Placebo and nocebo effects as major components of the treatment of itch.

The article discusses how learned immune function can optimize dermatological treatments through the placebo effect and nocebo effects. Topics discussed include placebo and nocebo effects being the positive or negative treatment effects that depends exclusively of the patient's expectations about a treatment outcome, its consequences for itch treatment, and meta-analysis of clinical trials of oral systemic medication showing substantial effects on itch of placebo medications.