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 ...

Mom knew what she was talking about after all: Scratching really does make the itch worse. Good as it feels, the burst of ecstasy you get from clawing your irritated skin only prolongs a vicious ...

Scratching an itch can bring a contradictory wave of pleasure and misery. A mouse study on scratching, reported in the Jan. 31 Science, fleshes out this head-scratching paradox and could point out ...

If scratching an itch feels so good, why do scientists say it’s so bad? Existing research suggests scratching itchy skin can often make it worse, aggravating a wound and spreading harmful bacteria.

Your parents were right: Scratching an itchy rash really does make it worse. Now we know why, thanks to new research published today in the journal Science that uncovers how scratching aggravates ...

Scratching an itch is a common misunderstood behaviour. The study, published in the journal Science, delved deeper into understanding how scratching can affect skin health. Here's what the findings ...

The itch from bug bites, rashes, and other skin conditions can sometimes be so overpowering that it feels impossible to avoid scratching them. But new research explains why you might want to hold off ...

Journalist Annie Lowrey has a rare disease that causes a near-constant itch that doesn't respond to most treatments. She likens the itchiness to a... Chronic itch is miserable. Scientists are just ...