One of the most common symptoms of scabies is itching, particularly at night. Your skin may also develop tiny burrows, blisters and red bumps. Particularly between your fingers and on your wrists and feet.

The first time you get scabies, it takes 2 to 6 weeks for the itching to start. With subsequent infections, the itching starts after just a few days.

Anyone can get scabies. You can become infected through skin-to-skin contact (more than 15 minutes) with someone who has scabies or by sharing bedding or clothing. This is how you can reduce the risk of becoming infected:

• Avoid skin-to-skin contact with someone who is infected. For example, do not sit too closely next to someone on the couch, and avoid cuddling, sharing a bed with someone and wearing someone else’s clothes.

• Scabies does not go away by itself. Visit your GP if you have symptoms consistent with scabies.
• The treatment of scabies can be successful following an accurate diagnosis and by treating you, your housemates and close contacts at the same time.

• The treatment consists of a cream or tablets prescribed to you by a GP or dermatologist. You may feel itchy for a long time. This will slowly disappear, but can last up to 6 weeks. Take it easy and give the itchiness the time to disappear.
• Notify your housemates and anyone else with whom you have been in close contact (for longer than 15 minutes). Everyone in your immediate vicinity needs to get treated at the same time, even if they do not have any symptoms.
• Wash all clothing and bedding at 60 degrees. Or put clothing and bedding in a sealed plastic bag for at least 72 hours. The mite will die after 72 hours without human contact.
• Use the step-by-step plan on how to deal with scabies. You can download the plan at the bottom of this page.