In the latest issue of Die Ärztezeitung, the German Dermatological Society (DDG) points out that dermatologists have made the observation that scabies (from the Latin scabere = to scratch) has been on the increase recently. At the beginning of the current decade, this skin disease was almost extinct. The dermatologists’ observation is also supported by the health insurance companies, which have also noticed that more and more drugs get prescribed against scabies.
What is scabies?
Scabies is a parasitic skin disease. Parasitic means that it is a parasite, and in the case of scabies it is a mite, the Sarcoptes mite (grave or scabies mite). The connection between the mite and the skin disease was first recognised by the Italian doctor Giovanni Bonomo. It belongs to the genus of arachnids.
It is true that we humans (in addition to viruses and bacteria) always have parasites gathered in and on us. But in this case we are dealing with an unpleasant representative of the genus. By the way, the mites can grow up to half a millimetre in size, so that they can often even be seen with the naked eye.
The females bore into human skin and dig so-called canals (canaliculi). Then they leave numerous eggs and also their faeces in these canals – it’s really disgusting to imagine.
What happens with scabies?
The worst thing is that you don’t even notice that you are infested at first. Up to 5 weeks can pass before you notice anything. By then, the little animals can have multiplied quite a bit and have taken up residence in everyone close to you.
The mite can spread widely where there is human skin contact in a warm environment, e.g. in bed, in cramped living conditions, in nursing or in kindergartens.
At some point, the secretion in the ducts starts to itch terribly. Especially when it is warm (e.g. under the duvet), you have to scratch, which leads to blisters, pustules, scratched-up areas and crust formation. So all in all, a very unappetising thing.
It mainly affects the spaces between fingers and toes, wrists, ankles, armpits, elbows, nipples and genitals. In babies and small children, however, the hairy head, the face and the palms of the hands and feet can also be affected.
Sometimes it is not easy to get rid of scabies again, we will get to what to do in a moment. Re-infections often occur, but then they are noticed sooner, already after one to two weeks the itching starts with a second infection.
What do you have to do to get rid of scabies?
Here is a list of measures that you should definitely take in case of scabies:
- First of all, you need to see a dermatologist. This is absolutely necessary, because you have to apply a special medication all over your body (without any gaps). The creams or lotions must contain permethrin, benzyl benzoate or crotamiton. There are also tablets, they were approved in 2016 and contain the active ingredient ivermectin. All persons of contact must also undergo treatment.
- To kill any remaining mites, bed linen, towels and underwear should be washed at 60 degrees and then dried in the tumble dryer. Textiles that should not be washed can be stored for four days at room temperature or in the freezer in a sealed plastic bag. Then the mites will have died off.
- There are numerous non-prescription creams, oils and tinctures that can certainly help in some cases, but there are no high-quality studies on them.
Important note
This article only contains general information and can therefore not be used for self-diagnosis or self-treatment. It cannot and should not replace medical advice.