What Are The Symptoms And Treatments Of Scabies

By Author: Amit Kothiyal
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Scabies is a contagious skin disease which is caused by a tiny parasite (mite) called Sarcoptes scabiei var. Hominis. The mite buries under the skin and lays its eggs and reproduces instantly to cause intense itching and pimple like rashes. The female mites grow to 0.3 to 0.45 mm long and are larger and rapid than male mites. Scabies is highly contagious and spread from skin to skin contact for example-during sex. It also spreads in closed environments like nursing homes, extended care centers and prisons where it can find the human host to breed and survive.


The best way to avoid it is staying away from any kind of physical contact to the affected person. Transmission is normally direct, prolonged contact to the skin of the infected person. The most contagious among the scabies mites is Norwegian scabies.


Some of the symptoms of Scabies are:


A person suffering from scabies will likely to have irritated and itchy skin that will get worsen until the mites are killed. ...
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Itching is the earlier symptom of scabies which is often noticeable during the night time or after bathing and sometimes is being mistaken for dry skin. Itching is caused due to allergic reaction to the scabies mites. At the later stage the itching is so intense especially among the children and the older ones.


Irritated skin often appears as a rash and skin sores that appears like tiny curving tracks. This happens as a result of the mite tunneling under the upper layer of the skin. Sometimes you can also find a tiny black dot which is a small blister or the mite itself. By scratching the area you can find the hard track. Babies may get red and inflamed skin with small sores that appear like blisters.


The infected areas of Scabies are:


• Between the fingers or on the palm side of the wrist.


• On the outside surface of the elbows and the armpits.


• Around the waistline and the naval.


• On the buttocks.


• On and the sides of the breasts (in women).


• On the genitals (in men).


Treatment of Scabies :


If you find the Scabies symptoms visit your doctor as soon as possible for its treatment. If you delay the scabies treatment it may spread to other people.


• Scabies can be treated with prescribed lotions, creams or pills.


• Most of the creams and ointments are applied to all over the body from the neck down. On the infants the cream is also applied to the scalp, face and neck by avoiding the mouth and eyes. The medicine or the creams should be left for 8 to 14 hours and then washed off.


• In some cases the dermatologist may recommend Ivermectin pills to treat scabies.


• It is better to visit your dermatologist again after 2 weeks and 4 weeks for the examination after the complete treatment.


• Persistent nodular scabies can be treated with injections of steroids into the nodules. In rare cases, coal tar is also applied to the nodules.


Even after the treatment of scabies or the mites are killed, you may suffer itching for some days or weeks which is caused due to ongoing allergic reaction to the mite bites. For this you need to use anti-histamines (such as Benadryl), steroid creams, and, in severe cases, steroid pills recommended by the doctor to help relieve itching. The allergic reaction will usually disappear gradually.