Clinical QuickieDermatology
Scabies / Lice
Infestations fail treatment when contacts and application are ignored.
Recognize scabies by pattern
Nighttime pruritus, burrows, characteristic sites, and household clustering support scabies. Crusted scabies is a different high-contagion problem.
Application matters
Permethrin or other approved therapy must be used correctly, including contact time and retreatment when indicated.
Treat the exposure network
Close contacts may need coordinated treatment and environmental measures to prevent reinfestation.
Persistent itch does not always equal treatment failure
Post-scabetic pruritus can persist after eradication. With lice, residual nits do not automatically mean live infestation.
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