There are many factors that make the differences between many types of scabies treatments that can be prescribed to the patients: the level of toxicity to the human body, the availability, the terms of efficiency and the price. Those medications can be purchased from pharmacies with a dermatologist's prescription and along wit their efficiency in killing the scabies mites, they are also cost - effective. Some of the most common names of medications for scabies treatment are: permethrin, lindane, malathion and ivermectin.



The most efficient scabicide medication is known to be the permethrin. Permethrin is a medication found under the forms of gels and creams for external use, whose action is well tolerated by the human organism because of its low toxicity level, element that makes it tolerable and suitable for some particular categories of patients: people with increased sensibilities to other scabies medications or pregnant women. The body absorbs permethrin very fast but only a part of it's active ingredients will enter the blood stream minimizing thus the risks of retention in the organism. Inappropriate use of permethrin can produce, in rare cases, pruritus and stinging and burning sensations. Those side effects, which are rare, can be eliminated by a correct application of permethrin, which also maximizes its efficiency.

Permethrin is usually applied only twice, with a 5 to 7 days interval. The doctor can, however, recommend a different way of application. The medication must be applied on the entire body not just in the usually affected areas (between the fingers and toes, the regions of the feet, ankles, knees, elbows, wrists, lower abdomen, genitals, buttocks, armpits, and nipples) and should remain on the skin for 12 hours, until washing, just as in the case of other medicines. After the period of 12 hours in which the medicine is considered to have done his job, the permethrin should be washed away with warm water and non - irritant soap. For the very young patients or old patients, just as in the case of those with impaired immune system, the medicine should also be applied on the face, neck, scalp and ears.

Another medicine that is known to be efficient in eradicating scabies is malathion. Cheaper than permethrin and not as effective, malathion can be bought from the pharmacies without a prescription from a dermatologist and it can be found under the forms of creams and lotions. It is recommended to use the water - based forms of malathion because of the side effects that the alcohol - based form can produce.

In the same class of scabicide medications, we find the lindane. It is a very efficient medicine but it has high toxicity to the human body. It produces side effects like skin blistering, stings, soreness or pruritus. This medicine is not recommended pregnant or breast feeding women or to patients with increased sensitivity to one or more of its compounds.

An effective oral medication for the scabies is ivermectin. Only two doses of this medicine can reach the same effects as permethrin. It is recommended to replace permethrin to those patients that don's respond well to the local use medication. Yet, this medicine is not recommended to young children.