Scabies is not caused by poor hygiene as was once commonly thought by some people. The fact is that anybody can get scabies by coming into bodily contact with someone who is already infected. What are the symptoms of scabies? Scabies results in severe itching particularly in the evenings as people lie in bed under blankets for warmth. Fingers, wrists, elbows, armpits, thighs, buttocks and groins are some of the areas that scabies tend to afflict quite often. Other parts of the body are susceptible too, but these are the main ones. Mites burrow into the skin most especially the areas around the feet, hands and male genitalia. Adults don’t usually suffer from scabies above the neck, although infants and young children are known to be vulnerable to scabies in the neck and head.

An allergic reaction to the mites is what causes the intense itching, and it results in rashes and raised spots that are red in color. How do you treat scabies? Skin lotions such as permethrin, crotamiton and lindane are some of the pharmaceutical products used to treat scabies. It is advisable to see a doctor in the first instance. The lotion will have to be applied all over the body from the neck downwards. The itching doesn’t usually stop immediately, so even though the scabies has been eliminated, itching may continue for a while. People that come into close contact with an infected person need to be treated as well, This includes family members, roommates and sexual partners. The best way to prevent re-infection is to wash all clothes, underwear and bed linen with hot water and then dry them at a high temperature.

Then use a vacuum cleaner on the carpets and upholstery. Combs and brushes should also bee thoroughly washed with soap and hot water as well. How do you prevent scabies? If someone around you has scabies, makes sure that you avoid coming into bodily contact with him or her. Also regularly change your clothes and wash them thoroughly. The same thing applies to bed linen and other laundry items. Clothes and other personal items should not be shared in situations where there is a suspected case of scabies. We now know how to cure scabies.

Watching a young child suffer is really hard to bear. The one thing that should always be done with scabies is to tackle the problem immediately.

The mites that cause scabies multiply so quickly, and before you know it your entire body could be infected. Understanding the scabies lifecycle is very important. Eggs laid by a female hatch into larvae after three or four days. The larvae then make their own burrows as they move around in the body. their burrows are typically closer to the surface of the skin. Four days later, the larvae are fully mature adult mites. The new mites either move to other parts of the body or get transmitted to another person through body contact.

Adult females can survive for as long as four weeks in the body of the host. The normal treatment for scabies is the prescription of a lotion that is applied to the skin and left there for as long as eight hours. By this point most people are ready to do just about anything to free themselves from the discomfort and itching caused by the mites.

However, it is important to check out the ingredients in the prescribed lotion. Some of the ingredients have been linked to cancer and leukaemia. A Scabies home remedy won’t pose that risk, and that is why many people prefer a natural remedy.

The symptoms of scabies are not very different from that of other skin disorders such as dermatitis, eczema and chicken pox. When more conclusive signs of scabies are absent, it makes it very difficult for doctors to accurately determine if a patient is suffering from scabies or a different affliction. This makes it very difficult for the right diagnosis and treatment to be made. This very often results in delayed medical intervention by the doctors when a patient is suffering from scabies.

It is quite common for other complications to develop in addition to scabies. These complications include bacterial infections, crusting and scaling of the skin, and arise as a result of the inability to correctly diagnose scabies as the underlying problem.

The parts of the body most affected by scabies are the feet, toes, ankles, hands, wrists, fingers, knees, elbows and armpits. The chest, lower abdomen as well as the nipples and genitals are also commonly afflicted.

It is uncommon to have scabies rashes above the neck. The reason for this is that the parasitic mites much prefer to remain in the unexposed parts of the body i.e. those covered by clothes. However, it is known that young children, elderly people and those with poor immune systems could also have scabies rashes develop on their scalps. The rash is much worse in infants and young children, and is often associated with pruritus and an intense itch

The scabies rash is a persistent one and if not managed properly, can be very difficult to treat. The rash usually appears before the other scabies symptoms, and annoyingly is often the last to disappear. The rash tends to linger for weeks after the mite infestation has been eradicated.

Ointments such as hydrocortisone and antihistamine aid in the treatment of the scabies rash. They can provide relief for a short while, but will not get rid of the rash completely. Severe rashes can be managed with analgesic creams, and for longer lasting relief sufferers can ingest oral analgesics.

Alcohol based creams and lotions are very popular for treating scabies rashes. Unfortunately, these alcohol-based products can actually be responsible for aggravating the rash. This results in the itch intensifying, and a greater feeling of soreness and discomfort. Try and stay away from alcohol based products so that you do not experience problems similar to those just mentioned above.  Remember that it is important to get a treatment for scabies as soon as possible.