07/10/2026
TINY MITES, BIG ITCH: What You Need to Know About Scabies
Can't stop scratching—especially at night? It might be scabies.
What is Scabies?
Scabies is a common, highly contagious skin condition caused by microscopic mites (Sarcoptes scabiei) that burrow into the top layer of the skin to live and lay eggs.
Important note: Scabies is not a sign of poor hygiene or dirtiness. Anyone can get it, no matter how clean you are.
🛑 Common Signs & Symptoms
• Intense itching that gets much worse at night
• A pimple-like red rash, bumps, or tiny blisters
• Thin, wavy, grayish-white burrow tracks on the skin
• Most commonly found between the fingers, wrists, elbows, armpits, waistline, and groin area
🤝 How Does It Spread?
• Prolonged, direct skin-to-skin contact with an infected person
• Sharing clothing, towels, or bedding (less common, but possible)
• Easily spreads in close-knit or crowded environments like homes, schools, or care facilities
💊 How Is It Treated?
• Scabies won't go away on its own—it requires medical treatment (usually a prescription cream like Permethrin 5% or oral medication).
• Crucial tip: Everyone in the household or close contacts must be treated at the same time, even if they aren't itching yet, to stop the cycle of reinfestation.
• Wash all clothes, towels, and bedding in hot water and dry them on high heat.
Have you or someone you know dealt with scabies recently? Talk to a doctor for the right treatment.