

Dehydration is one of the main causes of itching, not only in your hands, but all over your body. The less water your skin contains, the more that part of your body will itch. Drinking sufficient water is one of the most effective ways to stay hydrated.

Other Methods of Treating Itchy Hands

• Put a humidifier in your room to moisturize your skin and obtain softer and smoother skin.
  

• Take a bath with lukewarm water helps. Add some almond or olive oil can help lock the moisture in you skin.
  

• Whenever washing your hand, always choose moisturizing soap.

• Soak itchy hands in oatmeal water for at least 10 minutes helps. 

• If the itch is so bad that you can't help to scratch it, wear cotton gloves to avoid direct contact. Be sure to wash the gloves with unscented and mild soap. 

When to See a Doctor

Although hands itchiness is very common and sometimes disappears on its own, but it's important to see a doctor:

• If the itching is persistent after using home remedies for two weeks;

• If it’s severe enough to trouble your sleep or keep you from concentrating along the day;

• If it’s accompanied by other symptoms, such as angriness, tiredness, fevers or weight loss.