How to Diagnose and Treat a Scabies Infection

Scabies are a huge pain. Just the thought of being infected with these nasty little bugs can make your skin crawl. The itching scabies generate can be unbearable, and on occasion, even painful. The itching can be so bad; you may have lost any ability to fall asleep. My purpose in writing this article is to help those who have been infected with scabies, or suspect that they may have scabies.

Do I have Scabies?

For those unsure as to if they have scabies or not, here is a simple way to check. Scabies leave burrows when digging into the skin. Now, these burrows are often hard to find, as they are easily mistaken for scratch marks in affected areas. If you have scratched too much, these burrows may be impossible to tell apart. Burrows are thread like, and can range from 2mm to 15mm long. They are commonly white, grey, brown, or red. After close inspection, a tiny black dot can be seen at the end of a scabies burrow. Burrows are most commonly found on the hands and feet, as scabies love warm areas where there is much blood flow.

Also, another warning sign of a possible scabies infection: If the itching is worse at night, especially after you crawl under your covers, it is likely that you have scabies. Scabies love the warmth. This can be a real problem, as it may prevent the person infected from being able to fall asleep.

If you have either or both of these symptoms, talk to a dermatologist as soon as possible. The dermatologist will be able to confirm and diagnose the fact that you have scabies, and will be able to prescribe you with the medication needed to remove the scabies. Keep in mind, scabies often takes months to become apparent. Even if you have not placed yourself in a situation in which you could have caught scabies recently, do not rule out the possibility!

Tell me how to cure myself already!

OK, so you have been diagnosed with scabies. Your doctor has most likely prescribed Permethrin 5% cream, or a related product. The instructions on the use of these products are simple and effective. Often, you treat yourself twice, at a week interval. Also, it's a good idea to treat everyone you live with as well, for it's very likely they are also infected with scabies. As stated before, symptoms of scabies may take months to become apparent.

After treating yourself and those you live with the first time, wash everything. Anything that cannot be washed, stuff in sealed bags. These bags are not to be opened for an entire week. Scabies cannot live more than three days without human contact.

Vacuum your floors, rugs, and furniture completely. Clean everything! Take every precaution to make sure there are no scabies or un-hatched eggs remaining in your environment.

In about a week, when it is time to reapply, repeat this procedure.

Am I Cured?

Keep in mind that even though you may have killed all the scabies in your body, the symptoms may take weeks to go away. This is because of the severity of the allergic reaction in your skin. Simple OTC antihistamines can help with these symptoms.