Elderly woman has "itchy" skin?

Has anyone had any experience with an elderly relative or friend saying that his/her skin is itching...yet nothing is actually wrong with the skin? My 90 year old mother has been scratching her head for months now. I've had the doctor and her hairdresser study the scalp and they both say it is healthy. But she just says to me "Well, I know it isn't as I can FEEL it flaking off." She has just recently added her nose to the regions that itch and has rubbed it almost raw. (I've now put a band-aid on her nose to keep that from happening.) She says things like "Isn't it awful when your skin dies as you get old?" We keep telling her that her skin isn't dying--I rub lotion on her off and on all day, but she is still convinced that her skin is flaking off. It obviously is something "mental" rather than physical, but I don't know what to do about it. Her doctor didn't suggest anything. I thought about something like bendryl, but fear that would make her sleep all day. Any suggestions?

Elderly woman has "itchy" skin?
I really don't know what is wrong with your mother.


But I've a question.


Are your mother suffering from any systemic illness?


Maybe it's a manifestation of another disorder as I mentioned,the so called senile dermatitis,so,I recommend more investigations,specially she is an old.


By the way the most common cause for senile dermatitis is excessive dryness.


Until then,you may try some emollients as soft white parrafin oil.


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Hope this helps