Itch Without a Rash

Itch is an incredibly complicated, uncomfortable symptom felt by all of us at one time or another. Often it is associated with a rash like eczema or a fungal infection, but sometimes people get incredibly itchy with no rash at all.

Itch without rash is a challenging diagnosis for many dermatologists. The vast majority of the time itchy patients with no rash have nothing serious wrong with them other than some minor dry skin (what we call xerosis), which is a very common problem in patients in their fifties and older. If the skin looks dry at all I will often recommend a lukewarm, short shower twice a day followed by liberal application of a gentle emollient like a Cerave lotion.

If the itching does not go away then it may be a good idea to do some further investigation, including lab work and maybe even a chest x-ray, as once in a long while the itch is a harbinger of an internal problem.

One of the most difficult things about itch is the "Itch-Scratch Cycle." Basically, when you scratch the itch you cause chemicals to be released in your skin that make your nerves more sensitive to itchy stimuli. Therefore, patients with itch do better to "substitute" beneficial things like applying a soothing lotion to the area instead of scratching.