How Do Doctors Treat Scabies?
Scabies infections need to be treated by a doctor. Call your doctor or dermatologist any time you have a skin itch that will not go away, especially if the itch is worse at night and seems to center around the wrists or the webbed part of the fingers. If your doctor suspects you have scabies, he or she may scrape a small part of the affected skin and examine the scrapings under a microscope for signs of scabies mites. Doctors treat scabies by prescribing a medicated cream or lotion. The cream will need to be applied all over the body (except the face, eyes, and mouth), and usually must remain on the skin for 8 to 12 hours before it can be washed off. After applying it, don’t wash your hands — scabies mites love the area between the fingers! Most often, the treatment needs to be repeated in 1 week. If someone in your family is being treated for scabies, all other household members should be treated, too. Clothing, sheets, and towels should be washed in hot water. Each room in the house
