One application, from your ears to the soles of your feet.
Skabi-Rid is a permethrin 5% lotion for scabies. Apply it at bedtime, wash it off in the morning, and treat everyone you live with on the same night.
- S0No prescription needed
- SAHPRA Reg. No. A40/13.2/0756
100 mlTwo to three applications 50 mlOne to two applications 
The itch that gets worse at night
Scabies is caused by a tiny mite that burrows into the skin. It spreads through close, prolonged skin contact, so it often moves through a whole family.
- Intense itching, usually worse at night or after a hot bath
- Small red bumps or tiny blisters between the fingers, on the wrists, elbows, waist and groin
- Thin, wavy lines where mites have burrowed
- Others in the home itching too
The first itch can take four to six weeks to appear, so people pass it on before they know they have it.
From tonight to tomorrow morning
Skabi-Rid works while you sleep. Here is the whole treatment, start to finish.
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Before bed
Shake the bottle
Everyone being treated gets ready on the same night.
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Tonight
Ears to soles
Cover all your skin from the ears down to the soles of your feet. Not on the face.
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Overnight
Leave it on
For eight to twelve hours while you sleep.
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Tomorrow morning
Wash it off
Clean clothes on. Bedding and towels in a hot wash.
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In two weeks
Repeat if necessary
We can email you a reminder on the day.
Treat everyone at once
Treating only the person who itches usually means the mites come back from someone else. Add everyone in close contact and we will work out the bottles you need.
Choose your bottle
Both sizes are the same white, non-greasy permethrin 5% lotion.
S0 Skabi-Rid is a registered medicine (Reg. No. A40/13.2/0756). Read the package insert before use. If symptoms persist, see your doctor or pharmacist.
Why Skabi-Rid
One overnight application
Apply once at bedtime and wash off eight to twelve hours later. The package insert says to repeat after two weeks if necessary.
Permethrin 5%
The active ingredient recommended as first-line treatment for scabies in guidelines worldwide, and listed on the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines. See the references.
Tested in South Africa
A randomised trial of 120 people compared one application of the Skabi-Rid formulation with two applications of benzyl benzoate 25%. Read the results.
White and non-greasy
It spreads easily and washes off with normal soap and water.
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Common questions
What is scabies (jeuksiekte)?
Scabies is an itchy skin infestation caused by a tiny mite, Sarcoptes scabiei, that burrows into the top layer of the skin and lays its eggs there. In Afrikaans it is called jeuksiekte.
What does scabies look like?
Scabies usually shows as an intensely itchy rash of small red bumps or tiny blisters, often between the fingers and on the wrists, elbows, armpits, waist, buttocks and genitals. The itch is usually worse at night.
How do you get scabies?
Scabies spreads through prolonged skin-to-skin contact with someone who has it: sharing a bed, close family contact, children playing together or sexual contact. A quick handshake or hug usually will not spread it.
Is scabies contagious?
Yes. Scabies passes easily between people in close, prolonged contact, which is why everyone in a household should be treated at the same time, even if they are not itching yet.
How long after contact do scabies symptoms start?
The first time someone gets scabies, the itch usually starts four to six weeks after contact. If you have had scabies before, it can start within one to three days.
How do I get rid of scabies?
Apply a scabicide such as permethrin 5% lotion over your whole body from the ears to the soles of your feet, leave it on overnight for 8 to 12 hours, wash it off in the morning, and treat everyone you live with on the same night.