Home Remedies and Herbs for Scabies

Scabies is a skin condition caused by a mite.¹ It’s found in all areas of the world and is highly contagious through skin-to-skin contact.¹ It can also be spread through sharing clothes, towels, beds, or other personal items.² Because of this, scabies outbreaks are common between families and in schools, nursing homes, child care centers, and college dorms.¹ Scabies results in a severe and itchy rash.¹ Scabies is diagnosed by scraping the skin burrows and examining the scrape under a microscope or by performing a skin biopsy.¹

What Causes Scabies?

Scabies is caused by a type of burrowing mite.² These mites burrow into the skin to lay their eggs, leaving behind a mark that looks like a pencil mark.¹ It takes 21 days for these eggs to hatch.¹ Scabies symptoms result from an allergic reaction to the mites.¹

Scabies Symptoms

The main sign of scabies is severe itching, which typically gets worse at night.³ You might also notice small burrows that look like blisters or a rash.³ These burrows tend to appear in folds in the skin, such as between the fingers or toes, along with the inner elbow, or on the knees.³ Scabies symptoms tend to appear quicker on people who have had scabies before.³

Natural Remedies and Herbs for Scabies

Treating scabies involves a variety of medications and home care practices, including cleaning your home, especially clothes and bedding.¹ Itching may persist for up to two weeks after starting treatment.¹ The following scabies home remedies may help ease itching and other scabies symptoms.

• Neem Oil - Neem oil can help kill the mites that cause scabies. It also helps relieve itching.4 Apply topically to the affected area.
• Tea Tree Oil - Tea tree oil is another scabies herbal remedy that kills the mites.4 As an added bonus, it can help heal the skin. Rub on the affected area to help fight the condition.
• Clove Oil - Clove oil is both an antimicrobial and an anti-inflammatory, making it an effective scabies herb for targeting the cause and symptoms of the condition.4 Clove oil can be taken orally or applied topically.
• Lavender Oil - Lavender oil helps repel the mites that cause scabies to prevent worsening of the condition. It can also act as a scabies home remedy by aiding in healing the skin when applied topically.
• Turmeric - As a natural anti-inflammatory, turmeric can be applied to the skin to help reduce the symptoms of scabies.

References

1. http://umm.edu/health/medical/ency/articles/scabies
2. http://www.uofmhealth.org/health-library/hw171811
3. http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/condition/photodermatitis
4. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/scabies/basics/symptoms/con-20023488
5. https://draxe.com/scabies/