could go in f&a but i feel like i would be bothering them with something general and trivial lol
WHY do scars itch? anyone know? .. not like healing cuts, but old scars?!
its so annoying lol.. esp hypertrophic ones
also, anyone know if its bad to itch them?
*runs away*
"They say time heals all wounds. I don't agree. The wounds remain. In time, the mind, protecting its sanity, covers them with scar tissue and the pain lessons, but it is never gone." - Rose Kennedy
it's something to do with nerve ends repairing theirselves... I can't remember exactly... had a lecture about healing and stuff a few months back that explained it.but since the exams ended I cannot remember such things lol
I'll have a look for my notes and see if I ccan find out exactly why it is
There are different types of wound closures and different phases that each wound goes through, regardless of type, during the healing process. Wounds heal by either primary, secondary, or tertiary intervention.
•Primary: wound closes with minimal intervention
•Secondary: wound closes by contraction and reepithelialization
•Tertiary: also called delayed primary closure, wound closes when there is initial debridement and suture or other method is used.
The phases of wound healing include inflammatory, proliferative, and maturation. The inflammatory phase includes the initial reaction to the injury in which a number of cells, including platelets, neutrophils, and macrophages, migrate to the site. Platelets, besides helping in clotting, act as a chemoattractant for neutrophils through a cascade effect. The neutrophils kill bacteria and aid in debridement, as do the macrophages. Macrophages are essential for wound healing because they secrete the growth factors imperative for healing.
The proliferative phase occurs when tissue reconstruction begins, including epithelialization, angiogenesis, and granulation. The final phase is the maturation phase when wound contraction, or the inward movement of the wound’s edge, occurs. This can reduce both the amount of reepithelialization and the amount of scar tissue
Why do wound itch on approach of final healing?
The itch of a healing wound is caused by the growth of new cells underneath the old scab. New skin cells would be growing underneath there, and as they form a new layer of skin, then the scab becomes more tightly stretched over this zone of activity. This can make it feel itchy. The itch sensation for burn survivors may be a tingling feeling caused by nerves re-growing, or from dry skin caused by the lack of natural oil production since oil glands may have been damaged or destroyed by the burn. As the nerves grow and start to receive and send messages, they may create that itchy feeling. The skin in this area will be a lot less thick than everywhere else, so these new nerve cells will be under a lot more pressure.
Most people say that itching is a sign of healing. It is best to avoid itching of the wound. If it becomes too much of a problem, speak with the doctor or nurse. They may order medications by mouth or some topical cream to help make this more tolerable.
However, mosturising the scar/area is a good way of mitigating the feeling of itching
Last edited by shadow-light : 27-06-2009 at 04:26 PM.
Itchy scars are really annoying, but i have found if i use moisturising lotion on them they dont itch as much, and if you use a lotion with vitamin E in it, it helps reduce the appearance of the scars as well.
I don't think it would be very beneficial to scratch them, above all scratching them seems to make them more itchy to me, but also you could end up damaging the skin even more.
take care
Christine xxxx
We need never be hopeless, because we can never be irreparably broken
Yeahh, dont itch them. I think its normal, my scars are really itchy and it is so irritating! But I think put some Vitamin E Oil or something on and then that should calm them down. Try to distract yourself so you dont itch them!
eeks i know how annoying it is but i tihnk its best to try not to itch them - no matter how tempting
*ponders*
*random thought* i wonder if putting ice on them and making them all cold would stop the itching??
(goes to freezer to check for ice cubes - will try out theory next time mine itch lol)
The Soul Would Have No Rainbows If The Eyes Had Shed No Tears
[Laurel Burch]
Believe in yourself and your dreams. For when you do. You can achieve anything!
"They say time heals all wounds. I don't agree. The wounds remain. In time, the mind, protecting its sanity, covers them with scar tissue and the pain lessons, but it is never gone." - Rose Kennedy
