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permethrin cream - topical, Elimite

GENERIC NAME: PERMETHRIN CREAM - TOPICAL (purr-METH-rin)

BRAND NAME(S): Elimite

Medication Uses | How To Use | Side Effects | Precautions | Drug Interactions | Overdose | Notes | Missed Dose | Storage

USES: This medication is used to treat scabies, a condition caused by tiny insects called mites that infest and irritate your skin. Permethrin belongs to a class of drugs known as pyrethrins. Permethrin works by paralyzing and killing the mites and their eggs.

HOW TO USE: This medication is for use on the skin only. Apply this medication as soon as possible after it is prescribed. Apply the medicine from your head to the soles of your feet, including under your nails and in skin folds such as between the toes, as directed. Massage the cream into the skin. Do not use more medication than prescribed. Wash off the cream after 8-14 hours by showering or taking a bath.Avoid getting the cream into your eyes, nose, mouth, or vagina. If the medication gets in your eyes, flush the eyes with plenty of water. Consult your doctor if irritation persists.Symptoms of scabies include an intense itching that is usually worse at bedtime. You may also see small, fine, wavy lines on the skin with a tiny insect at the end (a burrow). Burrows are usually found on finger/toe webs, wrists, elbows, armpits, belt line, lower buttocks, female nipples, or male genitals. Even if permethrin kills all the scabies, the dead mites can still make you itch for up to 4 weeks after treatment. Ask your doctor about other medications that may be used to soothe the itching. Inform your doctor if your condition persists or worsens 2 weeks after treatment. Your doctor may need to look for living mites and recommend more treatment.

SIDE EFFECTS: Skin irritation, including itching, swelling, and redness, may occur with scabies and temporarily worsen after treatment with permethrin. Mild burning or stinging may also occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, notify your doctor or pharmacist promptly.Remember that your doctor has prescribed this medication because he or she has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects.A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is rare. However, seek immediate medical attention if you notice any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, including: rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing.This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.In the US -Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.In Canada - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to Health Canada at 1-866-234-2345.




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  • Related Diseases & Conditions

    • Scabies
      • Scabies are itch mites that burrow under the skin and produce intense itching that's usually worse at night. Symptoms of scabies are small bumps and blisters on the wrists, knees, between the fingers, on the back of the elbows, in the groin and on the buttocks. Treatment involves applying a mite-killing cream, antihistamines for itch relief, washing bedclothes and linens.
    • Rosacea
      • Rosacea is a skin disease that causes redness of the forehead, chin, and lower half of the nose. In addition to inflammation of the facial skin, symptoms include dilation of the blood vessels and pimples (acne rosacea) in the middle third of the face. Oral and topical antibiotics are treatments for rosacea. If left untreated, rhinophyma (a disfiguring nose condition) may result.
    • Leishmaniasis
      • Leishmaniasis is a disease caused by the bite of an infected sand fly. The most common types of leishmania infection are cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis. Leishmaniasis is found mainly in the subtropics and tropics. Symptoms and signs of cutaneous leishmaniasis include skin sores with a raised edge and central crater, while those with visceral leishmaniasis usually have fever, weight loss, and an enlarged liver and spleen.
    • Typhus
      • Typhus is a disease caused by Rickettsia bacteria. Symptoms and signs include fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and rash. Antibiotics are recommended as the treatment for endemic and epidemic typhus infections.
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permethrin cream - topical, Elimite

Typhus facts

  • Typhus is a bacterial disease; there are two types termed endemic and epidemic.
  • Typhus has a long and deadly history, especially epidemic typhus.
  • Typhus is caused by bacteria. Rickettsia prowazekii causes epidemic typhus. Rickettsia typhi and, occasionally, R. felis cause endemic typhus and are transmitted to humans by vectors such as lice (mainly epidemic) and fleas (mainly endemic).
  • Risk factors include visiting or living in areas where rats, mice, and other animals have high populations (for example, disaster areas, poverty-stricken areas, refugee camps, jails) where vectors such as fleas and lice can carry the bacteria from the animals to infect humans.
  • Endemic typhus symptoms can include rash that begins on the body trunk and spreads, high fever, nausea, malaise, diarrhea, and vomiting; Epidemic typhus has similar but more severe symptoms, including bleeding into th...

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