Scabies is a common and very itchy skin condition caused by a tiny mite called sarcoptes scabiei, a parasite, smaller than a pinhead that lives on human skin and burrows into it.
Scabies can be passed from one person to another through close skin-to-skin contact. This contact needs to be for a reasonable time (usually at least 15-20 minutes) and, in most cases, scabies is caught from prolonged skin-to-skin contact with an infected person: the hands are the most common site to be first affected.
Close skin-to-skin contact when having sex with someone is a common way of catching scabies. The mites live on and in the skin and can survive away from the host human for about 24-36 hours
It can take up to eight weeks for the symptoms of scabies to appear after the initial infection. This is known as the incubation period.
You are unlikely to catch scabies from an infected person by casual short contact, such as a handshake or a hug. You are also unlikely to catch scabies from bedding and towels, unless you share them or use them immediately after they are used by someone with scabies. However, just in case, it is best to thoroughly clean bedding and towels in a hot wash.
Note: the itch and rash of scabies are due to an allergic reaction to the mites (or their saliva, droppings or eggs). Scabies symptoms usually take 2-6 weeks to occur after you are first infected. The itch and rash can develop on any part of the skin, away from where the mites are actually burrowing. This means that you can be infectious and can spread scabies before you even know you have it.
Your GP can diagnose you if you think you have scabies. If you think you have genital scabies or your partner has been diagnosed with it, visit one of our nurse-led sexual health clinics, where you’ll be examined and, if necessary, treated. Scabies can usually be diagnosed by a doctor or nurse simply looking at the rash.
To confirm the diagnosis, a skin sample may be gently scraped from the affected area so it can be examined under a microscope for evidence of scabies mites, their eggs and droppings.
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Scabies can be cured by using various treatments, but none will completely get rid of the itching immediately. The most common treatment is the application of an insecticidal cream. Treatment decisions must be made in consultation with your doctor, or nurse, as this medication is usually prescription-only.
The cream should usually be left on for eight hours and re-applied to hands and under fingernails if they are washed during that eight hours. The cream is then washed off and only clean towels and clothes should be used. Itching may persist for several weeks after treatment due to a hypersensitivity reaction: this does not mean the mites are still alive and require more insecticidal cream.
Clothing and bedding which might have been infested should be cleaned on a hot wash to eliminate all the mites.
Hot baths, and scrubbing with soap and water alone will not cure a scabies infestation. Insecticidal cream must be used.
Note: you will still be itchy for a while after successful treatment. It is normal to take up to 2-3 weeks (and sometimes up to six weeks) for the itch to stop completely after the mites have been killed by treatment. If the itch persists for more than 2-3 weeks, you should seek medical advice.
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