Topical permethrin 5% as a treatment for pediatric patients with phthiriasis palpebrarum: A case report

Abstract

Phthiriasis palpebrarum is defined as the involvement of the eyelids by the Phthirus pubis parasite. It is a pathology considered as a sexually transmitted disease, whose treatment can be challenging in some situations. We present the case of a 4-year-old patient with eyelashes severely affected by this parasite, who cooperated poorly for mechanical removal. Given this situation, we decided to prescribe a single dose of topical permethrin 5% and several applications of vaseline, repeating this treatment a week later, which led to the complete resolution of the condition. This case introduces topical permethrin 5% as an effective, safe and widely available option for the treatment of this pathology, especially for pediatric patients or those who do not cooperate adequately for mechanical removal of the parasites.