Can High Cholesterol Cause Itchy Skin? Reasons And Relief!
Many of us have heard that high cholesterol can cause heart attacks, but it’s less commonly known that high cholesterol can also cause a different health issue: itching.
Studies have shown a correlation between higher levels of cholesterol and itchiness, but scientists are still trying to figure out why the two are connected.
High Cholesterol Leads To Itchy Skin – Danger Signs?
It’s possible that people with high cholesterol have an imbalance of certain fatty acids in their cells, and these imbalances can lead to skin irritation.
As long as you stay on top of your cholesterol, it should help keep your body in balance and prevent any skin irritations.
You may want to ask your doctor about taking extra steps to get your cholesterol checked regularly, especially if you experience itchy skin.
Reasons
A high cholesterol level can cause itchy skin for a number of reasons. First, elevated cholesterol can contribute to conditions such as psoriasis and eczema.
In addition, higher cholesterol levels are associated with insulin resistance and diabetes, both of which have been linked to itchiness.
Finally, the use of some medications such as statins is known to cause skin rashes, including itchy skin.
The link between cholesterol and psoriasis is thought to exist because both are caused by an imbalance in certain immune cells called T cells.
Specifically, a decrease in the type of T cell produces a chemical called interleukin-10 (IL-10). IL-10 plays a role in keeping the immune system healthy by suppressing the activity of other types of T cells that cause inflammation and other problems.
When IL-10 levels are low, the other T cells become hyperactive, which has been linked to psoriasis and eczema symptoms.
Knowing this, it’s easy to see how high cholesterol could be related to psoriasis or eczema symptoms—people with high cholesterol have lower IL-10 levels than people with normal levels.
In fact, one study found that low IL-10 levels were associated with more severe psoriasis symptoms. As you can see, there are a lot of different factors involved in psoriasis and eczema symptoms. But one thing is clear: high cholesterol levels can contribute to the development of these diseases.
How To Deal?
We would like to share a few tips for how to deal with itching.
Tip 1
Use petroleum jelly to alleviate the itching.
This is a great non-medicinal way to fight the itching and it works because the grease from the petroleum jelly coats your skin and acts like a barrier that keeps bugs/thorns/sand from going into your skin, while also reducing itching.
If you don’t have petroleum jelly, baby oil also works great.
Tip 2
Use antihistamine cream. This is an easy way to get rid of itching and it’s very effective! A lot of the time, people think that antihistamines are just for allergies, but they work great for bug bites too!
Itching can be caused by histamines in your body reacting to something that you’re allergic to (like plants) or by something irritating your skin (like bug bites).
Antihistamines block histamines from taking effect, so they can help relieve itching and inflammation.
If you don’t have any antihistamine cream, then some other kinds of creams will do – many cold medicines contain antihistamine and other pain relievers, so look for those if you don’t have anything specifically for itching or rashes.
Tip 3
Take a hot shower or bath.
Hot baths and showers can help relieve itching by relaxing your muscles and increasing blood circulation.
If you don’t have time for a bath, then just take a warm shower instead – it’s not quite as effective as a bath, but it will still help!
Tip 4
Try some gentle massage. Massage can help relieve itching by increasing blood circulation and relaxing tense muscles.
You can do this yourself, or if you have a partner who’s willing, then ask them to give you a back rub!
Final Words
If your itching is due to an allergic reaction, then it’s important that you see a doctor or dermatologist.
Itching can also be a sign of a serious condition, such as eczema or psoriasis.
So if your itchiness doesn’t go away after trying these tips, then make sure to get it checked out!
