Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCauses of Itchy Hands and FeetHow Do I Get My Hands and Feet to Stop Itching?Preventing Itchy Hands and FeetWhen to Seek Medical CareFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Causes of Itchy Hands and Feet
How Do I Get My Hands and Feet to Stop Itching?
Preventing Itchy Hands and Feet
When to Seek Medical Care
Frequently Asked Questions
This article will cover the various reasons you may experience itchy hands and feet, how to treat, stop, and prevent itching, and when to see a healthcare provider.
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While regularly occurring dry skin can cause itchy hands and feet, other causes, such as eczema, allergic reactions, diabetes, and cirrhosis, can be more concerning.
Dyshidrotic Eczema
Dyshidroticeczemais a skin condition in which small fluid-filled blisters form on your hands and feet, causing the skin to crack, scale, and flake. The exact cause of dyshidrotic eczema is not fully known although it often develops from other types of eczema, allergic reactions, and fungal infections. Blisters that form from dyshidrotic eczema can be itchy and painful but typically resolve over time as the blisters dry up and the skin peels and falls off.
Feet Eczema: Treatment, Triggers, and Lifestyle Changes
Allergic Reactions
Allergiccontact dermatitisoccurs when your body initiates an immune system response and causes an allergic reaction when your skin comes in contact with specific allergens. These allergens may include:
Allergic contact dermatitis results in red, itchy skin plaques.
Diabetes
Complications fromdiabetes, a condition that results from increased blood glucose (sugar) and decreased insulin sensitivity, include various skin disorders. These include:
Palmoplantar Psoriasis
Palmoplantar psoriasisis an autoimmune inflammatory condition of the skin that causes red and itchy skin plaques that affect approximately 5% of people with psoriasis.Palmoplantar psoriasis is specifically localized to the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet.
Impetigo
Impetigois a bacterial skin infection that causes red, itchy sores anywhere on the skin, commonly around the mouth and nose or on the arms, hands,legs, and feet. The sores break open and ooze clear pus that dries into crusty yellow scabs.
Reactions to Medication
Itching can result as a side effect of some medications, including aspirin, opioids, medications to treathigh blood pressure, andchemotherapytreatment for cancer.
Scabies
Cirrhosis
Cirrhosis, a degenerative condition that causes scarring of the liver, is a complication of chronic liver disease. Long-term itching is often a symptom of chronic liver disease, and while the exact cause is not fully understood, it is thought to result from increased levels oflysophosphatidicacid and bile salts that accumulate under the skin.
Nerve Disorders
Nerve disorders that cause inflammation, irritation, and compression of the peripheral nerves that travel to the hands and feet can cause conditions likecarpal tunnel syndrome(compression of the median nerve, affecting the hand and wrist) andtarsal tunnel syndrome(compression of the posterior tibial nerve, affecting the foot). While numbness, tingling, weakness, and pins-and-needles sensations are the most common symptoms, itching in the hands and feet can also develop due to skin irritation.
Why Do I Get Itchy Hands and Feet at Night?Decreased stimulation and distractions that occur during the day can intensify—or make more noticeable—pain and itchiness at night as the body calms down to attempt to sleep.
Why Do I Get Itchy Hands and Feet at Night?
Decreased stimulation and distractions that occur during the day can intensify—or make more noticeable—pain and itchiness at night as the body calms down to attempt to sleep.
Additional Causes
Itching appears in many conditions besides the ones listed. Itching, including hands and feet, may be seen inanemia(a low number of healthy red blood cells),iron deficiency,thyroid disease(low or high), renal insufficiency (poor kidney function), infections, and some types of cancer, such as lymphoma.
See a healthcare provider for an assessment and diagnosis of the underlying cause.
Treatments for itchy hands and feet include the following:
There are a few things you can do to help prevent itchy hands and feet, including:
When to See a Healthcare Provider
You should schedule an appointment with your healthcare provider if you have been experiencing significant itchy hands or feet that cause a great deal of discomfort throughout the day, or if you develop skin changes on your hands or feet, such as rashes, discolored or thickened patches, or pimples. Redness, warmth, swelling, and pain are inflammatory signs that also warrant medical attention to determine an underlying cause.
Summary
At-home remedies like cool compresses, ice packs, topical steroids and pain medication, moisturizers, oatmeal baths, and antihistamine treatment can help relieve symptoms although ultraviolet light therapy, antibiotics, or other types of medications may be needed depending on the underlying cause of your itchiness.
Some people who have tested positive for COVID-19 have reported itchy lesions on their hands and feet that resemble chilblains, an inflammatory skin condition that develops in response to repeated exposure to cold air.
8 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Gangar J, Thiagarajan K, Veeraraghavan N.Pruritic Rash on the Hands and Feet.Am Fam Physician. 2018;98(11):685-686.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Diabetes: 12 warning signs that appear on your skin.Chung J, Duffin KC, Takeshita J, et al.Palmoplantar psoriasis is associated with greater impairment of health-related quality of life compared to moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.J Am Acad Dermatol. 2014;71(4):623-632.Li L, Taliercio M, Hashim PW, Kimmel G, Farahani AC, Nia JK (2016)Palmoplantar Psoriasis: a review of topical therapies.Glob Dermatol 3: doi: 10.15761/GOD.1000196Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About impetigo.American Academy of Dermatology Association.10 reasons your skin itches uncontrollably and how to get relief.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About scabies.Bhalerao A, Mannu GS.Management of pruritus in chronic liver disease.Dermatol Res Pract. 2015;2015:295891. doi:10.1155/2015/295891
8 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Gangar J, Thiagarajan K, Veeraraghavan N.Pruritic Rash on the Hands and Feet.Am Fam Physician. 2018;98(11):685-686.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Diabetes: 12 warning signs that appear on your skin.Chung J, Duffin KC, Takeshita J, et al.Palmoplantar psoriasis is associated with greater impairment of health-related quality of life compared to moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.J Am Acad Dermatol. 2014;71(4):623-632.Li L, Taliercio M, Hashim PW, Kimmel G, Farahani AC, Nia JK (2016)Palmoplantar Psoriasis: a review of topical therapies.Glob Dermatol 3: doi: 10.15761/GOD.1000196Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About impetigo.American Academy of Dermatology Association.10 reasons your skin itches uncontrollably and how to get relief.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About scabies.Bhalerao A, Mannu GS.Management of pruritus in chronic liver disease.Dermatol Res Pract. 2015;2015:295891. doi:10.1155/2015/295891
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Gangar J, Thiagarajan K, Veeraraghavan N.Pruritic Rash on the Hands and Feet.Am Fam Physician. 2018;98(11):685-686.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Diabetes: 12 warning signs that appear on your skin.Chung J, Duffin KC, Takeshita J, et al.Palmoplantar psoriasis is associated with greater impairment of health-related quality of life compared to moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.J Am Acad Dermatol. 2014;71(4):623-632.Li L, Taliercio M, Hashim PW, Kimmel G, Farahani AC, Nia JK (2016)Palmoplantar Psoriasis: a review of topical therapies.Glob Dermatol 3: doi: 10.15761/GOD.1000196Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About impetigo.American Academy of Dermatology Association.10 reasons your skin itches uncontrollably and how to get relief.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About scabies.Bhalerao A, Mannu GS.Management of pruritus in chronic liver disease.Dermatol Res Pract. 2015;2015:295891. doi:10.1155/2015/295891
Gangar J, Thiagarajan K, Veeraraghavan N.Pruritic Rash on the Hands and Feet.Am Fam Physician. 2018;98(11):685-686.
American Academy of Dermatology Association.Diabetes: 12 warning signs that appear on your skin.
Chung J, Duffin KC, Takeshita J, et al.Palmoplantar psoriasis is associated with greater impairment of health-related quality of life compared to moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.J Am Acad Dermatol. 2014;71(4):623-632.
Li L, Taliercio M, Hashim PW, Kimmel G, Farahani AC, Nia JK (2016)Palmoplantar Psoriasis: a review of topical therapies.Glob Dermatol 3: doi: 10.15761/GOD.1000196
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About impetigo.
American Academy of Dermatology Association.10 reasons your skin itches uncontrollably and how to get relief.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About scabies.
Bhalerao A, Mannu GS.Management of pruritus in chronic liver disease.Dermatol Res Pract. 2015;2015:295891. doi:10.1155/2015/295891
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