Symptoms, Causes and Treatments of Scabies

Scabies are caused by Sarcoptes scabiei, a burrowing mite with eight legs. This skin condition tends to become extremely very itchy especially with the presence of the mite in the area where it burrows. With the sheer feeling of discomfort because of the scabies, irresistible urges of scratching may be unavoidable especially during the nights.

This skin condition is very contagious and spreads quickly through physical contact. An affected party can spread the disease through close physical contact in a nursing home, school class and child-care group especially in the family that is why it is recommended that the entire family or any contact groups get immediate treatment to eliminate the mite.

The common signs and symptoms of this skin conditions are thin marks, usually irregular in shape and size, bumps and tiny blister on the skin, severe itchiness which gets worse especially at nights. Scabies can be found at almost any part of the body and most often they can be found on the shoulder blades, between the fingers, around the breasts, around the waist, around the inguinal area, along the sides of the wrists, in the armpits, on the knees, on the elbows, around the buttocks and on the soles or sides of the feet.

Scabies in humans are caused by mites which are very microscopic and almost impossibly to see by the naked eye without the help of a magnifying glass. Female mites will burrow and builds a tunnel just beneath the skin where it will lay and deposit its eggs. For 21 days the eggs will mature and the new mites will mature by working their way out on the surfaces of the skin spreading to other areas or to other people’s skin. The severe itching is the allergic response of the body to the mites, the burrowing, the eggs and to their waste. Close physical contact, sharing of beddings and especially clothing with individuals infected with the disease are often the major reasons for spreading the mites. There are particular species of mites for human, dogs and cats. Mite species prefers one type of specific host. You may have a temporary reaction once you get yourself in contact with a dog or a cat’s scabies mite but you’re surely unlikely to develop or contracted the full range of the scabies from the source, like the one they may get if the contact was made with a human scabies mite.

It is time to seek a medical professional’s advice when regular bathing and over-the-counter remedies are not doing anything to eliminate the scabies. It is best to consult a doctor once you detect that you may have symptoms of the disease or you may have made physical contact with affected individuals with scabies. Most skin conditions have similar symptoms such as eczema and dermatitis which are also associated with small bumps and severe itchiness that is why it is best to see a doctor to determine the exact source or cause of the problem to be able to apply proper and appropriate treatment.

The treatment for scabies involves eliminating the mites for good. The infestations of the scabies may be eliminated by several creams and lotions. These applied medications to the skin will kill the scabies mites, although the itchiness may still be experienced for several more weeks.