Scabies

Scabies is easy to catch. It spreads through close skin-to-skin contact, during sex, or through sharing bedding and clothes. 

Scabies causes an itchy red rash, often on hands or between fingers.

It can be easily treated with cream or lotion you can get from a doctor or pharmacy. 

Do I need an STI test?

Scabies is caused by tiny mites that burrow into your skin, causing irritation and swelling. 

The mites are mostly spread by close body contact, which can be during sex or when you're naked with someone. They can also be spread through sharing bedding, towels, or clothing.  

Scabies is easy to catch and spreads easily, so if you’ve got scabies, the other people in your household should check for and be treated for scabies too.  

If you have scabies, your symptoms might include: 

• A bumpy rash on your skin
• Itching that gets worse at night 

The rash caused by scabies can appear anywhere on your body. It’s often found on the hands, between fingers, undersides of the wrists, in the armpits, or in the genital area. 

Scabies symptoms can take a long time to show up, sometimes as long as six weeks after you get it. 

We recommend getting treatment for scabies if you’re a contact of someone with scabies – even if you don’t have any symptoms.

You can’t test for scabies. You need to see a nurse or doctor in person so they can look at your skin for signs of scabies mites.  

If you have symptoms of an STI, make an appointment with:  

• your usual doctor 
• a medical centre 
• Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa  
• a sexual health clinic 

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If you find out that you have scabies, it’s easy to treat with a special ointment.

You can see your usual doctor or another treatment provider, and it can also be bought over the counter at a pharmacy. 

Because scabies can be spread through clothing and bedding, you’ll also need to use a hot wash to clean your clothes, bed sheets, and towels. 

• Other people in your household should also check for scabies and get treatment at the same time as you.

• Don’t have sex until after you have killed all the scabies mites on your body.

• If it's safe, tell people that you have had sexual contact with recently that they should check for scabies. 

Scabies is easy to catch. It spreads easily through close skin-to-skin contact, or through sharing clothing, bedding, or towels that have been used by someone with a scabies infection.

Scabies symptoms can take a long time to show up, sometimes as long as six weeks after you get it. 

It’s a good idea to get treatment for scabies if you’re a contact of someone who has scabies – even if you don’t have any symptoms.

Condoms and oral dams won’t protect against scabies. 

It’s important to get tested for STIs anytime you have sex with a new person, and before and after unprotected sex. 

When to get an STI test