Habitual scratching amplifies and perpetuates atopic dermatitis

We were fascinated and heartened to read this very helpful commentary1 on the study by Redhu et al2 who describe some precise physico-biological pathways that link skin barrier disruption to itch in atopic dermatitis (AD). This may well explain how curtailing scratching in AD with the simple behavioural technique of habit reversal can so dramatically improve the condition3. It is important to note that scratching in AD over time often becomes not only a response to itch, but also to both habit and mental state.