Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsScabies Rash on Darker SkinScabies SymptomsWhen to Seek HealthcareDiagnosisTreatmentFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Scabies Rash on Darker Skin
Scabies Symptoms
When to Seek Healthcare
Diagnosis
Treatment
Frequently Asked Questions
Scabiesis a skin condition that can affect anyone in crowded spaces like hospitals, care facilities, and daycare centers.
As mites burrow into the skin, the skin reacts with bumps. On lighter skin, scabies lesions can appear pink or red. On darker skin, scabies can appear differently.
This article provides an overview of what scabies looks like on darker skin, scabies symptoms, when to get medical attention, diagnosing scabies, and how to treat scabies.
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Scabiesrashcan appear red or pink on lighter skin, and the rashes are often easy to spot. On darker skin, there can also be inflammation and redness, with colors ranging from pink to violet. However, rashes on darker skin most often appear skin-colored or only slightly lighter. This can make closer examination necessary.
For new infections, scabies symptoms can take a month to six weeks to appear. For people who’ve had scabies before, symptoms can appear in a day or two. Symptoms of scabies can include:
Areas where scabies first appears include between fingers and toes, on the palms, soles, ankles, wrists, elbows, or navel (belly button), or around the nipples for women and genitals for men.
Scabies: Who’s At Risk?Anyone who lives or works in crowded spaces is at a higher risk of scabies. Scabies is not related to cleanliness, and it can even be present in hospitals and care facilities. People susceptible to scabies include:Children and their parentsSexually active young adultsNursing home residentsHospital patients
Scabies: Who’s At Risk?
Anyone who lives or works in crowded spaces is at a higher risk of scabies. Scabies is not related to cleanliness, and it can even be present in hospitals and care facilities. People susceptible to scabies include:Children and their parentsSexually active young adultsNursing home residentsHospital patients
Anyone who lives or works in crowded spaces is at a higher risk of scabies. Scabies is not related to cleanliness, and it can even be present in hospitals and care facilities. People susceptible to scabies include:
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Though scabies is treatable with pharmacist-recommended creams, a healthcare provider-recommended cream may prove more effective. Seek medical care if:
Scabies: When to Seek Emergency CareCall a healthcare provider as soon as possible in the case of:A painful, swelling, red, or warm rashRed streaks from mite marksPus from lesionsFever with a rash
Scabies: When to Seek Emergency Care
Call a healthcare provider as soon as possible in the case of:A painful, swelling, red, or warm rashRed streaks from mite marksPus from lesionsFever with a rash
Call a healthcare provider as soon as possible in the case of:
Are There Tests to Diagnose Scabies?
To diagnose scabies, a healthcare provider may:
How to Treat Scabies
Scabies can often be treated with a cream (usually Permethrin cream 5%). The cream is usually applied to cool, dry skin all over the body, except the head.
Other treatments that a person who has scabies might need include:
It can take a month after treatment for scabies itching to completely disappear and at least a month for the blisters to heal.
Summary
On darker skin, scabies rashes may be only slightly lighter than skin color, which can make diagnosis challenging. Rashes on paler areas, like palms or inner arms, are often darker than the surrounding skin. Burrows, which is a term for the lines that result when mites burrow into the skin, can be observed with a dermatoscope or felt during an examination.
Treating scabies includes using a cream for one treatment or two treatments a week apart, washing all linens and towels, and making sure people in the surroundings are also treated.
A Word From Verywell
Scabies is a common condition found all over the world that can happen to anyone spending time in crowded living areas, including areas that are clean. Though it can be uncomfortable, the good news is that it normally only takes one treatment (or two one week apart) to get rid of the offending bugs for good. Ask your pharmacist or a healthcare professional which creams could be best for you and those with whom you live.
Frequently Asked QuestionsBecause scabies presents as a red rash, it is sometimes confused with several other conditions. Scabies rash can be misdiagnosed as rosacea, contact dermatitis, bullous pemphigoid, or eczema. Scabies can also be mistaken for an allergic rash or hives. Scabies lesions can be mistaken for bites from bedbugs, fleas, and midges.Learn MoreAlphabetical List of Common Rashes and Their CausesPermethrin cream 5% is the most common treatment for scabies. The cream kills mites and eggs immediately. It might be necessary to take two or more treatments, each a week apart, to kill all mites and eggs.Learn MoreHow Scabies Is TreatedScabies usually starts between the fingers. Other common areas for scabies include the wrists, elbows, ankles, buttocks, penis, and nipples (for women). It can also appear around the navel.Learn MoreHow Scabies Is Diagnosed
Because scabies presents as a red rash, it is sometimes confused with several other conditions. Scabies rash can be misdiagnosed as rosacea, contact dermatitis, bullous pemphigoid, or eczema. Scabies can also be mistaken for an allergic rash or hives. Scabies lesions can be mistaken for bites from bedbugs, fleas, and midges.Learn MoreAlphabetical List of Common Rashes and Their Causes
Because scabies presents as a red rash, it is sometimes confused with several other conditions. Scabies rash can be misdiagnosed as rosacea, contact dermatitis, bullous pemphigoid, or eczema. Scabies can also be mistaken for an allergic rash or hives. Scabies lesions can be mistaken for bites from bedbugs, fleas, and midges.
Learn MoreAlphabetical List of Common Rashes and Their Causes
Permethrin cream 5% is the most common treatment for scabies. The cream kills mites and eggs immediately. It might be necessary to take two or more treatments, each a week apart, to kill all mites and eggs.Learn MoreHow Scabies Is Treated
Permethrin cream 5% is the most common treatment for scabies. The cream kills mites and eggs immediately. It might be necessary to take two or more treatments, each a week apart, to kill all mites and eggs.
Learn MoreHow Scabies Is Treated
Scabies usually starts between the fingers. Other common areas for scabies include the wrists, elbows, ankles, buttocks, penis, and nipples (for women). It can also appear around the navel.Learn MoreHow Scabies Is Diagnosed
Scabies usually starts between the fingers. Other common areas for scabies include the wrists, elbows, ankles, buttocks, penis, and nipples (for women). It can also appear around the navel.
Learn MoreHow Scabies Is Diagnosed
11 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MedlinePlus.Scabies.NHS inform.Scabies.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Scabies: overview.Engelman D, Yoshizumi J, Hay RJ, et al.The 2020 International Alliance for the Control of Scabies consensus criteria for the diagnosis of scabies. Br J Dermatol. 2020;183(5):808-820. doi:10.1111/bjd.18943American Academy of Dermatology Association.Scabies: diagnosis and treatment.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Scabies: who gets and causes.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Rash 101 in adults: when to seek medical treatment.NHS.Itchy skin.MyHealth.Alberta.ca.Scabies: care instructions.Walton SF, Currie BJ.Problems in diagnosing scabies, a global disease in human and animal populations.Clin Microbiol Rev. 2007;20(2):268-279. doi:10.1128/CMR.00042-06.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Scabies: medications.
11 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MedlinePlus.Scabies.NHS inform.Scabies.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Scabies: overview.Engelman D, Yoshizumi J, Hay RJ, et al.The 2020 International Alliance for the Control of Scabies consensus criteria for the diagnosis of scabies. Br J Dermatol. 2020;183(5):808-820. doi:10.1111/bjd.18943American Academy of Dermatology Association.Scabies: diagnosis and treatment.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Scabies: who gets and causes.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Rash 101 in adults: when to seek medical treatment.NHS.Itchy skin.MyHealth.Alberta.ca.Scabies: care instructions.Walton SF, Currie BJ.Problems in diagnosing scabies, a global disease in human and animal populations.Clin Microbiol Rev. 2007;20(2):268-279. doi:10.1128/CMR.00042-06.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Scabies: medications.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
MedlinePlus.Scabies.NHS inform.Scabies.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Scabies: overview.Engelman D, Yoshizumi J, Hay RJ, et al.The 2020 International Alliance for the Control of Scabies consensus criteria for the diagnosis of scabies. Br J Dermatol. 2020;183(5):808-820. doi:10.1111/bjd.18943American Academy of Dermatology Association.Scabies: diagnosis and treatment.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Scabies: who gets and causes.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Rash 101 in adults: when to seek medical treatment.NHS.Itchy skin.MyHealth.Alberta.ca.Scabies: care instructions.Walton SF, Currie BJ.Problems in diagnosing scabies, a global disease in human and animal populations.Clin Microbiol Rev. 2007;20(2):268-279. doi:10.1128/CMR.00042-06.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Scabies: medications.
MedlinePlus.Scabies.
NHS inform.Scabies.
American Academy of Dermatology Association.Scabies: overview.
Engelman D, Yoshizumi J, Hay RJ, et al.The 2020 International Alliance for the Control of Scabies consensus criteria for the diagnosis of scabies. Br J Dermatol. 2020;183(5):808-820. doi:10.1111/bjd.18943
American Academy of Dermatology Association.Scabies: diagnosis and treatment.
American Academy of Dermatology Association.Scabies: who gets and causes.
American Academy of Dermatology Association.Rash 101 in adults: when to seek medical treatment.
NHS.Itchy skin.
MyHealth.Alberta.ca.Scabies: care instructions.
Walton SF, Currie BJ.Problems in diagnosing scabies, a global disease in human and animal populations.Clin Microbiol Rev. 2007;20(2):268-279. doi:10.1128/CMR.00042-06.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Scabies: medications.
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