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Home > Archive > Psoriasis support > February 2006 > scratching
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| baroque 2006-01-08, 11:36 am |
| Could anybody confirm that scratching actually compounds the problem? I
mean, everybody tells me to just stop scratching and it'll get better, but i
can't imagine that - I only see more scales and more itching, in theory. If
I could possibly ignore the itchiness and leave my skin alone, would it help
and would/could it heal at all however partially? Any opinions welcome as I
am very confused about this scratching thing. I imagine that if I stopped
scratching altogether there would be piles upon piles of scales and it would
probably be all the more unattractive and irritable. Am i wrong? Would
really appreciate some experience reports about that, if anyone's actually
managed to stop scratching. thx.
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| Tom Trevathan 2006-01-08, 11:36 am |
| Try an over the counter medication like Dermarest to soothe the itching and
help remove the scales. It won't cure the psoriasis, but it will make your
skin more comfortable. And it's cheaper than most prescriptions.
Other skin moisturizers and lotions can be of great help, too. Watch the
hydrocortisone creams though, and use them sparingly. They will stop the
itch, but they are not all that good for you long term.
Tom Trevathan
"baroque" <wannabee@rock.com> wrote in message
news:dppko5$h2m$1@news6.svr.pol.co.uk...
> Could anybody confirm that scratching actually compounds the problem? I
> mean, everybody tells me to just stop scratching and it'll get better, but
> i can't imagine that - I only see more scales and more itching, in theory.
> If I could possibly ignore the itchiness and leave my skin alone, would it
> help and would/could it heal at all however partially? Any opinions
> welcome as I am very confused about this scratching thing. I imagine that
> if I stopped scratching altogether there would be piles upon piles of
> scales and it would probably be all the more unattractive and irritable.
> Am i wrong? Would really appreciate some experience reports about that, if
> anyone's actually managed to stop scratching. thx.
>
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| Sparks 2006-01-08, 11:36 am |
| Hi
Not scratching will not make it better but if when scratching you dig
through the skin and do damage you could make it worse. Add to that the
fact that if you draw blood by scratching then everybody will notice it so
if you can then don't scratch. I know how hard that is, like most of the
group I've had the same problem for a long time.
Rather than scratch you should moisturise as Tom Trevathan recommends, this
keeps the skin flexible. Personnally I try to remove the scales by soaking
in a warm bath and then rubbing them off with the palm of my hand so as not
to damage the skin (keep the finger nails away from the skin). Moisturise
imediattely after you get out of the bath for maximum effect.
You could experiment with different bath oils to moisturise the whole body
if you have a lot of plaques.
If you are receiving treatment from a doctor then you could ask for Dovenex
or similar depending on where you are in the world (and where the plaques
are). This is quite good at reducing the plaques and keeping the skin
flexible.
Don't feel bad if you scratch now and again, we all do.
I'm sure there are those in this group who can help with any question you
might have.
Sparks
"baroque" <wannabee@rock.com> wrote in message
news:dppko5$h2m$1@news6.svr.pol.co.uk...
> Could anybody confirm that scratching actually compounds the problem? I
> mean, everybody tells me to just stop scratching and it'll get better, but
i
> can't imagine that - I only see more scales and more itching, in theory.
If
> I could possibly ignore the itchiness and leave my skin alone, would it
help
> and would/could it heal at all however partially? Any opinions welcome as
I
> am very confused about this scratching thing. I imagine that if I stopped
> scratching altogether there would be piles upon piles of scales and it
would
> probably be all the more unattractive and irritable. Am i wrong? Would
> really appreciate some experience reports about that, if anyone's actually
> managed to stop scratching. thx.
>
>
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|
|
"baroque" <wannabee@rock.com> wrote in message
news:dppko5$h2m$1@news6.svr.pol.co.uk...
> Could anybody confirm that scratching actually compounds the problem? I
> mean, everybody tells me to just stop scratching and it'll get better, but
> i can't imagine that - I only see more scales and more itching, in theory.
> If I could possibly ignore the itchiness and leave my skin alone, would it
> help and would/could it heal at all however partially? Any opinions
> welcome as I am very confused about this scratching thing. I imagine that
> if I stopped scratching altogether there would be piles upon piles of
> scales and it would probably be all the more unattractive and irritable.
> Am i wrong? Would really appreciate some experience reports about that, if
> anyone's actually managed to stop scratching. thx.
Undoubtedly. Every dermatologist I have known (several over 31 years) refers
to it as the "itch/scratch/itch cycle".
One went into a chemical description of what happens long ago (and
forgotten), but it is a vicious circle ; the more you scratch, the more
irritants and inflammants are released in the skin, causing even more
itching and if your psoriasis has been calmed down, it can trigger the
reaction again.
Try an ice pack on the area for a few minutes at a time (wrapped in a
cloth), or a cold compress, or an oatmeal bath, or Witch Hazel. I use
Balneum Plus bath oil (capful in a bath), which contains a mild anaesthetic
(anti-pruritic) to help stop itching.
Hope this helps,
S.
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|
| > Undoubtedly. Every dermatologist I have known (several over 31 years)
refers
> to it as the "itch/scratch/itch cycle".
>
> One went into a chemical description of what happens long ago (and
> forgotten), but it is a vicious circle ; the more you scratch, the more
> irritants and inflammants are released in the skin, causing even more
> itching and if your psoriasis has been calmed down, it can trigger the
> reaction again.
I've heard the same from my docs. They also said that irritating the
immediate surrounding healthy skin can make it susceptible and encourage
"spreading".
> Try an ice pack on the area for a few minutes at a time (wrapped in a
> cloth),
I had a student that used to run over every time he caught me scratching my
back, tell me to stop and then lightly slap the area. I guess it kind of
helped. It's hard as hell to do because you look like an idiot patting
yourself all over, but it sort of makes sense.
Ooops, see? I just patted my side instead of scratching and everything's
cool now.
aloha
LD
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| baroque 2006-02-25, 8:13 pm |
| thanx for ur suggestions and understanding, especially the patting one  . i
can imagine that could work. it isn't just one area. i can go to bed at
8:30pm and get to sleep at 2:30 am. that's 6 hours of scratching. when i
think of all the things i could b doing with my life.... I need a pil that
either stops the itching or knocks me out. i recognize the itch/scratch
cycle but that doesn't mean i can end it. i watch my partner go to sleep in
10 minutes and that helps me scratch cuz i know she can't think i'm weird
if she's unconscious. there seems no way to end it. i can't resist an itch,
and half the time i'm half asleep and don't know what i'm doing anyway, and
that's the first thing to deal with. i can't imagine it ever happening.
resisting I mean, my alcohol consumption has increased subsatianally about
the last 3 months and whatever its downside... the upside is that i go to
sleep and don't make myself bleed. even when it's bleeding i've been known
to carry on scratching, basically until the pleasurable feeling becomes
painful.
creams and wotnot seem to make it worst cuz they escalate the healing and
the scaling which gives me more to scratch. it's as though i'm seeking that
orgasmic feeling when u scratch that scale on ur ankle that u didn't even
know was there. it's like smoking: i don't want to give up cuz i don't want
to forego the pleasure,buti know most of the time it's harmful. the itch is
always there and i can't stop it unless i cyhange everything, so much that
it distracts me and makes me so busy....
"Raoul" <carlenglish23@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:PKHwf.62$mP1.4@tornado.socal.rr.com...
> refers
>
> I've heard the same from my docs. They also said that irritating the
> immediate surrounding healthy skin can make it susceptible and encourage
> "spreading".
>
>
> I had a student that used to run over every time he caught me scratching
> my
> back, tell me to stop and then lightly slap the area. I guess it kind of
> helped. It's hard as hell to do because you look like an idiot patting
> yourself all over, but it sort of makes sense.
>
> Ooops, see? I just patted my side instead of scratching and everything's
> cool now.
>
> aloha
> LD
>
>
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| On Sat, 14 Jan 2006 22:34:31 -0000, "baroque" <wannabee@rock.com>
wrote:
[vbcol=seagreen]
>thanx for ur suggestions and understanding, especially the patting one . i
>can imagine that could work. it isn't just one area. i can go to bed at
>8:30pm and get to sleep at 2:30 am. that's 6 hours of scratching. when i
>think of all the things i could b doing with my life.... I need a pil that
>either stops the itching or knocks me out. i recognize the itch/scratch
>cycle but that doesn't mean i can end it. i watch my partner go to sleep in
>10 minutes and that helps me scratch cuz i know she can't think i'm weird
>if she's unconscious. there seems no way to end it. i can't resist an itch,
>and half the time i'm half asleep and don't know what i'm doing anyway, and
>that's the first thing to deal with. i can't imagine it ever happening.
>resisting I mean, my alcohol consumption has increased subsatianally about
>the last 3 months and whatever its downside... the upside is that i go to
>sleep and don't make myself bleed. even when it's bleeding i've been known
>to carry on scratching, basically until the pleasurable feeling becomes
>painful.
>
>creams and wotnot seem to make it worst cuz they escalate the healing and
>the scaling which gives me more to scratch. it's as though i'm seeking that
>orgasmic feeling when u scratch that scale on ur ankle that u didn't even
>know was there. it's like smoking: i don't want to give up cuz i don't want
>to forego the pleasure,buti know most of the time it's harmful. the itch is
>always there and i can't stop it unless i cyhange everything, so much that
>it distracts me and makes me so busy....
>"Raoul" <carlenglish23@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>news:PKHwf.62$mP1.4@tornado.socal.rr.com...
How about wearing gloves?
Pieter
| |
|
| > How about wearing gloves?
>
> Pieter
I live in Hawaii. Everyone would assume I was a Michael Jackson wanna-be,
plus my hands would end up smelling like my feet!
aloha
LD
| |
| Fizziwig2 2006-02-25, 8:13 pm |
|
"Raoul" <carlenglish23@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:iqWyf.744$Z3.114@tornado.socal.rr.com...
>
> I live in Hawaii. Everyone would assume I was a Michael Jackson wanna-be,
> plus my hands would end up smelling like my feet!
>
> aloha
> LD
>
I just saw something that might be relevant to the discussion on
"ScienceDaily today
"The science of tickling (ourselves is no laughing matter)"
snip........
Anticipating our own touch -- for example in tickling oneself -- reduces its
impact, says Queen's psychologist Dr. Randy Flanagan, a member of the
university's Centre for Neuroscience Studies. This is evidence of an
important human adaptation that helps us interact with objects in our
environment.".................etc, etc........
http://www.sciencedaily.com/release...60118090811.htm
Skeats
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