Scabies isn’t a creature in science fiction movies, but it’s actually a mite that burrows under the skin, and when it’s eggs hatch they continue the cycle. Often someone won’t know they have scabies as the allergic reaction may not appear for several weeks. During this time, the mite has reproduced and the person finds themselves very itchy with a red rash.
Scabies is highly contagious and isn’t always easy to diagnose because it can look like eczema, hives, pimples and other forms of dermatitis. Because of the extreme itching it can be also obscured due to the scratching lines as well as possible bacterial infections such as impetigo which may cover it up.
Scabies mites are not able to be seen by the eye . It may sound like the movie Aliens or another scary movie, but the female will burrow in your skin, lay eggs and then they hatch. Their babies then look for other mites to reproduce with as they crawl on your skin and the process of reproduction and burrowing continues. The rash is actually an allergic reaction to the scabies burrowing in the skin.
Scabies can often be passed around day care centers, alf centers and other places where there is skin contact . It is passed via skin to skin touching but also can be contracted by sharing clothing, towels and sharing a bed. One salient feature is that it is extremely itchy. A doctor may take a skin scraping and see the “scabies burrows” where it has dug it’s little trench. It is only the width of a hair, so not easy to see.
Elimite is a 5 percent perscription cream that usually is prescribed as it has a high success rate. It is a pesticide you put on from the neck down covering your whole body and leave on for 12 hours or more. It is important to get this under your nail beds as well. After showering it off, be sure to wash all the clothing and linen you’ve used in the last few days in order to not re-infect yourself. If you’ve been around family members they should also use the cream at the same time you do so that everyone in the home is treated . Sometimes the rash can go on for a while when there is a ping pong effect between people and the mites keep circulating. In one nursing home , it was found that people hadn’t treated well under their nails and due to scratching themselves and touching clothing and others this kept spreading the scabies rash around the facility.
It can be very rough to tolerate due to the itching so be sure to speak to your doctor to get an antihistamine if you need it to sleep . Taking oatmeal baths and using anti-itch creams are useful as well. In India, they use neem oil and leaves topically to help stop the eggs from developing. In fact, neem is used as a contraception . There was a study where using neem and tumeric topically for scabies had a high success rate. Tumeric stains so be aware of this.
It will help to keep nails short and for kids to sleep with socks over their hands to prevent scratching. Kids can go back to school after they have used the elimite cream and are no longer contagious. However, be sure that they have fresh clothing on and their clothing worn during the week is washed in very hot water. Some find borax also helpful in the wash to assure eradication of the mites.
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