Re: I agree with you/ The eggs last a long time!

I agree too! I first acquired scabies 4 years ago in Israel from someone who got it from a traveler in Thailand, and it still reappears every few months to a year. During my travels through different countries I tried anything that was available. Benzyl Benzoate, Permethrin, Lindane. I gave up using these drugs after about 6 months because I felt like my neurological function was deteriorating due to the toxins and it would only fix the problem for a few days. That is when I started having boiling hot showers out of desperation. My boyfriend got a bit of an itch but he never developed it like I did. I would like to note that it originally appeared on my butt cheeks in hard nodule-like bumps during the hot, humid summer while I was bathing in the Mediterranean sea. My theory is that the mites sought refuge there. Then when I went to the cooler dryer air of Jerusalem all hell broke loose with the itching, and it was pretty much everywhere but my head. I got desperate when my left nipple started pealing and looked like it had a gray trail through it (I thought I had a malignancy at that point). It is a fallacy that no itching occurs before the allergic reaction 3-4 weeks after initial contact. Once the mites started burrowing to get away from the sea water in Tel Aviv I had a localized itch that would not go away on my breast and buttocks, anywhere protected by my bikini. It was nowhere near as bad as the allergic response itch however. Fast forward to my travels in India during my year-long trip...I still had the occasional itch, but I was keeping it under control with hot water, scratching the hell out of the mites if I got a bump, and ayurvedic soap. I made the mistake of buying clothes there and sending them home. I assumed that the eggs could not survive a few days let alone a couple months on a ship. When I got back stateside I was fine for a while, but then I got those bumps on my butt and legs again. Every once in a while I get them again. I am so afraid of getting a full blown itch again that I do the hot water shower with a full inspection every night before bed. After I wear something I put it in the laundry immediately, and use the dryer. I will take the advice found here and trust my gut instincts: the eggs are staying dormant. I just moved. Several days after handling all of my clothing that I do not usually wear it has started again on my buttocks. This time I have more bumps than last time. My biggest fear is that I will give it to someone else. Strangely enough, my boyfriend of one year hasn't gotten it from me but I have had them on my buttocks several times. I guess mites only like me and mosquitoes only like him. They have never repopulated my upper body, which I am so thankful for. Anyone else dealing with this now; know that you are not the only one! I will destroy the clothes I suspect are harboring the eggs and buy tea tree oil and borax and see if they help. Tweet