Management of Skin Problems in Chronic Kidney Failure

Chronic Kidney Failure patients may suffer from distinctive skin problems. The problems can torment them on mind and body. Is there any way to relieve those problems?
Common skin problems in Chronic Kidney Failure
Pale skin - related to chronic anemia. Pale skin is usually complicated with extremely fatigue.
Skin bruising - caused by reduced platelet count and impaired hemostatic function in blood system.
Dry skin: due to chronic dehydration. Also, dialysis can decease the function of oil glands, aggregating the skin problem.
Plaques or nodules: Due to calcium deposits in the skin, some patients experience firm plaques or nodules on the surfaces of the larger joint with a chalky material exuding.
Skin itching: Skin itching is a classic skin problem in Chronic Renal Failure. It counts for 60~80% in patients with End Stage Renal Failure. It is mainly due to increased phosphorus in blood.
Management of Skin Problems in Chronic Kidney Failure
1. Dialysis
Generally, dialysis can relieve these problems, but it is no use in restoring kidney structure and improving renal function at all. Also, dialysis is inadequate in removing phosphorus. That is why patients still have skin itching still on dialysis.
2. Medicated bath and Chinese herbal medicine
As the skin problems are associated with kidney disease, the most important is to treat the kidneys as a whole. In China, the combinated medicated bath and Chinese herbal medicine is applied to treat kidney disease. It has showed remarkable in improving renal function and relieveing skin problems and other complications of Chronic Kidney Failure
3. Choose hypo-allergenic soap and avoid long hot or warm bath and air drying of the skin. They should use moisturizer when the skin is still damp. Meanwhile, avoiding wearing tight irritating clothing is also helpful.
As the underlying cause is impaired renal function, what the patients firstly should do is to treat their kidney problem effectively and fundamentally.