Itchy, Red and Sensitive Skin

What this page covers

Itching, redness and stinging are symptoms, not diagnoses. This page explains common causes and general self-care, and does not replace an examination. Evidence labels: established recommendation, promising but limited, mixed, insufficient evidence.

Itchy skin

The NHS says itchy skin is not usually a sign of anything serious and often goes away within a few weeks. [1] Possible causes include dry or irritated skin, allergies, hives and heat rash, long-term conditions such as dandruff, eczema and psoriasis, fungal infections, and parasites such as scabies and lice. [1] Less commonly, itching can signal thyroid, liver or kidney problems. [1] The NHS advises not to try to diagnose yourself. [1]

Self-care from the NHS: pat or tap rather than scratch, hold something cool on the skin, take cool or lukewarm baths or showers, use an unperfumed moisturizer regularly, keep nails short, wear loose cotton or silk, and use laundry products for sensitive skin. [1]

Red skin and facial redness

Redness has many causes. The NHS notes rosacea can look like acne, contact dermatitis, seborrheic dermatitis, lupus or keratosis pilaris. [2] Redness can be harder to see on brown or black skin. [2] See Rosacea, Contact dermatitis and skin allergy and Eczema.

Sensitive skin

Sensitive skin is a common complaint rather than a disease. An expert group using a consensus (Delphi) method defined it as a syndrome of unpleasant sensations such as stinging, burning, pain, itching and tingling in response to stimuli that normally should not cause them, which cannot be explained by a skin disease. [3] The skin can look normal or red, and it most often involves the face. [3] Because the definition requires that no skin disease explains the symptoms, burning or stinging that comes with a rash deserves a medical check.

Products can be a trigger. MedlinePlus lists fragrances in perfumes, cosmetics, soaps and moisturizers, and hair dyes, among common allergens, and shampoos and hair dyes among common irritants. [4] See Natural skin-care ingredients for why "natural" products can still irritate.