Normally scabies is treated with Permethrin, a cream, by applying it from the neck down before going to bed then washing it off in the morning.  If you’ve been wondering how nice it would be if there was a less messy treatment option that worked just as well, you can stop wondering.  And the answer is yes.

Ivermectin is a pill that’s used to treat certain types of intestinal worms in humans.  We’ve long known that ivermectin is a treatment option for scabies, especially scabies that’s resistant to permethrin.  In a recent review of the treatment of scabies in the New England Journal of Medicine, the authors cite a study that shows two doses of ivermectin 2 weeks apart works better than permethrin.

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