Scabies is a skin condition caused by an infestation of Sarcoptes scabiei, a tiny eight-legged mite. Scabies is highly contagious; it's spread by prolonged skin-to-skin contact or sharing textiles like clothing, towels or bedding that have been in contact with an infested person. Symptoms of infestation may take up to four to six weeks to develop in people who've never had scabies before, while those who have previously had scabies may display symptoms within just a few days.
Step 1
Check your skin for symptoms of a scabies infestation the moment you feel itching. Symptoms include severe itching, a rash with small "burrow tracks" that may look like pimples or red bumps, and scaly or crusty skin.
Step 2
Visit your physician. He can perform a skin test to confirm whether you have scabies, and can advise you on how best to treat the infestation, usually with prescription creams or lotions.
Step 3
Take caution if someone you've been in close contact with is diagnosed as having scabies. You may need to be treated as well, just in case you've been infested too, even if you aren't yet displaying any symptoms.
Tips and Warnings
- The most common infestation sites for children are the face, scalp, neck, palms or the hands, and the soles of the feet. For adults, scabies are likely to infest between the fingers, around the breasts or buttocks and in in the armpits, the groin area, the waistline, shoulder blades, knees, inner elbows and insides of the wrists. A small hand mirror may be helpful for checking hard-to-see parts of your body for the tell-tale marks of a scabies infestation.
