Publication of this editorial will mark the mid-point of my fifth (and final) year as Editor of the Journal of Investigative Dermatology (JID). This experience has met my expectations in many ways, and I am thankful to have been selected to be the JID’s Editor. However, there is a fair amount of work involved, and with experience, some of it has become routine. Against this background, it is delightful to have the opportunity to introduce a thematic section of the Journal that highlights a research area (itch) that features recent progress that is already clinically relevant.