The skin surrounding scratches, even very light scratches, becomes red and raised. The raised marks will usually go away on their own within 30 minutes or so. This condition is harmless and affects about 2 to 5 percent of the population. The rare skin condition flagellate erythema can sometimes cause scratch-like marks. Rashes from flagellate erythema will often be very itchy.
In most cases, they appear on your back. There are a number of other skin conditions and rashes that could be mistaken for scratch marks, depending on their shape. Rashes are usually caused by skin contact with some kind of irritant or allergen, or from taking certain medications.
Your skin can also break out in hives as an allergic reaction to you eating certain kinds of food. Hives appear as raised bumps or spots, but a cluster of hives could be mistaken for scratches. Severe scratch marks when you wake up could be caused by:. First, try wearing soft cotton gloves to sleep or filing off the sharp edges from your fingernails. If the scratch marks stop appearing when you wake up, you were likely scratching yourself. If scratching yourself in your sleep is a recurring problem, consider seeing a sleep specialist to diagnose a potential parasomnia.
If the scratches still appear after you rule out self-scratching, they could be coming from a person or pet that shares your bed. For more information, see Website Privacy. Skip to navigation menu Skip to content. High Priority Alert. Close alert. Informational Alert. Skin Injury. Is this your child's symptom? Injuries to the skin anywhere on the body surface Includes cuts, scratches, scrapes, bruises and swelling Types of Skin Injury Cuts, lacerations, gashes and tears.
Goldsmith LA, et al. Urticaria and angioedema. In: Fitzpatrick's Dermatology in General Medicine. New York, N. Adkinson NF, et al. In: Middleton's Allergy: Principles and Practice. Philadelphia, Pa. Amin P, et al. Investigation of patient-specific characteristics associated with treatment outcomes for chronic urticaria.
Related Dermatographia. A growing stomach during pregnancy can lead to the development of stretch marks, which can be very itchy. Applying anti-itch moisturizers can help control the itching during the day, but women cannot do this while asleep. As a result, a pregnant woman may wake up with scratches on or around the stretch mark areas when she wakes up. Sleepwalking is a type of parasomnia that causes a person to walk and move around as though they are awake, but they remain in a state of sleep.
A person can experience injuries of unknown origin, including scratches, due to their sleepwalking. Treatments for scratching while sleeping depend upon the underlying cause. For example, if a skin condition is leading the person to scratch, treating this condition can usually resolve the issue. Applying topical products, such as moisturizers, can often help. Keeping the nails short can help a person reduce the risk of deeper, more painful scratches.
Some people may even choose to wear soft gloves while they sleep. Those who cannot identify an underlying cause can take steps to improve their sleep that may reduce scratching symptoms. These steps include:. If a person still does not respond to these measures, doctors may prescribe medications that can improve sleep.
Examples include benzodiazepines and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors SSRIs. Learn more about how to improve sleep quality here. A person should see a doctor if they try to treat their symptoms at home but still wake up with scratches.
Deep scratches that look infected or the appearance of any other severe symptoms alongside the scratches are also reasons to visit a doctor. A doctor may recommend a sleep study to observe a person while they sleep.
Researchers are also studying the effectiveness of apps using smartwatches to detect nighttime scratching, as these may aid diagnosis.
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