Posted in Category : Common Ailments | October 9, 2009

Natural Remedy for Scabies

Scabies is caused by a mite that is an exclusively human mite. However, it does have a variant that also infests dogs. The mite, though not a disease vector, can cause secondary infection by opening lesions in the skin to bacteria to take hold. Continuous bites from the mite will eventually cause normal, dormant skin bacteria to gain entry into the skin. This is a dangerous situation and can cause cellulitis. If not treated, cellulitis can cause tissue necrosis and even septicemia, or poisoning of the blood.

Scabies can be identified by the occurrence of an S shaped disruption of the skin. This occurs due the mite burrowing under the skin after being disturbed. The actual site of infection itself will be very itchy and might also have a rash on it. The mite starts out as an egg that is deposited on the skin of a human host, which then hatches into a larva, which then finally molt into an adult form in a matter of a few days. The average lifespan of one of these creatures is three weeks. Treatment of the condition medically involves the use of topical pesticides or irritants. One of the most effective in this regard is a substance called permethrin. This medication needs to be taken before bedtime and applied on every bit of skin in the body everyday until the rash completely disappears. Malathion is another synthetic formulation that can be used but should be applied for 24 hours continuously. It is quite effective at killing the adults as well as the larvae and eggs.

Naturally, the most effective and non-toxic pesticide for scabies treatment available is margosa oil. This has been used for centuries in the south Asian continent as a pesticide in farming. Curiously, it is quite harmless to humans and therefore, this makes it an ideal candidate for a treatment option. Since secondary infection is a possibility, it might make sense to use some topical antibiotics for scabies cure as well. This is available in the potent form of tea tree oil that can kill most of the bacteria that comes in contact with it. Itching is also a major problem during a scabies episode and this can be reduced with the use of a very hot water scalding. This could also kill the bug itself. The water should be hot enough to cause mild discomfort but eventually, the feeling of itching will go away. After that, apply some Aloe vera to the itching spots for relief.

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