Since my liver went South, I've noticed many, many alarming changes. One that shocked me was my shin was itchy, so I scratched it. However, the skin easily broke and bled!! I think I'm sicker than I've been told. ( I have no insurance ATM)
Anybody struggle w thinking skin? I just assumed it aging, but now believe it's liver related. Ty blt
*thinning skin
I've had itchy skin (pruritus) for over 20 years. Mine is confined to the scalp, neck & shoulders but mainly the scalp. It started after I began regularly using painkillers. I was hoping it would fade away after I stopped taking painkillers but I’ve now gone 16 ½ months without a painkiller & the pruritus is still present. Today I’ve felt unusually healthy however the itch has been quite strong. I'm lucky in that the itchiness is moderate & I can ignore it most of the time. Scratching doesn't help. When I get a good night’s sleep the pruritus feels almost totally gone but it returns within minutes of my getting up & doing things. Bleeding easily can be a symptom of a low platelet count however a blood test would be needed to confirm that as the likely cause.
Is not thinning skin and itching a symptom of liver disease?
Itching can be a symptom of liver function impairment but I've not heard of thinning skin being one.
Dr. Melissa Palmer's Guide To Hepatitis and Liver Disease
"Pruritus is the medical term for itching. It is commonly the first clue that something is wrong in people with primary biliary cirrhosis. Pruritus can also occur in any liver disease complicated by cholestasis—impairment or failure of bile flow—such as in people with cirrhosis complicated by jaundice. Pruritus is a symptom that can be extraordinarily annoying and extraordinarily difficult to treat. It can range in intensity from being so mild that it does not interfere with daily activities to being so intense that it inhibits a person from sleeping at night or even holding down a regular job. The itching can occur all over the body or be limited to specific areas, such as the palms of the hand or the upper back. Some people describe this sensation as a tingling or burning sensation beneath the skin, which is not relieved by any amount of scratching. Sometimes itching can become so severe that patients will resort to scratching themselves with sharp objects, thereby causing permanent scars."
It doesn’t automatically follow from the above quote that if you have pruritus then you have serious liver disease. The two ultrasounds & FibroScans I’ve had showed that I don't have fibrosis or cirrhosis & my gall bladder also appears to be healthy. After living clean of painkillers for 16 ½ months I feel healthy but I continue to have pruritus. In my case the pruritus was one of the first side effects I experienced from taking painkillers on a daily basis & it will be the last side effect to disappear if it ever does disappear.
I must get to good Drs who don't just brush me off. I've too many symptoms. I need a biopsy to know how much damage I got. Ty
Hi yoko
(John’s dead miss him miss him miss him. Please go to Brett11’s post and say where your nickname came from 😁)
Welcome to this fabulous forum 😁
Wow how interesting- I thought I was the only one who had had this issue! I have had it for four years but not since I had my liver transplant. It may be that that is purely coincidental though 😁. My shins often came up in blisters until, naughty naughty, I popped them and then they bled! Sorry to all if too much detail ☹️
Hope you get over it without drastic action. Have you been to doctors?
Miles
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I don't have insurance for a few weeks. I knew itchy was a symptom. Glad you're well. 
Yoko? I'm just a silly sense of humor. Yoko oh no. Lol
If you are on steroids as part of your medication that can cause thinning of the skin.
I have had itchy skin for many years use creams to alleviate but if bad Elecon is a great help
Ty jimmy
Hi, you don't say how old you are? As we age our skin thins, but shins itching and skin damage can be a sign of poor circulation. This can happen in poorly controlled diabetes as well.
I would say check with your Dr to put your mind at rest. My mum had this problem for years, like an eczema which wouldn't get better, then the open skin can get infected, which prolonged the problem, she finally got on top of it with loads of prescription creams. Obviously I've know idea if yours is the same, but anything that worries you is worth seeing someone about. Get on top of it.
Best wishes for good health.
X
Ty. I am older, 52. I thought I read that the skin thinks w liver sickness. I've been scratching my shins for 5 decades. They never bled for heaven's sake.
You guys are the best BLT
Aha thx wass. I’ve got diabetes and I had never associated my shin problem, similar to Ono’s, with diabetes before!
Miles
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I have severe psoriasis so know how the itching can cause distress and discomfort. After30 plus years and trying virtually everything, top shelf stuff included. Prescribed by dermatologist. Obviously I dont even know if some of the itching is down to having cirrhosis. I was prescribed antihistamine tabs but they no longer work. I tried my last new med Otezla 28th October, by 6th November I knew that yet another treatment was contraindicated for me. Over the years getting itch relief has been a challenge. There are things you can do however to to ease it.
Clothing - no man made fibres and no tight fit jeans. When your at home cotton pj's are the best thing. In the UK its not unusual to see people go to the shop in nightwear, but I haven't sunk to that lol
Central heating - it is better to keep warm using layers rather than ramping up the heat. I find 14 is sufficient in the day, if its extremely cold of an evening I go to 16/17. The other plus is it saves money, In the UK fuel costs have gone through the roof. Its easy for me as I live on my own, but I do turn it up if visitors are cold.
Ensure your hydrated - I'm not a fan of water but find if you drink it at room temperature it goes down a lot easier.
Having a bat - difficult for many because showers are in vogue and take less space.Not too hot either. Absolutely no perfumed bubble bath, bath bombs etc. One thing that helps is porridge oats! Obviously not sprinkled into the water lol.Use an old stoking or gut the leg off a pair of tights. Add 4 to 6 table spoons of porridge oats, not the instant variety. Tie off the leg and place in the bath. The water will turn cloudy/creamy. It is very cheap and it does soothe the skin. If you dont have a bath , get a tallish container. Its usually feet and lower legs with liver itching, Dont go mad drying your skin afterwards. pat dry and and not a rough towel. In hot weather adjust the water temp to low.
Pure cotton bedding also helps, yes they crease but who cares if it helps.
Don't be tempted to use any creams containing cortisone! - Yes it works however it thins the skin and when it wears off the itching increases 2 fold.
Hope this helps Hazelx
Bath not bat lol
Skin problems following cellulitis 
Itchy skin could I have liver disease 
Possible PBC /itchy skin, aching muscles plus hot and cold feelings
Itchy Skin! 
