Acticin (Permethrin 5% Cream): Uses, How to Apply, Safety, and Where to Get It

You’re here because the itch is driving you mad or someone in your home has scabies and you need the fastest, safest fix. Acticin is a brand of permethrin 5% cream-the first-line treatment for scabies in many countries. It works well, but two things make or break it: applying it right and treating everyone who’s been in close contact. Below you’ll get the quickest path to getting the medicine, exact application steps that don’t miss a spot, safety pointers for kids and pregnancy, and what to do if the itch won’t quit.

What Acticin Is, Who It’s For, and How to Get It Fast

What it is: Acticin is permethrin 5% cream, a prescription-strength scabicide that kills the mites and eggs that cause scabies. It’s not the 1% permethrin you see for head lice. This is the 5% cream used on the body for scabies.

Who it’s for: Most adults and children 2 months and older. It’s considered safe in pregnancy and during breastfeeding because skin absorption is minimal (CDC clinical guidance 2024; American Academy of Dermatology 2025; British Association of Dermatologists 2024).

Who should speak to a clinician first: Infants under 2 months (usually treated with sulfur ointment instead), people with crusted scabies (thick, scaly skin and heavy mite load), those with severe eczema/skin barrier problems, and anyone with a known allergy to permethrin or other synthetic pyrethroids.

How to get it quickly (brand vs generic):

• Ask for “permethrin 5% cream” at your local pharmacy. Brands differ by country. If they don’t recognize “Acticin,” say “permethrin 5% for scabies.”
• In many places (like the U.S.), it’s prescription-only. In others, pharmacists may supply it or recommend an alternative. If a script is needed, a same-day telehealth or GP visit usually works.
• Common alternatives if permethrin 5% isn’t available today: benzyl benzoate 25% lotion (often OTC) or, under clinician guidance, oral ivermectin. National guidelines (CDC 2024; WHO 2022; South African STG/EML 2023) recognize these options.

How many tubes do you need? Plan for two full-body treatments one week apart. A typical adult uses about 30 g per application (sometimes up to 60 g for larger bodies or very dry skin). Kids use less. Buy enough for everyone being treated on the same day-this is key to stopping the ping-pong of reinfestation.

Quick nav if you’re in a rush:

1. Call the nearest pharmacy: “Do you have permethrin 5% cream for scabies? How many grams per tube?”
2. Count your household and close contacts (sexual partners, bed-sharing, regular caregivers) and get enough for two rounds for each person.
3. If they require a prescription, book a same-day online or in-person consult and request permethrin 5% cream for scabies with a repeat for day 7.
4. Grab a gentle, fragrance-free moisturizer to ease post-treatment itch and a mild antiseptic if any spots look infected.

Why this works: Even highly effective medicines fail when applied in too small an amount, on the wrong areas, or when contacts aren’t treated. Published cure rates in guidelines are high (often 90%+ after two correctly timed applications), but real-world success drops if any of those pieces are skipped (CDC 2024; BAD 2024).

Exact Steps: How to Apply Acticin (Permethrin 5% Cream) the Right Way

Timing matters. Apply at night to cool, dry skin and leave on for 8-14 hours, then wash off in the morning.

Step-by-step:

1. Start with a cool shower. Pat dry fully. Hot skin absorbs differently and may sting more.
2. Remove jewelry. Trim nails short and clean under them.
3. Apply a thin film from the jawline/neck down to the toes. For infants, young children, and older adults, include scalp, hairline, temples, and forehead (scabies can involve the head in these groups). Avoid the eyes and mouth.
4. Don’t miss the high-yield spots: between fingers and toes; under nails; wrists; armpits; belly button; under breasts; groin and genital area; buttock crease; around ankles; backs of knees; waistline; and behind the ears if treating head/neck. Treat the whole body, not just the itchy parts.
5. Let it dry before dressing. Use clean, loose clothing.
6. If you wash your hands during the 8-14 hours, reapply to your hands and wrists right away.
7. After 8-14 hours, rinse off in the shower. Put on clean clothes and sleep in clean bedding.
8. Repeat the entire process 7 days later (day 1 and day 8). This second treatment catches newly hatched mites.

How much to use per application (guideline-based estimates):

These amounts reflect common clinical guidance used by dermatology societies and national health bodies (e.g., BAD 2024, CDC 2024, NHS leaflets). Your pharmacist or clinician can adjust based on body size and skin condition.

Pro tips that prevent failure:

• Moisturize dry, cracked areas a few hours before treatment so the cream spreads evenly.
• Apply to a cool body. Sweat dilutes and moves the cream.
• Use a mirror or a helper for the back and buttocks.
• Treat everyone in the close-contact circle on the same night. If one person waits, reinfestation happens.
• Plan bathroom trips before you apply. If you wash hands, reapply to hands and wrists right away.

What to expect after application:

• Itch can persist for 2-4 weeks even after successful treatment (post-scabetic itch). That’s the immune system calming down, not live mites in most cases.
• New burrows after day 7, or an expanding rash, can mean reinfestation or treatment failure-time to reassess.
• Mild stinging or burning right after application is common and usually short-lived.

Safety, Side Effects, and Special Situations (Kids, Pregnancy, Eczema)

Common side effects: temporary burning, tingling, mild redness, and itch. A flare of itch after application doesn’t mean it failed; it’s often irritation on inflamed skin. A bland moisturizer twice daily helps. Hydrocortisone 1% cream (short course) may be suggested for itch if your clinician agrees.

Less common: contact dermatitis (increasing redness, swelling, oozing). If your skin gets worse after each exposure, stop and talk to a pharmacist or clinician about an alternative (e.g., benzyl benzoate or sulfur).

Allergy notes: Permethrin is a synthetic pyrethroid. People with severe reactions to other pyrethroids should avoid it. The old advice to avoid permethrin if allergic to chrysanthemums is debated, but caution is still reasonable-discuss with a clinician.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding: Multiple guideline bodies consider permethrin 5% cream compatible with pregnancy and breastfeeding due to minimal systemic absorption and decades of use (CDC 2024; AAD 2025; BAD 2024). Avoid applying on the nipples directly before feeds; wash the area if any product was applied there.

Infants:

• Under 2 months: See a clinician. Sulfur 5-10% ointment is commonly recommended as first-line for this age group in guidelines.
• 2 months and older: Permethrin 5% is used widely. Include the scalp/hairline and forehead carefully, avoiding eyes and mouth.

Eczema/atopic skin: You can still treat, but moisturize well and consider a short, clinician-approved steroid course for inflamed patches. Apply permethrin after any steroid cream has absorbed (usually at least 30 minutes later).

Crusted scabies: Needs medical oversight. Standard care usually combines daily topical scabicide for several days with oral ivermectin on specific days (weight-based dosing, often day 1, 2, and 8, and sometimes more, per CDC 2024 and BAD 2024). Household and institutional contacts must be managed together.

Drug interactions: None of note on the skin. Don’t use other medicated creams at the same time on the same spots unless advised-layering can dilute or irritate.

When to seek care urgently:

• Signs of skin infection: spreading redness, warmth, pus, fever.
• Eye exposure that doesn’t settle after copious rinsing.
• Worsening rash and swelling with each application (possible allergy).

If Symptoms Persist: Cleaning, Treating Contacts, and Plan B Options

Cleaning doesn’t have to be extreme, but it has to be focused. Scabies mites survive off human skin for only 2-3 days (CDC clinical notes). Target what touched skin in the past 3 days.

Home decontamination checklist (same day as first treatment):

• Wash clothing, pajamas, towels, and bed linens used in the last 3 days on a hot cycle (ideally 60°C) and hot dry if possible.
• Items you can’t wash: seal in a bag for 72 hours (some guidelines say up to 7 days to be extra safe, but 72 hours covers mite survival time).
• Vacuum mattresses, sofas, car seats, and carpets. Empty the vacuum afterward.
• Change into clean clothes after rinsing the cream and sleep on clean sheets.

Treat all close contacts at the same time:

• Anyone who shares a bed, has regular skin-to-skin contact, or is a sexual partner in the past 6 weeks should be treated, even if not itchy yet. This comes straight from international guidance (CDC/BAD/WHO).

If it still isn’t working, run through this mini decision tree:

• Used enough cream? Adults often need a full 30 g tube to cover the body thoroughly. Hands, wrists, and feet get missed the most.
• Reapplied after handwashing? If not, mites on hands can survive.
• Treated all contacts and cleaned textiles? If one person skipped or you didn’t swap sheets and pajamas, reinfestation is likely.
• Gave it time? Itch often lingers 2-4 weeks after mites are dead.

Plan B options (talk to a clinician):

Scenarios and practical tips:

• Pregnant or breastfeeding: Permethrin 5% is first choice. Skip oral ivermectin. Moisturize well to curb irritation.
• Infant under 2 months: See a clinician for sulfur ointment guidance and exact regimen.
• Severe eczema: Treat eczema flares with clinician-approved steroids and moisturizers around the scabies schedule; apply permethrin after the steroid so it still reaches the skin.
• Cost-sensitive households: Benzyl benzoate is cheaper and widely stocked. Expect more sting; apply to completely dry, cool skin and consider diluting under pharmacist guidance for young children if the label allows.
• Shared living (hostels, care homes, dorms): Coordinate same-day treatment and laundry. Consider clinician-guided oral ivermectin for speed and scale.

Mini‑FAQ

• How long until the itch eases? Often within a few days, but it can last 2-4 weeks even after successful treatment. That lingering itch alone doesn’t mean failure.
• Can I go to work or school? Yes, after the first full-body treatment and once clean clothes are on. Many workplaces/schools follow that rule.
• Do I need to treat pets? No. Human scabies doesn’t live on cats or dogs. If a vet suspects an animal mite, that’s a different issue.
• Is one application enough? Guidelines recommend two, one week apart, to catch hatching mites. One round is a common reason for recurrence.
• What if permethrin burns? A brief sting is normal on inflamed skin. If you get worsening redness and swelling each time, stop and ask about benzyl benzoate or sulfur.
• Can I use head lice products on the body? No. Lice products are usually 1% permethrin and are not for scabies.
• How long do mites live in clothes? Up to 2-3 days. That’s why the 72‑hour bagging rule works.

Next steps and troubleshooting by persona:

• I need it today: Call two nearby pharmacies for “permethrin 5% cream,” ask tube size (often 30 g), and whether you need a script. If yes, book a same-day telehealth. Buy enough for two rounds for each person.
• I used it right, but the itch is still bad: Moisturize twice daily, consider a short course of low-strength steroid cream for 3-5 days if advised, and give it up to 4 weeks. If new burrows appear, repeat treatment and ensure all contacts are treated.
• My baby is under 2 months: Don’t guess. See a clinician for sulfur ointment dosing and safety.
• We keep passing it around: Synchronize treatment night, wash/bag textiles, and consider oral ivermectin under clinician guidance if topical cycles keep failing.
• I have crusted scabies: Seek specialist care. Expect combined oral and topical therapy and more frequent applications.

Credible references behind this guidance: CDC Clinical Care of Scabies (2024), British Association of Dermatologists Scabies Guideline (2024 update), American Academy of Dermatology patient guidance (2025), World Health Organization recommendations (2022), and South African National Department of Health Standard Treatment Guidelines and Essential Medicines List (2023). These sources align on first‑line use of permethrin 5%, the two‑application schedule, contact management, and cleaning steps.