Scabies - Treatment For Scabies

Scabies trace its name to the Latin word scabere which means to scratch. And scratching is one of the most common symptoms of this condition. The itching feeling caused by this condition is brought about by the mite Sarcoptes scabiei as first showed by Diacinto Cestoni, an Italian biologist. The intense and the itchy skin rashes that can be seen on the patient with scabies starts to shown when the impregnated female gets into the stratum corneum of the person's skin and there the female mite deposits the egg in the burrow.

The eggs that will turn into larvae hatch after three to five days and will then move into the skin and then molt. Once the molting has been successful, these will then turn into adult mites. The itch that can be experienced by a person with scabies is due to the action and the movement of the mites in the skin and these shows on the skin as an allergic appearance. The eggs produced by the mites produce allergic response that creates that extreme itching on the skin.

Scabies can be transferred from one person to the next thru skin to skin contact. In some cases, this condition can be passed thru sexual contact. Scabies will usually show on the skin of the person as small red bumps and blisters and these can be seen mostly on the webs between the fingers, the wrists and the back of the elbows. This can be seen as w ell on the knees, around the waist, the areas around the nipples, the sides and the back of the feet, buttocks and the genitals.

This condition on the skin can be treated by use of medications. The first type of treatment is topical treatment. Examples of drugs that can be used as treatment are the Permethrin, Eurax, Malathion, Lindane and ten percent sulfur ointment. The Malathion is often applied on the affected area for 24 hours and helps in killing the adult mites and the eggs.

The Lindane drug on the other hand is used on the patients where Permethrin has failed. The use of Lindane is approved for use by the FDA and the agency called this drug as safe and effective. There are no serious side effects that can be attributed to the drug and if there may be some side effects on a person that that could be due to product misuse. This drug is recognized and registered for use in 50 countries and also in a restricted-use status in 33 of these countries. If the Lindane will be used on the affected area of the skin, it is recommended that the drug should be washed off with warm water in order to avoid absorption through the skin.

Oral treatment is also suggested on a person that has scabies. Based on some research, a single dose of the ivermectin has been found to cure scabies. And based on comparisons that were done, this drug and Lindane has little or almost no differences. When itchiness is severe, the use of antihistamines is recommended as well.