Skin Rash - What can I do about Scabies?

 

Scabies caused by the human itch mite Sarcoptes Scabiei is a contagious skin infestation. The mite gets transferred from infected person to normal one through the means of physical contact and creates burrows beneath the skin to survive and lay eggs.

Scabies has become a widespread disease and every year around 300 million people are infected with this skin disease. The following article is about the causes and treatment of scabies.

Scabies gets transferred through a close physical contact-hugging or sex with a person infested with it or though sharing patient’s belongings. People in nursing homes, crowded locations, prisons, classrooms and living in same house are most vulnerable of catching the infection. But scabies can be eliminated with the aid of over the counter drugs, natural remedies and change in pattern of lifestyle.

The initial symptoms of scabies are seen as skin rashes and intense itching which gets worse during the night.

Causes of Scabies
Scabies can be transferred through skin-to-skin contact with a scabies patient. After the contact the female mites creates burrows underneath the skin to lay eggs. After a short incubation period, the eggs hatch to become larvae and reach the surface of the skin from where they get transferred to another host or other parts of the body.

Scabies mites also get transferred through sexual act that’s why it is also called as a sexually transmitted disease, although it’s not an STD. But of course, it can be transferred due to any sort of physical contact with the person infected from it. The bugs can travel between family members and sexual partners and if untreated it can get worse. Another means of scabies transfer is through shared clothing or bedding. For instance, if you use the same pillow which was used by the scabies patient last night then you can likely get infected.

The scabies mites cannot survive without the human host for more than 72 hours so this implies if you happen to come in contact with something that hasn’t been touched or used by the infected person for 3 or more days, then you are less likely to get scabies.

Treatment of Scabies
The only way to eliminate the scabies mites and rash from the body is through medications and precautions. Following are few highly recommended medicines for scabies treatment.

Permethrin cream – This is the most common topical medication recommended for scabies treatment. It is available as 5% permethrin which acts as an insecticide to eradicate the mites from the body. It is safe to be used for adults, pregnant women and even children below 2 months.

Lindane lotion – Lindane is prescribed to people when other medicines of scabies treatment fail to give effective results. It’s not safe for use in children under 2 years, pregnant or nursing women and elderly people.

Crotamiton – Eurax, is available in the form of cream or lotion and can be applied over the skin for relief from the scabies mites. But it is recommended to be used on children or pregnant and nursing women.

Ivermectin – Ivermectin which is officially named as Stromectrol is an oral drug recommended for treatment of people with weak immune systems. It is prescribed when other scabicides fail to work. Pregnant women and lactating mothers should not use this without the doctor’s consultation.

Sulfur ointment- This has been used since long for scabies treatment and is considered as an effective treatment of scabies. Dr Scabies is a popular medicine for scabies treatment which is available as an over the counter and can be safely used without the doctor’s recommendation. It contains sulfur and other natural ingredients that can kill and destroy the scabies mites.