Itching caused by scabies can be a nightmare if you don’t know how to eradicate the problem.
Scabies can cause a lot of discomfort and inconvenience . People who have suffered from it know that the itching it can cause is really unbearable, and scratching makes the situation even worse.
Here is everything you need to know about scabies: what it is and what its causes, symptoms and treatment are. A fundamental guide to identify and treat this health problem in time, which is always the most inopportune.
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What is scabies?
Scabies is caused by a mite, that is, a small insect . It is an animal called Sarcoptes scabiei, which belongs to the same family as lice. Like these, this mite is a parasite that takes advantage of residing in the human body.
Lice and scabies mites actually look a lot alike. The fundamental difference between one and the other is that lice have specialized in parasitizing the hair and scalp, while scabies mites do the same with the skin.
These animals are very tiny, although they can be seen with the naked eye. Its way of parasitizing human skin is by getting under the skin. To do this, they first make a small entrance hole, and then they create some tunnels that are known as “galleries”. That is where they lay their eggs.
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Causes
The cause of suffering from scabies is none other than contagion . This can be caused by direct exposure to the person who has them on their skin, intimate relationships being the most propitious moment for said contagion to occur.
On the other hand, it can also be spread if you come into contact with clothing that the infected person has worn, as well as if you sleep on their sheets. Other tissues are not as highly contagious, but all precaution is little.
There are really no other factors that need to be considered. For example, personal hygiene has nothing to do with contagion. Someone very neat can be infected just as easily if they come into contact with this insect.
On the other hand, there are those who fear dogs or other animals as a source of contagion. The truth is that there are specific scabies parasites for humans and dogs, and although the idea of cross-contagion should not be considered, it cannot be ruled out either.
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Symptoms
Itchy skin is the most significant symptom of scabies . Basically these animals are moving and tearing the inner part of the dermis and there is not much that can be done to prevent it from scratching the skin.
In fact, scratching is probably the worst thing you can do, and when you do it, it is very likely that some of these tiny parasites will get lodged under your nails.
This makes it easy for them to colonize other areas of the body, spreading their reach and magnifying the problem. However, it is important to know that these insects produce lesions in certain areas of the body, while in others they do not leave any evidence.
Scabies lesions can be found basically on fingers, hands, wrists, armpits, thighs and buttocks. In some cases, the infection can affect the genital parts, especially the penis and scrotum. However, in no case do they appear in areas such as the face or back.
Something also very significant is that it is during the night when you suffer more itching. These insects are nocturnal, so it is precisely when humans go to sleep that they can cause the most itching.
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Diagnosis
Many people find it difficult to get a diagnosis of this problem . The lesions caused by scabies mites go very unnoticed, especially at first, but nevertheless the symptoms can be very intense.
In countries like Spain, scabies seemed to be quite eradicated, but in recent years there have been more cases than expected. This disease is manifesting again among the population, which in many cases is unaware of such ailment.
To diagnose this problem, you have to look carefully at the parts of the body mentioned above. These parts susceptible to being parasitized show signs if there is scabies, the hands being one of the most propitious areas to observe.
Specifically, what can be seen is a small black dot under the skin (the mite) followed by a zigzag mark. This mark is the path through which the mite has traveled, called a gallery as mentioned above.
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Treatment
Scabies treatment is very effective . When the diagnosis is definitely made, there is nothing to wait for, and what you have to do is buy permethrin at a pharmacy.
Permethrin is an insecticide that kills scabies mites. The cream is usually bought in a tube presentation, which must be applied to each and every one of the skin corners of the body. All except from the neck up.
This cream should be left to act for 14 hours. It is very important not to wash before time, so the best time to do it is in the afternoon or at night. In this way you can have all hours of the night.
The procedure can be repeated a second time, but only after two weeks. Permethrin is a bit aggressive for the skin, and in fact the days after its first application the skin can itch. This symptom may no longer be caused by the mites, but by the permethrin itself.
Finally, you have to know that all used clothes and sheets should be washed at 60 degrees Celsius to kill these insects and not get them again. Another alternative is to enclose the clothes in plastic bags, which cannot be opened for three or more days, once the parasite is already dead.
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Bibliographic references
- Bouvresse, S. & Chosidow, O. (2010). Scabies in healthcare settings. Curr Opin Infect Dis, 23(2), 111–118 .
- Hay, RJ (2009) Scabies and pyodermas—diagnosis and treatment. Dermatol Ther, 22(6), 466–474 .
- Hicks, MI and Elston, DM (2009) Scabies. Dermatol Ther, 22(4), 279–292
To the classic question “what do you do?” I always answer “basically I am a psychologist”. In fact, my academic training has revolved around the psychology of development, education and community, a field of study influenced my volunteer activities, as well as my first work experiences in personal services.
