Health Illustrated Encyclopedia Multimedia - Symptoms Itching is
a tingling or irritation of the skin that makes you want to
scratch the affected area. Itching may occur all over the whole
body or only in one location. Itching may occur all over the
whole body (generalized) or only in one location (localized).
There are many causes of itching, including: - Aging skin -
Atopic dermatitis - Contact dermatitis (poison ivy or poison
oak) - Contact irritants (such as soaps, chemicals, or wool) -
Dry skin - Insect bites and stings - Parasites such as pinworm,
body lice, head lice, and pubic lice - Pityriasis rosea - Rashes
(may or may not itch) - Seborrheic dermatitis - Superficial skin
infections such as folliculitis and impetigo Generalized itching
may be caused by: - Allergic reactions - Childhood infections
(such as chickenpox or measles) - Iron deficiency anemia -
Kidney disease - Liver disease with jaundice - Reactions to
medications and substances such as antibiotics (penicillin,
sulfonamides), gold, griseof