Home Remedies for Scabies

Causes of Scabies: Scabies is an infection of the skin and is very contagious. Scabies can be transferred from person to person, either by direct skin contact (shaking hands with an infected person is the most common way) or by contact with clothes or bedding.

Scabies is caused by tiny mites, which burrow into the upper layer of skin. This causes pimple-like formations called the scabies rash, which leads to severe itching, especially at night. The skin becomes red and blistered. The itching is caused by an allergic reaction to the mites and their waste products. The mites are difficult to see since they are smaller than a pinhead and almost transparent. They feed on blood, and also lay eggs under the skin.

Scabies most commonly affects areas of the skin like folds of the armpits, elbow, abdomen, beltline, nipples, groin, and buttocks. They may also affect areas around the wrist or between the fingers and toes. A few extreme cases may also affect the scalp, face or soles of the feet.  Symptoms of scabies appear within 2 to 6 weeks after the mite infestation.

Home Remedies for scabies: While the first step of treating scabies would mean reducing the itching and blisters, it is also targeted at getting rid of all the mites and eggs. While traditionally medicines like Lindane, Malathion and Permethrin have been used to treat scabies, these strong chemicals may have serious side-effects. You can try milder herbal remedies at home, which will be gentler on your skin. Tea tree oil is an excellent home remedy for scabies. Dip a small ball of cotton wool in diluted tea tree oil and apply on the affected areas, twice a day. This will not only reduce the irritation and itching, repeated doses will kill the mites and their eggs. You can also add about 20 drops of tea tree oil to your bath water and have a leisurely soak for 15 minutes daily. The dried bark of the Sacred Fig tree also gets rid of the mites. Powder the bark, strain it through a fine sieve, and dust it on the lesions twice a day. Margosa leaves are another effective remedy for scabies. Make a fine paste with dried or fresh margosa leaves, mixed with mustard oil, and turmeric. Apply this on your body every day and leave for an hour before you take a shower.  Repeat this treatment for 10 to 14 days. Make sure that you consult your doctor before using any treatment for an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan.

Hygiene and re-infestation: Good hygiene is essential to keep scabies mites away and to prevent re-infestation. All family members should follow a treatment plan at the same time to prevent cross-infection. Also wash all clothes and bedding with hot water and antiseptic detergent. Keep your fingernails trimmed short and wash your hands well several times, since mites and eggs get trapped under them while scratching an affected area.