It’s tough to resist scratching an itch — and there might be an evolutionary reason for that, a new study suggests.
People are typically advised not to scratch itchy skin — whether due to a bug bite or chronic condition — because too much abrasion can raise the risk of infection by injuring the skin and may worsen the itchiness. However, a study published Thursday (Jan. 30) in the journal Science found that some amount of scratching may be useful.
Turns out, scratching an itch increases inflammation and boosts the body’s immune response at an itchy injury site, thus helping to ward off infection, the researchers discovered. The findings may help explain why scratching has been preserved across multiple species.
“If scratching an itch is bad for us, why does it feel so good?” study co-author Dr. Daniel Kaplan, a…