Scabies mites
burrow in skin
The tiny scabies mite (scabies mite
drawing) burrows just below the skin surface where they cause an
allergic reaction, intense itching, skin thickening
and scarring (see photo above, right). Hands and
wrists are common sites of infestations but other
areas of the body can be involved as well.
Scabies mites are very contagious and easily passed
person to person either by direct contact or through
shared clothing or bedding.
It can take weeks for the body to react to an infestation by these tiny mites so the rash can be mistaken for other skin conditions that cause similar rash. The intense itch associated with scabies usually distinguishes it for other causes (see this WebMD article for additional information).
