What do the burrows of a scabies mite look like? - briefly
The burrows are fine, gray‑white, wavy or straight tunnels 2–10 mm long, typically located in skin folds such as between fingers, wrists, or the waistline. They often end in a tiny black dot, which is the mite’s fecal matter or body.
What do the burrows of a scabies mite look like? - in detail
Scabies mite tunnels appear as fine, linear or serpentine tracks within the epidermis. They are typically 2–10 mm long, though individual segments may be only a few hundred micrometers. The channels are situated just beneath the stratum corneum, most often on the wrists, interdigital spaces, elbows, axillae, waistline, and genital areas.
Visible characteristics include:
- Color: Pale to slightly erythematous, often indistinguishable from surrounding skin unless irritated.
- Texture: Slightly raised or palpable ridge; the surface may feel gritty because of the mite’s feces and eggs deposited within the tunnel.
- Shape: Straight or slightly curved lines; occasionally form a “U” or “V” pattern where the mite turns.
- Ends: One end may terminate in a small papule or vesicle, the other end often ends blindly.
- Associated lesions: Tiny, erythematous papules or vesicles may sit at the ends of the track; intense itching intensifies after night.
Diagnostic clues:
- Squeezing the track can reveal a tiny, translucent mite at its leading edge.
- Dermatoscopy shows a brownish line with a dark dot (the mite) at one terminus.
- Skin scraping of the burrow’s edge yields eggs, fecal pellets, or the mite itself under microscopy.
These features together define the typical presentation of scabies mite burrows.