He turned itch-scratching into a Shenzhen business, and it already makes about $15,000 a month

In Shenzhen, a 32-year-old entrepreneur has taken one of the most ordinary little favors in life, scratching an itch, and built a business around it. His brand, Suma, now has two stores in the city and is already pulling in around 100,000 yuan, or roughly $15,000, a month.

Zhang Xiaoqiao opened Suma's first store in Shenzhen's Baoan District in May 2026, then followed with a second location in Futian District in June. Both stores have already broken even and are turning a profit.

The service is simple, if unusual. Customers pay 300 yuan, about $40, for a one-hour session on a massage-style bed, lying face down while staff members scratch specific itchy areas using specially designed pointed nails. Zhang says he created the scratching techniques himself.

The business plan came from a viral moment

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Zhang said the idea started after he saw a viral video showing a woman scratching her husband. In the comments, people said they would pay for that kind of experience, and he took the suggestion seriously.

He has argued that the concept fits city life. In his view, people in China's first-tier cities deal with high levels of stress, which helps explain why the service has found an audience. Roughly 70% of his customers are men.

Some customers say it beats a massage

Part of the appeal, Zhang has said, is that the sessions can feel even more relaxing than a massage. That response has helped him build a base of repeat customers, turning what could have sounded like a joke into a functioning niche business.

Now he wants to take it far beyond two Shenzhen districts. Zhang says he is aiming to expand Suma to 100 locations across China, with the larger goal of making professional itch-scratching a recognized occupation nationwide.

It is a very specific business pitch: lie down, stay still, and let somebody with pointed nails handle the problem. In Shenzhen, that idea is already paying.

Why scratching feels weirdly great

An itch is basically your skin demanding attention. Scratching helps because it floods the area with a different sensation, which can briefly drown out the itch signal. That is why a quick scratch can feel glorious for a moment, then annoying again right after.

The catch is that hard scratching can irritate the skin and keep the itch going. Dry skin, sweat, friction, bug bites, healing scabs, dandruff and some fabrics are common everyday triggers. If the problem is simple dryness or irritation, the most useful fix is often boring: wash gently, pat dry, use a plain moisturizer, and switch anything rough or heavily scented that is touching the area.

Tools, tricks and basic scratch etiquette

If the itch is in one of those impossible shoulder blade zones, people often use back scratchers, scalp massagers, soft brushes or long handled tools. These are mainly for reach and light relief, not for going full bear-on-a-tree. Gentle pressure is usually better than aggressive digging.

A practical rule: keep nails short, keep shared tools clean, and stop if the skin breaks, stings or starts looking angrier than it did before. A cool compress can calm an itch without the scratch spiral. For itchy scalps, check whether the issue is product buildup, dryness or irritation from hair dye or fragrance before attacking it.

If an itch keeps returning, spreads, comes with a rash, swelling, pain or signs of infection, it is worth getting proper medical advice instead of treating your back like a lottery scratch card.