Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatmentPreventionNext in Scabies GuideSymptoms of Scabies
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prevention
Next in Scabies Guide
In fact, it is estimated that at least 300 million cases of scabies occur worldwide every year.
Scabies can be treated and is not typically associated with harmful health problems, although skin infection or scarring can occur as a result of excessive scratching and resulting bacterial infection.
Verywell / Emily Roberts
Scabies Symptoms
Leading the list ofscabies signs and symptomsis intense itching that starts within days of exposure to the mite, but may begin up to several weeks after.The incubation period, the time between exposure to the mite and the onset of symptoms, is shorter if you have had the infection before.
Itching most commonly affects the underarms, belly button, elbows, wrists, fingers, breasts, buttocks, or genitals, and does not usually affect the face. The itching is normally present all the time but is often more noticeable at night.
Symptoms can be worse if you have an allergic reaction to the mite.Very young children may have more extensive involvement, including the face, head, palms, and soles, while adults do not.
Symptoms of Scabies
Nevertheless, while it is not common, infested bedding or clothes may cause a new infection.
The parasitic mite is tiny, typically too small to be seen with the naked eye. The female mite burrows under the skin and lays 10 to 25 eggs before she dies. The eggs hatch three days later and the larvae move to the surface of the skin. The larvae mature into adults in 10 to 14 days.
Causes and Risk Factors of Scabies
Thediagnosiscan often be made based on clinical examination, specifically considering the presence of intense itching and the appearance and location of the rash. Perhaps obviously, your rash is more likely to be scabies if you live with someone or have come in contact with someone who has scabies.
An in-office test, known as a scabies prep, may be performed to evaluate for the presence of mites. In some cases, a biopsy may be performed.
You can use our Healthcare Provider Discussion Guide below to help you start a conversation with your practitioner about scabies and what treatment your diagnosis might warrant.
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The Rash
Therashthat scabies causes can often look similar to other rashes. Again, a scabies rash typically occurs on the wrists, in between fingers, in the armpits, around the waist, and in the genital area. While rash in those locations doesn’t outright confirm scabies, it is something that certainly raises the prospect of it.
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See PhotoDermNet /CC BY-NC-ND
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See Photo
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.
The rash causes red papules with small lines that are attached, called burrows, which essentially trace the path of the mite. Since the mite doesn’t usually travel far once it’s under the skin, burrows may or may not be visible. The rash may also cause intense inflammation in the skin with blisters, redness, and itching.Scabies photoscan give you a good idea of what a scabies rash can look like.
Diagnostic Tests
There are no good tests that can diagnose scabies, but a healthcare provider might consider scraping off a small portion of the rash and having it examined under a microscope for mites or mite eggs; scaly skin makes for the best samples. Often, however, the mite and the eggs are not visualized, even if a person has scabies.
Some advanced microscopic techniques may improve the sensitivity of diagnosis.
How Scabies Is Diagnosed
The followingtreatmentoptions can help get rid of scabies rash.
How Scabies Is Treated
As mentioned, the best way toprevent scabies is to avoid close contact with those who have it. That said, many cases of scabies are passed from one person to another before the first individual even knows they have been affected.
If you have been in close contact with someone who has been diagnosed with scabies, you should also be treated—whether you are showing signs and symptoms of scabies or not. Often, entire households are treated even if only one person has scabies. If your healthcare provider recommends treating your whole family, everyone should receive treatment at the same time.
If you cannot wash certain objects, you can avoid contact and put them in a plastic bag for three days to decontaminate them. The mite can survive for months on a person’s body, but only for a few days on objects, which makes efforts to decontaminate items effective if done properly.
How to Prevent Scabies
A Word From Verywell
If you have scabies, the itching and rash can be intensely uncomfortable. You can recover much faster and more comfortably if you get medical attention as soon as you know that you might have been exposed, or as soon as you begin to experience signs or symptoms of the condition—whichever comes first.
There can be a stigma associated with scabies, as many are unaware of exactly how it is caused. If this is a concern for you, you may find it helpful to be upfront about your diagnosis with those it may affect, explain the steps you’re taking to protect shared spaces, and talk about what you’ve learned in regard to how easily it can be spread.
6 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.
World Health Organization.Scabies.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About scabies.
Mrázová Z, Jadrníčková I, Brabcová K, Spurný F.Fragmentation of Ne ions with energy 400 MeV/u behind targets from different materials measured with PNTD.Radiation Measurements. 2010;45(10):1438-1440. doi:10.1016/j.radmeas.2010.06.048
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Arlian LG, Morgan MS.A review of Sarcoptes scabiei: Past, present and future.Parasites Vectors. 2017;10(1):297. doi:10.1186/s13071-017-2234-1Micali G, Lacarrubba F, Verzì AE, Chosidow O, Schwartz RA.Scabies: Advances in noninvasive diagnosis. Vinetz JM, ed.PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2016;10(6):e0004691. doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0004691
Arlian LG, Morgan MS.A review of Sarcoptes scabiei: Past, present and future.Parasites Vectors. 2017;10(1):297. doi:10.1186/s13071-017-2234-1
Micali G, Lacarrubba F, Verzì AE, Chosidow O, Schwartz RA.Scabies: Advances in noninvasive diagnosis. Vinetz JM, ed.PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2016;10(6):e0004691. doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0004691
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