Wash Hands
After using the bathroom and before eating, make sure to wash your hands thoroughly.
Pinworms
What are Pinworms?
Pinworm is a small parasitic worm causing intense anal itching, especially at night. Common in children, it spreads in crowded or unsanitary conditions and institutional settings.
Get Pinworm Treatment
Your pharmacist can assess your symptoms, write and fill prescription treatment or recommend OTC products.
How do Pinworms Spread?
Highly contagious and most common in children under 10, pinworms spread easily. In daycares or kindergarten classrooms, when an infected child scratches the itchy area, pinworm eggs can get trapped under their fingernails. If they touch another child's mouth, they spread through hand-to-mouth contact. Alternatively, if the eggs land on a surface that another child might put to their mouth (e.g. toys, bedding), they spread because the eggs can survive up to three weeks outside the body.
They're the most common parasite to affect North American children, with estimates that one-third of children in Canada will have pinworms at some time in their life.
Making a Pinworm Diagnosis
To diagnose a pinworm infection, examine the area around the infected person's anus at night with a flashlight, 2-3 hours after they fall asleep. A female worm is about 10mm long, big enough to see wriggling around. If there is no visible worm, use a piece of tape to trap any eggs by patting the skin around the anus. Then fold the tape on itself, sticky side down, and take it to the doctor to be identified.
Medication has no effect on the eggs or larvae, so to break the 6-week cycle of reinfection, you must kill any live pinworms and prevent the ingestion of eggs. That's why everyone in the household must be treated, even if they don't have symptoms.
Pinworm Prevention
Keep Nails Short
Clip your child’s nails regularly and keep them short to limit the space where eggs can accumulate.
Shower Daily
Help remove any eggs laid overnight by showering first thing in the morning.
Wash Bedding
Use hot water and detergent to wash all bedding, pajamas, and underwear.
Treat Everyone
Everyone in the house should take the medication at the same time to prevent further spreading.
Take Caution with Laundry
When gathering up linens and laundry, don’t shake anything out to prevent eggs from scattering.
Other Common Conditions We Can Help With
Impetigo
Impetigo is a contagious skin infection caused by bacteria, most commonly affecting children between 2 and 5, but anyone can get it.
Learn More
Eczema and Skin Rashes
A Rexall Pharmacist can help you manage a skin rash such as eczema and contact dermatitis (from poison ivy or other sources).
Learn More
Diaper Rash
Diaper rash is a common skin irritation in the diaper area. A Rexall Pharmacist can recommend treatments to soothe and protect your baby’s skin.
Learn More
Pink Eye
Pink Eye, also known as conjunctivitis, is a common eye condition that causes irritation, swelling, and inflammation of the membrane that covers the white of the eye.
Learn More
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you get rid of pinworms?
Pinworms are treated with an oral antiparasitic medication — typically mebendazole or pyrantel pamoate — which kills the adult worms. Because the medication does not affect eggs or immature larvae, a second dose is usually recommended two weeks after the first. To prevent reinfection, all household members should be treated at the same time, and bedding, pajamas, and underwear should be washed in hot water. A Rexall Pharmacist can assess your symptoms and write prescription treatment, if appropriate.
What do pinworms look like?
Pinworms are small, white, thread-like worms. Female pinworms are about 8–13 mm long — roughly the size of a staple — while males are smaller at around 2–5 mm. They can sometimes be spotted near the anal area at night, when females emerge to lay their eggs.
What are pinworms?
Pinworms (Enterobius vermicularis), also called threadworms, are tiny parasitic worms that infect the human intestinal tract. They are the most common intestinal parasite in Canada, particularly in school-age children. The primary symptom is intense itching around the anus, especially at night when the female worms migrate to lay their eggs.
How do you get rid of pinworms overnight?
There is no medically proven way to eliminate a pinworm infection overnight. Antiparasitic medication kills the adult worms within a few days, but eggs can remain viable for up to two weeks, requiring a follow-up dose. To relieve nighttime itching in the meantime, showering in the morning (rather than bathing at night), wearing snug-fitting underwear, and keeping fingernails short can help limit the spread of eggs. A Rexall Pharmacist can assess your symptoms and write prescription treatment, if appropriate.
How do you get pinworms?
Pinworms spread through accidental ingestion of microscopic eggs. When an infected person scratches the anal area, eggs collect under the fingernails and can be transferred to surfaces, food, or other people through hand-to-mouth contact. Eggs can survive on household surfaces such as bedding, towels, and toilet seats for up to two to three weeks, making pinworms highly contagious in shared living environments.
Can pinworms kill you?
No — pinworms are not dangerous and do not cause serious illness in otherwise healthy individuals. The infection is uncomfortable but harmless beyond the itching and sleep disturbance it causes. In very rare cases, a heavy infestation may lead to complications such as a urinary tract infection or appendicitis, but these outcomes are extremely uncommon. Treatment with an antiparasitic medication reliably clears the infection.
Are pinworms contagious?
Yes, pinworms are highly contagious. The eggs spread easily through direct contact with an infected person or by touching contaminated surfaces and then touching your mouth. Because eggs are invisible to the naked eye, they can spread quickly through households, classrooms, and daycare settings. Treating all household members simultaneously — even those without symptoms — is the most effective way to stop the spread.
How do you check for pinworms?
The most reliable method is the “tape test.” First thing in the morning — before bathing or using the toilet — press a piece of clear adhesive tape firmly against the skin around the anus, then seal it in a plastic bag. A healthcare provider or laboratory can examine the tape under a microscope to look for eggs. Alternatively, check the anal area with a flashlight 2–3 hours after the person falls asleep; adult worms may be visible at that time.
Can adults get pinworms?
Yes, adults can get pinworms, although children between the ages of 5 and 10 are most commonly affected. Adults in households with infected children are at elevated risk because the eggs spread so readily through shared spaces. Symptoms and treatment are the same for adults as for children, and all household members should be treated at the same time to prevent reinfection.
Can a Rexall Pharmacist help with pinworms?
A Rexall Pharmacist can assess your symptoms, confirm whether pinworms are the likely cause, and in most provinces can write prescription antiparasitic treatment, if appropriate. They can also advise on hygiene measures to prevent reinfection for the whole family and follow up if symptoms persist. Book Consultation at your nearest Rexall today.