Part 2

What does scratching do to my skin

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Noticing your Behaviour

What does scratching do to your skin?

Noticing your behaviour

This is because scratching makes your skin release chemicals. This makes you feel even more itchy, which makes you want to scratch more!

This is called the itch-scratch cycle.

Scratching and rubbing can worsen the itch.

Scratching can also damage your skin. This can make it bleed or let bugs in so it can get infected. Damaged skin also lets water escape more easily which can cause dryness.

Damaged skin can feel itchy while it is healing. This can add to the itch-scratch cycle.

What does scratching do to your skin?

Noticing your behaviour

Does the programme work?

"As I got older I found what works to help control that itch."

Jake's story

Itch is the sensation

What we feel

This makes you want to scratch.

Scratching is the behaviour

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What we do

It is any touching of our skin that we do again and again, rubbing and picking is the same.

What does scratching do to your skin?

Noticing your behaviour

Noticing your behaviour

Worsens eczema

Adds chronic eczema to acute eczema: the skin gets thicker and more inflamed – the face, neck and hands are the easiest to scratch - so have the highest chance of getting chronic eczema

What does scratching do?

Prevents healing

Can introduce infection

chronic

Noticing your behaviour

Itch and scratching do not always go together!

A vicious cycle is formed. For your skin to heal we need to treat all parts of the cycle.

The itch scratch cycle

Noticing your behaviour

Damaged

skin barrier

Noticing your behaviour

Damaged

skin barrier

Irritants /

Allergens

Noticing your behaviour

Inflammation

Damaged

skin barrier

Irritants /

Allergens

Noticing your behaviour

Itch

Damaged

skin barrier

Inflammation

Irritants /

Allergens

Noticing your behaviour

Damaged

skin barrier

Irritants /

Scratching

Itch

Inflammation

Allergens

Breaking the cycle

Scratching can become a habit so we need to work on learning new ways to manage the itch instead of scratching.

This will help break the cycle of itching and scratching.

habit

The first step to stop scratching is to start noticing when we scratch.

Learn why, when and where you scratch.

Interrupt your scratching.

Refocus.

Notice your scratching Breaking the cycle

This helps us to:

Notice your scratching Breaking the cycle

Noticing when we scratch may take a bit of time to get used to but it is an important first step.

If you think you might not be able to notice, you might need an adult or someone else, to help you know when you have scratched. Over time, this can help you notice too.

You may be scratching now as you read this, just notice how many times you do it!

You should record your scratching as soon as you realise you are scratching.

Record your scratching Breaking the cycle

Don’t worry if you miss your first few scratches, start recording them as soon as you can.

To get an idea of how many times you scratch, you should pick a time in the day when you think you scratch more.

Record your scratching Breaking the cycle

Twice a week and for one hour at the weekend

A fixed time after school (for example, from 4pm to 6pm)

Twice a week for an hour at school

Here are some ideas of times and places where you can notice and record your scratching:

Are there any other times or places you scratch more? Keep a record of your scratching there.

As soon as you notice you feel itchy and start scratching you should record it as a scratch.

Record your scratching Breaking the cycle

A scratch can involve actually scratching with your nails, rubbing against something else or using something against your skin to scratch it (e.g. a hairbrush or comb).

Record your scratching Breaking the cycle

When you notice that you start to scratch you should use the counter on your mobile or the clicker counter to make a note of this in your booklet.

Record your scratching Breaking the cycle

If you scratch one part of your body once, this is one scratch. If you scratch another part of your body this is a 2nd scratch.

Scratch arm = 1 scratch

Scratch arm + leg = 2 scratches

Scratch arm + leg + chest = 3 scratches

Record your scratching Breaking the cycle

As the video shows for each scratch as shown record this on the counter

Click to start watching

Record your scratching Breaking the cycle

In your booklet you will have space to record how many times you scratch and the situation you were in.

This helps you understand about why you might scratch. For example...

Record your scratching Breaking the cycle

Some people scratch more when they feel stressed and are doing homework.

Record your scratching Breaking the cycle

Some people scratch more when they watch television because they may be bored.

Record your scratching Breaking the cycle

Some people scratch more when in bed because they are worrying about things.

Record your scratching Breaking the cycle

When we figure out why you scratch we can help you to reduce the scratching in these times.

Everyone scratches in different places, for different reasons. Can you think of other times you may scratch in?

Record your scratching Breaking the cycle

If you scratch when you are stressed...

try doing something to relax.

Record your scratching Breaking the cycle

If you scratch when you are watching television, this may be a sign that you are bored...

try doing something else with your hands.

Record your scratching Breaking the cycle

If you scratch when you are feeling angry...

try doing something that makes you calm.

Record your scratching Breaking the cycle

If you scratch when you feel down in the dumps...

try doing something that makes you feel happy.

Record your scratching Breaking the cycle

Once you know the times and reasons you scratch you can change what you do.

The next part will go through some ideas!

Record your scratching Breaking the cycle

When you notice that you start to scratch you should use the counter on your mobile or the clicker counter to make a note of this in your booklet.

Remember to notice and record your scratching this week

Thanks for completing Part 2

In the next part, we will find out more about things you can do to stop you from scratching

Go to Part 3

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