JennieG -

The reason paper cuts sting so much is precisely that they are such insignificant wounds. When there is larger scale trauma, the body compensates by "desensitizing" the location - it goes numb, at least to a degree. A paper cut is usually too small to cause this reaction, so the open surfaces of the cut dry out, harden a little, and act about the same as if you had a small thorn in the flesh.

Anyone with much experience with insulation products, or even with much metal work, will attest that the most "hurtful" stickers are the ones that are too small to see.

Kaleea -

I can sympathize with the scar tissue problem. The only real solution is to get rid of the scar, but the "accepted" method there is usually something on the order of a skin graft - or even a series of them. It doesn't usually seem worth it unless the problem is severe. I've come to just accepting an occasional "leak" from a few old "character marks." It does seem that the ones that "open" occasionally get a little smaller each year, so maybe it's part of the healing process.

John