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All Woman
When Scabies bugs
BY DR NEIL PERSADSINGH
Monday, July 06, 2009
SCABIES is a common skin disease. It is found mostly among kids and it is spread by close personal contact. It is caused by a mite. This looks like a small insect but it has eight legs. Scabies is spread by personal contact and causes an itchy rash usually between the fingers, the crease of the wrist, the elbows, the underarm area, around the navel, in the groin area, at the back of the knees, the ankles and on the toes.
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The mite burrows into the skin and causes a small scratch mark which thickens at the end - this is called a burrow. The mite can sometimes be extracted by probing under the burrow and can then be put on a slide and seen under the microscope.
When a patient is seen and a diagnosis of scabies is made, it is important to treat the entire family even if they do not have any symptoms or the patient might become reinfected. It is sometimes difficult to convince parents to treat the other children who are not itching but we must insist that this be done.
Scabies itches more at nights. This may be caused by the change in body temperature or the fact that people are covered at nights when the scabie mite comes out and crawls over the skin.
The patient with scabies will be seen scratching the skin and in many cases will develop a secondary infection of the skin. We may see small papules - ie small raised bumps on the skin or pustules - ie small bumps filled with pus.
We often find scabies in school children and in kids who attend day care centres. It is also found among old people especially those who are confined to old peoples' homes; in prisons and in places where kids are detained, eg places of safety.
Scabies is quite easily treated. There are many preparations available which are very effective in treating scabies. They are usually creams which are applied to the body and some are cheap and easily available. So it doesn't matter which of these creams your dermatologist prescribes, they will all lead to a cure. Some of the best preparations are Rid, Nix and Benzyl Benzoate solutions.
The important thing is to make sure that you follow the instructions and apply the cream as you are instructed and to make sure that everybody in the family is treated. A follow up visit is necessary in four to six weeks to make sure that everything is going well and that the child is cured.
Dr Persadsingh, skin specialist, is the author of Acne in Black Women and The Hair in Black Women. Visit his website acneinblackwomen.com for a free download of cosmetics and moisturisers for the woman with acne.
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