Scabies typically look like an intensely itchy rash with small bumps that often form lines or tracks on the skin. The bumps can resemble pimples, tiny bites, hives, or knots under the skin and may sometimes develop into scaly patches or blisters. The rash commonly appears in skin folds and areas such as between the fingers, wrists, elbows, waist, buttocks, genitals, and nipples. In infants, the rash can extend to the scalp, face, palms, and soles. A distinctive feature of scabies is the presence of thin, wavy, grayish-white or skin-colored burrow tracks where the female mite has tunneled just beneath the skin surface. Severe cases, like crusted scabies, show widespread thick, gray crusts that crumble easily. The itching caused by scabies is often worse at night and can lead to sores from scratching, potentially causing secondary infections. In summary, scabies looks like:
- Small, itchy bumps or pimples that may be arranged in lines or clusters
- Thin, raised burrow tracks on the skin surface
- Sometimes scaly patches or blisters
- In severe cases, thick crusty skin areas
The itchiness and characteristic distribution of the rash help differentiate scabies from other skin conditions.
