Scabies, benzyl benzoate, please help

Hi there!

Six days ago I was diagnosed with scabies (22nd of February). My dermatologist prescribed me to rub in benzyl benzoate 25% for five days. I have been using the benzyl benzoate, but at the very beginning I have noticed that it is kind of "weird", it is really liquid like water, and white-ish. And when every time I have used it, I didnt feel any reaction such as tingling, as the doctor and pharmacist suggested I would. Furthermore, I didnt feel my condition was getting any better, because the itching didnt go away, and an ugly red-dotted rash appeared on my back the 4th day of the therapy (might I add that untill then I didnt have any rashes, just itching, few red pimples and 2 scabies burrows). However, I did shower the third night of my therapy, the night before the rash, but the doctor said I could, if I apply the benzyl benzoate right after showering. So, the ugly red-dotted rash appeared two nights ago, it appears around 9 p.m, (above both of my kidneys and upwards) stays for 20 minutes and disappears, leaving tiny light red dots which I can feel when I touch them.

Tonight I wanted to buy another bottle of benzyl benzoate and apply it again on my body just to be sure, and they gave me this time another bottle, they said at the pharmacy that it is their own-made. And this one indeed feels like an emulsion, like a lotion, and when I have applied it i felt a burning-sensation over my body and tingling, and I could really feel it "stayed" on the skin. Also, I think my rash got away nearly completely when I used the new benzyl.

So I was wondering, could it be that the old one didnt work and was useless? Cause it really feels it didnt. And for how long can I use the new one that I feel works great, knowing that it could do some damage to the skin?

Many thanks in advance!

[passenger03]

Anyone, please?

[jemma116]

As it's the pharmist's own brand, I would suggest you speak with them regarding how often to apply the lotion and for how long, if there are no written instructions.

Nasty things they are.  Sometimes you may notice little white lines on your skin, that is where they have been burrowing.  I don't think (but may be wrong)  these little white lines don't go away.

I remember being treated when I was a child.  The whole family had to be treated.  We had to have  a bath first before apply the solution.  I can't remember for how long we had to use it for.  But I do remember it was more than one application. My brothers and father received more treatments than I did, because I only had a little itch on my foot.

My daughter had them on her hands some years ago.  We thinl she got them from someone who handed her cash when she worked as a shop assistant at the local Tesco Espress store.

[passenger03]

Thanks a lot for your response jemma!

I just have one more question, I hope someone familiar with dermatology could give me a reply.. Ive finished my benzyl benzoate treatment (5 days with apparently the one benzyl benzoate that I found didnt work quite well, and 3 days with the one made in the pharmacy which I considered was great), and the day after I had a shower and washed away my benzyl benzoate, I got a weird red rash on my hands, tiny red bumps (which necessarily dont itch), they are sometimes light-pink, sometimes red. I also have few blurry red bumps on the "inner" side of my elbow, but I had these also when I got scabies, so I guess its the old scabies bumps going away. My doctor told me that I would feel itchy for 10-15 days after the treatment, but he didnt mention any rash or new bumps, so I am worried that I maybe did not get rid of scabies?

I will attach 2 pictures of the rash on my hand, and I hope someone could maybe let me know if it looks like a scabies rash, or is it maybe an allergic reaction to the benzyl benzoate Ive been using? (I will go to my doctor on a check up on Friday anyway, but I wanted to know just in any case if anyone knows what it is, cuz ill go nuts untill Friday)

Here are the links:

http://i45.tinypic.com/6ozyba.jpg

http://i45.tinypic.com/2my6gi1.jpg

Many thanks in advance once again!

[jemma116]

Certainly looks like some allergy or reaction to something.

I think the Doctor is your best bet.

Best wishes

[maatson]

From what I can see and read, this is an irritant dermatitis following excess application of BB. ok?

[passenger03]

Well, at least the damn bugs are gone lol :)

Thank you very very much for your replies jemma and maatson, I am going to the doctor tomorrow anyway, but you calmed me a bit (quite a lot actually) :)

[jemma116]

LOL :)

Hope you get on alright - I'm sure you will.
Surprising what you can catch. :) - even when you don't go fishing!!!

I'm going to the docs myself tomorrow - Two weeks ago he dropped off one of my blood pressure pills (a diuretic) and told me to stop taking Ibuprofen because it gave me painful odema (swollen) in my legs.  My blood pressure is too high and I feel dizzy and my legs keep going hot, itchy and burning and painful, don't know if it is cellulitis again, phlebitis, or whatever.  I've been on amoxycillin nearly all week for a respitory infection.  

Had a letter from the doc to day sayig that he wants me to repeat a test (don't know which one, urine or blood).  Surgery was closed this afteroon.  

Hopefully, I'll get sorted out too.

Let us know what the doc says about your rash.

best wishes

[passenger03]

Dear Jemma,

Sorry for not replying sooner! How are things with your blood pressure and other symptoms, and the respiratory infection?

Ive been on the check up, the doc told me it was a sort of dermatitis caused by the benzyl benzoate (thank God!) and that the scabies were gone, wooho! So he just prescribed me some hydrating creams, to repair my skin from the benzyl. And so far, so good! No itching, no nothing! Its like ive been reborn, lol :)

[jemma116]

Glad to hear that the doctor has prescribed you with the right cream to heal your skin.

Thanks for asking.  My respiratory problem is now sorted.  My kidney scan was normal.  My leg swelling has gone down.  I am back on the diuretic to control my blood pressure so that is now fine.  I am in a lot of pain from arthritis in my legs, hips and knees, and now can't take the Ibuprofen becasue it swells up the legs.  My liver function test came back abnormal, doctor said it probably because I am fat.  

Hope you enjoy your "new life" now that you have been "reborn" LOL:)