Dry skin is prevalent in the winter months when going from one extreme temperature to another. Indoor heating is a common cause when it comes to dry, cracked skin. Don't forget to slather on plenty of a good, high-quality moisturizer and drink plenty of water throughout the day to avoid becoming dehydrated.
Skin Conditions That Cause Itchiness
Rashes can be short-term or chronic, depending on their cause. Poison ivy, for example, can be excruciating but short-lived, while psoriasis can be an ongoing issue that causes long-term symptoms. Rash, bumps, redness and irritation may be symptoms of various skin conditions, including:
- eczema;
- scabies;
- lice; and
- hives.
Of these, eczema is the most common skin condition. It affects 17.8 million Americans, the equivalent of 6 percent of the U.S. population. Sometimes people are only affected occasionally, but the condition can be chronic. In a Q&A with the New York Times, Dr. Gil Yosipovitch, a dermatologist at Wake Forest University and the founder of the International Forum for the Study of Itch, reports, "[T]here is a sub-population...in the millions, who suffer from quite significant itch from chronic eczema." He continued, "I would say that 10 percent of all eczema patients have this kind of severe itching."
