When wounds start to heal, a scab generally covers the wound in a short time. It is around this time that we feel the need to itch around our wounds. This is due to ‘paresthesia’. As our wounds heal, the cells around it grow. Like an electric current, they all grow in numbers and migrate towards the centre of the wound. They grow, unite at the centre and contract to pull the wound shut. This creates a ‘mechanical stress’ that activates the itch nerves and sends a message to the spinal cord to scratch the wound.
Why do healing wounds itch?
