Scabies is a contagious skin condition caused by tiny mites that get under the skin causing itching on either the face, neck and even the groin area. Scabies can be caught from another infected individual from either person-to-person casual contact, from infected objects or from sexual contact with a contagious person.
Scabies Treatment
When there is an infestation, everyone in the family or home needs to be treated simultaneously, as if not, the scabies could return. The symptom of itchiness can take as long as four to six weeks before it is noticed, but with a recurring infestation, the symptoms can occur as soon as within one day. The itchiness can be ongoing after a scabies treatment and does not necessarily mean that the condition returned. Treated children or adults may still be itchy for a couple of weeks, even though a thorough treatment has been applied.
Prescribed creams and lotions for scabies treatment can be purchased to treat the infestation. This treatment process is usually done twice with a one-week interval between each one, as the eggs may hatch and the scabies could come back again.
Washing personal items, such as clothes, linens and towels or hair accessories, in very hot water and drying them at a high temperature in the dryer is effective. Objects that cannot be washed but need to be treated can be placed in a large plastic airtight bag for a period of one week, in order to kill the mites.
