Why does scar tissue itch?

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Itching is one of the most normal things a scar does. The NHS lists scars as able to be itchy, painful, or uncomfortable - and healing explains all three. A scar is a rebuilt section of skin, and the rebuild runs on three fronts that all register as itch: nerve endings severed by the original wound are regrowing and misfiring as they reconnect; the body is laying down fresh collagen fibres that sit tighter and thicker than the skin they replace, pulling slightly on surrounding tissue; and the new surface has not yet restored normal oil and sweat glands, so scars run dry - and dry skin itches, full stop. The itch usually tracks the healing timeline: strongest in the first months, fading as the scar flattens and pales, a process the NHS says can take up to 2 years or more. What helps: keep the scar moisturised with a simple unperfumed cream several times a day - hydration is the main lever - and keep it out of the sun, since scars burn easily and sun darkens them. Cool compresses calm a flare; scratching re-injures the surface and keeps the cycle alive. Massage, once the wound is fully closed, softens the tight collagen underneath. The see-someone patterns: a scar that stays very itchy and keeps thickening or growing beyond the wound's edges (that is keloid territory, which MedlinePlus covers), one that is red, hot, or weeping, or itching that sleep cannot ignore. Pymander is a free AI doctor, 24/7 by text, that can help you judge yours.

Why does scar tissue itch?

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