Mite is not right!
If you are having itchy sleepless nights it’s very likely that in spite of keeping a neat and clean hygiene you have been infested by the mighty mites. The hot and humid weather has also led to increase in skin problems caused by one of the smallest organisms on earth the mites.
Most of these mites easily invade our skin as they are unseen and unfelt. These so called invisible skin invaders are very clinical in their action as they start multiplying in our body. This leads to skin inflammation and the most agonising sensation the ‘itch’. The itching is so severe that a person cannot resist from scratching vigorously.
The biggest problem is the ease with which they spread from one human to another. For example, it can be transmitted even if a person is sitting next to the affected person or even on the same seat after the affected person has left the seat.
This itching is more intense during the night as these mites become very active during the night. Along with the intense itching a person infested with mites always has a feeling that something invisible is moving on his/her skin, he/she is right though as these agents are rapidly moving, playing and multiplying just within the skin. These mites usually infest the skin, especially where there are creases, such as between the fingers, on the front of the wrists and in the folds of the elbows, armpits, buttocks and genitals.
Treatment
- Affected person should have a warm shower/bath with soap, and dry the body prior to treatment;
- Change clothing, towels and bed linen immediately before and after treatment;
- Apply medication (permethrin 5per cent cream/lotion) from the neck down ensuring all skin folds are treated, for example, finger webs, toe webs, natal cleft, external genitalia, umbilicus and axillae (avoid contact with eyes and mucous membranes). Ensure that treatment is also applied to the soles of the feet; paying particular attention to hands and genitalia, and under the nails with a nailbrush. Leave on the skin for a minimum of 8 hours (usually overnight) and reapply to hands if they are washed.
- If medication is washed off during the treatment period, for example, in hand washing, pressure area care etc, medication needs to be reapplied.
- Mites may be found under the fingernails after the affected person has been scratching. Fingernails should be trimmed and a thin layer of medication applied under the fingernails.
- A second course of treatment is recommended 7 days after the first application to ensure that mites that may have hatched after the first treatment are killed. Over-treatment is common and should be avoided because of the toxicity of some of the treatment agents.
(Dr Sharma is a Chandigarh based dermatologist)
