How to Care for an Itching Scabies Rash

Scabies are parasitic mites that can infest the skin and can cause a pinkish-red rash with severe itching. Because scabies is very contagious, it is important to seek treatment as soon as possible, and to avoid sexual contact until the scabies have been eliminated. According to the Center of Disease Control in Atlanta, scabies can sometimes not cause symptoms until up to 6 weeks after the scabies have infested the skin. This makes it incredibly important to seek medical attention, and to care for the scabies rash so that if will not infest others.

Things You'll Need

• Scabicide lotion
• Antibiotic
• Detergent

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Instructions

• 1

  Apply a scabicide lotion to treat the scabies rash. Scabicide lotions must be prescribed by a medical doctor and are extremely powerful at killing off the scabies mites as well as the scabies eggs. Scabicide lotion should be applied generously to the body, including the neck and head in infants, and should remain on the skin according to the instructions on the lotion bottle.

  Itching will continue during the time the lotion is killing off the mites and eggs. According to the CDC, scabicide lotion should be applied to clean skin, and should be used until the rash and itching is completely gone from the skin.

• 2

  Take an antibiotic to combat infection. Scabies mites can cause the skin to become extremely itchy, and constant itching can leave the skin raw, inflamed and occasionally infected. To combat any infection that may arise from a scabies infestation, a doctor can prescribe an antibiotic to ensure that any bacterial infection caused by a scabies rash will be eliminated. Take the antibiotic for the entire time frame required prescribed, or the bacterial infection could return and become resistant to the antibiotic.

• 3

  Wash bedding and clothing thoroughly so that the scabies does not re-infest the body, exacerbating and worsening a scabies rash. All fabrics should be laundered to remove any scabies eggs or mites that might remain on them, which could cause a re-infestation on the skin and cause a scabies rash. Clothing that should be washed thoroughly are shirts, underwear, pants, skirts, bras, camisoles and headbands. Bedding and linens that should be washed include sheets, blankets, pillow cases, pillows, towels, toilet covers, bath mats and washcloths.

  A good rule of thumb is that any item of cloth that has touched the skin should be washed well to help avoid scabies mites from infesting the skin again and causing a scabies rash.