Skincare & skin cancer

Many renal patients suffer from skin related complications, either as symptoms of their kidney disease or as a result of prescribed medication. There are treatments available and self help recommendations, especially for transplant patients. Read on for more information

Itchy back

Itching: a curse with a cure

The following information is from the West Midlands Renal Network.

Itching (uraemic pruritus) is very common in people with CKD stages 4 and 5.

It can ruin peoples lives. Hear first hand about the symptoms.

Read this step-by-step guide to the treatment of itching in kidney faliure.

For people severely affected by itching, gabapentin can be very effective.

Two thirds of people get great relief. One third cannot tolerate gabapentin due to side effects. However, many of these do get relief without side effects from pregabalin.

Read the detailed report of the largest series of patients treated with gabapentin and pregabalin.

Skincare for Transplant Patients

Transplant patients have a higher risk of getting skin cancer because of the drugs they take to prevent rejection of their new kidney. Wessex Cancer Trust has produced a leaflet highlighting how to check your skin for skin cancer. You can download a copy of this leaflet in PDF format below: