scabs

[lisajane83]

why do scabs itch?

[hopalong]

Because it in the process of healing.

[adydb]

A  pure guess is that as this is an abnormality to the body surface (although correcting a fault on the body) the brain is telling you to scratch it to bleed, as if you bleed the flow is away from the body therfore not allowing infection in?....I know although this won't heal as quick the body has an added defense?

[finex]

It is not the scab itself that it is itching, rather the healing wound underneath. The scab itself is formed from dead cells which provide a protective barrier to help stop the wound becoming infected.

As the skin regenerates under the scab, new nerve endings are slowly developing and growing back into place. As this happens they will occasionally "misfire", causing the itching sensation which scratching will relieve by overloading the nerve impulse temporarily.

Years ago I had an operation on my nose which involved cutting a flap of skin away, then sewing it back. For several months afterwards, I would get itching on one side of my nose, but I couldn't scratch it, because the nerves were not sufficiently healed to register the scratch. Aaargh!

Difficult as it is, you should try not to scratch or pick at the scab at all if you can help it. When the skin is fully healed, it will drop off by itself. If you pick it off before the skin is healed, you run the risk of permanent scarring which would be a lot worse than if you had left the wound to heal completely.