"That being said, because mast cells are also involved in innate immunity, the researchers wondered if scratching's role in activating them conveys some kind of infection-fighting benefit.
Sure enough, they found that scratching did in fact reduce the amount of Staphylococcus aureus on the skin. S. aureus is the most common bacteria involved in skin infections and is most famously responsible for staph infections.
Still, in the research team's opinion, the reduction in this bacteria from scratching doesn't outweigh the way in which the behavior worsens the area around an itch."
