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Red Dots On Waist Line And Pubic Region, Itching, Flaking Skin, Tried Home Remedies. Is This Lice, Scabies Or Other Mites?
Question: Hi,
I've been having this problem for a while now and feel like is overdue to seek help. I have what i think is mites, most likely scabbies from what I have read online. It started with a few red dots, not too many, like 2 or 3, around the waste line and pubic hair region. At first I thought is was just pimples, i have pretty sensetive skin and have back acne. But then every so often felt a wierd movement in my pubic hair, and the spots go itchy. As this progressed it seemed to take over my body, the moving sensation not the spots, and when sleeping would feel stinging or biting sensations on my back. I start to notice little white spots, like grains of salt on my bed. The worst started to happen when it reached my eyebrows and sideburns. When i would rub them flakes would come off like dandruff. Also sometimes when just siting down I would see small what look like white pieces of hair floating in the air, this would happen when rubing my eyebrows as well.
I have seeked home remides, such as tropical cream, tea tree oil, sulphur soap, even ordered some scabbies oitment online. Bathed with these as well. Cleaned my clothes, bed sheets, many times. This makes them go away for a little bit but then soon come back with a vengance.
What do you think this is? Lice, Scabbies? or some other mite? What can i do to get rid of them? or is should i consult my doctor?
Thanks, XXXXXXX
I've been having this problem for a while now and feel like is overdue to seek help. I have what i think is mites, most likely scabbies from what I have read online. It started with a few red dots, not too many, like 2 or 3, around the waste line and pubic hair region. At first I thought is was just pimples, i have pretty sensetive skin and have back acne. But then every so often felt a wierd movement in my pubic hair, and the spots go itchy. As this progressed it seemed to take over my body, the moving sensation not the spots, and when sleeping would feel stinging or biting sensations on my back. I start to notice little white spots, like grains of salt on my bed. The worst started to happen when it reached my eyebrows and sideburns. When i would rub them flakes would come off like dandruff. Also sometimes when just siting down I would see small what look like white pieces of hair floating in the air, this would happen when rubing my eyebrows as well.
I have seeked home remides, such as tropical cream, tea tree oil, sulphur soap, even ordered some scabbies oitment online. Bathed with these as well. Cleaned my clothes, bed sheets, many times. This makes them go away for a little bit but then soon come back with a vengance.
What do you think this is? Lice, Scabbies? or some other mite? What can i do to get rid of them? or is should i consult my doctor?
Thanks, XXXXXXX
Hi XXXXXXX
Thanks for writing in.
I am a medical specialist with a sub specialty degree in cardiology. I read your email with diligence and I agree with you that this could be scabies, unless your skin lesion is examined and if need be mites and burrows are confirmed one can not be 100 percent sure.
With a suspected diagnosis of Scabies, (agreed that is my number one possibility) now let us see how to proceed, Let me review it for you. Please postpone other things for a couple of weeks and concentrate on treatment of this malady.
A small, eight-legged mite called Sarcoptes scabiei causes scabies. Scabies spreads by close physical contact and is common in school-age children. The mites and their eggs may live on clothes or bed linen for 1-2 days. You claim to have seen egg like substances on linen.
Signs and symptoms:
It is often difficult to diagnose scabies because the symptoms vary and the signs can be very subtle. Commonly, the symptoms include:
1. Bullae - raised, clear fluid-filled spot or lesion that are bigger than 1cm in diameter
2. Papules - solid, raised areas of skin with distinct borders less than 1cm in diameter
3. Pustules - raised, fluid-filled spot that appear yellow
4. Vesicles - raised, clear fluid-filled spots
Lesions or spots are areas of skin disease and are generally small.
A number of mites burrow into the skin, particularly between the fingers, around the wrists and elbows, the armpit, nipples and penis. In infants and young children, there are often vesicles and pustules on the palms and soles and sometimes on the scalp. The allergic reaction to these mites causes the rash and symptoms.
Sometimes the only symptom is an itch, without a rash. Usually the itch is worse at night and after a hot bath or shower. Bathe in warm water as hot water may make the itching worse.
Your doctor may make a diagnosis by scraping a burrow and looking at that skin under a microscope. Scabies may be easier to diagnose by rubbing a black marking pen over a suspected burrow and then wiping it off with an alcohol swab. This leaves a burrow outlined with the ink from the pen.
Treatment:
You and all your close contacts should be treated at the same time.
5% permethrin cream is recommended and should be applied to all body surfaces from the neck down (paying particular attention to hands, under the nails and the genitals) and left on overnight. This medicine can be bought from a pharmacy.
Treatment should be repeated a second time, 1 week later.
What is the odd point for me is an uncommon situation you have are the lesions above neck:
In central and northern Australia (rather uncommon in the USA & UK), in older people (older than babies), scabies above the neck is common. This means treatment should also be applied to the face and hair (carefully avoiding the eyes, nose and mouth), you can paint eyebrows, face avoiding lips and inside of mouth and nose.
Bedding and clothing should be washed in hot water and if possible, dried in a machine on a hot setting.
Items that cannot be washed and dried this way can be put in air-tight containers or bags for 36 hours or in the freezer for a couple of days.
Infected children can return to school when two treatments - one each week for two weeks - have been completed.
Do not apply the initial treatment more than twice. The itching caused by scabies may take up to three weeks to go away after treatment. In fact, the treatment itself may cause some irritation. Your doctor can prescribe a corticosteroid cream for this if needed.
Sometimes nodules (raised, solid lesions) caused by scabies can last for months, even with the corticosteroid cream. If this happens, see your doctor for further treatment.
Key points to remember:
Scabies is spread by close physical contact.
The mites and their eggs may live on clothes or bed linen for 1-2 days
5% permethrin cream is recommended and should be applied to all body surfaces.
Treatment should be repeated a second time, 1 week later.
With prescription from your doctor, you can try this before consulting a specialist (DERMATOLOGIST) if not cured. No harm shall be done.
If you have any further question please do ask I will be happy to answer.
With Best Wishes.
Dr Anil Grover
MBBS, MD (Internal Medicine) DM (Cardiologist)
Thanks for writing in.
I am a medical specialist with a sub specialty degree in cardiology. I read your email with diligence and I agree with you that this could be scabies, unless your skin lesion is examined and if need be mites and burrows are confirmed one can not be 100 percent sure.
With a suspected diagnosis of Scabies, (agreed that is my number one possibility) now let us see how to proceed, Let me review it for you. Please postpone other things for a couple of weeks and concentrate on treatment of this malady.
A small, eight-legged mite called Sarcoptes scabiei causes scabies. Scabies spreads by close physical contact and is common in school-age children. The mites and their eggs may live on clothes or bed linen for 1-2 days. You claim to have seen egg like substances on linen.
Signs and symptoms:
It is often difficult to diagnose scabies because the symptoms vary and the signs can be very subtle. Commonly, the symptoms include:
1. Bullae - raised, clear fluid-filled spot or lesion that are bigger than 1cm in diameter
2. Papules - solid, raised areas of skin with distinct borders less than 1cm in diameter
3. Pustules - raised, fluid-filled spot that appear yellow
4. Vesicles - raised, clear fluid-filled spots
Lesions or spots are areas of skin disease and are generally small.
A number of mites burrow into the skin, particularly between the fingers, around the wrists and elbows, the armpit, nipples and penis. In infants and young children, there are often vesicles and pustules on the palms and soles and sometimes on the scalp. The allergic reaction to these mites causes the rash and symptoms.
Sometimes the only symptom is an itch, without a rash. Usually the itch is worse at night and after a hot bath or shower. Bathe in warm water as hot water may make the itching worse.
Your doctor may make a diagnosis by scraping a burrow and looking at that skin under a microscope. Scabies may be easier to diagnose by rubbing a black marking pen over a suspected burrow and then wiping it off with an alcohol swab. This leaves a burrow outlined with the ink from the pen.
Treatment:
You and all your close contacts should be treated at the same time.
5% permethrin cream is recommended and should be applied to all body surfaces from the neck down (paying particular attention to hands, under the nails and the genitals) and left on overnight. This medicine can be bought from a pharmacy.
Treatment should be repeated a second time, 1 week later.
What is the odd point for me is an uncommon situation you have are the lesions above neck:
In central and northern Australia (rather uncommon in the USA & UK), in older people (older than babies), scabies above the neck is common. This means treatment should also be applied to the face and hair (carefully avoiding the eyes, nose and mouth), you can paint eyebrows, face avoiding lips and inside of mouth and nose.
Bedding and clothing should be washed in hot water and if possible, dried in a machine on a hot setting.
Items that cannot be washed and dried this way can be put in air-tight containers or bags for 36 hours or in the freezer for a couple of days.
Infected children can return to school when two treatments - one each week for two weeks - have been completed.
Do not apply the initial treatment more than twice. The itching caused by scabies may take up to three weeks to go away after treatment. In fact, the treatment itself may cause some irritation. Your doctor can prescribe a corticosteroid cream for this if needed.
Sometimes nodules (raised, solid lesions) caused by scabies can last for months, even with the corticosteroid cream. If this happens, see your doctor for further treatment.
Key points to remember:
Scabies is spread by close physical contact.
The mites and their eggs may live on clothes or bed linen for 1-2 days
5% permethrin cream is recommended and should be applied to all body surfaces.
Treatment should be repeated a second time, 1 week later.
With prescription from your doctor, you can try this before consulting a specialist (DERMATOLOGIST) if not cured. No harm shall be done.
If you have any further question please do ask I will be happy to answer.
With Best Wishes.
Dr Anil Grover
MBBS, MD (Internal Medicine) DM (Cardiologist)
Note: Hope the answers resolves your concerns, however for further guidance of skin related queries consult our Dermatologist.Click here to book a consultation
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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