What is scabies?
Skin infections are already a nightmare; you do not want to have a skin with different sizes of rashes. Going to the dermatologists, looking for appointments and waiting in the long queues to have your turn is not what we all enjoy. Spending money over this is one more of an unneglectable issue. To cut this expense down there are a number of home remedies to help eliminate the disease. Scabies is a skin infection that is caused by a microbe called Sarcoptes Scabiei. These little mites can stay in your skin for about a period of two months where they lay eggs and produce extremely itchy rashes on the skin. Person who has scabies must remain very conscious so that h/she doesn’t transfer this to the others around. As scabies is highly infectious and could be transmitted either via having a direct skin contact or through clothing and bedding, one must make sure to treat this highly contagious infection as soon as possible.
Tiny mites which are known as sarcoptes causes scabies. It is a skin condition which is easily spread from one person to another. These mites have a complete life cycle which starts from burrowing deep inside skin, lay eggs. This process brings itchiness due to rashes on the skin caused by mites. Intensity of itchiness goes to the height when the eggs are hatched and are ready to produce more eggs. This disease is verified and recognized after three to four weeks. Once the carrier of scabies has infection, risk of spread gets high.
Usually it is a condition which happens to be seen in places which doesn’t have good hygiene conditions and personal cleanliness is almost to zero level. However, there are many other ways and reasons through which scabies infestations appear on skin.
How Common Is Scabies:
Scabies is found and known as the terrible invasion of mites in the deepest core of skin. It’s commonly found in the underprivileged areas or slums. Not much seen in city where the hygiene and cleanliness is taken into account.
Another thing about its common grounds lies in the fact that scabies is found in pets which carries from them to human and burrow inside the skin to lay eggs. So, it is commonly dealt with a number of ointments and lotions.
How Do You Get Scabies?
How do we get scabies is a frequently asked question. It is mostly infested because of terrible hygiene and cleanliness issues. Besides that, you may catch scabies because of following things, factors and situations:
1. Body contact:
Contact of bodies for long or some extended time gives these mites chance to transmit from one body to another. Sexual acts or holding someone’s hands for long may be the cause of it. You might catch scabies from someone who already has it by following actions:
- Hugging for more than an hour. It sounds weird to hug someone for that long but again there are moments when you just need hug and it ends after an hour. In this case you are the best victim of scabies.
- Shaking hand for too long. Again, who really does that? But there are those who just forget to remove hand from others palm. On a serious note, it is how scabies infests on others body.
- Intercourse can also make it happen. Infestation is quick and easy during the sexual acts.
2. Sharing of linen, clothes and physical touch:
The one good thing about scabies is that the mites which infests scabies can’t jump, fly or crawl. They just transfer. So, the best places where you can get infected by these tiny evil mites are bed sheets, laundry which is kept dirty for more than a month, clothes which are shared among others or any human touch to an already infected person are the ways to get scabies.
3. Enclosed environments:
It is observed that places which are surrounded with schools or nursing homes are of greater risk to infest scabies. To deal with the situation, medical care in these close and compact surroundings or environment is much needed.
What Causes Scabies:
Scabies is caused by parasitic mites which are known as sarcoptes scabiei. It was discovered in the 18th century by an Italian biologist named Giacinto Cestoni. He found out that infestation of scabies begins from female mites which burrows deep in the skin, settles and lays eggs which hatches and then the entire cycle take place.
It is a contagious skin condition. It demands care and lookout through which it can be dealt. Like mentioned above, there are other ways through which they transmit from one body to another.
- Physical contact for too long.
- Sharing of clothes.
- Using and being around the person who has scabies.
- Shaking hands.
- Hugging.
- Sex.
- Too closed environment.
- Places and people where cleanliness isn’t found.
- Dirty laundry.
Signs And Symptoms Of Scabies:
Firstly it is worthwhile to understand the main difference between signs and symptoms of a disease or medical condition. Signs are detected and monitored by other people which doesn’t include you. Doctors, other siblings and health investigators are some examples of others in this case. Symptom is what you feel as a patient. This is what you experience. So here are the symptoms and signs of scabies:
Symptoms of scabies:
The most common symptoms of scabies are:
- Rashes on the skin.
- Intense and severe itching on the skin.
- Itchiness gets worst after a hot shower and at the night time.
- Small tiny spots which are actually the burrow marks.
- Appearance of these tiny pimple like spots which are mostly red in color are found in a line or series of four to eight spots.
- Spots are mostly found in the following body parts:
- Wrists
- Under arms or arm pits.
- Hips or buttocks
- The space inside the elbow.
- Shoulders.
- Nipples.
- Feet’s sole.
- Knees.
- Waist.
- The space between toes or fingers.
- Groin.
- Near genitals.
- Neck, face and head.
- Hand’s palms.
- Scalp.
What Are Risk Factors For Scabies?
It is a must thing to know about scabies: complications or risk factors of scabies.
1. Crusted scabies:
These are said to be the worst form of scabies which is normally found in the cases with less immune system. People who are effected are pregnant women, infants or toddlers, people who are under the treatment of cancer, those who have HIV or AIDS, Down syndrome and those with any kind of psychological or mental disorders. If the same people have good immune system it will not let the reproductive system of scabies mites spread.
2. Spread of scabies mites:
When scabies mites infests its eggs and are present everywhere except face and have following symptoms it is a call for risk. Those symptoms include thick crusts over skin, rashes which are scaly, itching is way lesser than in the regular type of scabies. These are much more severe in its nature because thick crusts never let scabies go away.
3. Dermatological conditions and scabies:
If anyone is already diagnosed with eczema or any other skin disease, scabies is going to stay in there for a longer time.
4. Impetigo:
Impetigo is a second stage of scabies which happens to occur when you scratch skin excessively. It causes breakage which is defenseless and weak for the infection.
How Is Scabies Infestation Diagnosed?
Diagnosis is an important part to deal with any disease or condition. Likewise, scabies has been diagnosed by doctors, general physician or GUM which stands for – genito and urinary medicine. Scabies is diagnosed through:
1. Visual signs:
Common methods to diagnose scabies is by visual signs which appears on the skin and body. In some cases certain tests are run on blood to find further complications. It is always necessary to get tests done before any follow up. Sometimes, scabies is little tough to handle because of any skin disease like that of eczema or psoriasis. It doesn’t allow scabies to get cured easily and needs certain procedures.
2. Ink test:
Ink test is recommended in some cases. Doctor or the physician rubs ink on your skin and wipes it off with alcohol pads. In the situation of infestation of burrows, some of the ink remains present and other occur as a dark or black line. This test is kind of difficult because, burrows are not seen without any microscope or naked eye.
3. Tetracycline solution and scabies:
At times, Tetracycline solution is used instead of ink. Skin glows if it is seen under particular type of light.
4. Skin sample:
In this procedure, mites are searched for the eggs of mites, mite faeces and mites themselves by taking skin samples. It is set in potassium hydroxide and then check it under microscope.
Home Remedies To Get Rid Of Scabies:
There are ways through which scabies can be healed without seeing doctor. However, you must and should see doctor if you don’t get to see any difference in the infestation. In order to treat scabies there medical options available and some home remedies as well. You can choose from anyone of them depending on the severity of infection. We have collected a few home remedies for you to treat scabies and help yourself curtail the infection easily.
1. Lavender Oil
This essential oil is again a treat to the nerves. It helps them provide with the best of relaxation and hence promote a better sleep. People prefer their rooms to have an aroma of this particular oil as it brings calming effect to the nerves.
- To help with scabies and itchiness one can add a few drops of lavender oil in warm water and soak in it for a while.
- Doing this would bring great soothing effect.
2. Cold Water
Cold water is an amazing bliss during the day of hot summers. And also when you want to take a refreshing bath after you come from the scorching heat of the sun. Cold water is used to provide with a soothing effect temporarily.
- The ones who have got an itching sensation on the skin can help themselves temporarily with cold water.
- You can soak the lesion in cold water for a while to get some relief and feel better.
3. Onion
Onions are natural blood thinners. Hence, because of this quality onions are used as a doctor’s recommended vegetable for the ones who undergo high blood pressure issues or the ones who have a raised level of low density lipids in their blood.
Apart from talking about this advantage onion is used in some many ways cooked or raw to add its taste to the food.
- Skin of onion has a chemical stored known as quercetin which gives a soothing effect.
- Applying about 12 onions and boil their skins in 1 quart of water for half an hour.
- Soak the lesion with scabies in this water.
4. Petroleum Jelly
The other home remedy that we can use applying some petroleum jelly on the lesions. Petroleum jelly is usually a concept of the cold season. It is considered to protect the skin from the dryness that usually we experience as the weather changes towards the colder side. This is also a lubricating agent and is used in that regard as well. Sometimes petroleum jelly is also used as a separating medium that will not allow two surfaces (like hard and marble) to stick together.
- One can apply petroleum mixed with sulphur in the ratio of 9:1 to treat the disease.
- One can even apply it to the other parts to avoid any contagious effects.
5. Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil is sure to be a familiar one in the world of relaxing spas. Now why did I say that? Tea tree oil since a long time has been used as an essential oil and is still getting used for the similar reason. Essential oils like tea tree oil, lavender oil etc are used to provide with a soothing effect. More over, it’s not just the massage by using these oils that helps getting relaxed but it’s even then aroma that keeps the nerves smoothened and calm/
- Tea tree oil is one reliable home remedies for scabies.
- It helps to get rid of the rashes in not more than a period of two weeks, provided applied regularly and along with the treatment told by the doctor if any.
- It will also get relieved from the itching sensations.
6. Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera is known for its numerous qualities. This green little plant doesn’t really need much of a pampered environment to grow. If given a favorable environment aloe Vera could grow at a fast pace, producing so many gel filled leaves. Aloe Vera leaves are single and elongated and of different sizes form long to short and medium lengths. These leaves are then plugged to squeeze the gel out of them.
The transparent gel is bitter to taste and sticky in nature. With its various advantages people prefer having its gel on regular basis. While some only prefer applying it on their skin.
- One of the qualities of aloe Vera is that it helps to heal burns.
- It could be used to heal the inflammation caused by skin infections hence during scabies the itchiness could be countered by applying aloe Vera on it.
7. Walnuts
Dry fruits! Yes we do have certain dry fruits gifted by nature not only to add nutritional values to our food but also to help for medicinal purpose. Walnuts have one of the hardest shells when talking about dry fruits. Its brown hard shell could not be broken easily till it is crushed by a tool to break the shell apart. Inside the brown hard shell lies a bi-lobed dry fruit which is having a light brown shade. Walnuts if you look closely resemble a lot to the sulci and gyri found in the brain. These sulci and gyri are actually the depressions and elevations that make up the brain structure. And, astonishingly it is found that these walnuts work amazing for the brain health and one must have them in their breakfast as routine diet.
Apart from being healthy nutritionally walnuts are supposed to helpful during the skin infection like scabies
- A chemical found in walnuts known as ‘juglone’ is known to get rid of mites.
- Hence one can use walnuts in case of scabies infection.
- Soaking the lesion for a while in walnut water helps heal quickly.
- Walnut water is obtained by boiling a handful of walnuts in 2 cups of water until the water remains half of its original volume, which could then be cooled before using.
8. Mustard Oil
Mustard oil is an extract form the mustard seeds. During the season of harvestation of mustards, the agriculture area gives a look of yellow land. The yellow land looks amazing and so good to the eyes. Besides its yellow beauty, we see its big time use in the Asian countries. There are a few countries that only prefer mustard to be the oil of choice when it comes to cooking. Although this vegetable oil has a very unique smelling aroma. Due to this aroma many people do not like to prefer cooking food in mustard oil.
Besides discovering about the cooking aspect we further discuss about the how it is preferred to be used as hair oil. There are surely a number of hair oils to enhance the growth if hair and mustard oil is supposed to be suitable for every other person. There are people who have only used mustard oil as their hair oil since the beginning and showed tremendous results with long and shiny hair.
Mustard oil is even preferred to be used on the skin. It has a great healing effect on it. People with cracked heal can try this oil religiously every night daily for a month to see evident results.
- Applying mustard oil on skin infections works wonders.
- In case of rashes and cracked skin, mustard oil works as the best.
- One can apply mustard oil on the affected area and help the skin heal over the period of time. This even helps with the itchiness.
9. Garlic
This strong tasting and smelling spice is known for its extensive usage in the Asian countries. Garlic gives its own distinctive flavor to the dishes prepared. You can either sauté a few garlic cloves in a little olive oil to enhance the flavor or you can either grate a few garlic cloves and mix them in sauces to create a distinct strong flavor. There is a home remedy to treat the extra fats that includes the usage of garlic in it. To follow this fat reduction remedy one must keep in mind that he/she must chew on the garlic cloves on an empty stomach to have a the desired effects. This little spices more than you can imagine, it has a role to play in different medicinal domains and treat the diseases. It can reduce the risk of cardio vascular diseases and also help to lower down the blood pressure progressively. It is said that if someone is experiencing a rise in blood pressure he/she can immediately chew on a few garlic cloves immediately to counter the effect. Although chewing these cloves is a hell of a task but it’s surely worth it. Garlic is also used to treat skin infection ‘scabies’
- With its commendable properties of being anti parasitic and anti microbial it could be used to treat scabies.
- One can chew on the cloves of garlic or either intake garlic capsules.
10. Turmeric
Since the ancient times till now turmeric has been used as a medicinal spice. No one really new up till now that turmeric can help fight fatal diseases as well. There have been researches carried out in order to study various benefits of this yellow spice. Successfully a number of advantages are revealed till now.
In the previous era where medicine was not so advanced and back then when people had to rely on the home remedies, herbs, fruits and vegetables were the commonly used options for the treatments.
Turmeric is widely known for its anti analgesic effect. One of the most extensive use of turmeric apart from the culinary usage is actually its quality to extract the pain away from the affected area. Some use it directly on the surface of the skin wrapped in a bandage, while the others like to drink it homogenized in milk. Both the ways show the same effect, no more and no less.
- Applying turmeric on the skin helps to fight rashes especially the ones due to scabies.
- One can make a thick paste with water and apply on the affected area in order to get rid of the itchy rashes on the skin.
11. Neem
This tree is quiet useful in so many different ways. Not only the leaves that could be utilized but its bark, its seeds and the flowers as well. The trio of neem tree i.e. its bark, the leaves and its seeds are used to make medicines. Whereas talking about its fruit, roots and flowers they are less commonly used as compared to the other components discussed. Talking about its various different advantages there is a lot more to add up to the bucket list. Like if we take an example of upper respiratory tract infections we would see neem has a role to play there as well to treat certain degree of infections. Two of them that we can tell you are cough and the other one is asthma. This is to deal with the internal health of a person, talking about its relation to the skin we have some findings related in that regard. Poison ivy causes rashes on the skin and neem is one of those remedies that could be used in order to help with that! Reason behind it is mostly the coolant nature of these leaves.
- Neem leaves provide a soothing and a cooling effect on the skin.
- Hence in case of scabies and a few other skin reactions that is accompanied by rashes, neem leaves could be grinded and pasted to be applied for a soothing effect.
12. Zinc
Secondary skin infections which are associated to scabies are treated by zinc. It also helps in taking care of outbreaks of fungus. This is what you need to do to treat scabies:
- Take three zinc tablets, grind it till it reaches the powdery form. Make it thick by adding small portion of water.
- Apply it on the area where scabies is infested. Leave it there till it is all dried.
- Use lukewarm water to rinse it off.
- Repeat the procedure once in a day.
In addition to it, you should have much of zinc through food. Sunflower seeds and soybeans are examples from which you can get zinc in abundance.
13. Cayenne pepper
The main property of cayenne pepper is to kill mites which helps in treating scabies. This is what you have to do in order to get cured:
- Take hot water and mix one cup of cayenne pepper in it.
- Let the water infuse in you. Remain in the warm water till the water gets cold.
- Rinse it off with cold and clean water.
- Repeat it once in a day.
P.S: It is not for sensitive skin.
Medical Remedies To Get Rid Of Scabies:
The worst thing about these scabies mites and burrows lies under the fact that they do not go away even if you rub scrubs on your effected skin. There are particular solutions in the form of lotions and creams which are applied to get cure. It is mandatory to stay away from the person who has scabies. There are many lotions and creams which heals or at least helps in soothing scabies. Two famous ones are:
Permethrin cream
It is not designed for children who are under the age of two years or those ladies who are pregnant. You are bound to take permission of doctor before using this cream because it comes with severe side effects. Tingling sensation, skin irritation and severe form of itching are included in its side effects.
Malathion lotion
Doctor’s recommendation is a pre-requisite of using this lotion. It does not affect pregnant or lactating women or children under the age of two.
Steroids
In some really risky matters with scabies where effected person may not respond to any other solutions, steroids are recommended. But again, you need to consult a doctor before applying any steroid.
Mites are supposedly killed by washing linen, clothes, towels on a very high temperature.
How To Prevent Scabies:
Staying away from people who already have scabies is one of the preventive measures. You need to know and understand how it is transmitted.
Physical contact may cause scabies so what you have to do is to stay away. Also, avoid sexual acts and intercourse during the infestation of scabies. Make sure you are not using or sharing clothes, linen or bed sheets of the person who has scabies. These are few preventive measures. There are few more, you should take pills which will not let your immune system get low or weak.
When To See A Doctor For Scabies:
When you see the symptoms and signs are not progressed in terms of appearance or any sort of infection is persisting, then it is a must thing to go and get yourself checked. If fever run on you and there is no apparent reason of it, infections occur and you don’t know what is happening on your skin, then also you should see doctor.