Scratching the rash and then touching other areas of the body, or other people, will cause it to spread.

Does scratching a rash make it spread?

First and foremost, don't scratch your itch! Hives can be extremely itchy, and the natural instinct would be to scratch the area that is bothering you. But scratching hives can make them more inflamed and cause them to spread.

Do rashes get worse when scratched?

When you've got an itch, you probably want to scratch it. But whether it's from a mosquito bite, chickenpox, or chronic skin issue like eczema, any relief from scratching will be short-lived. And too much scratching can make the problem much worse.