Rashes that look like scabies: Causes, symptoms, and treatment

People may mistake skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, or contact dermatitis for scabies. Unlike these conditions, though, scabies occurs due to a mite known as Sarcoptes scabiei.

In this article, we look at what a scabies rash looks like. We also look at other rashes that are similar in appearance and their treatment options.

Scabies is a common condition that occurs as the result of an infestation of a microscopic skin mite called Sarcoptes scabiei. The mites burrow under the skin, causing intense itching and a rash.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) describes the rash as pimple-like. On darker skin, the rash may be more difficult to see, but a person should be able to feel it.

According to DermNet, a scabies rash is varied in appearance, and may appear as:

• pimple-like on the limbs and trunk
• widespread or coin-shaped
• small blisters
• scales
• lesions in the armpits, groin, navel, areolas, scrotum, buttocks, and along the penile shaft

The American Academy of Dermatology Association notes that the rash may cause small bumps that form a line.

The rash can affect many parts of the body, including the:

• wrists
• elbows
• armpits
• spaces between the fingers and toes
• nipples
• penis
• waist
• buttocks

A scabies rash causes intense itching that is normally worse at night.

The itchiness normally starts within 1–4 days in people who have had scabies before, but can take 2–6 weeks to appear in those that have not had scabies in the past.

Some people have a variant of scabies known as crusted scabies.

This occurs when thousands or even millions of mites infest the skin surface. People with crusted scabies have a scaly rash and the itchiness may not be present, or may be minimal. This type of scabies often occurs in people who are immunocompromised.

Other skin conditions may present similarly to scabies, some of which are discussed below.

Psoriasis is an autoimmune skin condition where the body makes new skin cells at a fast rate. This causes the cells to pile up on the skin surface, which results in scaly patches. Unlike scabies, psoriasis is not contagious.

In about 80–90% of people with psoriasis, plaques develop. This is called plaque psoriasis.

When this occurs, often there are raised patches that will have scales coated on top. Because of this, psoriasis can sometimes appear similar to crusted scabies.

The symptoms of plaque psoriasis include:

• thick skin patches normally found on the elbows, scalp, knees, lower back, face, palms, and soles of the feet
• silvery scales on the patches
• plaques of different sizes

On lighter skin, psoriasis will be red or pink. On browner skin, psoriasis appears salmon-colored and the scales are silvery-white.

On dark skin, psoriasis patches are violet in color and the scales will appear gray.

Treatment

A variety of treatment options are available for psoriasis depending on the type of psoriasis present and its severity.

Topical treatments are the first line of treatment for mild psoriasis. A 2020 study found that topical treatments remain effective in treating mild psoriasis.

Topical treatments include:

• Emollients: These include moisturizers and anti-itch creams.
• Coal tar: Coal tar can help reduce the itchiness and flakiness of psoriasis as well as reduce the redness and swelling, and slow the growing skin cells.
• Topical corticosteroids: This includes creams such as hydrocortisone. These help decrease the itchiness and inflammation.
• Salicylic acid: Salicylic acid can help soften the scales and reduce swelling.
• Topical retinoids: This is a synthetic form of vitamin A. The retinoid that can treat psoriasis is called tazarotene.

For moderate to severe psoriasis, a person may require phototherapy, systemic therapy, and biologics.

Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, describes a group of conditions that cause the skin to be itchy, inflamed, and irritated.

Atopic dermatitis is an inflammatory skin condition that is not contagious. It is more common in children, although it can affect people of all ages.

The symptoms of atopic dermatitis include:

• itchiness, which can be severe
• dry patches of skin that are red to dark brown in color
• hardened or thickened skin
• itching that can disrupt sleep

Treatment

Treatment of atopic dermatitis includes medications, skin care, and phototherapy.

A 2019 study found that NB-UVB phototherapy treatment was effective in treating atopic dermatitis.

Medication that may be prescribed includes:

• steroids to reduce swelling and clear the rash
• antibiotics to help prevent infections
• antihistamines to reduce irritation

A dermatologist may recommend that a person:

• avoids scratching the skin
• uses a moisturizer
• uses soap that is fragrance-free
• applies lubricating ointments and moisturizers to damp skin after washing

A person can also try bleach baths. The National Eczema Association advises that a person uses regular, unconcentrated household bleach, which contains 5.25% sodium hypochlorite.

People should always consult a healthcare professional before trying a bleach bath.

Additionally, people should:

• avoid using excessively cold or hot water
• avoid adding any other ingredients to the bath
• avoid soaking for longer than 15 minutes
• avoid submerging the head and face

Learn how to use bleach baths safely here.

Contact dermatitis occurs when a substance comes into contact with the skin and causes irritation or an allergic reaction.

Irritant contact dermatitis can occur due to detergents, solvents, acids, and more.

When the substance causes an allergic reaction, this is called allergic contact dermatitis.

Symptoms of contact dermatitis include:

• itchiness, which can be intense
• rash
• swelling
• tender skin
• dry and cracking skin
• fluid-filled blisters
• blisters that ooze, crust, and scale

Allergic contact dermatitis can also cause hives to appear.

Treatment

The treatment of contact dermatitis involves avoiding the trigger. A healthcare professional may also prescribe certain topical and oral medications, including:

• strong corticosteroid cream to reduce inflammation
• prednisone to suppress the immune reaction
• antihistamines to control the itchiness

This is a reaction to insect bites. According to DermNet, the symptoms include itchy clusters of bumps.

Fleas and mites that live on pets are typically responsible.

The bumps commonly form on the legs, forearms, and face.

Treatment

Treatment will likely include:

• topical steroid cream
• antihistamines
• antiseptic cream

This is a skin infection that develops in the hair follicles. It looks similar to acne.

It occurs when the hair follicles become damaged, and germs such as Staph aureus cause an infection.

Unlike with scabies, itching is not always present with folliculitis.

Treatment

Mild folliculitis should resolve itself without medical attention. A person can apply a warm compress to affected areas three to four times a day. Widespread folliculitis will often require treatment with a topical or oral antibiotic.

There are other conditions that also present similarly to scabies.

These include, but are not limited to:

• Dermatitis herpetiformis: This is a rare, chronic condition that causes severely itchy blisters and raised lesions. They commonly appear on the scalp, lower back, buttocks, elbows, and knees. This skin condition occurs alongside celiac disease.
• Prurigo nodularis: This is a skin condition that causes firm, itchy bumps. They typically begin on the lower arms and legs. They may occur as the result of scratching or picking.
• Insect bites: Bites from mosquitoes, fleas, bed bugs, chiggers, and other mites, can look similar to scabies.

A person should seek medical advice if they notice any skin changes that persist.

People should also seek medical advice if they experience pain with the skin changes or any changes to the color or texture of the skin.

Scabies is a skin condition that occurs due to a mite infestation in the skin. The resulting rash and itchiness may be similar to rashes seen in:

• atopic dermatitis
• psoriasis
• contact dermatitis
• folliculitis
• papular urticaria

Unlike scabies, the above skin conditions are not contagious.

Although treatment options are available, a person should seek the advice of a dermatologist or other healthcare professional.

Treatment options include medications, topical creams, and phototherapy. The treatment option will depend on the severity of each condition.

Rash Looks Like Scabies: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment

If you have a rash that looks like scabies, you may be wondering what it is and how to treat it. Scabies is a skin condition caused by tiny mites that burrow into the skin and lay eggs. The resulting rash can be itchy and uncomfortable, and it can spread easily from person to person. However, there are other conditions that can cause a rash that looks like scabies, so it’s important to get an accurate diagnosis from a healthcare provider.

What are the Symptoms of a Rash That Looks Like Scabies?

• Intense itching, especially at night
• A pimple-like rash
• Blisters or bumps on the skin
• Thin, irregular burrow tracks made up of tiny bumps or blisters
• Sores caused by scratching

If you have these symptoms, it’s important to see a healthcare provider as soon as possible to get an accurate diagnosis and treatment.

What Causes a Rash That Looks Like Scabies?

Scabies is caused by tiny mites that burrow into the skin and lay eggs. However, there are other conditions that can cause a rash that looks like scabies, including:

• Bed bugs
• Flea bites
• Chickenpox
• Shingles
• Ringworm
• Impetigo
• Drug reactions
• Other skin conditions

Your healthcare provider can help determine the cause of your rash and recommend the appropriate treatment.

How is a Rash That Looks Like Scabies Treated?

If you have scabies, your healthcare provider may prescribe a topical cream or lotion to kill the mites and their eggs. You may also need to take an oral medication to help relieve itching and inflammation. It’s important to follow your healthcare provider’s instructions carefully and to avoid close contact with others until your rash has healed.

If your rash is caused by another condition, your healthcare provider will recommend the appropriate treatment based on the cause of your rash.

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If you have a rash that looks like scabies or any other skin condition, don’t wait to get relief. Nao Medical offers comprehensive urgent care, primary care, telehealth, and more to help you get the care you need. Our same-day appointments, minimal wait times, exceptional staff, and technologically driven approach make it easy and convenient to get the care you need. Book an appointment today and start feeling better.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is scabies?

Scabies is a skin condition caused by tiny mites that burrow into the skin and lay eggs. The resulting rash can be itchy and uncomfortable, and it can spread easily from person to person.

What are the symptoms of scabies?

The symptoms of scabies include intense itching, a pimple-like rash, blisters or bumps on the skin, thin, irregular burrow tracks made up of tiny bumps or blisters, and sores caused by scratching.

How is scabies treated?

Scabies is treated with a topical cream or lotion to kill the mites and their eggs. You may also need to take an oral medication to help relieve itching and inflammation.

What other conditions can cause a rash that looks like scabies?

Other conditions that can cause a rash that looks like scabies include bed bugs, flea bites, chickenpox, shingles, ringworm, impetigo, drug reactions, and other skin conditions.

How can I prevent the spread of scabies?

To prevent the spread of scabies, avoid close contact with others until your rash has healed. Wash all clothing, bedding, and towels in hot water and dry on high heat. Vacuum carpets and furniture to remove any mites that may be present.

Sources:

• https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/scabies/gen_info/faqs.html
• https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/contagious-skin-diseases/scabies
• https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/scabies/symptoms-causes/syc-20377310

Disclaimer: The information presented in this article is intended for general informational purposes only and should not be considered, construed or interpreted as legal or professional advice, guidance or opinion.

how to “identify” scabies – Zdorov-Info

There is a widespread belief that only disadvantaged people get sick with scabies. However, this skin disease is highly contagious – that is, it is very contagious. And there is no guarantee that you will not touch the seats on the bus or the subway, which were previously touched by a homeless person with scabies and left a scabies mite on them. Scabies spreads very quickly, in advanced stages it is difficult to treat. Therefore, any rash on the skin is a reason to consult a dermatologist and not risk your health and the health of others.

What is important to know about any skin disease

If a rash develops on the skin and/or the skin becomes itchy or itchy, it is important to make a correct diagnosis. Self-treatment with an ointment purchased at a pharmacy usually ends with an aggravation of the condition: the scabies itself will not go away. Incorrect treatment leads to the rapid spread of the disease to healthy areas of the skin, complications and infection of other family members or loved ones. As a result, the treatment of scabies can take months.

An advanced form of scabies, when a rash appears on the skin, similar to streptoderma and other skin diseases, sometimes even a seemingly experienced dermatologist cannot diagnose. Therefore, if scabies is suspected, it is important to undergo a laboratory analysis – scraping.

Symptoms of scabies: why it’s important to see a doctor

When it comes into contact with the skin, the scabies mite adapts: this process takes from a week to 20 days. Then the tick begins to multiply, then the symptoms of the disease appear. The female scabies mite makes passages in the skin and lays eggs – this causes severe skin itching. The first symptoms of scabies are pinkish nodules on the skin. At this stage, you should immediately consult a doctor, and not wait until the tick lays eggs “in full”, itch moves appear and the itching becomes intolerable.

The scabies mite loves to settle on the thighs, elbows, abdomen, buttocks, between the fingers, under the armpits, on the nipples and penis. In children, unlike adults, scabies can also be found on the palms and feet. Scabies are similar to sinuous grayish lines on the skin. A person, combing these places, introduces a bacterial infection into the skin, further aggravating the condition.

Treatment and prevention of scabies

If one person in the family is sick with scabies, then everyone will have to be examined, as well as to carry out measures for thorough disinfection of housing. If at least one scabies mite becomes on furniture, shoes, clothes, etc., then the disease will return. Ticks die from high temperatures, so clothes, soft toys, bedding, etc. needs to be washed out. Things need to be ironed with a hot iron. Shoes or those things that cannot be washed are put in plastic bags and kept on the balcony for at least a week: without food and in a closed space, the tick will die. Be sure to carry out general wet cleaning in the room using disinfectants: the furniture is treated with special disinfectant sprays.

Although no one is immune from scabies, personal hygiene and precautions can help reduce the chance of getting sick. Wash your hands more often, try to avoid touching dirty places with your bare hands in transport, on the street, scratching your face with gloved hands, etc. Purchased clothes, shoes, furniture, toys, etc. that were previously used should be washed thoroughly. It also does not hurt to be more selective about your sexual life, since sex with unfamiliar or unfamiliar partners is fraught not only with sexual infections. As well as skin diseases such as scabies.

Author: Svetlana Evseeva
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The difference between scabies and allergies – Telegraph

If the skin has spots and itches, allergy is most often suspected.

An allergy is an immune system reaction to a specific allergen (household substances, pollen, food, drugs, etc.). Scabies is a parasitic disease caused by the scabies mite.

Some of the symptoms of these diseases are the same – spots appear on the skin, itching bothers. But these are completely different diseases that are diagnosed and treated differently. By looking closely at the symptoms, you can independently distinguish scabies from manifestations of allergies. But still, you should not guess the diagnosis and, moreover, try to be treated on your own – consult a doctor.

What do the manifestations of scabies and allergies have in common, and how to distinguish the signs of one disease from another? Read about it in the article.

External symptoms

As already mentioned, with both scabies and allergies, the skin can become covered with red spots and begin to itch. But with different diseases, these symptoms have their own characteristics: allergic itching can bother regardless of the time of day, but the itching caused by scabies intensifies at the beginning of the night. At this time, the female scabies mite begins a period of activity, they make new moves in the skin, lay eggs there. This, together with the bites of male ticks, increases the itching.

In addition, if you carefully examine the spots on the skin associated with scabies, you can see the paired passages that the scabies mite makes. If the rash is caused by an allergy, no paired passages are visible.

Scabies look like thin strips slightly elevated above the level of the skin, which are located straight or zigzag. Often at the end of such a move there is a transparent bubble, a white dot is visible through it – this is the body of the tick. True, sometimes with scabies, the moves cannot be detected.

Most often, scabies rash can be found on the hands (especially on the interdigital folds and lateral surfaces of the fingers), flexor folds of the forearms and shoulders, around the nipples, on the buttocks, on the skin of the penis in men, on the thighs, under the knees. Favorite places for the scabies mite in young children are the soles, face, and sometimes the scalp. In infants, scabies is often disguised as hives and looks like a large number of blisters, combed and covered in the center with a bloody crust

Other symptoms

If, in addition to skin rashes and itching, a person has a runny nose, and tears flow from the eyes, these are obvious signs of an allergy. Scabies is never accompanied by such symptoms.

In addition, against the background of an allergic reaction, there is weakness and general malaise. But for scabies, these symptoms are not typical.

Medication reaction

When the skin becomes blotchy and itchy, many people turn to antihistamines to relieve what they think are the symptoms of an allergic reaction. In the case where the cause of the discomfort is really an allergy, the medicine will quickly help to relieve or relieve the symptoms. Well, with scabies, no matter how much you take antihistamines, they will not help.

Is it contagious?

Allergies are not contagious. Its presence or absence depends only on the characteristics of the human body. But scabies is contagious. Some time after one family member develops her symptoms, they often show up in others. The consequences of the scabies mite (spots, itching) can also be found in people from the close environment of the patient.

Infection occurs mainly through prolonged skin-to-skin contact.

A common route of scabies transmission is sexual. Children become infected from their parents if they sleep in the same bed with them. The scabies mite can pass from one child to another during play. In groups, you can pick up a scabies mite through frequent handshakes, while practicing contact sports.

Transmission of scabies through household items is unlikely.