Despite the saying “happiness is having a scratch for every itch,” itching often makes the itchy skin condition worse. So why is the instinct so strong? In a study with mice, researchers from the ...

What’s common between a scratchy sweater, a mosquito bite, and poison ivy? A brush with any of them guarantees an itchy spot on the skin. Scratching that itch is extremely tempting because of how ...

Your parents were right: Scratching an itchy rash really does make it worse. Now we know why, thanks to new research that uncovers how scratching aggravates inflammation and swelling in a mouse model ...

Scratching a mosquito bite can offer a moment of bliss, and now scientists know why: scratching activates an immune response that helps to protect the skin against harmful infections, at least in mice ...

Russell has a PhD in the history of medicine, violence, and colonialism. His research has explored topics including ethics, science governance, and medical involvement in violent contexts. Russell has ...

The TRPV4 protein’s dual nature, found in studies with mice, may complicate the hunt for human itch treatments ...

How many times were you told not to scratch an itchy rash when you were a kid because you’d only make it worse? Well, it ...

As the old saying goes, “If I had a nickel for every time [something happened], I’d be rich.” For a dermatologist, the [something happened] stands for “Help—my back itches, Doc!” How often do I hear ...

From a relatively young age, many of us are given one overarching piece of advice when it comes to having an itch: whatever you do, don’t scratch it. Whether it’s from a mosquito bite, a sunburn or a ...

Discover why we stop scratching. Researchers identify spinal cord neurons that signal when an itch is satisfied, offering hope for new chronic itch treatments.