Impaired kidney function can cause the patient’s skin to become dry, itchy, rash, become pale, and white patches appear on the nails.
Kidney disease progresses gradually, so in the early stages there may not be any symptoms. According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), when the disease progresses to the later stages, the kidney’s blood filtering function is greatly reduced, and the patient will notice one or more of the following symptoms on the skin.
Extremely dry skin
Kidney disease affects the functioning of sweat and sebaceous glands, causing the skin’s pH to change. This reduces the skin’s overall lipid and moisture content. Your skin can be dry to the point of being rough and scaly, feeling tight and cracking easily. This condition is common in people with end-stage kidney disease, requiring hemodialysis or kidney transplantation.
Itchy skin
The kidneys function to filter blood by removing waste and excess water from the body. This organ also maintains mineral balance, releases hormones and controls blood pressure. When kidney function declines, waste accumulates in the blood causing an itchy feeling.
Extremely itchy skin is a common symptom of advanced kidney disease. The itching sensation can occur all the time, in one area of the skin, or spread over most of the body. If the patient scratches too much and vigorously, it can cause the skin to bleed or ulcerate, causing the skin in the affected area to thicken and hard, very itchy bumps to appear. If there is no way to relieve the itching, the patient should see a dermatologist.
People with kidney disease often have dry, itchy skin and scratch a lot, causing damage. Illustration photo: Ngoc Pham
Skin discoloration
When the kidneys cannot function normally, toxins build up which can cause changes in skin color. The patient’s skin is pale or gray, yellow, or dark. If you have itchy skin for a long time and scratch frequently, you may develop areas of thick, yellow skin with deep bumps and folds, or cysts, spots that look like whiteheads.
Nails change
Kidney disease can affect the shape of fingernails, toenails, or both. People with advanced kidney disease may have white patches on the top of one or more fingernails, with the bottom being normal or reddish brown. Pale nails or white strips running across one or more nails.
Swelling
The kidneys are unable to remove excess fluid and salt from the body causing swelling that can be noticed in the legs, ankles, feet, hands, face. Swelling can appear in one or more areas of the body at the same time.
Rash
The rash that occurs in people with end-stage kidney disease causes small, dome-shaped spots that are very itchy. As these spots disappear, new spots can form. Sometimes, these small spots combine to form rough, raised patches.
Blisters
Some people with end-stage kidney disease develop blisters, which can form on the hands, face, or feet. The blisters burst, dry, and crust over. As they disappear, scars will appear.
Tumor in abdomen
This could be a sign of kidney cancer. In the early stages, kidney cancer rarely has symptoms. As the cancer progresses, it can cause lumps or lumps in the side, abdomen, or lower back.
Calcium deposits under the skin
Impaired kidney function causes an imbalance of certain minerals in the blood such as sodium and phosphate. This causes some patients to develop calcium deposits in the skin. Calcium deposits often develop around joints and are painless. However, they appear on the fingertips and can cause a lot of pain. If calcium deposits push up through the skin, the patient may see a chalky discharge.
Blood and urine tests help detect kidney disease at an early stage, before permanent kidney damage occurs. Kidney function tests are recommended for people with diabetes, high blood pressure, and people 65 years of age and older.
When kidney disease affects the skin, a nephrologist may coordinate treatment with a dermatologist. Your doctor may prescribe moisturizers and topical medications to help relieve symptoms. Some people with end-stage kidney disease can get relief from itching with UVB phototherapy.