Thin skin

[ESRD Survivor]

Does anyone else have this problem?  My skin seems to be so dry and when I scratch it, it comes close to bleeding.  It seems to tear easy.  Is it due to dialysis?

[Annig83]

My skin doesn't seem to be thinning, but OH MY GOODNESS is it dry!  I have the same issue with scratching especially around my catheter site (I do PD) and in an instant I tear skin because of the itching.  Dialysis does cause thinning skin, itching, and even hair loss, same with a transplant.  I found this site and it may have some helpful hints for you. 

http://lifeoptions.org/catalog/pdfs/teaching/SkinAndHair.pdf

 

[Jean]

You can also try Dove soap ( the bar, not the body wash) and Cetaphil lotion.

[rileysmom]

i have the same problem with itchy skin.. i have so many scratch marks on my skin.. it is so dry and when i scratch it just starts to bleed. i have tried everything and nothing seems to help. it has come to the point that at times i take a benadryl at night just to get to sleep. the benadryl cream seems to help a little bit as well. it's terrible!!!!

[Grumpy-1]

Annig83   Thanks for the link to the paper.  I too have itchy dry skin and especially my legs.  If I scratch them, they will bleed.  My wife keeps telling me it is because of the dry skin and she says to put lotion on.  While that helps for about 10 minutes, it doesn't do any more.  Up to now, I couldn't explain it to my wife - Now I have the paper and know that I'm not going nuts. 

[Riverwhispering]

How old are you?  I have had thin skin that I've noticed for the last 4 or 5 years and I'm sure it's totally related to ageing.  I think over 55 years old it's a normal part of life.

I found a great product for dry skin at "The Body Shop" called HEMP Hand Protector (very dry skin) and it works wonderfully.  I've even had this one dry patch for close to 20 years and since I started using this stuff it's not hardly noticeable anymore.

[Grumpy-1]

Riverwhispering   - I'm 60.  And while I agree that dry skin comes with age, it seems to me that it has been worse since starting PD a couple years ago.  The paper indicates that high phosphorus level can cause it and mine are a bit high.

[Riverwhispering]

Grumpy I'm sorry, I meant the bruising/thin skin comes with age not the dry skin

[Lillupie]

kind of weird for me, the last few years on dialysis the skin on my hands and feet are sooooo dry that they peel and grow back hard, hard like a rock and Im 29 years old.

Lisa

[sullidog]

the skin on my face bleeds easy

[Annig83]

Having a high phos. level can definitely increase the itchiness of your skin.  My phos. has never been high, but I still itch like crazy at night when "hooked" up for PD.  Lillipie- I'll be 29 in May, and I have horrible dry skin on the bottom of my feet... gives me an excuse to get a pedicure every few weeks it works wonders... but if you want to save a little money, you can just buy a foot scrub at a Wal-Mart, or other grocery store.  You can use it everyday, and it will prevent the harding of the skin, and rub off the old dry skin that's there.
Grumpy- Glad that paper helps! 

[cassandra]

skin-thinning goes with the meds, and D, and ageing. I found coconut-oil works best for me. Smells okay too

[Rain]

I agree with Cassadra, Coconut oil is awesome.  I've survived this winter without having blistered dry skin.

[deniferfer]

I had that when my phos was high and I didn't know it cuz  I didn't find out that was what caused it till much later and I had got my phos back under control.