How do you tell the difference between scabies and poison ivy?

Answer 1

There are quite a few easy ways to tell which is which:

• Poison Oak forms blisters, that eventually leak a clear serus fluid. Scabies forms hard welts without blistering.
• Poison Oak localizes on places on your body that touch the plant, and they stay there (although it may take a day or two for all the places you've touched to light up). Scabies on the other hand has a few choice locations, which include the front of the thighs, between the webs on your fingers, the groin area (which is rarely touched by poison oak for obvious reasons, one hopes).
• Poison Oak itches all the time. Scabies colonies are dormant at some hours of the day and Very active at others. Evenings are when scabies is most active.
• Most typically, you get poison oak out of doors, and most often not in winter. Scabies transfers from blankets, clothing or close physical contact, any time of year. If you've not been out of doors in a month, for instance, you'll know.
• Poison Oak is usually well-reduced without treatment after 2-3 weeks. Scabies will consistently increase slowly, and needs treatment to go away.

And finally, a physician can take a small, painless skin scraping from a scabies welt, and identify the insects that cause it. These don't appear with poison oak lesions.

Answer 2

Scabies is a skin infestation caused by mites and typically presents with intense itching, especially at night, along with a rash that includes small raised bumps or lines. Poison ivy, on the other hand, is a skin reaction to contact with the poison ivy plant and usually results in a red, itchy rash with blisters and swelling. Scabies is contagious and requires medical treatment, while poison ivy rash is not contagious and can be managed with over-the-counter remedies.

Answer 3

Poison ivy can look like blisters or welts and are a pretty good size compared to Scabies. Scabies is a smaller rash and more clustered.