Scabies is one of the most common skin diseases that cause a feeling of inconvenience and embarrassment, and those who suffer from it are looking for ways to reduce its symptoms or treat it permanently. Learn with us about the causes, symptoms and methods. Scabies treatment Reducing and preventing its symptoms.

What is scabies?

Scabies is a skin disease caused by very small organisms called “mites” that cannot be seen with the naked eye. These organisms stay on the surface of the skin and make pits in which they lay their eggs. Then a skin reaction occurs, causing a rash and intolerable itching. Scabies is a contagious disease that can be transmitted from person to person through direct contact.

Scabies causes and risk factors

Moths lay their eggs on the outer surface of the skin and spread to other parts of the body. Thus, the skin reacts allergicly to the excrement of these strange organisms or to the eggs they lay. The most vulnerable people to scabies are those who are in direct contact with infected people, whether within the same family or in the same family. workplaces.

Symptoms of scabies

The appearance of symptoms here depends on whether you were infected for the first time or if you had scabies before. In the case of a first infection, your immune system takes longer to react, symptoms may appear within 2 to 6 weeks. If you were infected before, symptoms may develop within A few days, the symptoms are:

• Intense itching of the skin, which gets worse during the night.
• A rash at the sites of infection.
• Sores in the places of infection and appear if the infected person scratched his skin.
• Thick crusts formed in the event of a large number of mites.

In order for scabies to be treated, the places of infection must be identified on the body first. In the case of older children and adults, scabies often infect: between the fingers, under the armpits, waist circumference, the inner part of the elbows, the soles of the feet, around the nipple, the male genitals, In the back, in the knees, in the shoulders.

In infants, scabies can affect the scalp, face, neck, palms of the hands, or the soles of the feet, and because infants cannot talk about the itching they feel, they express that by crying, not eating, and sleep disturbances.

Scabies treatment

In the event that a person has scabies, scabies treatment should also be applied to those who are in close contact with him, especially among family members, because it is likely that the infection will be transmitted to those around him.

First, in the event of confirmation of infection, beds, furnishings and clothes must be disinfected within 3 days by washing them with hot water and also drying them with a hot dryer (dry cleaning), as mites usually do not live away from the skin for more than 2 or 3 days.

Scabies medicine

Usually, scabies is treated with some medications that the doctor will prescribe to you, which limit the spread of the disease and reduce symptoms. The doctor will ask you to apply these preparations all over your body from the neck to the bottom of your feet and leave them for at least 8-10 hours. These preparations include:

• Permethrin cream: It kills mites and their eggs, and is safe for adults, pregnant women, and children over two months old.
• Lindane lotion: It is used in the event that other lotions are ineffective or if there is an allergy to them, but this lotion is not safe for children under 10 years, pregnant and lactating women, or people whose weight does not reach 50 kilograms.
• Crotamiton: This cream or lotion is used once or twice a day, but the safety of this drug has not been established in the treatment of scabies in children or the elderly over 65 years of age, or pregnant and breastfeeding women.
• Ivermectin: This drug comes in the form of tablets that are taken orally for those who suffer from a defect in the immune system, or those who suffer from scabies that cause thick crusts, or for those who have not benefited from other topical treatments, and this drug is not recommended for pregnant and breastfeeding women or children who They weigh less than 15 kg.

These medications kill the mites that cause scabies, but may not reduce the itching for several weeks.

Scabies treatment with sulfur

Sometimes the doctor may prescribe preparations containing sulfur mixed with medical Vaseline if other medicines do not work, and sulfur is relatively safe for children and adults. It is applied once a day for 3 days. (Learn more about sulfur and how to use it to treat scabies)

Treating scabies at home in natural ways

There are some home remedies that many people used to relieve scabies symptoms such as itching, but their effectiveness has not been proven and they may have side effects that could cause complications. Before you try using these methods or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you should consult the doctor:

Scabies treatment with vinegar and starch

There are some people who have tried applying apple cider vinegar (with or without starch) to kill the mites that cause scabies. Some of these cases were effective, but it has not yet been proven safe and effective, and it has not been confirmed that there are no side effects, so we advise you not to try this. method before consulting a doctor.

Treating scabies with garlic

There is some research that supports the effectiveness of garlic for the treatment of scabies when applied topically, as it contains anti-fungal and anti-parasitic properties such as mites, but there are not enough researches and studies that prove the effectiveness of garlic and there is no guarantee that it is safe and that it does not cause complications, so we do not recommend using garlic without consulting a doctor. .

Other home remedies

There are some other natural substances that have been used to treat scabies, but they are also not sufficiently labeled to prove their effectiveness and safety, such as:

• tea tree oil
• Neem oil
• Aloe vera gel
• Clove oil

As for the The best way to treat scabies and relieve itching at homeWe advise you as follows:

• Lie down in a cold water bath, or apply cold compresses to severe itching areas.
• Use lotions that soothe irritated skin, such as: Calamine lotionit can reduce the feeling of annoying itching.
• Your doctor may advise you to take antihistamines to help relieve itching.

Finally, we advise you, dear reader, if you have scabies, or if you are dealing with an infected person, to take the matter seriously immediately and disinfect your home and clothes to protect the rest of the family from infection, and you must also follow the doctor’s advice until it is cleared. Scabies treatment As soon as possible before it spreads and the infection is transmitted to others, and if you have any questions, you can consult one of our doctors from here.