Convenient scabies treatment from home.

The main signs and symptoms of scabies include:¹

• Itchy rash that is often worse at night.

• Tiny bumps and blisters.

• Thin, wavy tunnels under the skin.

The life cycle of a Sarcoptes scabiei, the mite that causes a scabies rash, has four stages:²

1. Egg. Female mites burrow into the skin and lay two to three eggs per day.

2. Larva. After three to four days, eggs hatch into three-legged larva that travel to the surface of the skin and create short burrows.

3. Nymph. Larva molt into the nymph stage with four legs.

4. Adult. Nymphs molt into adults with eight legs.

Early scabies symptoms are itching. For people who have never had scabies before, it can sometimes take up to six weeks for a rash to develop. Others will usually develop a rash within a few days of infestation.³

If the infestation is severe, some people can develop crusted scabies, also known as Norwegian scabies. Cases of crusted scabies usually involved thousands of mites, compared to the average 15 to 20 mites per person. This condition usually occurs in immunocompromised individuals that cannot fight off the mites that reproduce quickly.⁴

Scabies is caused by Sarcoptes scabiei, a tiny eight-legged mite. The mites burrow into the skin and lay eggs. The burrows from the adults and the larva cause an allergic reaction in the body that causes the itchy rash.⁵

Scabies will not go away without treatment. With treatment, symptoms will usually resolve within four weeks. However, if mites still exist in your environment, the rash could reappear from new mites.⁶

No, scabies requires prescription treatment to go away.⁷

The mites that cause scabies rash prefer to occupy folds and crevices on the body. Common places to get a scabies infestation include:⁸

• Hands and feet, especially between fingers and toes.

• Thighs and genital area.

• Wrists and knees.

• Waist.

• Under fingernails.

• Under rings, watchbands and bracelets.

• Around the nipple.

Scabies is highly contagious. The mites spread from person to person through direct contact. You can also get scabies without human contact through sharing bedding, clothing or towels with someone who is infected.⁹

The main symptom of scabies is an itchy rash. That symptom is shared with many other conditions and infestations, including flea bites, impetigo, hives, eczema, bed bugs and body lice. There are a few specific symptoms that can help you identify scabies from other skin rashes:¹⁰

• Itching is worse at night.

• Tiny burrows on the skin (usually around 1 cm in length).

The only way to prevent scabies is to avoid people or areas with known outbreaks. You can prevent the spread of scabies by:¹¹

• Washing all bed linens, towels and clothing in hot water.

• Checking anyone that has come in contact with an infected person or area.

• Limiting contact with others until infection is treated.

• Treating the scabies rash.

1. Mayo Clinic

2. CDC

3. Cleveland Clinic

4. American Academy of Dermatology

5. Cleveland Clinic

6. Cleveland Clinic

7. Cleveland Clinic

8. Cleveland Clinic

9. Cleveland Clinic

10. National Library of Medicine

11. Cleveland Clinic

To get rid of scabies, it must be treated with medication. Commonly prescribed topical medications for scabies include:¹²

• Permethrin cream.

• Crotamiton cream or lotion.

• Benzyl benzoate lotion.

Your provider may also provide supplemental medications to treat symptoms of scabies like itching, inflammation and swelling. These treatments do not get rid of the mites. Commonly prescribed oral medications include:

• Antihistamines, like hydroxyzine, for itching.

• Antibiotics for bacterial infections for scratching.

• Steroid creams like hydrocortisone, triamcinolone, methylprednisolone and prednisone.

Scabies requires prescription treatment to get rid of the mites. Scabies treatment at home should be focused on easing symptoms as a supplement to professional treatment. A few scabies self-care things to relieve itching include:¹³

• Apply a cold compress or ice pack to the skin.

• Take an oatmeal bath.

• Use a moisturizer free of additives, perfumes or fragrance.

• Apply a topical anesthetic that contains pramoxine.

• Apply a cooling agent like menthol or calamine.

Commonly prescribed topical medications for scabies include:¹⁴

• Permethrin cream.

• Crotamiton cream or lotion.

• Benzyl benzoate lotion.

Your provider may prescribe oral ivermectin for scabies. It is an antiparasitic.¹⁵

Topical scabies medications will usually kill the mites with the first treatment. The itching and rash can continue for two to four weeks even if mites are dead.¹⁶

If left untreated, scabies can lead to life-threatening complications, including severe skin infections, bloodstream infections (septicaemia), kidney disease and rheumatic heart disease. Leaving scabies untreated increases the risk of spreading to others as well.¹⁷

To stop scabies from spreading, get prescription treatment from a medical provider and follow directions carefully. Limit close contact with others after a suspected or diagnosed scabies infection. Wash all bedding, clothing and towels in hot water to kill mites.

All members of the same household or people who live in close proximity to each other will need to be treated at the same time to prevent scabies from spreading.¹⁸

With proper treatment, most cases of scabies will stop being contagious after 24 hours of treatment.¹⁹

You can get prescription scabies medications online from RedBox Rx. Start an easy, online assessment, and a U.S. licensed provider will determine if medication is right for you.

12. Cleveland Clinic

13. American Academy of Dermatology

14. Cleveland Clinic

15. Cleveland Clinic

16. Cleveland Clinic

17. WHO

18. Cleveland Clinic

19. Harvard Health

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