|Articles|August 2, 2008

Are Your Patients Washing Their Hands of Medication?

Tell patients not to wash their hands after they apply medication to treat scabies or lice.

Tell patients not to wash their hands after they apply medication to treat scabies or lice. When patients scratch, parasites may become lodged under their fingernails. Hand washing removes the medication from under the fingernails, allowing any parasites there to remain alive and spread infection.

-- Richard Honaker, MD
Carrollton, Tex

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