Scabies. Photo of a person, home treatment: drugs, folk remedies, benzyl benzoate, spregal, sulfuric ointment, tar soap, apple cider vinegar. Incubation period

Scabies (itchy dermatosis) is an infectious skin disease, the accompanying symptoms of which are severe itching and rashes on the body. The causative agent of the pathology is the itch mite (itching).

A dermatologist will help to establish an accurate diagnosis after a complete medical examination. Treatment is carried out using complex methods. Home therapy is carried out after consultation with a doctor.

Disease types

Scabies is classified into several types, each of which has its own developmental characteristics and accompanying clinical signs:

Name	Description
Ordinary	A commonly diagnosed type of scabies that is accompanied by severe itching. The man is combing the skin. On the affected areas, you can notice itching moves, which itch leaves behind.
Complicated	Pathological processes develop as a result of a long absence of properly selected therapy. Symptoms of other skin conditions are accompanying signs. We are talking about dermatitis, pyoderma, scabious lymphoplasia. The inflammatory process becomes wet. A characteristic symptom is also an unpleasant odor that comes from the patient.
Incognito (scabies of cleanliness)	The person is worried about itching, rashes appear on the body, but the symptoms are less pronounced than in the case of ordinary scabies. A pathological condition occurs as a result of excessive hygiene, which a person adheres to (washing hands with soap, shower gel). Pathology develops slowly, symptoms do not appear immediately.
Norwegian	A rare and serious disease that often occurs against the background of weak immunity as a result of other pathologies. The body temperature rises, rashes affect all areas of the skin, even nails and hair. Sweating intensifies, which leads to the appearance of an unpleasant odor.
Nodular	Rashes with such scabies often affect the armpits, anus, male genitals and buttocks. The nodular type of the disease is accompanied by unbearable itching. Round brown or pink nodules also appear.
No moves	A rarely diagnosed type of scabies. The causative agents of the disease are not the tick, but the larvae of the parasite. During the incubation period, they cannot move, therefore, in the places of their localization on the body, a rash and severe itching appear.
Pseudo scab	The carriers of the causative agents of the disease are animals and birds. Adults do not breed and do not leave scabies in their wake. The peculiarity of the disease is that the pathological processes disappear on their own 2-3 days after the infection of the body.

A dermatologist will help you to make an accurate diagnosis. It is necessary to visit a specialist with the first symptoms and talk about your condition. The doctor will prescribe a diagnosis and select a treatment regimen, taking into account the test results, the degree of development of pathological processes, as well as the individual characteristics of the human body.

Stages and degrees

Scabies (home treatment is carried out strictly after examination as prescribed by a dermatologist) a person develops in stages:

Name	Description
Incubation	The period when the itch mite only penetrates deep into the skin and begins to multiply. The first symptoms of infection appear after 1-6 weeks.
Long	The stage of the disease, which is accompanied by all and pronounced clinical symptoms. Active treatment at this stage will allow you to get rid of the parasite within 1 week. Late admission to the hospital and the appearance of complications takes several months or even years.
Convalescence period	Correctly selected and timely therapy for scabies allows you to get rid of the tick in a short time. During the healing phase, the skin acquires a healthy complexion.

It is impossible to establish a diagnosis on your own, and you also cannot take medications or use creams, gels. All appointments are selected by a dermatologist, guided by the results of medical diagnostics and the patient's condition.

Symptoms

Pathological processes are accompanied by characteristic clinical signs. They appear in the form of an allergic reaction to the scabies mite, its saliva, eggs, feces. The first manifestations disturb a person 2-6 weeks after the parasite enters the patient's body.

Typical symptoms for scabies:

Name	Description
Severe itching	The first sign of the presence of a scabies mite. It appears immediately on the hands, then quickly spreads throughout the body. Increased itching occurs in the evening, when a person is sleeping or after taking a hot bath.
Skin rashes	They appear some time after the onset of severe itching. The main places of localization of maculopapular red rash are the inner surface of the thigh, abdomen, buttocks, axillary region. In women, the area around the nipples is affected. In most cases, it is enough for a dermatologist to see the rash on the body to make a diagnosis.
Combs	We are talking about the characteristic lesions of the skin, which appear as a result of severe itching. A man is combing rashes on the body with nails. The likelihood of secondary infection is high. This is due to the fact that pathogenic bacteria enter the resulting wounds and scratches. They provoke the development of the inflammatory process. Secondary infection provokes skin redness, local fever, and pain.
Scabies	White or gray lines that rise slightly above the skin are straight or curved. At the end of the scabby stroke, a bubble forms, where the female mite is located. In most cases, the thick stratum corneum of the skin is affected.

It is impossible to determine the disease on your own, and even more so to use medications. It is important to establish an accurate diagnosis, as misdiagnosis will have serious consequences.

Against the background of scabies, other diseases can progress and aggravate a person's health (atopic eczema, psoriasis). In such a situation, it will be difficult to diagnose the underlying pathology without a thorough diagnosis.

Reasons for the appearance

There are numerous provoking factors against which scabies develops:

• weak immunity;
• social factors (poverty, migration to another country with a low standard of living and travel);
• non-observance of simple rules of hygiene, sanitation;
• the development of toxic-allergic dermatosis, the lack of timely and correctly selected therapy;
• violation of the regime of work and rest;
• frequent infectious diseases;
• improper nutrition;
• early onset of sexual activity, as a result of which the risk of encountering sexually transmitted infections increases;
• neurological or psychological diseases (it is difficult for a person to assess the environment, people);
• HIV infection.

Scabies (home treatment should be carried out under the supervision of a specialist) is more often diagnosed in children of different ages.

The risk group also includes people who live in a hostel, a shelter, or a nursing home. Places where large numbers of people accumulate also increase the likelihood of scabies. The same goes for saunas, swimming pools and baths. A person can become infected after contact with dirty water.

Diagnostics

A dermatologist can determine the causative agents of scabies and prescribe treatment after diagnosis.

Patients are advised to undergo the following diagnostic tests:

Name	Description
Scraping from the affected skin, scabby burrows	Microscopy detects scabies mites, parasite eggs, or excrement. Scraping is taken from places where traces are most likely to be found. These are the interdigital spaces on the hands, the flexor surface of the wrist and genitals.
Laboratory research	For diagnostics, the following tests are carried out: perform thin sections of the affected layers of the skin; use a needle to collect material; scraping the skin without blood; carry out express diagnostics, during which lactic acid is used.
Histological examinations	Perivascular infiltrates of the upper layer of the skin are examined. The material for the test is taken from the surface of the affected area of ​​the body.

Additionally, the patient is prescribed a blood test to determine the level of lymphocytes, eosinophils, immunoglobulins G and M, and immune complexes. It is important to differentiate the disease, since many skin pathologies are accompanied by characteristic symptoms. Timely and correct diagnosis will make it possible to establish an accurate diagnosis and select the most effective treatment.

When to see a doctor

A dermatologist should be consulted as soon as the first symptoms of scabies appear. As the parasites develop and multiply, the pathological processes will progress, the signs will intensify. Treatment can be delayed, as well as recovery, so it is important to timely determine the disease and choose the most effective therapy.

Prophylaxis

Prevention of scabies provides certain rules for those who have had the infection, and who have not yet encountered such a disease.

It is enough to remember the useful recommendations of doctors:

Name	Description
Recurrence prevention	after the end of the treatment course, thoroughly wash and treat all surfaces that the infected person has come into contact with; throw away old bedding and body linen; drink vitamins to restore the immune system after an illness; disinfect the room and clothing after the end of therapy.
Infection prevention	carefully adhere to simple rules of hygiene after visiting public places; maintaining an ordered sex life; it is recommended to carefully choose a partner; observe household hygiene; reduce contact with strangers; visit saunas, baths and swimming pools in special shoes; it is not recommended to sleep in the same bed with a child; avoid contact with strangers and street animals; use only your own cosmetics, body care items.

Scabies (home treatment is carried out using complex methods) is a contagious disease, so you should immediately consult a doctor when the first signs appear.

Treatment methods

The main goal of treatment is not only to eliminate the accompanying symptoms, but also to destroy the scabies mite and its larvae. The doctor selects special agents that can penetrate deep into the skin, affecting the itch passages.

Medications

Medicines should be used strictly, following the doctor's prescription or carefully read the instructions before using them. It is impossible to prescribe or interrupt therapy on your own. The drugs provoke side effects, an allergic reaction.

The following medications are used to combat scabies:

Name	Application	Contraindications	Efficiency
Benzylbezoate (10%)	Before using the medicine, it is recommended to wash well to steam the skin. Apply the medicine to the whole body. Then do not wash for 2 days. On the 4th day, again lubricate the skin with medicine. Wait a day and then you can wash.	children under 3 years old; pregnancy; breast-feeding; renal and hepatic impairment; pustular lesions of the skin.	The medicine kills adult scabies mites. It penetrates the body of the parasite and accumulates there, poisoning the itch. Does not affect tick eggs.
Sulfur ointment (6-10%)	The agent is applied to the affected areas of the body for 5 days, 2-3 times a day. It is recommended to wash beforehand. The duration of therapy is 3-10 days.	pregnancy; lactation period; individual sensitivity.	Sulfur destroys the stratum corneum and kills not only the adults of the parasite, but also the larvae. The medicine has an antiparasitic, antifungal, antiseptic effect.
Esdepalletrin	The spray is sprayed at a distance of 20-30 cm all over the body, except for the head and face. Skin treatment is carried out at bedtime. It is recommended to wash well after 12 hours.	breast-feeding; bronchial asthma; individual sensitivity; obstructive bronchitis.	The active components of the drug disrupt the cation exchange in the membranes of the nerve cells of the scabies mite.
Permethrin (5%)	The medicine is applied to the affected area of ​​the skin with a thin layer. Leave for 8-10 hours, preferably overnight. In the morning, wash off with warm soapy water. A repeated relapse allows the use of Permethrin after 14 days.	an allergic reaction or individual sensitivity to the constituent components; children under 1 year old; pregnancy, lactation; concomitant skin diseases.	The cream acts directly on itch pruritus.

If necessary, in case of re-infection, the patient is prescribed antibacterial agents (Cephalexin, Cefazolin). Severe irritation and itching will help reduce antihistamines (Flucinar, Soderm).

Traditional methods

Scabies (home treatment is carried out in a complex manner) involves the use of recipes from healers and healers under the strict supervision of a physician, as the ingredients used can aggravate symptoms diseases.

It is important to remember the contraindications and discuss all the methods used with a specialist.

Effective folk remedies for scabies:

Name	Recipe	Application
Tar soap	In most cases, birch tar is used. To obtain the maximum therapeutic effect, it is recommended to mix tar with sulfur powder in proportions of 2: 1.	The medicine inhibits all the functions of parasites (disrupt the process of breathing, feeding, mating). It is difficult for the female to lay eggs. The finished product is applied to the skin where rashes have appeared. It is necessary to capture the area outside the papules, approximately 2 cm.
Apple vinegar	An acidic environment inhibits the reproduction of the parasite. The female cannot lay eggs. The larvae die as a result of disruption of material metabolism.	The solution is used to treat the affected areas of the body 2-3 times a day. You cannot wash off the vinegar.
Celandine ointment	Mix the plant (1 tablespoon) with petroleum jelly (4 tablespoons).	The resulting mass is used for external processing of the skin. It is important to lubricate the entire body, not just the areas with severe itching.
Buckthorn broth	Pour the bark of a plant (0.5 tbsp.) With hot water (1 tbsp.). Insist, cool and strain.	The finished product is used for rubdowns before bedtime.
Ash	Mix aspen ash and sulfur powder in equal parts. Add water.	The resulting concentrated agent is rubbed on the areas of the body where skin rashes have appeared.

Scabies at home can be treated with essential oils, which are recommended to be mixed with vegetable oil beforehand. The resulting composition is applied to clean skin for 10 days.

Other methods

Complex therapy for scabies does not require a strict diet, but there are certain foods that are recommended to be excluded from the menu:

Allowed Products	Prohibited foods
pork and beef liver seaweed processed cheese, sour cream peas, lentils, rice vegetables and fruits rabbit meat, turkey	sugar, sweets alcoholic drinks smoked and pickled foods sweet carbonated drinks salty fish spices

More foods with vitamins and minerals should be added to the diet. They not only improve cellular processes, but also promote the regeneration of damaged tissues, increase the body's defenses.

Possible complications

In the absence of timely therapy, scabies entails serious consequences:

Name	Description
The development of a secondary infection, the appearance of ulcers	Appear against the background of scratching or scratching of the skin.
Post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis	Complication of a bacterial inflammatory process in which the kidneys are affected.
Impetigo	Bacterial skin infection. The disease is characterized by the formation of pustular vesicles on the body.
Pyoderma	A purulent disease of the skin, the causative agents of which are pyogenic microorganisms.
Rheumatic heart disease	Systemic autoimmune pathology, which is characterized by deformation of the valves.

In some situations, after the patient has recovered, unpleasant symptoms of the disease (allergic reaction, alveolar and nodular formations on the skin, itching) disturb for some time. But after 3 weeks they disappear. During this time, exfoliation of the epidermis and residues after the scabies mite occurs along with it (eggs, excrement).

Scabies is a serious infectious disease that can be contracted during intercourse or sharing objects. To prevent the spread of infection, it is recommended to immediately consult a dermatologist and undergo a complete medical examination. Treatment is carried out at home, but as prescribed by a specialist.

Article design: Vladimir the Great

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