Permethrin 5% (Lyclear Generic)

Iradicate scabies infestations quickly and discreetly with Permethrin 5% w/w Cream (30g), available to buy online from our NHS-registered UK pharmacy. Scabies is a contagious skin condition caused by microscopic mites (Sarcoptes scabiei) that burrow into the skin, causing intense itching, redness, and small red spots or burrows. Permethrin belongs to a class of medicines called pyrethroids and is widely recommended by the NHS as a first-line treatment to destroy scabies mites and their eggs effectively.

How Permethrin 5% Cream Works

Permethrin acts directly on the nerve cell membranes of scabies mites, disrupting their respiratory and nervous systems. This rapidly paralyses and kills both the adult mites and their unhatched eggs, breaking the cycle of infection and preventing further spread across the skin.

Comprehensive Scabies Management & Household Treatment

Scabies spreads easily through direct, prolonged skin-to-skin contact. To ensure complete eradication and prevent reinfection, it is essential that all household members, sexual partners, and close contacts are treated at the exact same time, even if they show no symptoms.

• Adult Sizing Note: A single 30g tube is generally sufficient for treating a small adult or child. Most adults require at least two 30g tubes per application to ensure complete head-to-toe coverage. Because NHS guidelines recommend two applications space 7 days apart, an adult will typically require 3 to 4 tubes for a complete treatment course.

When you buy medicine from our GPhC-regulated UK online pharmacy, you can rest assured you are receiving authentic, MHRA-compliant medication delivered discreetly to your door in plain, unbranded packaging.

Additional information

Directions

For the Treatment of Scabies:

1. Prepare the Skin: Ensure the skin is clean, cool, and completely dry before application. Do not take a hot bath or shower immediately prior to applying the cream, as warm skin absorbs the active ingredient into the bloodstream rather than keeping it on the skin surface where it is needed.

2. Apply Head-to-Toe (Neck Down for Adults):

   • Adults and Children over 2 years: Apply the cream evenly to the entire body from the neck down, including the armpits, groin, external genitalia, buttocks, between the fingers and toes, under the fingernails, and the soles of the feet.

   • Infants (2 months to 2 years), Elderly, or Immunocompromised Individuals: Include the face, scalp, neck, and ears, taking extreme care to avoid the eyes, nose, and mouth.

3. Leave On: Leave the cream on the skin for 8 to 12 hours (ideally overnight).

4. Reapply to Hands: If you wash your hands with soap and water during the 8-to-12-hour exposure period, you must reapply the cream to your hands immediately.

5. Wash Off: After 8 to 12 hours, wash off the cream thoroughly with cool or lukewarm water and mild soap.

6. Repeat Treatment: Repeat the full application process exactly 7 days later. This second treatment ensures that any mites that have hatched from surviving eggs during the week are eradicated before they can reproduce.

Environmental Cleaning Measures:

On the day of your first application, wash all bedding, towels, and recently worn clothing (worn within the previous 3 days) in a washing machine at 60°C or higher to kill residual mites. Items that cannot be washed can be sealed in a plastic bag for 72 hours.

Side Effects

Like all medicines, Permethrin 5% Cream can cause side effects, although not everybody experiences them.

Common Side Effects (may affect up to 1 in 10 people):

• Mild skin burning, stinging, or tingling sensation upon application.

• Redness, dry skin, or mild rash.

• Continued itching (pruritus).

Important Note on Itching: Itching often persists or even intensifies for 2 to 4 weeks after successful treatment. This is a normal allergic reaction to the dead mites and debris trapped under the skin and does not mean the treatment has failed.

Rare Side Effects:

• Hypersensitivity reactions (severe skin redness, swelling, or hives).

• Contact dermatitis or eczema aggravation.

If you experience severe swelling, difficulty breathing, or an extensive skin reaction, wash off the cream immediately and seek urgent medical advice.

Important Warnings & Precautions

• For External Use Only: Do not swallow. Avoid contact with eyes, nostrils, mouth, or open wounds. If contact occurs accidentally, rinse thoroughly with clean water.

• Age Restrictions: Not suitable for infants under 2 months of age unless explicitly prescribed by a doctor or paediatrician.

• Asthma and Eczema: Consult your pharmacist or GP before use if you have a history of severe asthma, sensitive skin, or eczema.

• Pregnancy and Breastfeeding: Permethrin can be used during pregnancy and breastfeeding if clinically required, but you should consult your doctor or an NHS pharmacist before applying it. If breastfeeding, wash the cream off the nipples thoroughly before feeding.

• Paraffin Warning: Some formulations of cream contain paraffin or excipients that can make clothing or bedding flammable. Do not smoke or go near naked flames while the product is on your skin.

• Household Treatment: If all close contacts are not treated simultaneously, reinfection is extremely likely to occur.

Ingredients

• Active Ingredient: Permethrin 5% w/w (50mg of Permethrin per 1 gram of cream).

• Excipients/Inactive Ingredients: Vary slightly depending on the manufacturer, but typically include Emulsifying Wax, Carbomer, Glycerol, Isopropyl Myristate, Sodium Hydroxide, Purified Water, and preservatives (e.g., Formaldehyde solution or Parabens).

Refer to the patient information leaflet (PIL) inside your specific packaging for the exact excipient list.

Storage Instructions

• Store below 25°C in a cool, dry place.

• Do not freeze.

• Keep out of the sight and reach of children.

• Keep the tube tightly closed when not in use and store it in its original outer carton to protect it from light.

• Do not use after the expiry date printed on the tube and carton.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How many tubes of Permethrin 5% Cream do I need?

An average adult requires approximately 30g (one full tube) per single application to cover the body thoroughly. Because two treatments are required ( spaced 7 days apart ), an adult will typically need 2 tubes minimum. Larger adults may require up to 4 tubes for a complete two-stage course.

2. Why am I still itching after using Permethrin cream?

Post-scabies itch is very common and can persist for up to 4 weeks after the mites have been eradicated. This is caused by your immune system reacting to the dead mites and eggs under the skin. You can manage this itching with soothing moisturisers, crotamiton cream, or over-the-counter oral antihistamines. Consult our pharmacist if itching persists beyond 4 weeks.

3. Which brand of Permethrin cream will I receive?

We dispense UK MHRA-approved generic and branded Permethrin 5% creams (e.g., Lyclear Dermal Cream or generic Permethrin 5% w/w Cream). Brands may vary depending on current pharmaceutical stock availability, but all versions contain the exact same concentration of active ingredient (5% w/w) and perform with equal clinical effectiveness.

4. Do my family members need to be treated if they aren’t itching?

Yes. Scabies symptoms can take up to 6 weeks to appear after initial exposure. During this symptom-free window, an infected person can still transmit mites to others. Treating all household members and intimate partners simultaneously is the only way to prevent re-infestation.

5. Can I use Permethrin 5% cream for head lice?

No. Permethrin 5% w/w cream is specifically formulated for scabies and pubic lice. Head lice require dedicated formulations and different application techniques.