What is Scabies?

Scabies is a condition in which the skin becomes itchy due to the presence of tiny, eight-legged mites known as Sarcoptes scabiei. As the mites burrow under the skin, the area becomes extremely itchy and inflamed. The urge to scratch may be intensified during the night while in bed.

Scabies is highly contagious and can spread rapidly. Scabies is spread through close physical contact. Daycares, nursing homes, schools and home families are common areas in which scabies are spread.

Scabies Symptoms

Symptoms of scabies include severe itching that is often worse during the night and thin, asymmetrical burrow tracks that often exhibit tiny blisters or bumps on the skin.

Most any part of the body may show signs of scabies burrows. These burrows or scabies rash most often occur in areas where the skin folds. The most common areas that are affected by scabies in adults are:

Between the fingers
Under the arm, especially in the arm pits
Along the waist line
Around the inside areas of the wrists
Around the fold of the inner elbow
On the bottom of the feet
Under the breasts
Around the buttocks area
The knee area
On the shoulder blades
In men, around the genital area

In children, the most common areas scabies infestations can be found are:

The scalp
On the face and neck
In the palms of the hands
The soles of the feet

Causes of Scabies

The scabies mite is microscopic. The female mite burrows under the skin and lays eggs. The eggs take around twenty-one days to fully mature. Once the mites mature, they make their way to the top of the skin where they spread to other areas of the skin or the skin of others. The itching caused by scabies is the way the body informs of an allergic reaction to the scabies mites, eggs and waste.

How to Treat Scabies

Fortunately scabies can be treated. Scabies treatment includes getting rid of the mites by using topical medications. Creams and lotions are often used in treating scabies. Typically, the lotions or creams are applied from the neck down and left on for at least eight hours.

The most common scabies medicine permethrin(Elimite, Acticine). Another common scabies medicine is crotamiton (Eurax). Either of the medicines will kill the scabies mites. The itching accompanied by the scabies may last several weeks until the scabies rash is completely healed.

Scabies treatment may be recommended for everyone in the same household or anyone who has been in close proximity of an infected individual. This may be suggested due to the rapid spread of the scabies mite.

Scabies is contracted by skin to skin contact. It is important for parents to emphasis to their children that sharing clothes or hats with a classmate or friend is not a good idea. Scabies and head lice both can be spread in this manor. It is also a good idea to inform children not to share combs or brushes. Simply by informing children about habits such as these can lessen their chance of contracting scabies.

Learn more about this author, Breidi Caparatta.
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