Preface 6

Step 1: Understand the principles of treating itching.

1.
What is itching? 16
2.
What does itching feel like? 19
3.
Why do we scratch? 22
4.
Why shouldn't you scratch? 24
5.
Itching is treated according to the five-step treatment principle 27
1) Understand the principles of itching treatment ｜ 2) Identify the cause of your itching ｜ 3) Eliminate the cause and aggravating factors of itching ｜ 4) Implement scientific drug treatment step by step ｜ 5) Practice precautions to prevent itching from recurring

Step 2: Identify the cause of the itching

1.
There are definitely 32 causes of itching.
2.
35 Examination Processes to Find the Cause of Itching
3.
Patients themselves must find the cause of their itching. 37
4.
Itching can be broadly classified into three types: 40
Group 1: Caused by skin problems | Group 2: Caused by diseases other than the skin | Group 3: Caused by scratching
5.
Dry skin is the cause 43
Dry Skin Causes Itching | Why Does Dry Skin Itch? | Why Does Skin Get Dry?
6.
The medication you are taking may be the cause 60
Itching is a common side effect of medications. ｜ In theory, any medication can cause itching. ｜ You may need to temporarily stop taking the medication.
7.
Nutritional supplements or health functional foods may be the cause. 64
8.
Foods can also cause itching 67
9.
Skin conditions can cause itching 70
Atopic dermatitis | Contact dermatitis | Dry eczema | Nummular eczema | Skin infection
10.
Internal medical conditions can cause itching 83
Chronic kidney disease | Liver and biliary tract diseases | Diabetes | Thyroid disease | Blood cancer or blood diseases | Autoimmune diseases
11.
Mental problems can cause itching 96
Stress | Frequent handwashing due to obsessive-compulsive disorder | Delusional parasitosis
12.
Neurological Disorders Can Cause Itching 101
Nerve problems | Itching of the wings (paresthesia back pain) | Itching after shingles
13.
If you continue to scratch, you will develop a more itchy skin condition. 104
Chronic lichen simplex ｜ Yangjin
14.
What's the difference between acute and chronic itching? 107
Acute Itching | Chronic Itching
15.
What Causes Itching in Children? 110
Atopic dermatitis | Hives | Insect bites | Skin infections
16.
What Causes Itching in the Elderly? 114
17.
What causes itching all over your body? 116
18.
What Causes Localized Itching? 118
Vulvar itching in women | Scrotal itching in men | Anal itching | Scalp itching
19.
Checklist 128 for Identifying the Cause of Itching

Step 3: Eliminate the causes and aggravating factors of itching.

1.
I try to prevent dry skin and avoid aggravating factors every day 138
1) Do not rub the skin when bathing ｜ 2) Do not rub the soap bubbles for a long time ｜ 3) Use a weakly acidic cleanser instead of solid soap ｜ 4) Reduce the number and duration of showers ｜ 5) Do not get into hot water ｜ 6) When drying off after showering, pat dry instead of rubbing ｜ 7) Apply moisturizer more than twice a day ｜ 8) Maintain indoor humidity above 50 percent ｜ 9) Maintain indoor temperature at 20-22 degrees Celsius ｜ 10) Keep the temperature under the blanket low ｜ 11) Stop applying alcohol to reduce itchiness
2.
Take only the medications that are absolutely necessary 154
3.
Stop taking all nutritional supplements and health functional foods. 156
4.
Avoid foods that cause itching 158
5.
Skin diseases are treated by a dermatologist 160
6.
We regularly check for and treat internal diseases 162
7.
Avoid stress and seek treatment for any mental health issues. 164
8.
No matter how itchy it is, try not to scratch for the first 1-2 minutes. 166

Step 4: Implement anti-itch medication treatment in stages

1.
Goals of Itching Treatment 172
2.
Topical treatment 175
Topical steroid application | Topical steroid injection | Topical calcineurin inhibitor application | Capsaicin ointment application | Phototherapy
3.
Systemic Treatment 186
Antihistamines | Immunosuppressants | Antidepressants | Anticonvulsants | Opioid receptor modulators | Steroids | Dupilumab subcutaneous injection
4.
Stepwise Drug Therapy Principles 205

Step 5: Practice precautions to prevent itching from recurring.

1.
Itching easily recurs 210
2.
15 Things You Should Never Do to Prevent Itching 212
1) Never rub the skin ｜ 2) Do not use soap often ｜ 3) Do not use bar soap ｜ 4) Do not shower every day ｜ 5) Do not get into hot water ｜ 6) Do not rub with a towel when drying ｜ 7) Do not use electric blankets ｜ 8) Do not let the room dry out ｜ 9) Do not let your skin temperature rise ｜ 10) Do not apply alcohol to relieve itching ｜ 11) Take only necessary nutritional supplements or health functional foods ｜ 12) Do not eat foods that cause itching ｜ 13) Do not scratch ｜ 14) Do not come into contact with irritants ｜ 15) Do not get stressed
3.
12 Lifelong Actions to Prevent Itching 221
1) Use a mildly acidic cleanser instead of bar soap ｜ 2) Keep showers short and simple ｜ 3) Apply moisturizer at least twice a day ｜ 4) Maintain indoor humidity above 50 percent ｜ 5) Maintain indoor temperature at 20-22 degrees Celsius ｜ 6) Keep the temperature under the blanket low ｜ 7) Take only necessary medications after consulting a doctor ｜ 8) Get treatment for skin diseases from a dermatologist ｜ 9) Treat internal diseases well with symptoms ｜ 10) Maintain a peaceful mind through meditation, contemplation, etc. ｜ 11) Get a health checkup every year ｜ 12) Learn about itchiness

Conclusion 228

“Itching is more common than you think, and it can be more deadly than you think!”
Itchiness, a skin villain that comes in small amounts and leaves huge scars on the body and mind
Overcome it with the 5-step treatment principles of Professor Jin-ho Jeong of the Department of Dermatology at Seoul National University Hospital!

Is there anyone who has never been itchy in their life? Probably not.
Whether it's mild enough to be resolved with a quick scratch or severe enough to keep you up at night, itching is a common experience and can be an early symptom of many medical conditions.
Professor Jin-ho Jeong of the Department of Dermatology at Seoul National University Hospital emphasizes that itching is a more common and serious symptom than one might think, and that everyone should have a proper understanding of itching.
Having seen patients for decades, the phrase he heard most often in his clinic was, “Doctor, it’s so itchy I’m going crazy.”
He said that he has seen countless patients who were not aware of the itch and let it grow, affecting not only their skin but also their daily lives.
This book, "Itching to the Core," is a systematic compilation of the knowledge about itching that he was unable to share during his short clinical time. Its core is his own treatment principles, established based on his long experience.
The author has been conducting research on how to maintain healthy skin and is a dermatologist who has garnered worldwide attention for discovering the effects of heat on aging.
For patients suffering from itching with no clear cause or treatment, Professor Jin-ho Jeong, a leading dermatologist, suggests a five-step treatment principle.

5-Step Itch Treatment Principles Suggested by Top Dermatologists

His five-step treatment plan addresses patients' questions, from identifying the exact cause to preventing relapse.
Step 1 is to understand the principles of treating itching.
The author says that if you thoroughly follow the treatment principles, you can definitely get rid of itching.
Step 2 is to identify the cause of the itching.
Since the problem most patients with itching have is that they do not know why they itch, the author, based on his extensive clinical experience, presents nine common causes of itching and also covers the causes of itching in detail according to age, location, and duration.
Step 3 is knowing how to eliminate the cause of the itching.
The author recommends changing your lifestyle habits, saying that common things like scrubbing or using soap to keep your skin clean can actually dry out your skin and worsen itchiness.
Step 4 contains drug treatment for itching.
Knowing the principles of drug use will help you to be less concerned about side effects and more proactive in your treatment.
Step 5 contains methods to prevent the itching from recurring.
You will learn rules to follow in your daily life to prevent the recurrence of itching.
The main thing the author emphasizes throughout the book is preventing dry skin.
He explains scientifically based itching management tips that everyone knows but are often overlooked, saying that to achieve this, you need to put in effort, such as applying moisturizer twice a day and using a mildly acidic cleanser.

Concrete solutions to help readers prevent and manage itching on their own.

Itching is a symptom that requires as much effort from the patient as from the doctor.
Therefore, the author included a 'checklist for finding the cause of itching' to help you find the cause of itching hidden in unexpected places, and suggested methods that can be easily implemented in daily life.
It is common for health functional foods taken to improve health to turn out to be the cause of itchiness, or for itching to be caused by diabetes, which seems unrelated to the skin. The author helps readers find the cause by introducing cases of patients he has personally met.
The author has avoided difficult medical terms whenever possible and used everyday language to help general readers understand.
Additionally, at the end of each chapter, we've summarized the important content for you to review.
The author emphasizes that the will to treat the itching is most important, as patients who have suffered from itching for a long time have a firm belief that their itching is an incurable disease.
He gives readers confidence and courage by saying, “If you consistently practice the methods suggested in this book every day, there will come a day when you will say that you no longer itch.”

From the preface

“Only those who have experienced it can understand the pain of itching.”
A friendly prescription from Professor Jin-ho Jeong, who has been working with itchy patients for decades.

Itching is a very common and truly unbearable symptom.
I think the most common thing I hear from patients is, “It’s so itchy it’s driving me crazy” or “I can’t sleep at all because of the itching.”
This book was written to introduce effective ways to relieve itching for people suffering from itchy skin.
I have met countless patients with pained expressions, saying things like, “It’s so itchy, I’m going crazy,” “I can’t sleep because of the itching,” “I’d rather die,” “Please cure me,” and “What’s causing my itchiness?”
I wrote this book with the regret that I could not explain everything to these patients and their families during the short consultation time.
There may be some content that you cannot understand after reading it once and that requires repeated reading to fully grasp its meaning.
And as time goes by, you may forget important details.
I encourage you to read this book carefully, over and over again, and to thoroughly practice the methods explained in this book in your daily life.
I hope this book will be helpful to patients who scratch all night because of the itchiness and to their guardians who feel sorry for them.