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You've been told you shouldn't scratch that itch. Is that true?
AP News • • health
Key Points:
- Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh studied the itch-and-scratch cycle using mice fitted with "cones of shame," finding that scratching increases inflammation and swelling by activating immune cells called mast cells.
- Scratching releases a chemical messenger, substance P, from pain-sensing nerves, which further activates mast cells and worsens itchy rashes or bites, explaining why scratching makes the itch more severe.
- While scratching may help reduce certain skin bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus, this potential benefit does not outweigh the overall harmful effects of scratching inflamed skin.
- Current treatments for itch include antihistamines, anti-itch balms such as hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion, and menthol-containing creams that temporarily relieve itch by creating a cooling sensation to break the itch-scratch cycle.
- Researchers are exploring new drug targets, like MRGPRX2 blockers, that interfere with the molecular pathway involved in scratching-induced inflammation, aiming to improve therapies for chronic skin conditions such as eczema.
