Home Remedies For Scabies

A home remedy for scabies?
( 9 Apr 2009)

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Scabies is a skin infection that is caused by the mite Sarcoptes scabiei. The infection results in intense itching, sometimes along with the presence of a rash. Tiny boils may appear on the skin, and these are usually thought to be an allergic reaction rather than the effect of the infection itself.

In some cases, tiny, almost microscopic burrows can be seen in the skin, indicating the path that the mites have taken. Scabies typically affects folds of skin, which is why it most often occurs in the webs of fingers and toes, as well as the elbows, the underarms, the scrotum (in men), and the areolae (in women).

There are a few home remedies that can be used in treating scabies, but these are not 100 per cent reliable, so it is important to visit a doctor if there is no improvement within a week or ten days at the most.

Two possible home remedies for scabies are neem oil and tea tree oil. Neem oil seems to be both effective and safe, but tea tree oil is best avoided, as it is very strong and sometimes irritates the skin. One remedy that has some amount of successful scientific testing is a mixture of sulfur and petroleum jelly. Mix the two in a proportion of 1:9, and apply this ointment on your entire body from your neck down to your toes. If the infection has spread above your neck, you will need to apply the ointment there too, but this is usually not necessary. You can repeat the treatment on three consecutive days, followed by a single treatment one week later. This treatment is of course to be avoided if you are allergic to sulfur, but it is otherwise considered safe even for pregnant women and small children. It is however advisable to check with your doctor first, if you are pregnant or are planning to use this treatment on a small child.

Scabies tends to spread very easily in households, so it is always advisable that every single member in the house undergoes the treatment at the same time. While this treatment is on, it is essential that all clothing, bed linen, towels, and any other material is washed in hot water or else sealed in air tight plastic bags for a week. You should also vacuum your furniture and carpets, at least every third day, and throw away the vacuum bags immediately, without opening them.

answered by G M on 9 Apr 2009, 6:44:48

Home Remedies For Scabies

A home remedy for scabies? ( 9 Apr 2009)

A home remedy for scabies?
( 9 Apr 2009)