diff --git a/cmd/analyze/scanner.go b/cmd/analyze/scanner.go
index 0d2bb6c..982d497 100644
--- a/cmd/analyze/scanner.go
+++ b/cmd/analyze/scanner.go
@@ -119,6 +119,16 @@ func scanPathConcurrent(root string, filesScanned, dirsScanned, bytesScanned *in
 			size := getActualFileSize(fullPath, info)
 			atomic.AddInt64(&total, size)
 
+			// Reuse timer to reduce GC pressure
+			timer := time.NewTimer(0)
+			// Ensure timer is drained immediately since we start with 0
+			if !timer.Stop() {
+				select {
+				case <-timer.C:
+				default:
+				}
+			}
+
 			select {
 			case entryChan <- dirEntry{
 				Name:       child.Name() + " →",
@@ -127,10 +137,26 @@ func scanPathConcurrent(root string, filesScanned, dirsScanned, bytesScanned *in
 				IsDir:      isDir,
 				LastAccess: getLastAccessTimeFromInfo(info),
 			}:
-			case <-time.After(100 * time.Millisecond):
-				// Skip if channel is blocked
+			default:
+				// If channel is full, use timer to wait with timeout
+				timer.Reset(100 * time.Millisecond)
+				select {
+				case entryChan <- dirEntry{
+					Name:       child.Name() + " →",
+					Path:       fullPath,
+					Size:       size,
+					IsDir:      isDir,
+					LastAccess: getLastAccessTimeFromInfo(info),
+				}:
+					if !timer.Stop() {
+						<-timer.C
+					}
+				case <-timer.C:
+					// Skip if channel is blocked
+				}
 			}
 			continue
+
 		}
 
 		if child.IsDir() {
@@ -162,6 +188,7 @@ func scanPathConcurrent(root string, filesScanned, dirsScanned, bytesScanned *in
 					atomic.AddInt64(&total, size)
 					atomic.AddInt64(dirsScanned, 1)
 
+					timer := time.NewTimer(100 * time.Millisecond)
 					select {
 					case entryChan <- dirEntry{
 						Name:       name,
@@ -170,7 +197,10 @@ func scanPathConcurrent(root string, filesScanned, dirsScanned, bytesScanned *in
 						IsDir:      true,
 						LastAccess: time.Time{},
 					}:
-					case <-time.After(100 * time.Millisecond):
+						if !timer.Stop() {
+							<-timer.C
+						}
+					case <-timer.C:
 					}
 				}(child.Name(), fullPath)
 				continue
@@ -195,6 +225,7 @@ func scanPathConcurrent(root string, filesScanned, dirsScanned, bytesScanned *in
 					atomic.AddInt64(&total, size)
 					atomic.AddInt64(dirsScanned, 1)
 
+					timer := time.NewTimer(100 * time.Millisecond)
 					select {
 					case entryChan <- dirEntry{
 						Name:       name,
@@ -203,7 +234,10 @@ func scanPathConcurrent(root string, filesScanned, dirsScanned, bytesScanned *in
 						IsDir:      true,
 						LastAccess: time.Time{},
 					}:
-					case <-time.After(100 * time.Millisecond):
+						if !timer.Stop() {
+							<-timer.C
+						}
+					case <-timer.C:
 					}
 				}(child.Name(), fullPath)
 				continue
@@ -219,6 +253,7 @@ func scanPathConcurrent(root string, filesScanned, dirsScanned, bytesScanned *in
 				atomic.AddInt64(&total, size)
 				atomic.AddInt64(dirsScanned, 1)
 
+				timer := time.NewTimer(100 * time.Millisecond)
 				select {
 				case entryChan <- dirEntry{
 					Name:       name,
@@ -227,7 +262,10 @@ func scanPathConcurrent(root string, filesScanned, dirsScanned, bytesScanned *in
 					IsDir:      true,
 					LastAccess: time.Time{},
 				}:
-				case <-time.After(100 * time.Millisecond):
+					if !timer.Stop() {
+						<-timer.C
+					}
+				case <-timer.C:
 				}
 			}(child.Name(), fullPath)
 			continue
@@ -243,6 +281,9 @@ func scanPathConcurrent(root string, filesScanned, dirsScanned, bytesScanned *in
 		atomic.AddInt64(filesScanned, 1)
 		atomic.AddInt64(bytesScanned, size)
 
+		// Single-use timer for main loop (less pressure than tight loop above)
+		// But let's be consistent and optimized
+		timer := time.NewTimer(100 * time.Millisecond)
 		select {
 		case entryChan <- dirEntry{
 			Name:       child.Name(),
@@ -251,16 +292,23 @@ func scanPathConcurrent(root string, filesScanned, dirsScanned, bytesScanned *in
 			IsDir:      false,
 			LastAccess: getLastAccessTimeFromInfo(info),
 		}:
-		case <-time.After(100 * time.Millisecond):
+			if !timer.Stop() {
+				<-timer.C
+			}
+		case <-timer.C:
 		}
 
 		// Track large files only.
 		if !shouldSkipFileForLargeTracking(fullPath) {
 			minSize := atomic.LoadInt64(&largeFileMinSize)
 			if size >= minSize {
+				timer.Reset(100 * time.Millisecond)
 				select {
 				case largeFileChan <- fileEntry{Name: child.Name(), Path: fullPath, Size: size}:
-				case <-time.After(100 * time.Millisecond):
+					if !timer.Stop() {
+						<-timer.C
+					}
+				case <-timer.C:
 				}
 			}
 		}
@@ -471,6 +519,15 @@ func calculateDirSizeConcurrent(root string, largeFileChan chan<- fileEntry, lar
 	maxConcurrent := min(runtime.NumCPU()*2, maxDirWorkers)
 	sem := make(chan struct{}, maxConcurrent)
 
+	// Reuse timer for large file sends
+	timer := time.NewTimer(0)
+	if !timer.Stop() {
+		select {
+		case <-timer.C:
+		default:
+		}
+	}
+
 	for _, child := range children {
 		fullPath := filepath.Join(root, child.Name())
 
@@ -536,9 +593,13 @@ func calculateDirSizeConcurrent(root string, largeFileChan chan<- fileEntry, lar
 		if !shouldSkipFileForLargeTracking(fullPath) && largeFileMinSize != nil {
 			minSize := atomic.LoadInt64(largeFileMinSize)
 			if size >= minSize {
+				timer.Reset(100 * time.Millisecond)
 				select {
 				case largeFileChan <- fileEntry{Name: child.Name(), Path: fullPath, Size: size}:
-				case <-time.After(100 * time.Millisecond):
+					if !timer.Stop() {
+						<-timer.C
+					}
+				case <-timer.C:
 				}
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/lib/core/app_protection.sh b/lib/core/app_protection.sh
index 7fae723..e260037 100755
--- a/lib/core/app_protection.sh
+++ b/lib/core/app_protection.sh
@@ -545,24 +545,53 @@ bundle_matches_pattern() {
     return 1
 }
 
+# Helper to build regex from array (Bash 3.2 compatible - no namerefs)
+# $1: Variable name to store result
+# $2...: Array elements (passed as expanded list)
+build_regex_var() {
+    local var_name="$1"
+    shift
+    local regex=""
+    for pattern in "$@"; do
+        # Escape dots . -> \.
+        local p="${pattern//./\\.}"
+        # Convert * to .*
+        p="${p//\*/.*}"
+        # Start and end anchors
+        p="^${p}$"
+
+        if [[ -z "$regex" ]]; then
+            regex="$p"
+        else
+            regex="$regex|$p"
+        fi
+    done
+    eval "$var_name=\"\$regex\""
+}
+
+# Generate Regex strings once
+APPLE_UNINSTALLABLE_REGEX=""
+build_regex_var APPLE_UNINSTALLABLE_REGEX "${APPLE_UNINSTALLABLE_APPS[@]}"
+
+SYSTEM_CRITICAL_REGEX=""
+build_regex_var SYSTEM_CRITICAL_REGEX "${SYSTEM_CRITICAL_BUNDLES[@]}"
+
+DATA_PROTECTED_REGEX=""
+build_regex_var DATA_PROTECTED_REGEX "${DATA_PROTECTED_BUNDLES[@]}"
+
 # Check if application is a protected system component
 should_protect_from_uninstall() {
     local bundle_id="$1"
 
     # First check if it's an uninstallable Apple app
-    # These apps have com.apple.* bundle IDs but are NOT system-critical
-    for pattern in "${APPLE_UNINSTALLABLE_APPS[@]}"; do
-        if bundle_matches_pattern "$bundle_id" "$pattern"; then
-            return 1 # Can be uninstalled
-        fi
-    done
+    if [[ "$bundle_id" =~ $APPLE_UNINSTALLABLE_REGEX ]]; then
+        return 1 # Can be uninstalled
+    fi
 
     # Then check system-critical components
-    for pattern in "${SYSTEM_CRITICAL_BUNDLES[@]}"; do
-        if bundle_matches_pattern "$bundle_id" "$pattern"; then
-            return 0 # Protected
-        fi
-    done
+    if [[ "$bundle_id" =~ $SYSTEM_CRITICAL_REGEX ]]; then
+        return 0 # Protected
+    fi
 
     return 1
 }
@@ -570,12 +599,17 @@ should_protect_from_uninstall() {
 # Check if application data should be protected during cleanup
 should_protect_data() {
     local bundle_id="$1"
-    # Protect both system critical and data protected bundles during cleanup
-    for pattern in "${SYSTEM_CRITICAL_BUNDLES[@]}" "${DATA_PROTECTED_BUNDLES[@]}"; do
-        if bundle_matches_pattern "$bundle_id" "$pattern"; then
-            return 0
-        fi
-    done
+
+    # Check system critical
+    if [[ "$bundle_id" =~ $SYSTEM_CRITICAL_REGEX ]]; then
+        return 0
+    fi
+
+    # Check data protected
+    if [[ "$bundle_id" =~ $DATA_PROTECTED_REGEX ]]; then
+        return 0
+    fi
+
     return 1
 }