Really, though, the most interesting thing is that almost every time I type a question into Google, I rarely get more than a few words in before it suggests the rest of the question…another several words.
“Why do wounds itch when they heal?”
At this point, I really don’t even care. I had three big moles removed, and the incisions were huge–one is an inch long and the other is two inches. The one on my back is three inches long!
And the two in the front itch like sons o’ bitches!!! It’s made worse by the fact that I have overly sensitive skin and I’m a wuss.
I get the sutures out Thursday; today is Tuesday. I’m really hoping the itching goes away.
And, apparently, the jury is out on why woulds itch. One theory is that the histamines that cause swelling also cause the itching. My money is on that explanation.
I’ve only had stitches or staples a few times. However, in my limited experience, the itching does go down sharply after the stitches or staples are removed.
If you’re not going to drive, try taking some Benadryl or the generic equivalent.
They itched worse the first few days. Now they itch, but only a few times a day. Fortunately, the itching is around the incision, so a quick scratch takes care of it.
The one that hurt the most is on my left side…I never knew how often I roll over to my left side in the middle of the night. Every time I did, it hurt, and I’d wake up. Then I’d do it again ten minutes later! Again, and again, and again
The pain is all gone now and I can finally(!) sleep on my left side.
After I had surgery on my elbow last year, the itching nearly drove me crazy. All my stitches were the internal dissolving type. The Steri-Strips did itch but the worst of it was internal and I couldn’t scratch it.
It has now been 13.5 months since my surgery. My scar is well-healed. It still itches. It’s not constant but at least once a day I’ll get an attack of HOLY SHIT IT ITCHES!!! and I have to madly scratch. Unfortunately, the feeling in my arm isn’t the same since the surgery and some things just feel…icky. Scratching is one of those things.
My physical therapist told me why healing wounds itch but I can’t remember what her reason was. It made sense at the time.
Sadly, no one can tell me why it STILL FRIGGEN ITCHES!!!
I just had shoulder surgery last Thursday–it was arthroscopic, so just 2 small incisions, but they put a huge bandage and covered it with layers of adhesive tape. Which I am apparently slightly allergic to. Was able to take it off yesterday, so now only the incisions itch. Ughhhhh.
Last summer I had several lung biopsies and a couple of chest tubes, all of which left a scattering of holes across my back and right side. I looked like an extra in “Godfather” or something. The nurses kindly covered them with gauze and adhesive, which I am horribly allergic to. Every time they pulled off the adhesive, all the skin came with it, so my original holes became oozing lakes of nastiness that itched like mad – maybe from the histamine/allergic reaction. I nearly passed out every time they would rip off the tape --and they tried every kind in the hospital because they felt so guilty about the whole thing.
