Patient education: Scabies (The Basics)

What is scabies? — Scabies is a condition that makes your skin very itchy. It happens when tiny insects called "mites" burrow under your skin to lay their eggs.

How did I get scabies? — Scabies spreads easily between people who are in close contact. This can happen through sexual activity, or just between people who live together. It is not usually spread by quick contact with another person, like a hug or handshake.

Are there symptoms besides itching? — Yes. The main symptom is itching, but there are other symptoms. People with scabies usually get little bumps or blisters on their skin (picture 1 and picture 2). Sometimes, the bumps are hard to see. Some people even notice tiny tunnels in their skin where the mites have buried themselves.

The body parts most often affected by scabies are the (figure 1):

●Fingers and webbing between the fingers

●Skin folds around the wrists, elbows, and knees

●Armpits

●Area around the nipples

●Waist

●Penis and scrotum

●Lower buttocks and upper thighs

●Sides and bottoms of the feet

Older adults and people with HIV or AIDS, cancer, or other conditions can get a severe type of scabies called "crusted scabies." Crusted scabies causes large, crusty patches or bumps to form on the skin. It spreads more easily than regular scabies. People with crusted scabies often get it on their head, hands, and feet.

How is scabies treated? — If you have scabies, your doctor or nurse can prescribe medicine to get rid of it. It's important to treat scabies to prevent spreading it to other people. Also, scratching your skin a lot can lead to infection.

Scabies is treated with medicine that kills the mites:

●This might be a cream that you put on your skin, or a pill. People with crusted scabies usually need both.

●There are several different medicines that can kill the mites that cause scabies. Permethrin cream (brand names: Elimite, Acticin) and ivermectin pills (brand name: Stromectol) are 2 medicines that are often used.

●For the medicine to work correctly, follow all instructions for how to use it. Ask your doctor or nurse if you have any questions about this.

If you are being treated for scabies, the doctor or nurse will probably want the people who live with you to be treated, too. They might be carrying the mite that causes scabies, even if they have no symptoms.

What can I do to stop the itching? — You can take medicines called antihistamines. These are the medicines people often take for allergies.

Itching can last for several weeks, even after the scabies mite is gone. Your doctor or nurse might suggest that you use a cream with a medicine called a steroid to help with the itching. These steroid medicines relieve itching and swelling.

Can scabies be prevented? — If someone in your home has scabies, there are things you can do to prevent others from getting it:

●Once the person has started treatment, wash all of the clothes everyone in the home wore in the last 4 to 5 days. Use hot water. Then, dry them in a dryer on high heat.

●Wash any bedclothes (sheets and blankets) or towels people in your home have touched.

●If a child is getting treated, wash their stuffed animals and soft toys.

●Dry cleaning will also get rid of scabies mites. Any bedding, clothing, or towels that you cannot wash or dry clean should be placed in a sealed plastic bag for at least 3 days. Scabies mites usually die without contact with human skin after a few days.

When can I go back to work or school? — If you have scabies, you can go back to work or school after 1 day of treatment.

When should I call the doctor? — Call your doctor or nurse if you have:

●Signs of infection – These include a fever, chills, or redness, tenderness, or swelling of the skin.

●Very bad itching that does not get better with treatment

●A new skin rash

●Questions about how to use your medicine

More on this topic

Patient education: Itchy skin (The Basics)

Patient education: Scabies (Beyond the Basics)