I'm sure you remember a time in elementary school when the school nurse checked the entire 3rd grade for head lice. Young children in school are susceptible to the transmission of bugs. There's tons of physical contact in school, on the playground, and on the bus specifically.
Videos by Wide Open Country
Another infestation people are prone to when in close contact with people is scabies or the human itch mite. Close contact activities put many people at risk for those pesky critters to cause a scabies infestation.
Certain jobs can put people at risk for scabies mites. Care facilities, schools, and nursing homes are places where you could be likely to catch sarcoptes scabiei or scabies.
Getty Images
During the summer, people may be exposed to others who have it. If you or a household member is partaking in activities such as children's summer camps or rooming together in hotel rooms, remind them not to share towels or blankets.
Luckily for you, this isn't like greyscale skin disease from Game of Thrones, you'll definitely be fine if you find the best treatment option.
Common Symptoms of Scabies
- Itchy rash
- Severe scratching
- Sores on your entire body
Treatment of Scabies With Scabicides
A cream with permethrin may be prescribed as a scabies treatment. You can get an effective oral treatment from your pharmacist called Ivermectin if you have the option. Prescribed medicine for scabies, known as scabicides kill mites and female mites' eggs to prevent production and reinfestation.
While you are being treated for scabies, take an antihistamine to reduce the side effects of your allergic reaction. Intense itching will cause you to scratch and potentially break your skin. If you can prevent yourself from scratching, there's less skin damage to recover from.
Getty Images
If you continue to scratch your skin, you are prone to a secondary skin infection, impetigo. Remember, mite burrows are under your skin, so the itching will feel severe enough to make you scratch all night and cut your skin.
If you are prescribed medicine for Norwegian scabies, be sure to finish your treatment. Treatment failure can also be a factor if you do not wash your sheets and clothes in hot water or if all your family members have also not been treated. There are several other home solutions for mites, like using tea tree oil for scabies.
How To Get Rid of Scabies With Natural Remedies
1. Neem Oil
Neem is a natural bug repellant and insecticidal oil. The anti-inflammatory properties will give you some itching relief while it kills the mites. Neem is known for restoring flaky skin, so if you've caused some damage to your skin from scratching, you'll also be replenishing your skin while it does the cleaning work. Neem kills eggs, which slows down the production of new mites.
How to Use Neem Oil for Scabies:
Dilute the neem with an oil of your choice. Coconut oil has antibacterial properties and is known as a sealant, so lock in the neem oil. If you have an old squeezable bottle, fill it up with coconut oil. For every 5 mL of your base oil, add a drop of neem. Generously rub it on you and let it sit for a few hours, then take a bath in hot water.
2. Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil is amazing for your skin. After a stressful week of final exams, I would get a pimple from all the stress and sugar consumption. If you have breakouts or are looking for a natural antimicrobial acne remedy, you should try tea tree oil. The oil is ready to fight many types of bacteria, including the microbes in scabies.
Essential oils are a must-have. They're a crucial part of many home remedies recipes. (A few drops in DIY lotion go a long way.) Many people use essential oils like clove oil and Australian tea tree oil for other skin conditions and skin irritation problems. It's cheaper than seeing a dermatologist!
How to Use Tea Tree Oil for Scabies:
Dilute tea tree the same way you would for neem oil. You should apply it after each bath. As mentioned, add it to lotion to activate the therapeutic potential of tea tree oil for scabies.
3. Organic Aloe Vera
You might already have some in your medicine cabinet. Aloe vera is very soothing for your skin after being out in the sun all day. Its antibiotic properties work wonders for damaged skin, and PhDs of public health have studied its uses to improve the healing of lesions.
How to Use Aloe Vera for Scabies:
Rub aloe vera over infected skin in between baths. If you'd like, keep it on overnight. While tea tree oil for scabies might sting, aloe will be a cool relief.
Did anyone else get told to shower as soon as they got home from school or the park? "You smell like outside." - Every mom ever. Unfortunately, you can be Mr. Clean and scrub your whole body head to toe twice a day every day and still catch scabies. All it takes is skin-to-skin contact with an infected person.
Gosh, out of all of the places these mites could hang out at, they choose human skin. RUDE. Why can't they cling to garbage cans?
If you believe you have scabies, do not be afraid to seek a dermatology specialist or health care professional. If you don't take care of it, you can infect those around you. Consider aloe, Neem, or tea tree oil for scabies.
Products featured on Wide Open Eats are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.
READ MORE: The 10 DIY Skin Care Recipes You Need for Dry Winter Skin
This post was originally published on August 2, 2019
