Journal of Clinical & Experimental Dermatology Research
Open Access

Abstract

Pruritus of Healing Wounds: why Scabs Itch

Herbert B Allen, Brittany Heffner, Trisha Dasgupta, Carrie Ann Cusack, Bhaswati Sen and Suresh G Joshi

We demonstrate herein the novel finding of occluded sweat ducts in healing wounds. We also show these occlusions are from biofilms because they are periodic acid Schiff positive which indicates they are polysaccharides and Congo red positive which shows they contain amyloid, which forms the infrastructure of biofilms. Further, from the skin immediately adjacent to the wounds, we have cultured staphylococci, all of which have the capability of forming biofilms as indicated by a colorimetric assay. These findings are similar to the findings in eczema, and we believe trigger the same response of the innate immune system in healing wounds, just as in eczema. The activated immune system (Toll-like receptor 2) then initiates the pathway leading to pruritus.