Effective Home Remedies for Scabies

Introduction

Do you have a rash that is so itchy it wakes you up from sleep? Or is your child crankier than usual from lack of sleep at night due to itching? If yes, you should look for rashes with small bumps on the body as they might indicate scabies. If one of the family members has it, you should look for it in others, as it spreads from one person to another when in close contact.  

Scabies, also known as Sarcoptes mange, is a condition caused by a tiny mite called Sarcoptes scabiei var hominis. It mainly occurs in tropical areas and crowded places. Your pets can also get scabies as this condition also affects animals, but the causative mite is different. The one affecting animals can cause an allergic reaction in humans, but cannot cause scabies as they cannot adapt and live on humans.¹ 

What Causes Scabies?

A tiny mite called Sarcoptes scabiei var hominis causes scabies. The tiny mites make burrows or tunnels under the skin, leading to small itchy bumps on the skin.¹ Scabies can affect anyone. However, people are more prone to scabies in the following conditions: 

• Elderly individuals, especially those who live in nursing homes with poor hygiene.  
• People live in crowded and closed conditions.  
• Health care workers care for people with scabies who are unaware of their condition.  
• In infants and children, since children come in close contact with their family members, parents, classmates and friends.¹  

Also Read: Effective Home Remedies for Bee Sting

Home remedies in scabies are mainly for controlling itching, for effective and proper treatment please consult a dermatologist. Debugging of entire household even if any one is affected is very important.

Dr. M.G. Kartheeka, MBBS MD(Pediatrics)

Symptoms of Scabies

Early symptoms of scabies (rash and bumps) can appear on the skin four to six weeks after being infected. The rash develops slowly over weeks to months.¹ Some of the symptoms by which you can recognise scabies are as follows: 

• A rash with small bumps that looks like pimples.  
• Sometimes, the bumps might get infected as a result of intense scratching.  
• You might experience severe itching, making it difficult to sleep at night.  
• Later, the rash might appear as skin-coloured lines on the skin or have a greyish appearance.  
• As a result of intense itching all over the body, children might be cranky or tired due to lack of sleep.¹  

Also Read: Natural Home Remedies for Itchy Skin

The rash and itching of scabies can persist for several weeks to a month after treatment, even if the treatment was successful and all the mites and eggs have been killed. Contact your physician if your symptoms still persist after the treatment and are worrisome.

Dr. Ashish Bajaj, M.B.B.S. M.D. in Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology

Suggested Home Remedies for Scabies

The intense itch associated with scabies might leave you scouring for home remedies for scabies all over the internet. We have a few possible home remedies for scabies that might help soothe the irritation. You can try a few of these natural home remedies for scabies and choose the one that best suits you.  

1. Virgin Coconut Oil

Virgin coconut oil may act as an inflammation-reducing agent. It may improve the skin barrier function and protect the skin from ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation by forming a coat on the skin. Therefore, it may be useful in many inflammatory skin conditions too, such as xerosis (abnormally dry skin) and atopic dermatitis (itchy skin inflammation) to soothe skin irritation.²  

The use of virgin coconut oil for scabies does not have proper scientific backing, yet it is being used by many people as a home remedy for scabies. For a natural home remedy for scabies, coconut oil, preferably virgin coconut oil, must be applied gently to the rashes with a cotton swab.    

2. Tea Tree Oil

A study showed that tea tree oil was more effective in killing the scabies mites (scabicidal properties) than other commonly used agents. Moreover, it also showed minimum side effects during the trial.³  

You may use tea tree oil as a natural home remedy for scabies by applying a tiny bit of this oil to your rashes. For example, use a cotton swab and gently dab the tea tree oil onto the rashes.  

You can also dilute some tea tree oil in coconut oil and apply it to your rashes as a scabies home remedy. However, if you experience any allergic reactions, discontinue its use and reach out to your healthcare provider for accurate treatment.      

3. Aloe Vera

Aloe vera has been used for topical application to manage various skin issues such as scabies and eczema (skin inflammation). It may help to relieve different skin problems such as wounds and burns.⁴ You can use aloe vera gel as one of the natural home remedies for scabies. First, you have to take an aloe vera leaf, wash it thoroughly, slice the leaf open using a knife and extract the aloe vera gel. Then, you can mix this gel with coconut oil and apply it to your rashes as soothing agent for scabies. Alternatively, you can also use aloe vera gels and creams available in the market. However, these are not a replacement for proper scabies treatment. 

4. Turmeric

Turmeric has medicinal value and is widely used for its therapeutic properties in herbal and traditional medicine. It is used to manage skin diseases associated with inflammation.⁵ It might also be used as one of the home remedies for scabies and may prove effective. You can make a turmeric paste by adding coconut oil or water to turmeric powder and applying this paste to the rashes. It might help to be a good home remedy for scabies. 

5. Neem

Since ancient times, the neem tree’s fruits, leaves, flowers and bark have been used for medicinal purposes. It is used to manage skin diseases and eczema. In folk medicine, neem has been used for conditions caused by insects for its insecticidal properties.⁶ Therefore, neem might be used to manage symptoms of scabies at home. There is inadequate evidence to prove the efficacy of neem for scabies, yet it is often suggested as one of the home remedies for scabies. You can use neem leaves, make a paste by crushing them with some water and then apply it to the rashes as a herbal paste for scabies. 

6. Kundaruki-Bel (Bimbi)

Kundaruki-Bel is the Hindi name of Ivy gourd. In Ayurveda, the leaves of kundaruki-bel might be used as a home remedy for scabies. It might naturally have the potential to provide relief from itching and scabies.  However, more studies are required to ascertain such potential uses.  

For use as a natural aid for scabies, you have to take a few kundaruki-bel leaves, soak them in coconut oil and leave them in sunlight for a few days. After a few days, you can apply this oil and might get relief from your rashes as well as itching and scabies.⁷ 

7. Chitraka

The scientific name of Chitraka is Plumbago zeylanica and it belongs to the family Plumbaginaceae. It is popularly known as Lead war in English and Chitra in Hindi. Ayurveda offers this plant as a natural home remedy for scabies. It might be helpful for various skin infections, carbuncles, ulcers and also in diseases such as scabies. However, more research is required to confirm such effects. You can use the oil obtained from this plant, known as Chitraka Mula tailam, as one of the home remedies for scabies.⁷ You can gently apply this oil to all the skin areas with rashes. 

8. Parisha (Kapitana)

Parisha is commonly known as the Portia tree or the umbrella tree in English. It belongs to the family Malvaceae. The flowers of Parisha may be used as home remedies for scabies. It might be helpful for skin diseases like scabies and pruritis (skin diseases associated with itching of skin). You have to take the flowers of this tree and make a paste of it by crushing them with water. Then, apply this paste to affected skin regions as a natural home remedy for scabies and you might see some symptomatic relief.⁷ 

Though there are studies that show the benefits of these herbs and home remedies for the management of scabies, these are insufficient. There is a need for large scale human studies to establish the true extent of the benefits of these home remedies on human health. Thus, these should only be taken with caution and never as a substitute for medical treatment.    

Also Read: Natural Home Remedies for Ringworm

When to Seek Medical Help?

The correct management and course of action for scabies will be explained to you by your doctor. However, the following signs indicate that there is a need for course correction and you should revisit your doctor in case: 

• If you have a concerning side effect from the prescribed medicine or condition. 
• If the symptoms of your skin condition do not go away even after a month of management. 
• If you develop signs of bacterial infection such as redness, sores or pus discharge from the rashes.¹ 

You must not rely on home remedies alone for the management of scabies and should consult a qualified doctor for any advice for scabies if the symptoms do not improve with home remedies.   

Conclusion

The reason behind your intense itch causing sleepless nights might be scabies. Scabies is a condition that occurs when a tiny mite called Sarcoptes scabiei var hominis makes small tunnels under your skin. It causes rashes to develop, which appear as small bumps or pimples. It is a common condition in tropical and crowded regions. One might get infested with scabies, causing mites from another person through close contact. A doctor will devise a management plan for scabies and explain it. However, many home remedies for scabies such as tea tree oil, turmeric, neem leaves and coconut oil can also help relieve itching. You can try a few or all of these ways as natural home remedies for scabies and choose the one you prefer.  

Also Read: Simple Home Remedies For Pinworms

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

References:

1. Cleaveland Clinic [Internet]. Scabies; 2022 Mar 23 [cited 2022 Jun 8]. Available from: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/4567-scabies 

2. Varma SR, Sivaprakasam TO, Arumugam I, Dilip N, Raghuraman M, Pavan KB, et al. In vitro anti-inflammatory and skin protective properties of Virgin coconut oil. J Tradit Complement Med. 2019 Jan 1;9(1):5-14. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6335493/ 

3. Thomas J, Carson CF, Peterson GM, Walton SF, Hammer KA, Naunton M, et al. Therapeutic Potential of Tea Tree Oil for Scabies. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2016 Feb 3;94(2):258-66. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4751955/ 

4. Zheng GH, Yang L, Chen HY, Chu JF, Mei L. Aloe vera for prevention and treatment of infusion phlebitis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014 Jun 1;2014(6):CD009162. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6464352/ 

5. Vollono L, Falconi M, Gaziano R, Iacovelli F, Dika E, Terracciano C, et al. Potential of Curcumin in Skin Disorders. Nutrients. 2019 Sep 1;11(9):2169. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6770633/ 

6. National Research Council (US) Panel on Neem. Neem: A Tree For Solving Global Problems. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 1992. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK234637/ 

7. AYUSH [Internet]. Ayurveda Offering Herbal Healing; [cited 2022 June 8]. 1-128 p. Available from: https://www.esic.nic.in/attachments/publicationfile/7d11b02e5abb4717d53b4ce05efabd21.pdf 

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