What causes an itchy stomach?
Possible causes of itching can be grouped into these seven categories:
- skin conditions
- menopause
- insect bites
- reaction to medication
- other conditions
- pregnancy
- cancer
Skin conditions
Dry skin
The most common cause of an itchy belly is dry skin. If you love long, steamy showers, live in a cold climate, or use scented soaps, your skin might be irritated.
Some people are more prone to dry skin than others. Dryness most often develops on the arms or legs, but it can also happen on your stomach.
Symptoms of skin dryness:
- itching
- a feeling of tightness (like how it feels after a shower, a bath, or lounging in the pool)
- flaking or peeling
- a rough look and/or feel
- lines or cracks
- redness
- bleeding in deep cracks
Psoriasis
Psoriasis is an inflammatory condition that causes your body to make too many skin cells. When these excess skin cells die and flake off, they form thick, silvery scales. These patches are called plaques, and they’re super itchy.
Plaques usually show up around the elbows, knees, and scalp, but they can appear just about anywhere — including your belly. This area is more likely to be affected if there are tummy rolls where skin can rub against skin.
Other types of psoriasis may cause red dots or blisters.
Eczema
Eczema (aka atopic dermatitis) is a condition that causes patches of skin to become dry, red, and very itchy. You may also experience skin swelling and cracking.
The 411 on eczema:
- It’s not contagious.
- Foods are a potential trigger.
- Pollen, smoke, or other allergens can trigger it.
- It often affects children, and many eventually grow out of it.
- There is no cure, and most treatments focus on relieving symptoms.
Contact dermatitis
This type of eczema is triggered by contact with a skin irritant. Possible triggers include cosmetics, soaps, latex, cleaning products, jewelry (check that belly button piercing from 2005), poison oak, and poison ivy.
Common symptoms of contact dermatitis include:
- dry, flaky skin
- blisters that ooze
- skin redness
- hives
- dark or leathery skin
- severe itchiness
- swelling
- tight-feeling skin
Menopause
Menopause occurs when a woman’s estrogen levels drop and she stops getting her periods, signaling the end of her reproductive years. (Pop some champagne — you made it!)
It usually happens between the ages of 45 and 55 but can also happen earlier or later. A common symptom of menopause is dry skin due to lack of estrogen, and this dry, itchy skin can occur on the stomach or elsewhere.
Shoo, fly!
Itchiness plus red bumps on your stomach might actually be the result of bedbugs. Gnarly! What if it’s a flea bite? Here’s the difference between the two:
- Bedbug bites look like a zigzag or a line, usually on areas where your clothes aren’t covering your skin.
- Flea bites appear in clusters near your lower legs or ankles. The bumps have little red halos around them.
Medications
Starting a new medication could trigger a reaction in your skin, including an itchy stomach. You may also notice a rash on your belly and/or back.
Call your doctor right away if you suspect a medication allergy.
Other possible conditions
Chickenpox
Did you have chickenpox as a kid? If you didn’t and you’re scratching at a rash on your stomach, there’s a chance you have it now.
Other symptoms of chickenpox include:
- fever
- headache
- fatigue
- loss of appetite.
Hypothyroidism
Your tummy itching could also be a sign of hypothyroidism, which happens when your thyroid gland doesn’t work properly.
Your body needs certain hormones to maintain a healthy metabolism and generate glowing skin. If your body isn’t producing those hormones, your skin may be on the fritz.
Other signs of hypothyroidism:
- fatigue
- increased sensitivity to cold
- weight gain
- thin, dry hair and brittle nails
- slow heart rate
- difficulty concentrating
Stomach itching during pregnancy
Pregnancy can cause an itchy belly for a number of reasons, including:
- changes in hormone levels
- your stomach stretching to make room for a brand-new human
- pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy (let’s just call this “PUPPP rash” from now on, OK?)
- intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP), a liver condition resulting from inhibited flow of bile from your liver (not to be confused with the Insane Clown Posse, which, quite frankly, sounds just as intimidating)
PUPPP rash
This is an itchy rash that appears in stretch marks on your stomach. The rash typically appears during the third trimester of pregnancy, when the baby grows the most.
The rash closely resembles hives and may begin as small, pink, pimple-like spots within the stretch marks. The rash may eventually become a large, red plaque on your stomach or abdomen.
PUPPP rash will go away within one to two weeks of the end of the pregnancy.
This is a rare condition that happens when bile can’t flow out of your liver properly due to a blockage. ICP typically occurs in the late stages of pregnancy and can cause serious itching, especially on your hands and feet.
Other signs to look out for:
- jaundice (yellowing of your skin and the whites of your eyes)
- lack of appetite
- nausea
- dark urine
- light-colored stool
If these symptoms sound familiar, call your doctor. ICP must be treated right away because it can lead to complications. If you have ICP, your doctor might recommend inducing labor at 37 weeks of pregnancy (sometimes earlier) for the safety of the baby.
What causes an itchy stomach?
Possible causes of itching can be grouped into these seven categories:
- skin conditions
- menopause
- insect bites
- reaction to medication
- other conditions
- pregnancy
- cancer
Skin conditions
Dry skin
The most common cause of an itchy belly is dry skin. If you love long, steamy showers, live in a cold climate, or use scented soaps, your skin might be irritated.
Some people are more prone to dry skin than others. Dryness most often develops on the arms or legs, but it can also happen on your stomach.
Symptoms of skin dryness:
- itching
- a feeling of tightness (like how it feels after a shower, a bath, or lounging in the pool)
- flaking or peeling
- a rough look and/or feel
- lines or cracks
- redness
- bleeding in deep cracks
Psoriasis
Psoriasis is an inflammatory condition that causes your body to make too many skin cells. When these excess skin cells die and flake off, they form thick, silvery scales. These patches are called plaques, and they’re super itchy.
Plaques usually show up around the elbows, knees, and scalp, but they can appear just about anywhere — including your belly. This area is more likely to be affected if there are tummy rolls where skin can rub against skin.
Other types of psoriasis may cause red dots or blisters.
Eczema
Eczema (aka atopic dermatitis) is a condition that causes patches of skin to become dry, red, and very itchy. You may also experience skin swelling and cracking.
The 411 on eczema:
- It’s not contagious.
- Foods are a potential trigger.
- Pollen, smoke, or other allergens can trigger it.
- It often affects children, and many eventually grow out of it.
- There is no cure, and most treatments focus on relieving symptoms.
Contact dermatitis
This type of eczema is triggered by contact with a skin irritant. Possible triggers include cosmetics, soaps, latex, cleaning products, jewelry (check that belly button piercing from 2005), poison oak, and poison ivy.
Common symptoms of contact dermatitis include:
- dry, flaky skin
- blisters that ooze
- skin redness
- hives
- dark or leathery skin
- severe itchiness
- swelling
- tight-feeling skin
Menopause
Menopause occurs when a woman’s estrogen levels drop and she stops getting her periods, signaling the end of her reproductive years. (Pop some champagne — you made it!)
It usually happens between the ages of 45 and 55 but can also happen earlier or later. A common symptom of menopause is dry skin due to lack of estrogen, and this dry, itchy skin can occur on the stomach or elsewhere.
Shoo, fly!
Itchiness plus red bumps on your stomach might actually be the result of bedbugs. Gnarly! What if it’s a flea bite? Here’s the difference between the two:
- Bedbug bites look like a zigzag or a line, usually on areas where your clothes aren’t covering your skin.
- Flea bites appear in clusters near your lower legs or ankles. The bumps have little red halos around them.
Medications
Starting a new medication could trigger a reaction in your skin, including an itchy stomach. You may also notice a rash on your belly and/or back.
Call your doctor right away if you suspect a medication allergy.
Other possible conditions
Chickenpox
Did you have chickenpox as a kid? If you didn’t and you’re scratching at a rash on your stomach, there’s a chance you have it now.
Other symptoms of chickenpox include:
- fever
- headache
- fatigue
- loss of appetite.
Hypothyroidism
Your tummy itching could also be a sign of hypothyroidism, which happens when your thyroid gland doesn’t work properly.
Your body needs certain hormones to maintain a healthy metabolism and generate glowing skin. If your body isn’t producing those hormones, your skin may be on the fritz.
Other signs of hypothyroidism:
- fatigue
- increased sensitivity to cold
- weight gain
- thin, dry hair and brittle nails
- slow heart rate
- difficulty concentrating
Stomach itching during pregnancy
Pregnancy can cause an itchy belly for a number of reasons, including:
- changes in hormone levels
- your stomach stretching to make room for a brand-new human
- pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy (let’s just call this “PUPPP rash” from now on, OK?)
- intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP), a liver condition resulting from inhibited flow of bile from your liver (not to be confused with the Insane Clown Posse, which, quite frankly, sounds just as intimidating)
PUPPP rash
This is an itchy rash that appears in stretch marks on your stomach. The rash typically appears during the third trimester of pregnancy, when the baby grows the most.
The rash closely resembles hives and may begin as small, pink, pimple-like spots within the stretch marks. The rash may eventually become a large, red plaque on your stomach or abdomen.
PUPPP rash will go away within one to two weeks of the end of the pregnancy.
This is a rare condition that happens when bile can’t flow out of your liver properly due to a blockage. ICP typically occurs in the late stages of pregnancy and can cause serious itching, especially on your hands and feet.
Other signs to look out for:
- jaundice (yellowing of your skin and the whites of your eyes)
- lack of appetite
- nausea
- dark urine
- light-colored stool
If these symptoms sound familiar, call your doctor. ICP must be treated right away because it can lead to complications. If you have ICP, your doctor might recommend inducing labor at 37 weeks of pregnancy (sometimes earlier) for the safety of the baby.
