Natural Approaches for Scabies: Exploring Effective Remedies

One method I found to help with clothing, especially shoes and belts, was freezing them for at least 10 minutes. Extreme changes in temperatures kill the mites but hot baths were too drying on my husband's skin and made the problem worse. His flaky dry skin was harboring the bugs and one peroxide/borax treatment overnight ended our war!

I hope this helps anyone dealing with this and know you are not dirty for keeping scabies. There is not enough information or research from the local USA doctor community to help adults with this disease.

I also made up a spray bottle of about 20oz warm water and added 2 Tbs borax and 2Tbs hydrogen peroxide. I spray this all over my house and when I have an itch I put it on my skin and let it dry there. After that I still use the coconut oil (2Tbs melted) with 4-5drops of Thieves oil-its got clove in it--and I put that on the itchy spots as well. We also put the tea tree oil in the baths at night as well-we then air dry to let the oil and borax stay on our skin. After that I cover in the coconut oil I have found some very dry/leathery like spots on my skin after borax-but its so much better than a scabies itch-so I will lotion or oil up. We also put borax in all our laundry loads washing everything on super hot (we turned our hot water heater all the way up) and drying everything completely (and putting all pillows in the dryer daily for 20-30min)

We will continue the nightly bath ritual (which takes about 4 hours for 6 people it seems). For a few more days at least-until the baby is completely healed-and then we will probably do every 2-3 days for awhile just in case-I'm not risking re-infection--this has been a nightmare.

This was an AMAZING find!! Borax and Hydrogen Peroxide made all the difference for the cure!!!! Thank You Thank You thank you!!! Getting our lives back. :)

Borax your clothes on hot. Clean your space thoroughly. Clip your nails. Buy a sulfur cream (also very effective at control but not eradication) and use it on the bites daily to keep them in check. But Niacin is the thing.

Be aware, 500mgs of FLUSHING niacin can be very uncomfortable. It is recommended not to take it on an empty stomach and it makes most people feel very warm. I believe it is this flush that creates the efficacy. We took it before bed so that we were asleep before the discomfort arose. You will be amazed how easily this works. Please repost after curing yourselves to that this becomes common knowledge and people don't have to suffer with these evil little mites!

Yes, you are right.

Petroleum jelly chokes these mites. Also, sulfur cream 10% works faster if u apply petroleum jelly first before the sulfur cream. It causes the sulfur to penetrate deeper.

I had a friend who was severely infested. Permethrin creams, lemon oil, tea tree oil, neem oil, you name it she used it-- No cure. It was driving her crazy n depressed.

I always have ivermectin injectable handy coz its a very convinient antiparasite meds, knocks out mites n worms etc.

We don't have access to ivermectin tablets for humans. Nothing to buy in this remote Philippine island.

So we did an experiment. We got a syringe took out 3 cc 1% ivermectin liquid from the bottle took out the needle. Then she rubbed petroleum jelly from neck down to her feet. Made it sit for a good 10 minutes. Thick amount was applied. After that drop by drop, we rubbed the ivermectin liquid from neck down.

Let it sit for 5 minutes before putting on clothes. It itched like hell! But she bravely took it, did not scratch. After about 10 minutes, the itching subsided until it was gone entirely.

She slept through the night. We left the meds there for 10 hours before washing it off. The next day the redness was gone, the rashes were dry, and her very dry skin was not so harrassed anymore. No more itching!

The treatment was repeated the next night. So two nights in a row for the first week, then once a week for 4 weeks. Scabies gone! We did pray so much that first night of treatment n expected a miracle. And a miracle she got!

We got borax n dusted it all over her house, everywhere. Sprayed lemon oil mixed wd water all over as well. Together wd the repeated laundry, cleaning etc.

She treated her place like a warzone. Always wearing pants tucked inside thick socks.

Never using clothes more than once, never sleeping on the same clothes u wore that day. Constant dryer n washing. Different shoes n slippers in her room .

Constantly rubbing petroleum jelly.

I hope this info helps. I hope all of you reading this will pray, never give up hope and expect a miracle as well. And I know you will be cured.

Should they be removed and how is this possible? I have been using natural treatments for over four months. About a month ago I started using clove oil in the 1/3 ratio using coconut oil recommended here. The result was dramatic in terms of improvement. However, a persistent pattern has emerged - more and more parts of my body have stopped showing signs of scabies (as indicated by using an anti-paristic treatment onto the skin after a bath or shower and having mites, larvae, eggs etc rise to the surface of the skin - I believe always dead - as well as an improvement in the skin as lesions, blisters etc clear up). In these cleared up areas, there still remains an occasional persistent bump or an area where there are small brown moles. In addition, there are areas where lesions will not clear up. However certain areas will show no new signs of scabies (eg by no new lesions or no visble dead mites) for several days, only to find signs of the scabies then. This seemes to happen in areas where there are still raised lesions which feel like there is a track along them that won't break down over a long period of time. I now seem to be in a cycle where this occurs, but where the mites are gradually reducing and the return to no visible signs is more frequent. Perhaps, the treatment will eventually beat them.

My concern is that these lumps and moles may have active nests under them. If so, what to do about it? are these nests protected by some encasement or are they so deep that the topical treatments don't get to them? I've been told that the mites burrow into the lymphatic system and that certain treatments such as bleach incite the mites to burrow deeper. The reason I suspect this may be the case is because, I recently started using wild oregano oil (sometimes called wild marjoram) that have high concentrations of carvacol in it. I take this orally as well as putting it onto lesions and lumps topically. If applied to a lump or a lesion which feels like it has a trackline (i find that these are very hard to get rid of, especially on the back), then the oregano oil will seem to break down the lesion or pump a liitle bit. If you keep on rubbing the oil into the area after this happens then sometimes dead mites or eggs will emerge. When this happens there is more likely to be an outpouring of mites etc for a day or two afterwards. After the first few days of doing this, I found some kind of encased eggs (or nests?) be released - these things often were entangled in hairs - by continuing to rub them and pull them off, they tended to pull the hair out and seemed to be attached to the hair follicle. I have a great deal of trouble working out what all these things are when they are released from the skin - is it a good sign of improvement or a bad sign or is it indicative of something else? Are these eggs or nests or mites or faeces dead? are they dead after treatment while being under the lump or mole? I believe everything that leaves the skin after treatments is dead, but I can't work out if the stuff in the skin is dead or alive. The other thing I would note is that this stage of treatment is less likely to show signs of larvae leaving the skin which I found to be more common in earlier treatments with neem oil. What are other perople's experiences? should these moles and lumps be removed and, if so, how? or do they eventually just rise to the surface?

I find it interesting that oregano oil is not mentioned as being a natural treatment for scabies very much. It has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-parasitic properties to name just a few of its benefits. It would appear to kill all stages of the scabies' life cycle (although I still use clove oil daily as it kills the eggs).

There was an earlier posting about the difference between scabies in healthy and immuno-suppressed people - clearly, chronic infection is a symptom of immune problems which require a holistic approach to better health. I suspect that any chronic scabies condition needs some internal treatment (this is why western medicine uses ivermectin) - oregano oil taken internally appears to reach the scabies as evidenced by an initial worsening of itching and a flare up of the skin condition. The breaking down of persistent pumps would appear to follow this, along with the outpourings of dead things (and maybe live mites). I am only into the second week of using the oregano oil, so I can't determine success yet. Unfortunatley, clove oil alone didn't eliminate the problem. I've been on anti-parasitic internal remedies for a while, which have had a great improvement on digestive issues but not on the sacbies until I started taking the oregano oil. [One company's] health advice is tackle this parasite along with the elimination of internal parasites and toxins, along with liver detoxification and other measures to improve natural immunity. This can only be beneficial to well being, however the task seems very onerous. Sometimes I feel so exhausted and desiring of a break from the disciplined self/environmental regimes for treating chronic scabies. I hope I can endure and have success soon!

P. S. I did invest in a steamer and was obsessed with cleaning for the 2weeks, and I washed bedding everyday and never wore the same thing twice without washing. Good luck to all you people fighting these little critters, try this it works! Thank you Earth Clinic.

Use African black soap on body and hair. Will kill the eggs and the mites instantly. First few times you lather up your skin will feel a burning sensation where there are openings on your skin. There will be a major 'dry-off' of the areas infected on your skin. First time you use the soap you may want to pause from using it again for a couple days. As your skin heals and mites disappear, you can use it daily. Use a shea butter based lotion daily. You will feel relief right away. You will sleep better right away. Check with med professional before using on children.

Good luck and God Bless.

Salicylic acid 3% (breaks down lesions, softens skin, assists exfoliation, softens keratin)

Clove oil (at least5%)

Liquid coal tar (7%) (decreases production of thick cells in the outer layer of the skin, helps with the shedding of layers of hyperkeratonic lesions)

Emulsifying ointment to make up the 100%

After the second dose the scabies really started falling out at an unfathomable level and the topical application has shed many layers of the lesions. I have read several medical articles about crusted scabies and ivermectin is unable to penetrate these thick, adhering lesions and so treatment must include the topical application, which I think may have the added benefit of drowning them. In the second week I realised that my toenails were thoroughly saturated with scabies and as the treatment broke them down it increasingly has taken on the appearance of the lesions on other parts of my body.

I'm posted this as I really don't want anyone to go through this experience to the extent that I have. If you have the lumps and you think you have cleared the infection but then find a breakout again and again (often posted in these sorts of threads as 're-infected') the truth is probably more likely to be that the scabies have been reproducing and spreading throughout your skin without your knowledge. I've studied these cases and this treatment can be successful. When scabies are in your nails the case studies reported suggest that it would take at least a month to get rid of them using the combinations of oral ivermectin and the use of the emulsified ointments. Salicylic acid is essential to the treatment.

Crusted scabies is commonly misdiagnosed. I have been going crazy as my doctor thinks I have a post-scabies allergic reaction (this is the scenario of typical scabies not when you know your skin is saturated with scabies). He sent me to a specialist after three years of treating each consultation about this as another infection. The specialist read the referral and said the same thing (i had an allergic reaction), refused to take a skin scraping (as does my doctor) and then prescribed 4 repeats of ivermectin (go figure! ). I have taken samples of the many droppings of things from my skin to the doctor who won't send them away for investigation. When reading about this it would appear that most cases like this would be quarantined in a hospital but here in Australia scabies is not considered an infectious disease. It would seem that may people in the medical profession have not ever seen a case of crusted scabies until the situation has reached a critical condition and just keep on parroting out the clinical description of an initial scabies infection and then if a patient gets chronic skin problems, prescribes cortisone treatments (which in the first year or so may temporarily mask the real cause of the skin disorder. (i noticed that some posts talk about an allergic reaction as the skin tries to recover - however if the skin is saturated with scabies it seems necessary to keep on treating the skin or things are only going to get worse)

I found one research article conducted in Australia where they said that skin samples revealed a selective auto-immune response where there was too may T-cells and an absence of B cells which resulted in the skin's inability to mount an immunity response to the scabies. If anyone knows how to increase the B cells please let me know. Apparently blood samples were normal but not the skin samples. Given the enormous inflammatory response in the skin I have now increased my intake of turmeric which has an active ingredient in helping reduce inflammation (which is typically present in most chronic illnesses). I have an autoimmune disorder which worsted at the time of the scabies appearing three years ago. I am also pursuing biofilm therapies to assist with that.

Wishing you the best in your journeys to overcome this problem.

I tried lots of things for my second bout of scabies, white vinegar spray, peroxide and DMSO spray, borax bath, everything worked for so long then plateaued, the vinegar spray (50% water/50% Vinegar) and peroxide (3% with DMSO) worked the best, applying 3 - 5 times a day, you could see them coming out of the skin with both products, but still not total annihilation of these blood-sucking mites after nearly 3 months. I read a 10 year old post about sea salt bath, well all done and dusted after 4 days, 100 liters of hot water (as hot as possibly stand) in tub and 1.5 kilograms of sea salt with little or no anti-caking agents as possible in AU Saxa sea salt was best. soaked for 10 minutes back and front, and both sides, left nothing un-soaked, even scrubbed skin to loosen top skin and open pores. Give it a try. You won't be disappointed.

After battling scabies for nearly a year-including several rounds of doctor-prescribed meds, assorted veterinary medicines, and miscellaneous home remedies that did not work, I discovered the clove BUD oil remedy study. I started the test myself by ordering a few bottles of clove BUD oil (which is what the study used) and set out for a cure. In the meantime, my relative continued using another remedy.

Instead of mixing the clove with oil (which I found was messy, created even more of a laundry mess, and became a hazard when bathing), I mixed the clove bud oil with a THIN moisturizing lotion for extra-dry skin that I found at a dollar store.

I poured a half-bottle of the lotion into a margarine tub (later I used an extra bottle) and added about 20-30 drops of the clove oil. I shook it well and allowed it to sit for several hours before applying. I then showered and thoroughly exfoliated--and then I applied this clove-lotion blend from toes to neck (and ALL crevices in between! ) while the body was still damp. I then air-dried--no toweling off! The body MUST be covered with the lotion 24-7. The clove bud oil is not only a natural repellant, it also penetrates the skin surface and hair follicles, so you want to keep as much of it on your body as possible at all times.

(HUGE TIP: While you are undergoing this treatment, apply the lotion after each shower--preferably twice each day, including before bed. DO NOT CHANGE CLOTHES ANYWHERE EXCEPT IN TUB OR SHOWER! Bag and tie dirty clothes immediately until washed.)

And regardless of what the "books" say, scabies DO infest the hair-and will actually burrow into hair follicles. Always apply shampoo to dry hair--and leave on as long as possible before rinsing. THEN apply a thick conditioner (add a little clove oil) and cover your head with a plastic shower cap. Sleep in it--and rinse out in the a. M. I was desperate enough to put the clove lotion on my head as well--slept in a plastic cap--and got quick results in eliminating the critters there.

I used a Q-tip with straight clove bud oil on any tracks or visible signs of the infestation. If I felt something crawling, I applied either straight clove oil to an extended area of the "crawling" or applied an additional coating of the lotion. (If you have a strong magnifying glass, check areas where there are tracks and where you have applied straight clove bud oil. You will see gas bubbles just beneath the skin indicating the critters and eggs are dead or dying.)

I also coated brows, lashes, nostrils, and ears with petroleum jelly before bed every night--and, if facial skin could tolerate it, also applied the clove bud lotion to the face.

Within a couple of days, the mites were running for cover. If you did not start out with the critters in the "private areas" previously, they will make a bee-line to escape the lotion now and you will feel them in the crease of the legs, waist areas, buttocks, etc. In fact, our experience taught us that you may not THINK you have them there--but you do. We used a slightly diluted lotion on those sensitive areas (even added a little diatamaceous earth to the lotion in the beginning to increase adhesion of the lotion. ) It's important to keep the area coated at all times in the beginning. The sudden surge in itching and crawling told me that had been a hiding place for quite a while and nights were a bit uncomfortable until I got a handle on them.

Within 2 weeks, there was a noticeable decrease in numbers and life became more bearable. I felt comfortable enough with the progress to encourage my relative to also begin the treatment. She was suffering a far more serious infestation because she was the one initially infected. She declined and continued on with her own remedies, still desperate.

By the end of the month, I knew I was on the right track and INSISTED that she start using my "home remedy. " She did--and had the SAME astounding results within 2 weeks! The relief was so tremendous that I couldn't tear her away from continuing the experiment!

It took time because the infestations were so advanced, but within 3-4 months, we were confident enough to declare ourselves CURED. Not "sorta" or "kinda" cured--but cured! I could finally put bed linen back on the bed and sleep without being tormented.

Still, I continued with the scrupulous laundry/sanitation practices we'd been using to ensure no critters had escaped, including treating the car with permethrin spray created by mixing 1 tube of a 45% "spot on" over-the-counter flea and tick solution with 1 cup of water. This was misted on the car from top to bottom about once each 2 weeks, along with frequent vacuuming. This remedy came as the result of spraying borax in the vehicles--which quickly corroded metal parts. (CAUTION: DO NOT USE PERMETHRIN ON FURNISHINGS OR CARPET IF YOU HAVE CATS--IT CAN BE FATAL! )

We also discovered that hot water washing was not necessary and that alone resulted in huge energy savings. A cold-water soaking in any detergent for several hours or preferably overnight, along with 1-2 cups of ammonia in the soak water, worked better than borax or other recommended remedies and did not damage clothes. This is highly recommended for your bed linens and towels. We continued 30 minutes to 1 hour high-heat drying to be on the safe side.

We also discovered that you must remove and soak in hot soapy water any earrings, jewelry, eye glasses, combs, hair brushes, and other items after wearing or using them ONCE. Let them soak at least an hour, then rinse and air dry. Scabies will set up house in hinges and nooks of these items. During the duration of the treatment, I gave up wearing a watch as well.

Freeze all makeup, wallets, purses, belts, makeup bags EVERY DAY. Wash and then freeze makeup brushes each time they are used, including removing brushes from mascara before freezing. Books and magazines should be put in plastic bags with a few mothballs--or freeze them. Cell and home phones, remotes, etc. , should be cleaned every day with germicidal wipes--and wash and freeze the cell phone covers as well. This may seem to be overboard, but ANYTHING you carry or touch can spread the critters.

If I can warn against anything, it is giving up too soon and jumping from one remedy to another in hope of faster results. Remember, you are having to eliminate the entire life cycle of generations of these critters that have already infested your body. It's going to take time to eliminate them all, because new ones are constantly maturing. We saw a change within 2 weeks--and then it began improving drastically from that point. We stuck with the regimen--and it worked when nothing else we tried did.

I would strongly encourage anyone struggling with this terrible infestation to at least give it a try--and stick with it for at least a month! It works!

I have been cured of scabies for about 4 months now and feel obliged to enlighten every suffering human being of the secret. Two Words: CLOVE OIL. It can be purchased from any type of natural food store including whole foods, or online. When using it, you should probably dilute it in another type of oil, I used jojoba oil. So probably about 1 drop of clove per 2 teaspoon of jojoba. Mix it up. Rub this mixture all over the body and leave on for 15-30 minutes. Shower and make sure you have washed all of your linens and clothes beforehand with SPECIFIC DETERGENT. BORAX. ADD at least a cup and a half of borax to each load of laundry and make sure you have cleaned everything in your home or you will be reinfected. You may feel the scabies coming out or literally freaking out on your skin, like I did. They came out of tiny wholes and pretty much looked like they were suffering and eventually stopped moving after 20 minutes which is when I showered. It took me a few times to completely get rid of them, so don't feel hopeless if it doesnt work the first time. BUT IT WORKS! It took me approximately 4-5 days to completely rid them and I'm glad I did. Hopefully you guys will take my advice and no longer suffer. G-d Bless!

1st of all, the permethrin is not really that toxic. Fake sugars are more dangerous than permethrin as your liver is involved with metabolizing in the food or beverage you may repeatedly consume rather than the permethrin you just wash off. Sure a small amount is absorbed through the skin but it's a substance your body can breakdown easily. Don't be afraid of it. It's a plan analog of pymetherin made by a flower that acts like a nerve exciter and mini stun-gun to insects. They die after to repeated shocks to their nerves, you just feel a slight harmless tingle.

The pill, ivermectin, is a bit more serious though, all healthy persons can well handle it but not those with liver issues. It may cause liver damage if too much is ingested. It is a bacterial analog of a soil microbe that paralyses insects and especially larva. When consumed with a fatty meal, it is better metabolized and makes its way to the skin from the inside out. It works but only if you take care not to re-infect.

I really do believe some of you out there may not actually have scabies but some other skin issue and those that do, may think their scabies is still active due to the itching that remains after treatment. I have found that the skin reacts to things you are doing to it. Looking back, the itching with no visible rashes that was waking me up and causing so much anxiety was coming from the bleach baths.My skin was trying to heal.

Also, save yourself the trouble of daily washing of bed clothes and buy 8 bedsheets, towels and cheap blankets to spare yourself the time and energy of daily washing. That way, you only have to wash every seven days with one day with of bed linens to spare. Cover beds with venal covers and spray with bleach water after changing each night through the duration of your treatment.

Over the years I've kept an eye out for the things that people say works best.

1. Clove oil (can cause pin prick sensations next day)
2. Bleach baths (ditto)
3. Arm & Hammer for sensitive skin laundry detergent (one scoop in a long hot bath)
4. Kleen Free enzyme based soap soak in bath or sprayed on skin.
5. 100% pure tree gum oil of turpentine
6. Sulfur Soap (can cause itching and dryness)
7. Peroxide and Borax (may cause pin prick sensations after the bath)
8. Diatomaceous earth (strongly made me itch when used daily on skin after a while)
9. Tea Tree oil
10. Neem oil.

I'd say in that order, according to what I read, worked best for people. I also see a lot of people who say they have scabies but then mentioning being able to see them coming out of their skin, flying around them, describing puss filled blisters and other non-scabies serious skin conditions. Remember the more fear you have in your consciousness, the less likely you are going to see clearly, so calm the anxiety and don't imagine the worse case scenario is going to happen to you.

This whole mess back in 2012 took such a toll on me emotionally, looking back I see I was the case of most of it. The strange skin condition I had then was only an activating catalyst for my nerves and anxiety. Please don't make the same mistake. Go to bed and get the sleep your body needs. If you are up late reading this with fear, the best thing at this moment is to go to bed and give your body and nerves the rest. Tomorrow you can resume your quest for knowledge and get closer to solving your problem which you eventually will.

I have scabies over a large portion of my body. The worst is my right leg which became infected and swollen. That's what led me to seek an MD in the first place.

I just finished a round of Cipro (antibiotic) and was also given a shot of Medrol at that time. That seemed to take care of the majority of the swelling & infection.

But the leg is still very red with some swelling. When I treat it with borax / h202 it oozes clear pus here and there, but it's very minor compared to when I first went to the Dr. I see a few of the scabie "trails" after putting the solution on, and if they itch I scrub them real well and I can finally get them to sting and die, as they then fade and go away.

My point is that I believe the remedy is the best I've seen, and it does work, but persistence is very, very important as is cleaning your environment. That is why repeating the process every day is required until you can get yourself & the environment rid of the beasts.

Another important point is that if you have thickened skin (as I have on my leg) you may need to use a stronger penetrating agent (such as DMSO) to get the borax under the skin to where the mites and their eggs are.

I still haven't had a full nights rest yet. An hour or two after going to sleep I awaken shivering. I live in a small (less than 1000 sq ft) house which is heated by a wood stove. The bedroom stays about 10 degrees cooler than the living room, but it's close to 69 degrees in the bedroom. I have no idea what is causing that. Perhaps it's a side effect from leaving the permethrin on too long, or perhaps it's my ultra dry skin caused by the borax treatments.

Right now for example I'm sitting right in front of the stove, it's 80 degrees and I'm beginning to shiver. I've been out of bed for 6 hours now and I'm starting to notice some itchyness on my back and a little on my arms. So I'm about to go the bathroom, switch on the electric heater and do some spot applications of the borax / h202 solution where I itch and put on fresh clothing.

Thats my update. I will keep posting in hopes that this information my help others, even if it's just to provide a measure of comfort by knowing you're not alone in your struggle.

Bye for now.

Best of luck

Gary

When I started removing the emotional stress and found a wonderful ayurvedic immune builder I got well. That along with gentle exercise causes the eggs to be destroyed under the skin.

Consider that your immune system is a river running just below your skin. It is constantly sending little pacman white blood cells to cleanse many places including under your skin. That is where the eggs are hiding and the immune buggies are going to gobble them up. That is UNLESS they are not there because they are not well fed enough and not rested enough and too sick from overwork stress and toxins they will be too few and far in-between to do the job. Smoking, alcohol & sugar lack of sleep, anger and overwork all suppress the immune system. Turn these things around.

A healthy immune system will kill the eggs. Please be kind & don't harm yourself with super hot water, borax, bleach & pesticide. These might kill a few bugs but will harm you. That is not necessary.

Support your immunity. Google it. Remove the source of scabies in the environment daily. Then use the non-toxic preps you have learned about here. I made a lotion similar to the soap mentioned. Mine had coconut oil, 5 - 10 drops of activated MMS, a few drops of anise essential oil, a little Tamanu or castor oil and that's about it. The bugs are no big deal to kill. It is the eggs that nothing can seem to touch until your immune system kicks in. Simple.

I was sick with it for over six months until I realized this aspect of the healing and then totally got well when the immune system healed.
Bless.

This "meditate your scabies away" bullpuckey needs to stop, now. Someone may take it seriously.