Do I have scabies?
Intense itching, bumpy rashes, and raised, curvy lines on your skin are signs that you might have scabies. But only a nurse or doctor can tell you for sure.
How do I know if I have scabies?
Symptoms of scabies include itching, rashes, and burrow lines (dark, small curling lines under your skin). But the only way to know for sure is to get checked out by a nurse or doctor.
Sometimes, they’ll know if you have scabies just by looking at your symptoms. The nurse or doctor might also try to find evidence of mites and their eggs in your skin. They may remove a scabies mite from the end of a burrow, or look at a tiny scraping of skin under a microscope to try to find mites, eggs, or mite poop. But it’s possible to be infected with scabies even if the doctor can’t find mites or eggs on your skin.
See a nurse or doctor if you have symptoms, or if someone you were recently in close contact with is being treated for scabies. If you think you might have scabies, try not to freak out — scabies can be easily cured with medication.
How to test for scabies
You can get tested for scabies (and other STDs) at your doctor’s office, a community health clinic, the health department, or your local Planned Parenthood health center. If you’re itching and uncomfortable, the sooner you get in and get treatment, the sooner you’ll feel better.