Random Itching?

Yes Nancy,

                   have experienced this, just awful!!!

But the fatigue is the very worst, anything that stresses me out can wipe me out physically for the day.........................................................

                            Take care of yourself  XXX

Hi nancy 

this is some info about it ... I use to get itchy and crawly skin 😢

Itchy Skin

While most women are familiar with the common menopausal symptoms, such as hot flashes, many are unaware of menopausal effects on the skin.

Itchy skin is experience by many women during the menopausal transition.

Skin problems during menopause are closely linked with hormonal changes characteristic of this natural period of change.

Skin changes can begin as early as perimenopause, or the time leading up to the cessation of menstrual periods, which can range from 3 to 10 years. Other women may experience skin changes after menopause.

Women who begin to experience dry or itchy skin during menopause are smart to take the time to learn more about this symptom, its causes, and its treatment.

Please read on to learn more about itchy skin during menopause

About Itchy Skin during Menopause

Menopause can often trigger skin changes leading to itchy skin. Itchy skin, medically known as pruritus, can be a major life disruption, especially if it causes significant discomfort and disrupts sleep.

During the stage of menopause, many women also experience acne, thinning skin, wrinkles, and skin pigment changes.

Related to pruritus, paresthesia can also afflict women during the menopausal transition. An abnormal skin condition affecting touch sensation, paresthesia is defined as sensations of numbness, "pins and needles", tingling, and pricking of the skin.

A small percentage of menopausal women report itchy skin symptoms of formication, a specific type of paresthesia, characterized by creepy, crawling sensations on the skin. People with formication have the phantom sensation of ants or other insects crawling on their skin.

Itchy skin is never pleasant, but it's even less so when experienced on a regular basis. Understanding what's behind this distracting sensation is the best way to find the route toward relief: read on to learn about five itchy skin conditions that could be affecting you in order to stay informed and healthy.

 

Symptoms of Itchy Skin

Women who develop itchy skin during menopause can experience symptoms in different ways.

Many women report that the elbows and the T-zone of the face are the first places where itchy skin develops. Other women report that certain areas of the skin are particularly dry and itchy, such as the limbs, chest, neck, or the back. Even the nails can be affected by itchy skin during menopause.

In addition to the chief symptom of itchiness, skin changes in menopause can also produce the following symptoms:

• Small bumps on the skin surface 

• Red or irritated skin 

• Skin rash 

• Dry skin 

Abnormal touch sensations, such as numbness, tingling, prickling, and crawling, etc.

Now that the possible symptoms of itchy skin have been covered, the next step is to explore the connection between itchy skin and hormones during menopause. 

 Causes of Itchy Skin

Hormonal causes

Acne and Menopause

Some women develop acne during menopause, especially those who had acne in adolescence. Increases in androgen levels during menopause are thought to increase the risk of acne during menopause.

Adult acne often affects the lower face and rarely responds to teen acne treatments.

During menopause, the most common underlying cause of itchy skin is hormonal change. As the body prepares for the cessation of menstruation and egg development during perimenopause, levels of estrogen in the body also fluctuate and eventually begin a steady decline.

Estrogen plays an important role in maintaining healthy skin. For example, estrogen is responsible for stimulating the production of skin collagen, a fibrous protein that provides strength, resilience, and support to the skin and other tissues.

As estrogen production diminishes around the time of menopause, dry itchy skin becomes a very common symptom. The decline in skin thickness and collagen production appears to be most rapid in the years immediately preceding menopause.

Lowered estrogen levels also decrease the body's ability to retain moisture and slow down the body's production of natural skin oils, which also contributes to itchy skin.

Other rare causes of itchy skin

Medical Causes of 

Itchy Skin

• Hypothyroidism

• Fungal infection

• Diabetes

• Skin cancer

• Vitamin deficiencies

• Herpes

• Drug side effects

• Drug abuse or 

   withdrawal

While hormonal changes are the most common cause of itchy skin around the time of menopause, other medical conditions can be responsible for itchy skin. While these are rare causes, they are important to be aware of, particularly in cases where itchy skin is accompanied by other unexplained symptoms.

Women concerned about the causes of itchy skin and those who experience other worrisome symptoms are advised to speak with a qualified dermatologist or other medical professional. Fortunately, itchy skin in menopause can often be successfully managed with self-care and natural treatments. Please read on to learn more about the treatment of itchy skin.

Itchy skin is uncomfortable once, but it quickly becomes a distraction after repeated offenses. Discovering the triggers that lay behind the problem can help to find the right solutions for relief: read on to learn about six habits that can cause itchy skin on the neck to get inspired today.

 

Unexpected Causes of Itchy Skin

When allergies aren't the culprit, what else could be behind a bad case of itchy skin? Read on to discover some unexpected causes for that stinging sensation that you might not have thought of before, from hormonal imbalance to humidity. Relief could be just around the corner.

 

Itchy Skin Treatments

Treating itchy skin during menopause often requires a number of self-care techniques. Most doctors advise against invasive and risky medical or hormonal treatments for itchy skin during menopause. However, many experts recommend that women combine lifestyle changes with alternative medicine, which are often safe and effective in providing itchy skin relief.

    

Self-Care for Itchy Skin

• Good diet. Increase intake of omega-3 fatty acids found in foods such as salmon, walnuts, fortified eggs, sardines, flaxseed, and soy. Adequate vitamin B intake is also crucial to skin health.

• Increase water intake. This will help to hydrate the skin from the inside out.

• Avoid hot showers. Because hot water can be harsh and drying, experts advise taking shorter showers using warm water.

• Moisturize after showers. Mineral oil  excellent and inexpensive skin moisturizers.

• Use gentle, non-irritating soaps.

• Use a quality, broad-spectrum sunscreen.

• Avoid other triggers. Avoiding cigarettes, excess sun exposure, stress, and poor sleep patterns can also help to manage itchy skin.

Alternative treatments for itchy skin

While these self-care measures can help a woman manage itchy skin during menopause, they alone are unable to get to the root cause of itchy skin during menopause: hormonal imbalance. Fortunately, natural supplements can address this primary problem of hormonal imbalance, helping a woman to treat itchy skin from the inside out. Alternative treatments involve little or no risk and are often simple to use.

  

hi there i think that jj has probably covered most of the bases but just wanted to add that i had this reaction with melatonin and 5htp just in case you might be trying the those. i suffer terribly with itchy menopausal skin on hands and wrists and it seems to be related generally to lower oestrogen which is in jj's info. Hope it helps anyway.