Have you treated yourself for scabies but still experience itch? There can be several reasons for this persistent itch.
Perhaps the treatment was not carried out correctly, as the standard treatment involves applying a cream to the entire skin. It is also possible that the scabies mites have developed resistance to the treatment, although this is uncertain and debated. You can read more about how to get rid of scabies here.
Reinfestation is a common problem dealing with scabies. The scabies mites can come from close contacts and/or your surroundings. The scabies mites can survive for up to three days outside the skin, and therefore be found in bedding, clothes, and towels.
It is possible that you have eczema. It is not always easy to differentiate between eczema and scabies. Eczema often presents as red, flaky areas of skin, while scabies typically include scratch marks and small fluid-filled blisters. You can read more about eczema here.
You may have hives (urticaria). Hives cause intense itch and can appear spontaneously. They look like raised wheals on the skin, and each wheal typically disappears within 24 hours. With hives, there are no scratch marks on the skin. You can read more about hives here.
You may have dry skin. Excessive showering and use of soap can cause dryness and itch, especially in individuals with allergies and during the winter. You can read more about dry skin here.
You may be imagining that the itch is due to scabies. One out of ten individuals experience daily itch for various reasons. Just the thought of scabies can trigger itch. “Itchiness” is also "contagious" in the sense that if we see someone scratching the skin, many of us start to scratch as well. Perhaps you are feeling itchy now as you read this? In some individuals, this can go so far as to believe they are infected with scabies. You can read more about various causes of itch here.
The best way to determine if a person has scabies is to extract the mite from the skin and then examine it under a microscope. This can be challenging because the mite is only 0.3 mm in size, and an infected person may have only 10-20 mites scattered over their entire skin. Dermatologists have experience in finding them.
