Scabies
Scabies is a skin condition that affects anyone, regardless of class or ethnicity. A microscopic mite Sarcoptes Scabei burrows into the skin does considerable damage, and spreads rapidly. If you have never had Scabies, the symptoms could take up to 6 weeks to show!
Scabies is shown on the neck of this woman.
Close up of scabies on the arm showing red blisters.
Scabies on the arm with red blisters.
Scabies is shown on this man’s legs in blotches.
Initial signs of scabies on the arm showing red blotches.
Scabies on the arm shown red and peeling skin.
Red scabies bumps on arm some black.
Closeup pictures of scabies shown on foot.
Because prevention and/or control of spreading appears to be associated with bathing and personal hygiene, Scabies is considered a water-related disease; however, the tick that causes Scabies is not dependent on water for transmission or for any part its life cycle.
Symptoms of Scabies
Some common symptoms and signs of scabies infection include irritations that look like pimples, burrows, or scabies rash and are commonly found between the fingers, including folds of skin on the wrist, elbow, knee, and other areas.
You may also notice intense itching, especially at night and over most of the body, which can cause sores due to scratching.
Because there are usually less than 10 mites on an infected person, detection from scraping or biopsy may be missed.
How do I get Scabies?
You can get Scabies by skin to skin contact with a person that is already infested. Without prolonged skin contact, such as a handshake, your chances of getting Scabies are very low. Intimate contact and sharing of towels and beds have a high infestation probability.
It is a common misconception that you can get Scabies from your pet. Your pet may have mange and be infected with Scabies, but this type of mite will only cause itching, stay in your skin for a few days, and then die. It will not spread.
Scabies Treatment
There are many lotions available for treating Scabies. Always follow the directions provided by your physician or the directions on the package insert. Instructions usually include:
- Make sure your body is clean, apply the lotion from the neck down to the toes, and leave it for about eight hours, followed by a bath or shower.
- Wear only clean clothes, and wash everything you have used in hot water and dry in a hot dryer.
- You will usually do a second treatment with the same scabies lotion a week later.
- There are milder scabies medications if you are pregnant or treating a child.
Scabies is often misspelled in the form of scabes or scavies. If you have this infection, we would love some pictures of the infected area to share with our readers. We will keep your information confidential and are looking for pictures of Scabies that can be viewed by all visitors – simply send us an email to badspiderbites@gmail.com