A client receives a prescription for permethrin to treat an infestation of scabies. The nurse instructs the client to massage the cream into the skin from the head to the soles of the feet, avoiding the eyes. Which additional instruction should the nurse provide?

A. Showering or bathing 8 to 14 hours after treatment is correct because permethrin needs adequate contact time to kill scabies mites before being washed off. B. Removing the cream if pruritus occurs is incorrect; itching may persist after treatment due to the body’s reaction to dead mites and does not mean the cream should be removed early. C. Avoiding areas between fingers and toes is incorrect because these are common hiding places for mites and must be treated thoroughly. D. Reapplying cream in seven days is not a routine recommendation unless reinfestation or persistent symptoms occur and is only done under medical guidance.