Itchy skin

Category: Skin, Hair & Nails · All skin symptoms

What it can feel like

Itchy skin (pruritus) is the sensation that makes you want to scratch — with or without a visible rash. Itch has its own nerve pathways and its own long list of causes; whether the skin itself is abnormal (rash, dryness, spots) or looks normal is the first dividing line.

Possible causes

A symptom can have many causes, and most are not serious. The lists below group conditions this symptom can be associated with — common causes first. They are possibilities to discuss with a clinician, not a diagnosis.

Common causes

Itchy skin can be associated with dry skin (especially in winter and older age), eczema, contact irritation from soaps and fragrances, insect bites, scabies (intensely itchy, worse at night, affecting close contacts), and hives.

Other possible causes

Generalised itching without a rash can be associated with iron deficiency, thyroid problems, kidney or liver disease, some medicines, and occasionally blood conditions — a reason persistent unexplained itch earns blood tests.

Red flags — when to seek help promptly

Itching with yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine or pale stools
Itching with unexplained weight loss, night sweats or swollen glands
Itching with blistering, skin pain or a rapidly spreading rash
Itching in pregnancy that is severe, especially on the palms and soles
A household where several people itch intensely at night — think scabies

What a clinician may do

A clinician will examine the skin closely (including between the fingers, wrists and waistline for scabies), ask about new products, medicines and contacts, and arrange blood tests — blood count, iron, kidney, liver and thyroid — when no skin cause is apparent.

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Frequently asked questions

Why do I itch more at night?

Warmth, fewer distractions and the skin's daily rhythm all raise itch perception at night — and some causes, like scabies mites, are genuinely more active then. Night predominance plus affected close contacts is a strong scabies clue.

Can itching be a sign of internal disease?

Yes — when the skin itself looks normal, persistent generalised itch can reflect iron deficiency, thyroid, kidney or liver problems, and occasionally blood disorders. That is why a careful skin examination comes first, and blood tests follow if the skin is innocent.

Related symptoms — Skin, Hair & Nails

A mole that has changed A new lump under the skin A sore that does not heal Dry skin Easy bruising Flaky scalp (dandruff)

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Please note: This page is educational information about a symptom. A symptom alone cannot diagnose any condition, and the causes listed here are possibilities, not a diagnosis. If you are worried about a symptom — especially one that is new, severe, getting worse or not going away — please see your own clinician, who can examine you and arrange tests. In an emergency, call your local emergency number.