In winter, the weather is cold and the air becomes dry. At this time, many people have itchy skin, especially at night just before bedtime when they take off their clothes, from arms to legs are itchy. Especially the elderly, with the age and metabolic function gradually declined, due to the endocrine reduction led to sebaceous gland secretion disorder, so the skin will be dry and itchy. What is this all about? Itching is the most common skin symptom in the elderly. Clinically common patients with diabetes, hepatobiliary diseases or malignant tumors have itchy skin as the main symptom in the early stage. Therefore, when itching symptoms occur in the elderly, do not simply think that it is caused by dry skin, but go to the hospital as early as possible to rule out diabetes or other medical diseases through relevant examinations. If there is a disease that can cause itchy skin, the original disease should be actively treated to reduce the occurrence of itchiness. Most itchy skin is related to skin aging, mainly caused by dry skin, some of the following practices are very beneficial to relieve senile itchy skin. 1, daily protection of skin methods to prevent dry skin, pay attention to moisturizing is the key to treating itchy skin in the elderly. The number of baths is not easy too often, it is best to wash once a week. Each bath time should not be too long, 20-30 minutes is appropriate. The water temperature of the bath should not be too high, the hotter the bath water, the heavier the symptoms of itchy skin. It is best not to rub the skin when bathing, try not to use detergents, such as alkaline soap, body wash, etc.. After bathing, you can apply a layer of moisturizer on your body. In addition, the itchy area should avoid excessive scratching, friction, hot water washing and scalding. 2, in the dietary conditioning elderly people should not eat or eat less spicy stimulating food, such as chili, onion, ginger, garlic, coffee, etc.. These foods can stimulate the sensory nervous system and enhance the itchy skin; at the same time, they should eat more vegetables and fruits and keep their bowels open. Older people should pay attention to not smoking and not drinking alcohol to reduce the triggering factors of itching. In addition, the elderly should have a regular life and avoid excessive mental tension to prevent the occurrence of itchy symptoms. 3, choose the right clothes The elderly should pay attention to keep warm in the cold winter and moisture in the hot summer. The best choice for the elderly underwear some cotton or silk clothing, the texture should be soft, smooth, moisture absorption, because some clothing can cause dermatitis, avoid down, nylon and woolen clothing worn close to the body, so as not to generate static electricity, stimulating the skin caused by itching, and pay attention to diligent washing, diligent change of clothing. 4, to avoid anger and impatience can usually choose to walk, play badminton, taijiquan, practice qigong and other activities. Cultivate good habits such as planting flowers, raising goldfish, playing chess, etc. to cultivate sentiment, get up early and go to bed early, do not watch stimulating films and TV programs, do not drink strong tea and coffee before going to bed to ensure sufficient sleep. 5, drug treatment In terms of drug treatment, the general principle of sedation and anti-itch, oral vitamin A and vitamin E has a good auxiliary treatment effect on itching. Topical drugs should be used under the guidance of a dermatologist. In addition, remember that the itchy skin should not be scratched, especially with the itchy scratch, which actually enhances the stimulation of the skin, causing the skin to produce pain, thus masking the itch, and over time, the skin surface will undergo proliferative changes. The skin becomes rough, hypertrophy itself is a stimulus for the peripheral nerve receptors, will make the itching increased, it forms a new conditioned reflex. The result is that the more you scratch, the more itchy, resulting in a vicious cycle.