It feels like a fever. Or maybe a cold. But when you look in the
mirror and see spots, you know it's not a game of connect-the-
dots. It's chickenpox. And chickenpox sure do itch! Here's why:
After the red spots appear on your body, they fill up with a
clear liquid. These liquid-filled blisters are called vesicles
(say: veh-sih-kulz). The vesicles release chemicals in your skin
that excite the nerves that make you itch. These nerves in the
top layers of your skin tell the brain when something itches.
They are the same nerves that get excited when you get a
reaction to a mosquito bite. When these nerves are irritated,
they send a message to your brain: "Something's on the skin! Get
rid of it!" Your brain sends a message back to your hand and arm
that says, "Scratch that itch!" When Will the Itching Stop? You
may feel like the itching will never stop, but the good news is
that after 3 to 4 days, you'll start feeling better. In a week
or so, the vesicles will have formed scabs and you won't be as
itchy anymore. I