Scabies
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Scabies is a disease caused by a parasite, and it brings on, for example, itching of the skin and pimples.The disease is caused by the human itch mite. It is transmitted from one person to another. On this page we will tell you more about scabies and how to treat it.
Scabies is transmitted from person to person, for example, by skin-to-skin contact or through bedding. Scabies is only transmitted in close contact or repeated contact. Scabies is in other words not spread through a short touch, like a handshake.
Scabies is often transmitted, for example
- within the family
- at school or kindergarten
- at the workplace or
- in a care facility.
Please make an appointment with a doctor if you suspect you have scabies. In that case, please call your health centre.
If your child has scabies, please notify the child’s school or kindergarten about the infection!
Symptoms of scabies
The most common symptom of scabies is extreme itching. Itching gets usually worst in the evening and at night. Itching due to scabies is often
- between the fingers
- on the wrists
- on the belly
- on the buttocks
- on the chest
- on the ankles
- around the genitals.
Other symptoms of scabies include
- rash
- scratch marks
- pimples
- water blisters
- red or light threadlike tracks on the skin
The tracks are corridors that the itch mite makes under the skin. In the beginning, the corridors may not be visible at all.
The itching usually starts 3–8 weeks after you are infected. You may have symptoms already in the first three days if you have had scabies before.
Treatment of scabies
You can treat scabies with cream or medicine.
- You can buy a cream called Nix at the pharmacy without a prescription.
- For the medicine, you need a prescription from a doctor.
- With the prescription you can also buy sulfur vaseline cream, which is also used to treats scabies.
Do this if you have not received instructions from the doctor
Treat scabies according to the doctor’s instructions, if you have been to a doctor. However, here are general guidelines for you, if you treat scabies independently.
- Everybody who lives in the same household should receive treatment.
- Even those who do not have symptoms should receive scabies treatment.
- If the child has many homes, notify also the other home that the child has scabies.
- Treat all family members at all homes at the same time.
- Also notify other close friends or relatives, like partners, of the scabies infection.
- They should also be treated at the same time.
It is advisable to treat scabies in the evening. Buy a cream called Nix at the pharmacy.itä varten apteekista Nix-voidetta.
- First, cut your finger and toenails short.
- Spread the Nix cream all over your body.
- Read closer instructions on the package.
- Wait 12–24 hours.
- You can wear cotton gloves during the night. The gloves protect the creamy hands.
- In the next 12 hours, please remember: do not wash the areas where you have applied the medical cream! If you wash your hands, for example, you need to apply more cream on the skin.
- Have a shower and clean your home very well so that you get rid of all the itch mites that carry scabies.
Repeat the treatment after about one week. The second treatment will kill the remaining itch mites.
Please remember to clean your home after both treatments!
- Wash all home textiles in at least 60 °C.
- Wash all the textiles that you have used in the past week.
- Textiles to be washed are, for example:
- clothes
- towels
- bedding
- mattress covers
- duvets
- pillows.
- Remember also to wash all family members’
- headgears
- scarfs
- veils
- hairbands
- toys and accessories made from fabric for babies.
- Vacuum-clean all textiles that you cannot wash in the washing machine. You can also wash them by hand.
- Vacuum-clean, for example:
- sofas
- cushions
- padded chairs
- carpets
- seat pads
- car seats.
- If you cannot wash the textiles, do not use them for a week.
- After vacuum-cleaning:
- throw away the dust bag or
- clean the vacuum cleaner’s tank.
- Vacuum-clean, for example:
- Do not use the textiles for a week, if you are not able to wash them.
- Textiles that you cannot wash can be, for example:
- jackets/coats
- shoes
- duvets
- thick mattress covers
- baby carriages and pushchairs
- baby seats and child car seats
- bags
- backpacks
- hobby equipment
- outdoor seat cushions.
- You can also put the textiles outside in the cold over night when it is at least –18 °C.
- You can also put the textiles in a +100 °C sauna for 2 hours.
- Please remember fire safety! Textiles can easily cause a fire.
- Textiles that you cannot wash can be, for example: