Why do you keep picking at wounds and scabs?
HLN, 23 July 2023
In HLN, Dr Griet Voet explains why picking at wounds disrupts healing and how to get itching and the urge to scratch under control.
In HLN, a woman says she cannot leave the scabs on her wounds alone, even in her sleep. A wound care specialist and two dermatologists, including Dr Griet Voet, explain what lies behind it.
If you keep scratching, the wound stays open and you risk inflammation and scarring. Chronic scratching can develop into prurigo nodularis, which according to Dr Voet is more common in women and in people with itchy skin conditions such as eczema. If the urge is uncontrollable and compulsive, psychological support is advisable.
Dr Voet gives tips to ease the itching and limit scratching, and recommends seeking help if the wound does not heal.
Key advice
Cool the itchy spot briefly, but not too often, as that dries out the skin.
Keep your nails short and well groomed.
Cover the skin at night with clothing or wear cotton gloves.
If the wound doesn't heal, seek support.
“If you scratch a lot, it's best to sleep with cotton gloves on” — Dr Griet Voet
Want to know more? Read about Wound care at Clinique Dermatologie Gent.