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What Is Scabies?
Rather than being an infection, scabies is basically an infestation caused by a tiny burrowing mite that leads to the appearance of rashes, redness, and blisters on the skin. This skin condition is highly contagious and often spreads through close physical contact. Once the female parasitic mites attack your skin, they use your skin as a habitat, lay eggs that hatch after a few days and begin the cycle all over again. The pimple-like rash is usually accompanied by a constant itchy sensation that intensifies at night and small, curling lines on your skin.
What Causes Scabies?
1. The Mite
As mentioned earlier, a microscopic mite called the human itch mite or the sarcoptes scabiei mite is primarily responsible for causing scabies. This eight-legged bug burrows deep into the upper layer of your skin and feeds on the human host's body. To be more specific, the adult female parasite is the main culprit as they lay eggs that hatch as larvae and lead to the formation of inflammations and rashes.
Also Read : Skin Allergies and Rashes - Causes, Symptoms and Effective Home Remedies
2. Contaminated Items
The fact scabies happens to be a very contagious skin condition, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that it can also be transmitted when an individual comes in contact with items such as clothing, bedding, towels or other common objects that have already been used by scabies infected person.
3. Contact With Scabies Infected Person
Did you know that skin-to-skin contact with someone who has the mite or suffers from the skin condition can typically result in scabies transmission! This is why close family members and people living together can very easily pass on the infection to one another. Direct physical contact such as professional massages are known to spread scabies and enhances the risk of redeveloping the infection as well.
4. Unhygienic Environment
As per several studies, it has been observed that the environment you live or your workplace plays a significant role in the occurrence of this skin disorder. Living or spending too much time in cramped quarter, prisons, and shelters or working at day-care settings and nursing homes increases the chances of catching the infection.
Home Treatment For Scabies
1. Neem
What You Will Need
- Raw turmeric paste: 1 teaspoon
- Freshly ground neem leaves: 1 tablespoon
What To Do
- Combine both the ingredients together and spread the blend on your affected skin and allow it to dry.
- Make sure the paste is smooth and thick.
- Alternatively, you can also use 6 to 7 drops of neem oil if fresh neem leaves aren’t available.
How Often To Do
Repeat this twice a day.
Why This Works
How to treat scabies at home? Neem is known to possess potent anti-bacterial properties that not only kills scabies causing mites but also restricts their grow and breed. When mixed with turmeric, neem helps to numb the pain and provide relief from itching.
Also Read : 9 Benefits of Neem (Infographic)
2. Tea Tree Oil
What You Will Need
- Pure tea tree essential oil: 3-5 drops
- Olive oil or jojoba oil: ½ to 1 ounce
What To Do
Dilute the essential oil with the carrier oil and dab the oil blend generously onto your infected skin with a cotton ball.
How Often To Do
Continue this remedy twice per day for seven days
Why This Works
Tea tree oil acts as one of the most sought-after home remedies to get rid of scabies and other yeast-type or parasitic skin infections due to antipruritic, anti-inflammatory and acaricidal characteristics.
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3. Cayenne Pepper
What You Will Need
Cayenne pepper: 1 cup
What To Do
- Add the cayenne pepper to your warm bath water and soak your body in it until the water turns cold.
- Avoid getting the water comes in contact with your eyes as it will sting.
- You can also mix a few drops of water with the cayenne pepper to form a smooth paste and apply a thick layer of it on your skin to burn the mites.
How Often To Do
Use once a day till the infection heals.
Why This Works
Cayenne pepper can ease pain associated with scabies as it contains capsaicin, a chemical that offers pain reducing sensations when applied to the skin.
4. Aloe Vera
What You Will Need
Fresh aloe vera gel: 1-2 tablespoons
What To Do
Apply a thick layer of the aloe vera gel on the affected areas and leave it on for 30 minutes.
How Often To Do
For best results do this for two to three times a day until your condition improves.
Why This Works
Aloe vera, a great home cure for scabies helps to improve your skin condition as it is filled with medicinal properties that treat scabies by enhancing the healing process and providing a soothing effect.
Also Read : Benefits of Aloe Vera for Skin, Hair and Health
5. Clove Oil
What You Will Need
- Clove essential oil: 1 teaspoon
- Coconut oil: 4 teaspoons
What To Do
Dilute the clove oil in the coconut oil and apply it all over your infected skin, 30 minutes before taking a bath.
How Often To Do
Use this once daily until you notice an improvement.
Why This Works
Clove oil when combined with scabies natural treatment coconut oil can destroy the scabies mites and heal your skin due to the presence of a powerful antimicrobial, aesthetic, and antioxidant properties.
6. Anise Seed Oil
What You Will Need
- Anise Seed Oil: 4-5 drops
- Ylang-Ylang oil: 2-3 drops
- Coconut oil: 1 tablespoon
What To Do
- Prepare an anti-scabies cream by combining all the ingredients together.
- Use the cream on your affected skin to treat scabies.
How Often To Do
Follow this once or twice every day for two weeks.
Why This Works
Topical application of anise seed oil exhibits amazing insecticidal activity that helps to heal scabies. Pregnant women suffering from scabies are recommended to avoid this remedy as it might not be safe for the fetus.
7. Turmeric
What You Will Need
- Organic turmeric powder: 1 tablespoon
- Fresh lemon juice: few drops
What To Do
- Add the lemon juice to the turmeric powder to form a thick smooth paste.
- Smear a layer of this paste on your infected areas and leave it for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Rinse of the paste with water and pat the area dry.
How Often To Do
Repeat the process twice a day to treat scabies naturally.
Why This Works
If you are wondering how to cure scabies at home, then turmeric is an excellent option. Turmeric has been used as a traditional remedy for various skin infections as it acts as a natural antiseptic and offers relief from severe itching.
8. Bleach
What You Will Need
- Bleach: ½ cup
- Distilled water: 2 cups
What To Do
- Add the bleach to the water and stir thoroughly.
- Transfer the solution to a spray bottle.
- Shake well and spray the solution on your affected skin.
How Often To Do
Do this once a day for a week.
Why This Works
Amongst the various scabies home remedies, bleach is a good idea as it is capable of killing both the mites and their eggs. Nonetheless, a word of caution that bleach is somewhat of a harsh chemical and isn’t suitable for sensitive skin.
9. Oatmeal Bath
What You Will Need
Powdered oatmeal: ½ cup
What To Do
Stir in the powdered oatmeal to your warm bath water and soak your body in it for 15 to 20 minutes.
How Often To Do
Follow this remedy once every day for a week or two.
Why This Works
Oatmeal baths help to soothe your irritated skin and may also minimize the itchiness and discomfort to a great extent. Moreover, oatmeal powder nourishes your skin and improves your skin health.
10. Rosemary Oil + Lavender Oil
What You Will Need
- Rosemary essential oil: 2-3 drops
- Lavender essential oil: 2 drops
- Eucalyptus essential oil: 1 drop
- Coconut oil: 1 tablespoon
What To Do
Mix all the oils together and apply the blend all over your affected skin an hour before taking a bath.
How Often To Do
Follow this once a day until the infection heals.
Why This Works
Essential oils, when blended with the goodness of coconut oil, work as a holistic treatment method for scabies as they are free from side effects and do not cause any health risk. Using this natural remedy ensures that your skin heals faster along with getting rid of the scabies infection.
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