Scabies typically appears as a very itchy rash characterized by small red bumps that can look like pimples, hives, tiny bites, knots under the skin, or pimples. These bumps often form lines or tracks, which are burrows created by the female mites tunneling just under the skin's surface. The burrows appear as raised, grayish-white or skin-colored lines
. The rash can also include scaly patches resembling eczema, and in severe cases (crusted or Norwegian scabies), thick crusts form on the skin with widespread gray, thick, and crumbling crusts
. The itching is usually more intense at night and can be severe enough to disrupt sleep
. Common locations for the rash and burrows include:
- Between the fingers and around fingernails
- Wrists, elbows, and inner parts of the arms
- Skin covered by clothing or jewelry, such as the belt line, buttocks, penis, nipples, and under the breasts
- In infants and young children, the rash may also appear on the scalp, face, neck, palms, and soles of the feet
Scratching the rash can cause sores that may become infected, sometimes leading to more serious complications
. In summary, scabies looks like a very itchy rash of small red or skin- colored bumps, often arranged in lines or tracks, sometimes with scaly patches or crusts, mainly affecting skin folds and covered areas of the body
