permethrin

drug

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Last updated

July 17, 2026

Quick Summary

Permethrin is a synthetic pyrethroid, a type of chemical derived from chrysanthemums, used primarily as an insecticide. It is also a medication effective in treating scabies, a skin condition caused by the itch mite Sarcoptes scabiei.12

Scabies is characterized by intense itching and is spread through close personal contact. The mite burrows into the skin, laying eggs and causing an allergic reaction that leads to a rash. Permethrin lotion is considered a safe and effective treatment for scabies, even for pregnant women and young children, though other treatments like lindane lotion, crotamiton, and ivermectin are also available.2

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typhus
Disease control
…by other chemicals such as permethrin and carbaryl. Insecticide is applied directly to the clothing of persons at risk and kills the lice as they hatch on the person’s body.
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…by other chemicals such as permethrin and carbaryl. Insecticide is applied directly to the clothing of persons at risk and kills the lice as they hatch on the person’s body.
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scabies
Permethrin, a synthetic drug based on chemicals derived from the chrysanthemum, is effective and quite safe, even in pregnant women and in very young children. Crotamiton, a prescription anti-itch medication, is another scabicidal lotion that can be applied to the entire body. Sulfur-containing ointments may…
Read More
Permethrin, a synthetic drug based on chemicals derived from the chrysanthemum, is effective and quite safe, even in pregnant women and in very young children. Crotamiton, a prescription anti-itch medication, is another scabicidal lotion that can be applied to the entire body. Sulfur-containing ointments may…
Read More