Itch is an unpleasant cutaneous sensation that evokes the desire to scratch.
In a healthy situation, itch is a positive stimulus for eliminating environmental irritants such as parasites or plant particles and leads to avoidance of the irritants that lead to itch, such as poison ivy.

Healthy skin depends on Ca⁺⁺ for it’s structure.  Transient Receptor Proteins (TRP) ion channels have emerged as cellular sensors for thermal, chemical and mechanical stimuli and are major contributors to Ca⁺⁺ signaling, playing an important role in diverse physiological and pathological processes. One specific protein, TRPV3, helps the skin perceive sensations such as temperature and itch.