ELI5 Eczema - why does scratching feel so good?

Why does scratching eczema affected skin feel good in that moment, when it actually worsens the skin condition? Why is it that eczema often appears in small patches on the body rather than being spread out? How does hydrocortisone work to relieve itching and inflammation caused by eczema? Is Eczema contagious? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: trianglesaurus, picklesrnoturfriend, qblez, 7superbaby7, jaydenlzw and oopsielalala To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Send us an e-mail: [email protected]