Skin Scratch Quandry

June 27, 2007 7:18 AM

My female loves to be scratched until red marks appear. Is frequent scratching bad for her skin in the long term? If so, please suggest alternatives.
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 to Health & Fitness (11 answers total)

Best answer: red marks as in...what, exactly?

is her skin just pink and then it fades a little bit? or are you actually breaking the skin enough to draw blood?

if it's just pink and fades in a little bit of time, i'd imagine that you're fine. if you're scratching her hard enough to draw blood on a regular basis, and you're hitting the same places, i imagine that she could possibly scar, or it could get infected if it's not properly taken care of, or something like that. i'm not a doctor, but i wouldn't worry about it too much.
posted by plaingurl at 7:51 AM on June 27, 2007

Best answer: IANAD, but I'd wonder as to the cause of her desire to be scratched, e.g. eczema, psoriasis, or other existing skin condition? Itchiness can also be caused by anxiety. To prevent long-term damage, it's probably best to address the cause.

Or maybe she's just a masochist, in which case, carry on.
posted by desjardins at 8:04 AM on June 27, 2007

Best answer: Also, make sure your hands are clean. If you are scratching her enough to break skin and draw blood try not to give her a staph infection from whatever detritus is under your nails.
posted by pieoverdone at 8:17 AM on June 27, 2007

Response by poster: My wife. I'm sorry for my turn of phrase, I didn't mean to offend anyone.
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 8:32 AM on June 27, 2007

I scratch myself when I have eczema or allergies. I scratched hard enough to draw blood and left myself with scars that are very slowly healing. Even if your scratching is very light it can't be good to keep irritating her skin daily.

For alternatives, I liked cool showers where I could rub with a washcloth, and massages from my husband. Taking antihistamines, getting a steroid cream from my dermatologist, and eliminating any colored or scented lotions, detergents, and soaps helped with the itching.

Good luck!
posted by christinetheslp at 8:54 AM on June 27, 2007

Human skin responds to constant abrasion by building calluses.
posted by Steven C. Den Beste at 9:13 AM on June 27, 2007

Try a simple moisturizer / lotion, purchased at the grocery or drug store. Something unscented is safest - Lubriderm for sensitive skin works pretty well.
posted by amtho at 10:57 AM on June 27, 2007

Mod note: enough with the "female what?" riffing
posted by cortex (staff) at 11:40 AM on June 27, 2007

I think a hydrocortisone cream may be called for.
posted by Steven C. Den Beste at 12:56 PM on June 27, 2007

For what it's worth, I've read some pretty safety-obsessed authors on BDSM. None that I recall have mentioned any danger from scratching without drawing blood.

(If this is a sexual thing for you two and you're curious, try Jay Wiseman's S/M 101, which is good, thorough and very conservative about safety. But whether or not it's sexual for you, it is sexual for some people — and the kink scene is usually a good source of information on how much you can do to a body without damaging it.)
posted by nebulawindphone at 1:28 PM on June 27, 2007

Do those red marks appear easily? I like having my back scratched as much as the next girl, but for me, even light pressure will make big, raised, red welts that swell and then fade within ten minutes or so. If she's got dermographism -- and it is pretty common -- the red marks you're making aren't a big deal at all.
posted by booksandlibretti at 3:34 PM on June 27, 2007