Itching of the skin – the no. 1 problem of old age
Elderly skin needs intensive care daily.
Itching of the skin can be localized (limited to one area of the body) or generalized (in which itching occurs all over the body) and occur with or without visible cutaneous manifestations. Medical names for itching of the skin are pruritus senilis for old-age itching or pruritus sine materia for itching with no skin abnormalities.
More than half of all persons aged 60 and older suffer from itching of the skin to a greater or lesser extent. How itching arises is still largely unexplained. Pruritus is however a symptom of other illnesses. Therefore it is always necessary to examine elderly patients thoroughly in order to discover the cause. Selective therapy is not possible until the cause has been found.
Pruritus as a symptom of general diseases
Firstly itching is a typical accompanying symptom of many skin diseases such as:
• Eczema • Neurodermatitis • Urticaria • Fungal infections • Parasitic disease such as scabies
Internal diseases with the symptom itching can primarily be kidney diseases, liver function disturbances, thyropathy and diabetes mellitus.
Further systemic causes of itching can be central nervous processes such as:
Generalized itching can also occur as a result of the intolerance of drugs. Primarily multimorbid patients who must take many medicaments simultaneously are frequently affected by it. During post-menopause, estrogen deficiency can cause localized itching in the anogenital region which is additionally accompanied by candidosis.
And finally psychological factors can also possibly trigger itching.
Itching as a problem of elderly skin
Dry skin of an elderly individual.
The most frequent cause of pruritus senilis is very dry skin (xerosis cutis or xerodermia). This is not only a result of disposition and natural skin aging; environmental influences can also dry out the skin. Primarily frequent washing and bathing with alkaline substances such as soap attack the skin’s protective acid mantle.
Dry and overheated rooms also have a negative effect. In addition the dryness of the skin is much more pronounced during the winter months.
Therapy and care
Dry skin should be treated with rehydrating care products.
the causes of systemic pruritus are diagnosed and treated, this frequently alleviates the itching. Different medicaments (antihistamines, rarely also psychopharmacological agents) are also available for symptomatic treatment.
External measures against itching, particularly pruritus senilis, are therapy and care at the same time and can also serve prophylaxis. The goal is to normalize the condition of the dried out skin and to protect it from renewed drying out.
The preferred method for this is treatment and care with preparations which rehydrate the skin and counter-balance the lack of natural moisturizing factors, thus counteracting the instability of the lipid film of elderly skin. They can be:
• Ointments with urea additives • Oils in the form of sprays or baths
Alcoholic tinctures such as alcoholic liniment or arnica are totally unsuitable because they dry out the skin even more.
