Dermacool Plus 2% Menthol Aqueous Cream – 100g

Product Information

Hydrocortisone: The most common active ingredient often found in anti-itch creams is hydrocortisone, which works to reduce the inflammation that leads to itching. This ingredient is only available up to 1% hydrocortisone in over-the-counter products, so you will not receive as potent of cream compared to prescription-grade products. Dr. Waldman recommends meeting with a healthcare professional for a stronger product if your itch keeps you up at night or lasts longer than two weeks. Since this is a lotion, it will have a thinner consistency than a cream. It may be better for larger areas of dryness, rather than smaller, more concentrated areas. In recalcitrant cases of pruritus, phototherapy provided in a dermatology department will benefit some patients Other measures that can be useful in preventing pruritus include avoiding precipitating factors such as rough clothing or fabrics, overheating, and vasodilators if they provoke itching (eg, caffeine, alcohol, spices). Fingernails should be kept short and clean. If the urge to scratch is irresistible then rub the area with your palm. Azadeh Shirazi, MD, FAAD,a board-certified dermatologist at La Jolla Dermatology and Laser Surgery Center in California

Brachioradial pruritus and notalgia paraestheticaaretwo well-defined conditions causing localised areas of itching / burning Conditions like psoriasis and eczema: The severity of these skin conditions will impact what creams work best for you. Hydrating ingredients should be your main priority for both conditions because these ingredients will help soothe and ease dryness. Additionally, ingredients like hydrocortisone and pramoxine can reduce irritation. In absence of signs of skin disease patients require a thorough history and an examination that should place special emphasis on examining for enlarged lymph nodes and hepatosplenomegaly Patients need treatment with a low dose of an anti-psychotic drug such asRisperidone. Compliance is improved if the patient is approached in anon-confrontational manner, and it is explained that the medication is being used to help reduce the unusual sensations in the skin caused by these conditions

To determine the best anti-itch creams, we spoke to several board-certified dermatologists to find out which products they recommend. Those we spoke with included:

Standard screen - FBC and ferritin (see below for further notes on haematological investigations), CRP, routine biochemistry (U&E, creatinine, LFT, bone, TFT), antimitochondrial antibody (to rule out primary biliary cirrhosis), urinalysis, a CXR to help exclude lymphoma and bronchial carcinoma, and a baseline LDH (lactate dehydrogenase) as increasing levels are a marker oflymphoma Hepatogenic pruritus is more common in intrahepatic than extrahepatic cholestasis. Examples of intrahepatic cholestasis are that associated with chronic viral hepatitis, primary biliary cirrhosis, pregnancy-related cholestasis. Extra- hepatic cholestasis is associated with pressure on the bile ducts, eg from pancreatic tumours or pseudocysts.

What causes pruritus?

The condition tends to respond poorly to treatment with antihistamines but may respond to phototherapy Because of the link with stillbirth, you may be offered induction of labour. This could be any time from 35 weeks, depending on the level of bile acids in your blood. All drugs may cause side effects. However, many people have no side effects or only have minor side effects. Call your doctor or get medical UDCA is considered safe to take in pregnancy, although it is prescribed on what is known as an "informed consent" basis as it has not been properly tested in pregnancy. It is usually only prescribed by a hospital doctor. is associated with other symptoms – like redness and swelling or jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes)

This is a steroid-free moisturizer, so it will help more with hydrating to relieve itchiness than reducing inflammation and irritation. Thalidomide has been successful in treating nodular prurigo and chronic pruritus of various kinds but is rarely used because of serious adverse effects and expense. Patients with chronic pruritus usually have both peripheral and central hypersensitisation (a heightened reaction) which means they tend to overreact to noxious stimuli which normally inhibit itch (such as heat and scratching) and also misinterpret non-noxious stimuli as an itch (eg, light touch) Once chronic pruritus has occurred, there may be secondary changes in the nerves in the skin and central nervous system which heighten the sensation of itch. In chronic hepatitis C infection, the mechanisms responsible for itch remain unclear. In the absence of cholestasis, pruritus may be related to antiviral therapy; it has been noted to occur in patients treated with combination therapy (interferon alfa and ribavirin).

How is pruritus diagnosed?

Antihistamines are most useful in urticaria, in which histamine is released. Use for other pruritic conditions is not supported by randomised control trials. Sedating antihistamines may be used for their sedative effects. If you think there has been an overdose, call your poison control center or get medical care right away. Be ready to tell or show what was Rifampicin, cholestyramine and naltrexone have all been used to treat pruritus associated with hepatic disease

menthol in aqueous cream is very cooling. E45 Itch Relief ®cream andBalneum Plus®cream have specific anti-itch properties. 5% doxepin hydrochloride cream can be useful for localised areas of itchAbout 2% of pregnant women have pruritus without any obvious dermatological cause. In some cases the itch is due to cholestasis (pooling of bile in the gall bladder and liver). It usually occurs in the 3rd trimester and is relieved after giving birth. Some studies have found that babies whose mothers have ICP have a higher chance of being born prematurely or stillborn. This is a sunburn relief product, but it doesn’t help prevent sunburn. Make sure you wear sunscreen when you are outside, especially when you have sunburned skin. The only way of knowing if the drug is responsible is by discontinuing the medication for a few weeks (if possible) and seeing if symptoms improve Steroid-based creams: Hydrocortisone and other corticosteroid creams fall under this category. These creams are made for reducing inflammation associated with chronic or recurring skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema. You may or may not need a prescription, depending on the total amount of steroid active in the product. In some cases, you may want to consult with a dermatologist to determine which strength is best for your skin needs.