Researchers identify the TRPV4 ion channel as the body's internal "stop scratching" signal, offering new hope for chronic itch relief.

This is Explainer, a column that answers questions we all have (or should have). Anyone with skin knows the feeling of having a bad itch that won’t go away. Whether it’s a mosquito bite, hives, or ...

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 ...

How does the body know when to stop scratching an itch? New research is giving us more insight. Scientists have long known about the itch-scratch cycle. When an irritant gets on your skin, a ...

PITTSBURGH — When you feel that irresistible urge to scratch an itch, you’re activating an evolutionary defense system. New ...

Q: Is it true that you shouldn’t scratch itchy skin? What should I do instead? A: Scratching an itch can damage your skin and make the urge even worse. Instead, try rubbing or gently stroking it with ...

New research published in the journal Science uncovers how scratching aggravates inflammation and swelling in a mouse model of a type of eczema called allergic contact dermatitis. "At first, these ...

I remember it well: our dark winter of itch when the kids were small. It started with a note sent home—years before the pandemic—that my child had been exposed, not to a deadly virus but to lice.

The itch crept up my back, across my stomach and along my arms and legs. It flared during my morning runs and followed me to the office. It was particularly acute at night.

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 ...