Treatment should be initiated for all suspected, clinical, or confirmed cases of scabies. Patients affected should be adequately isolated, and high-risk groups with close contact histories should be treated regardless of their symptoms. Optimal treatment strategies can be selected based on age, clinical subtype, and the patient's health status. In Korea, commercially available preparations for scabies treatment include topical 5% permethrin, topical 10% crotamiton, and oral ivermectin. Topical 5% permethrin is the first-line selective treatment for both classic and crusted scabies. Alternative treatments include topical 10% crotamiton and oral ivermectin. After completing treatment, follow-up visits at 2 and 4 weeks are recommended to monitor the therapeutic response. Treatment is considered to have failed if scabies mites or burrows are detected, new clinical characteristics develop, or there is an aggravation of pruritus. Scabies itch should be adequately managed with emollients, oral antihistamines, and topical corticosteroids. Preventive measures, including personal hygiene, patient education, and environmental control, should besd implemented to reduce the transmission of scabies.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by  

• Comparative effectiveness of permethrin and ivermectin on pruritus and psychological outcomes in scabies: a prospective cohort of 600 adults
  Mustafa Esen, Abdullah Demirbas, Esin Diremsizoglu, Gozde Ulutas Demirbas
  Postgraduate Medicine.2026; 138(2): 224.     CrossRef
• Microscopic clearance with ivermectin–permethrin combination vs. permethrin alone in noncrusted scabies: a retrospective cohort study
  Ye Ji Kim, Su Min Kim, Hyun Chul Jung, Sang Seok Kim, Chul Woo Kim
  Clinical and Experimental Dermatology.2026; 51(8): 1442.     CrossRef