itching five months in?

[ifanal]

I had my surgery almost five months ago. I don't remember itchiness particularly being a problem at the start, though maybe that's because I had painkillers (and pain) to distract me. In the past couple of weeks, though, my areola area has been flaking and itching like crazy. It's also been bleeding occasionally, both out of the incisions and just all around the areola (I'm assuming as a result of me scratching the area without realizing it). Has anyone else found itching to be a problem at this stage of healing? If you did, is there anything you found effective to deal with it?

[Ian68]

1) Do not stop, do not pass go, just go directly to a doctor.  It could just be irritated from you scratching at it, or you could be developing a very protracted infection - either way, it's best to get it looked at ASAP.

2) Itchiness *can* be a sign of nerves re-connecting, especially if the area has been numb/ had reduced sensation since surgery.

3) Don't scratch healing wounds.  Ever.  Seriously.  If you *must* do something, place a cool cloth over the affect area and scratch an area above it - it will trick your brain into thinking that you scratched where it itches but you actually haven't.