Medication for the Treatment of Scabies
Scabies is an itchy infestation of the outer layer of skin caused by the microscopic scabies mite. The Centers for Disease Control notes that scabies is almost always transmitted through direct, prolonged, physical contact with an infected person.
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Prescription Medications are Necessary
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Medication for the treatment of scabies should not be of the over-the-counter variety; the CDC states that only prescription medications obtained through a health care practitioner are proven to effectively treat scabies.
First-Line Treatment
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Mayo Clinic experts say the prescription topicals permethrin and crotamiton are commonly used to treat scabies. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration has approved permethrin lotion for those 2 months of age and older. Crotamiton cream is approved for use only in adults.
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Second-Line Treatment
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Second-line (or alternative) medication for the treatment of scabies may include lindane, a topical lotion that should be prescribed carefully due to possible neurologic side effects, notes the FDA (Resources). The oral drug ivermectin may be used when topical treatments fail or cannot be tolerated.
Treatment Protocol
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Topical medication for scabies is applied to the entire body from the neck down, according to the Mayo Clinic. It is then left on for a certain number of hours (usually around eight) and washed off.
Other Scabies Treatment FAQs
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The Mayo Clinic says most doctors recommend simultaneous treatment of those who reside with an infested person. Reinfestation is prevented by laundering all personal items or storing them outside of the home for two weeks to kill the scabies mites that linger in the living environment (Resources).
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