If you have red, itchy rashes on your skin, you may wonder if you have eczema or scabies. They can look similar, but they are different conditions. Scabies happens to about 200 to 300 million people worldwide and affects all races and social classes. Eczema affects around 30% of the population of the U.S.
What Causes Eczema and Scabies?
Scabies is caused by an allergic reaction to mites living on your skin. It’s also highly contagious. Eczema, on the other hand, is a skin inflammation that gives your skin a rash-like appearance.
Scabies. The itchy rash is caused by an infestation of tiny, burrowing, eight-legged microscopic mites called Sarcoptes scabiei. The itching becomes more intense at night at sites where the mites burrow. It spreads from skin-to-skin contact and is more commonly found in places like child care centers, prisons, nursing homes, and classrooms.
The female mite burrows under your skin and lays eggs. When the eggs hatch, the baby mites (called larvae) make their way to the surface of your skin and spread to different parts. Someone with scabies may have 10-15 mites on them. The itching is usually caused by an allergic reaction to the mites, eggs, and their waste. They can be found on furniture, clothing, and bedding.
Eczema. This rash-like condition may start in childhood, adolescence, or in adulthood. The red, inflamed patches range from mild to severe. While experts don’t know the exact cause, they suspect that eczema is triggered by genetic or environmental factors. However, if you have eczema, it’s not contagious.
What Are the Symptoms?
Scabies shows itself by severe itching that gets worse at night. The itching happens in thin burrow tracks made of tiny blisters and bumps on the skin found in the folds of the skin.
Symptoms usually take a few days to appear if you’ve had scabies exposure before. But if you haven’t, it can take up to 6 weeks. However, you can spread scabies even if they haven’t yet physically started to show up on your skin.
The rash can appear anywhere on your body, but it commonly appears:
- Between fingers
- In the armpits
- Around the waist
- Along the insides of the wrists
- On the inner elbows
- On the soles of the feet
- Around the breasts
- Around the male genital area
- On the buttocks
- On the knees
For infants and young children, the itchy rashes can show up on their scalp and palms. If you suspect scabies, tell your doctor about it. Because scabies looks like eczema, a doctor can properly diagnose it and set you up with a treatment plan.
As for eczema, different types can appear on different parts of the body. They also show up for different triggers. Sometimes, if the itching is too intense, you may bleed. This in turn makes the eczema worse. This is called the “itch-scratch cycle.”
If you’re looking out for signs of eczema, you’ll see:
- Itchy, dry skin
- Inflamed skin that’s discolored
- Leathery or scaly skin
- Rough skin
- Oozing or crusting
- Swelling at the site where it itches or rashes
The eczema symptoms and flare-ups can come and go for periods of time. If the eczema is too much to manage, see a dermatologist. They can help determine what type of eczema you may have and what you’ll need to do to bring the itch under control.
Treatment Options for Scabies and Eczema
Scabies treatment. If you have scabies, you can use a combination of prescription treatments and at-home remedies to control the itch and get rid of the infestation.
Your doctor will prescribe lotions, creams, or pills. You may have to apply the cream all over the body and keep it on for 8 to 10 hours. Other members in your household may also need to do the treatment if they’ve come in close contact with you.
Prescription medications include:
- Crotamiton (Crotan, Eurax lotion)
- Ivermectin (Stromectol cream)
- Permethrin cream
The medications may kill mites, but the itching might continue for several weeks. To manage the itch, you can try home remedies such as:
- Soaking in a cold water or oat milk bath
- Applying lotion to soothe the itch
- Taking over-the-counter antihistamines to control the allergic reaction to mites
In order to get rid of scabies from your home or clothes, put affected clothes or furniture in tightly covered plastic bags. The mites die in a few days from starvation. You can also try washing these items with hot water. Mites die when exposed to 122 F or more for 10 minutes.
Eczema treatment. There’s no cure for eczema. But you can manage the flare-ups with topical ointments, lotions, creams, drugs, and phototherapy. Home remedies may also help soothe your inflamed skin.
To control and manage the episodes of eczema, follow these basic steps:
- Know what triggers your eczema and avoid any exposure to it.
- Create a daily bathing and moisturizing routine.
- Use your medications just as the doctor instructs.
When to See a Doctor for Scabies and Eczema?
If you suspect you have scabies, go to a doctor right away. Getting treatment early is key to killing the mite infestation and limiting the spread among your friends and family.
At the doctor’s appointment, your doctor may ask questions such as:
- When did you first notice symptoms?
- Where on your body has the rash spread?
- Are you pregnant or nursing?
- What medication do you or your child take?
- Who have you recently come in contact with?
- What home remedies have you tried?
If your child has it, they may ask about childcare details.
The doctor may take a scraping from your skin as a sample for testing to confirm scabies.
For eczema, if the dry, itchy skin gets worse, it can affect your day-to-day routine. The more you itch, the worse it will get. It’s best to see a dermatologist to find a treatment plan that works for your skin.
