Scabies is a contagious, intensely itchy skin condition caused by a burrowing mite. When the mite burrows into the skin, it takes time for the signs and symptoms to appear. If the patient has had scabies before, the itching will begin within one to four days. If they have not had this condition before it can take two to six weeks for symptoms to arise because the body needs time to develop a reaction to the mite. If you have any of the following symptoms, Dr. Kraig K. Jenson, Byron Edwards or Dr. Devin Burr will treat scabies in Orem, Utah:
- Itching, usually at night. It can be so intense that it keeps a person awake at night.
- A rash that causes little bumps that often form a line. The bumps may look like hives, tiny bites, knots under the skin or pimples.
- Sometimes scaly patches develop that look like eczema.
- Sores caused by scratching the itchy rash. An infection can occur in the sores.
- Thick crusts develop on the skin when a person develops a severe type of scabies called crusted scabies, or Norwegian scabies. The crusts house hundreds to thousands of mites and mite eggs, so the rash and itch becomes severe.
To treat scabies, our dermatologists will prescribe medicated lotions, creams or oral medication. Because scabies spreads easily, we may recommend treatment of all household members. Please contact Dermatology Center today at 801-224-5200 for more information and to schedule an appointment.