Itching Jaw: An Overview
The skin around the jaw is just as sensitive as the skin surface on the other parts of the body and thus, is prone to the same types of skin conditions and symptoms as the skin on some of the other areas of the body. Itching is one such symptom, which is common throughout the body and the jaw is no exception. Itching of the jaw is a common problem and it can occur with or without a rash. There may be numerous causes for an Itching Jaw ranging from a dermatological cause to a trauma or injury to the area, but the most common cause of Itching Jaw is skin irritation from using shaving cream and after shave lotions in males to lotions and other creams in females. Itching Jaw may or may not be present with a skin rash, which is typical with certain skin disorders like dermatitis, eczema, or other skin infections. This article gives an overview of different potential causes and some simple remedies to get rid of Itching Jaw.
What Causes Itching Jaw?
The causes of an Itching Jaw are the same as that of an itching face, although there are cases where the cause of an Itching Jaw is never found conclusively. It may occur for reasons unknown, but such type of itching usually resolves on its own without any need for any intervention in the form of lotions, medications or something else even though it may take a few hours to a couple of days for them to resolve. Some of the potential causes for Itching Jaw are:
Facial Hair: It is common for men to have facial hair, what we call as beard. Some men may have soft beard while some may have hard beard. The softness and hardness of a beard depends on the hair growth on the jaw whether it is thick or thin and how soon the hair regrows. Facial hair is rare in females, especially in jaws, although hirsutism is a medical condition in which there is hair growth in facial area in females. The use of shaving creams, an old or constantly used razor, a shared razor, after shave lotions, and waxing are the premier causes of skin irritation leading to Itching Jaw.
Acne Vulgaris: This is yet another common cause for Itchy Jaw. Acne is a common skin condition in which there is growth of pimples due to certain hormonal changes. The face is the most commonly affected part of acne vulgaris. Bacterial infections further contribute to acne vulgaris causing Itching Jaw.
Contact Dermatitis: This condition occurs when the skin comes in contact with certain substances that tend to trigger an allergic reaction, most commonly lotions, shaving creams, and after shave lotions leading to an itching Jaw. Individuals with hypersensitive skin are the most affected with this type of condition leading to an itching Jaw.
Dry Skin: People who have a condition called as dry skin in which the skin surface does not have enough moisture in it making the skin cracked and irritated also tend to have itching Jaw. An individual suffering from just dry skin may get relief from application of a moisturizer, but in some cases dry skin is just a symptom of some condition, which may require further investigation. In such instances, moisturizers only provide temporary benefit and once the effect of the moisturizer wears off then there is a recurrence of itchy Jaw.
Poor Hygiene: This is yet another common cause for itching Jaw. Not washing the facial area thoroughly after shaving or waxing and not cleaning the area while bathing may lead to accumulation of dead cells in the jaw area and dirt and other environmental allergens resulting in irritation of the skin causing an itchy Jaw.
Trauma/Injury: A trauma or injury to the face, especially the jaw area while shaving or due to some other cuts or bruises can also lead to itching Jaw. If there is a penetrating wound that is healing will cause the skin receptors to activate the itch response and if you scratch the area not only the wound may open up, but the area becomes prone to infections and obviously an itching of the jaw.
Sunburns: The face and the jaw just like the other exposed area of the body is bound to get affected by sunburn. If you are out on the sun for a long periods of time, the UV rays of the sun tends to irritate the skin resulting causing itching jaw.
Infections: There are certain infections that may also result in an itching of the jaw. Most commonly are skin infections, which can be both bacterial and fungal. Bacterial and fungal infections are more common. At times, viral infections like chickenpox may also cause itching jaw. Some of the bacterial conditions that may lead to itching jaw are acne, impetigo, and folliculitis.
A bacterial infection may also develop from the bacteria, which reside inside the body due to a cut or a bruise in the jaw area like from a cut while shaving causing an infection resulting in itching Jaw. This itching may be accompanied by discharge, red rash, swelling, heat, and tenderness.
The most common type of fungus to cause itching Jaw is dermatophytes. They tend to cause a ring like rash and hence they are termed as ringworms. As the rash develops, it tends to get itchy and when it develops in the jaw it causes itching jaw.
Drug Reactions: Certain drug reactions may also tend to cause severe itchiness with itching Jaw being no exception. There may be many medications to which an individual may be allergic to which may cause a reaction resulting in itching Jaw, but this type of itching tends to resolve once the offending drug is stopped or replaced.
Some Of The Other Causes Of Itching Jaw Are:
- Atopic dermatitis
- Insect bites
- Psoriasis
- Rosacea
- Seborrheic dermatitis
- Systemic lupus erythematosus
- Urticaria
7 Home Remedies To Get Rid Of Itching Jaw
In majority of the cases, one can get rid of an Itching Jaw by following the below mentioned simple remedies.
- Apply Moisturizer: Wash the face thoroughly after shaving and then apply some moisturizer or cream to keep the skin moist, so that it does not get dry and irritating resulting in itching Jaw.
- Cold Compresses: Applying cool compresses to the jaw area is yet another simple remedy to get rid of Itching Jaw all you need to do is dip a clean washcloth in water and place it on the jaw area. Do this several times a day till you get rid of Itching Jaw.
- Baking Soda: This is yet another effective remedy for getting rid of Itching Jaw. Take a warm bath and add a couple of spoons of baking soda in the water with which you are going to take the bath. Practice this for a few days till you get rid of Itching Jaw.
- Toiletry: Make sure that you choose your toiletry carefully and not take any substance or cream which may irritate your skin resulting in Itching Jaw.
- Avoid Sunburns: Try and avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight as this is quite effective in getting rid of Itching Jaw.
- Avoid Skin irritants: Try and avoid any type of metal or jewelry that may irritate the skin or surrounding areas like the jaw which may result in Itching Jaw.
- Avoid Scratching: If you have a cut or a wound on the jaw and it is causing a craving to itch then try and avoid scratching as much as you can so as to avoid irritating the skin further and preventing the wound from getting infected and thus get rid of Itching Jaw.
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