Have you ever discovered red marks on your skin which itch something awful, much worse than a mosquito bite? I have on many occasions and when I would show them to country folk here in western Mexico, they told me I had güinas or aradores, nearly invisible little creatures that literally get “under your skin.”
Well, it took me 26 years to discover that the Big Itch was due to two principal types of ácaro or mite, each of which is easy to get rid of once you understand its modus operandi. As far as I can see, campesinos and doctors alike call either one of these “guinas/aradores” even though what each does to you is quite different.
{/access}Trombiculid Mites
I described these little monsters in a previous article (August 12, 2011), but here’s a summary. You see round, reddish blotches at least 1 centimeter in diameter, which itch like crazy. They’re caused by the chigger or red bug (Trombicula alfreddugesi) which drills a little well-shaped hole in your skin. If you don’t scratch, the chiggers will die in a couple days. Just apply calamine lotion (Caladryl in Mexico) or anti-itch ointment and absolutely don’t scratch!
Scabies Mites or Itch Mites
These mites present a totally different problem and require a totally different solution. Apparently they can be transmitted by nothing more than a handshake from an infected person. What you see on your skin is not the reddish blotch described above, but a series of small red dots which itch miserably. Congratulations, you’ve got scabies! The invader is Sarcoptes scabiei or a near relative. The females are only 0.25 to 0.35mm in size and the males are half that size, so don’t expect ever to see them.
The first thing the females do is to burrow under your skin, creating a zig-zag tunnel parallel to the surface. Here they lay their eggs, which hatch in a mere three to four days, exit the tunnel and excavate new burrows where they mature in about four days, after which they are ready to start the whole cycle all over again. Unchecked, they will create red-dot trails all over your body, including on your hands and fingers and between your toes. The head is about the only place they don’t attack. Due to delayed immune system hypersensitivity, your body may not react to the presence of the mites for as long as six weeks, but the next time you get scabies, the itching starts almost immediately.
What causes the itch? Surprisingly, your body tolerates the mites and their eggs quite well, but reacts wildly to the mother’s feces. Thanks to your body’s dislike for that “alien poop,” it literally generates a Red Alert, warning you that you’ve been invaded.
Unfortunately, our natural tendency in face of an itch is to scratch it. Doing so, however, produces two very undesirable results: infection of the red spots and spread of the newly hatched mites, which get a free ride under your fingernails. In this sense, Scabies is “contagious” and can be passed on to others through skin-to-skin contact, bedsheets, etc.
Treatment
Consult your doctor! There are two non-prescription products out there designed to solve your problem. One is called Ivexterm (active ingredient: Ivermectin). If you’re an adult, you take two pills which kill any sort of mites you might have. The other product is called Scabisan in Mexico (active ingredient: Permethrin), a mite-killing cream you spread on your skin. Of course, there are certain procedures to be followed with each of these drugs, so be sure you get professional advice.
Prevention
Good news. You can discourage both Scabies Mites and Chiggers from attacking you simply by applying bug repellent liberally before hiking in the woods, visiting a rancho, etc. Put it on the exposed areas of your body, especially ankles and calves, wrists and forearms, neck and waist. This will also keep away mosquitoes and gnats. Never put repellent on your forehead as sweat will carry it into your eyes. I note that the latest version of Off! Family Repellent cream no longer has the strong odor usually associated with these products.
As soon as you can after your outing, take a shower. In many cases this is enough to get rid of mites before they have a chance to dig in.{/access}