What is Scabies?

Scabies is a contagious skin condition caused by tiny mites called Sarcoptes scabiei. It leads to intense itching and a characteristic rash, primarily affecting areas like:

Hands
Wrists
Elbows
Armpits
Genitals
Buttocks

What are the symptoms of scabies?

Scabies signs and symptoms include:

Itching, often severe and usually worse at night
Thin, wiggly lines with tiny blisters or bumps on the skin.

The tracks usually show up in skin folds. Scabies are mostly found in adults and older kids, but it can be found anywhere on the body.

In grown-ups and older kids, scabies usually appears:

Between the fingers
In the armpits
Around the waist
Along the insides of the wrists
On the inner elbows
On the soles of the feet
Around the breasts
Around the male genital area
On the buttocks
On the knees

In babies and young kids, scabies often shows up in:

Scalp
Palms of the hand's
Soles of the feet

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When To See a Doctor?

Visit a doctor once you notice discomfort on your skin, any kind of burning sensations, early symptoms of scabies, or if you came in direct contact with a person suffering from ringworm infection.

Get the best treatment for scabies and skin disorders from the best Dermatologists and skin experts at Medicover Hospitals.

What are the causes of scabies?

Scabies are typically transmitted through prolonged skin-to-skin contact with an infected person. It can also spread through sharing infested bedding, towels, or clothing. Common causes of scabies include:

Close contact with an infected person
Sharing infested items
Crowded living conditions
Compromised immune system

What are the scabies prevention?

To prevent mites from coming back or spreading to others, follow these steps:

Wash clothing, towels, and bedding promptly with hot, soapy water.
Dry items on high heat after washing.
Dry clean items that can't be washed at home.
Seal unwashable items in a plastic bag.
Store the bag in a separate area for a few weeks.
Mites will die without food after a few days.

How are scabies diagnosed?

Your doctor will diagnose scabies by examining your skin for mites and their burrows. They may scrape a skin sample for microscopic analysis to confirm the presence of mites or their eggs.

What are the treatments for scabies?

Effective treatment for scabies involves:

Topical medications

Permethrin cream or lotion is applied to the entire body from the neck down and left on overnight before washing off.

Oral medications

Severe cases may need pills like ivermectin.
Avoid close contact during treatment.
Wash and dry bedding, clothes, and towels in hot water.

What are the home remedies for scabies?

Allow your skin to cool and soak -Itching can be reduced by soaking in cool water or taking an oatmeal bath, or by using a cool, moist washcloth to irritating regions of your skin.
Use a calming lotion -Calamine lotion, which is accessible without a prescription, can successfully treat small skin irritations' pain and itching.
Antihistamines can help -You may discover that over-the-counter antihistamines ease the allergic symptoms caused by scabies if your doctor recommends them

Do’s and Don’ts

Scabies spread more easily, hence to stop it spreading to other members of the family, follow some dos and don’ts so that it does not spread or increase.

Do’s	Don’ts
Take bath 2 times a day.	Don’t be embarrassed to visit a dermatologist.
Apply the ointment prescribed by the doctor.	Don't self medicate for scabies.
Keep your infected area clean and dry.	Don't share your clothes, towel, blankets etc.
Maintain cleanliness in your surrounding	Don't touch kids or their things with infected hands.
Regularly wash your garments, bed sheets and towel.	Don’t scratch or rub the infected area.

Care at Medicover Hospitals

At Medicover Hospitals, we have the most trusted team of doctors, skin experts, dermatologists, and medical experts who are experienced in providing excellent healthcare services to our patients. Our dedicated team of experts, trained nurses and other paramedical staff offer the best care to a patient. We make use of advanced medical technology and state-of-the-art facilities for the diagnosis of conditions and treatment of health disorders. For the treatment of Scabies, we have an experinced team of dermatologists and infectious disease experts who diagnose and treat this condition with utmost precision that brings successful treatment outcomes.