Scabies is an easy condition to self-diagnose as the symptoms are well known and fairly obvious if you know what to look for.   Early self-diagnosis should be followed immediately by the commencement of a scabies treatment program.

The initial indication of a scabies infection is the onset of itchiness which, at first, can be mistaken for dry skin.  Usually, the itch is relatively mild at the start but progressively worsens. Most often, the itchiness is worse at night and a little less acute during the day.  It also tends to be worse after bathing, showering or swimming.  The itching can be so intense that it interferes with sleeping.

Shortly after the onset of  itching, a skin irritation or sore will emerge that may resemble a blister, rash, small insect bite or a pimple. 

See pictures of scabies here.

What Does Scabies Look Like? – Typical Locations

Scabies can appear anywhere on the body although the location often depends on the age of the person. For instance, with children, the affected areas normally include the palms of the hands, neck, scalp, face and soles of the feet.  In adults, the affected areas more typically include the webbing between fingers and toes, the inside of the wrists, inside of the elbows, around the waist and belly-button, the shoulder blades, around the knees, the buttocks area and the genital area in males – in general, areas of folded skin or body crevasses.  These areas of the body are warmer than the more exposed parts of the body and are ideal environments for scabies mites.

What Does Scabies Look Like?

It should be comforting to know that not every bump on your skin is an actual scabies mite. In the majority of scabies cases, there are only 10 – 15 live mites even though there may be hundreds of bumps.

Textbook descriptions of scabies often describe “burrows” or “tunnels” on the skin which are caused by the scabies mite tunneling under the surface of the skin. These are tiny threadlike projections, ranging from 2 mm-15 mm long, that appear as thin gray, brown, or red lines in affected areas and, because they are so thin, they can be very hard to see with the naked eye.  In addition, scratching usually destroys the burrows so that they are no longer distinctly visible.

Scratching the affected can also result in the skin breaking open which leads to the appearance of crusting as the open sores begin to scab over.

What Does Scabies Look Like? – Treatment Options for Scabies.

Treatment of scabies can include a wide range of prescription drugs as well as natural remedies.  Unfortunately, conventional scabies drugs and creams  like premethrin have proven to cause significant adverse side effects since they are manufactured from powerful pesticides or dangerous steroids.  For that reason, a course of natural treatment is highly recommended.

Hopefully the foregoing description of symptoms has helped you answer the question:  What does Scabies Look Like?

What Does Scabies Look Like On Children? 

Scabies sores don’t differ much in appearance between children and adults.  However, their location is often different.  With infants and younger children, the scabies rash frequently manifests on the head, face, neck, soles of feet and palms of the hands.  Scabies rashes do not usually appear on these parts of the body in older children and adults, although they can in some cases.

Although scabies sores don’t typically look any different on children than they do on adults, scabies is often treated differently in children because they are less able to tolerate certain prescription and over the counter scabies drugs which contain pesticides.  

Read More on scabies treatment here.

See More Scabies Pictures here.

Below is a series of photos which will assist you in determing whether your skin condition is scabies or something else.

If you believe that you may have scabies, we strongly recommend that you seek out treatment for them as soon as possible. Unfortunately,all conventional drug treatments for scabies contain strong pesticides or steroids which can have serious side effects. The use of safer (and just as effective) natural scabies treatments is your best course of action.

In some cases, it is not necessary to visit your doctor before starting treatment for scabies.  In particular, where someone in your family or someone you have been in close contact with has already been diagnosed with a scabies infestation and you are suffering the same symptoms, you can be relatively certain that you have scabies as well.  In that case, it is appropriate to begin scabies treatment without going to a doctor.

In addition, many people are reluctant to visit a doctor either because they have concerns about drug treatment or they fear the stigma attached to scabies and are embarrassed to discuss the problem.  However, going to the doctor for an official diagnosis is a good idea if you have not been exposed to anyone that you believe to be infected.  This will allow you to rule out other skin conditions which may have similar symptoms to scabies.

If you are uncertain whether you have scabies you can learn more here  – what does scabies look like?

If you wish to begin scabies treatment without going to a doctor, you should consider your treatment options.  There are various scabies drugs as well as safe and effective natural scabies remedies available.

Scabies can be treated in one of two ways:

1. using conventional prescription drugs like Permethrin, Phenothren and Ivermectin; or

2. using proven natural scabies remedies.

Is you are suffering from a scabies mite infestation, this information can protect the health of you and your family and may even save your life. While there are many very safe and clinically proven natural treatments for scabies, conventional drugs laced with highly toxic insecticides are still regularly prescribed by doctors and sold by drug companies. All of these drugs, being man-made insecticides, have numerous dangerous side effects and, in fact, are considered by the United States Environmental Protection Agency to be hazardous substances. The active ingredients in these prescription drugs have been shown in laboratory tests to have high toxicity levels (working as neurotoxins to kill insects.)

Dangers of Conventional Scabies Drugs

Here are some facts about the dangerous side effects of prescription and over the counter scabies treatments:

• Permethrin is a commonly used synthetic chemical insecticide. Permethrin acts as a neurotoxic agent, killing insects by attacking their nervous system. In one South American nation where Permethrin was used to control insects, subsequent studies found the drug to be present in nursing mothers’ breast milk. Other similar studies have shown these drugs to be poisonous in cats and fish and to cause cancer and genetic abnormalities in laboratory rats.

• Lindane (known by its chemical components “gamma-hexachlorocyclohexane” and “benzene hexachloride” is subject to a caution by the United States Federal Drug Administration as being appropriate ONLY for a single treatment. This warning is due to the risk of serious health complications and possible death when a second Lindane application is administered too early. Lindane is the least costly of the medical prescription drugs and is sold under the brand name “Kwell”. Like other pesticide based medicines, it is very toxic and can cause permanent nerve damage.

• Ivermectin is an anti-parasitic medication taken in pill form. It is closely related to “avermectin” – a powerful insecticide most commonly found in ant poison. It kills insects by interfering with their nervous system and muscle functions.

• Phenothrin, also known as “sumithrin”, is another synthetic agent which the EPA forced manufacturers to stop production of in recent years because it is linked to a wide range of serious side effects, including hair loss, tremors and even death in animals.

• Crotamiton cream is a topical solutions with frequent side effects and, in particular, skin irritations. In addition, it is proven to be only 60% effective in treating scabies.

• Malathion ointment is another synthetic insecticide based scabies treatment. Malathion is a poison frequently used to control mosquito populations. Its use has been banned in many places throughout the world. Side effects in humans include abdominal and stomach cramping; seizures; anxiety; clumsiness or unsteadiness; confusion or mental depression; diarrhea; breathing difficulties; dizziness; increased perspiration; watering of the mouth and eyes; loss of bowel or bladder control; muscle twitching; irregular heartbeat; tremors and muscle weakness.

The truth about all of these prescription scabies drugs and OTC scabies treatments is that they are not only poisonous to people and pets, but they are also causing mutations of “super-strain” mites and lice which are highly resistant to treatment and are plaguing communities worldwide, much the same way that overuse of antibiotics has resulted in the development of drug resistant strains of bacteria.

Fortunately, there are natural scabies remedies that are not only safe but just as effective and, in many cases, even MORE effective than dangerous prescription drugs. For the sake of your health and the health of those around you, we urge you to consider a homeopathic scabies treatment rather than taking prescription drugs which may cause harm to the nervous system.

Safety and Effectiveness of Natural Scabies Remedies

Scabies is certainly not a new condition. It has been around for as long as people and mites have crossed paths. In fact, in ancient Rome, people treated scabies by putting sulfur in their baths and on their bodies.

There are many natural and scientifically proven means for treating scabies skin irritation, killing scabies mites and preventing their occurence. Some of those treatments include:

• American pennyroyal (Hedeoma pulegioides) – a strong tea or tincture can be applied directly to the affected areas to alleviate itchiness.

• Peppermint (Mentha piperita) . . . adding peppermint tea to hot bath water is a proven scabies killer.

• Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) – washing with a strong solution of tansy tea is an effective remedy for scabies or lice.

The best course of natural treatment for any individual will depend on a number of factors including the type of mite, the location of the scabies and personal health factors. For these reasons, it is best to use a comprehensive natural remedy program that includes a range of customized treatments that will not only kill the mites but alleviate the embarrassing and uncomfortable symptoms and prevent any future recurrence.

If you have experienced any side effects from scabies medications, we’d love to hear from you. Please send us an email or leave a comment below.

There are several natural scabies treatments that have proven safe and effective both for killing the scabies mites and healing the skin damage caused by them.  Some of the most common ones are listed below:

1.  Sulfur Ointment -  Sulfur ointment has been used for centuries as a natural scabies treatment.  It is usually applied in a five to ten per cent solution mixed with petroleum jelly.

Tea Tree Oil

2.  Tea Tree Oil – Long known for its antibacterial and antiseptic properties, Tea Tree oil is also a helpful natural scabies treatment if administered properly. The Menzies School of Public Health in Australia  has used Tea Tree oil effectively  to treat scabies in the remote Aboriginal population, where nearly half of the population suffers from chronic recurring scabies infestation.

3.  Aloe vera-  The gel-like fluid housed inside the aloe vera plant is prized for helping to speed healing of all sorts of skin ailments, from acne to burns.  Aloe vera does not kill scabies but when  used as part of a natural scabies treatment program, it will help ease symptoms and speed the healing process.

4.  Zinc Oxide- Zinc oxide helps protect skin and clear up rashes making it potentially useful in combination with other remedies for healing scabies.  Like aloe vera, zinc oxide does not kill the scabies but helps heal the skin damage caused by them.

5.  Vitamin E – Creams containing vitamin E will help speed up the healing process.  Vitamin E is not a scabies killer but will help heal your skin and should be used in connection with natural scabies cures.

balsam of peru

6.  Balsam of Peru-  also sometimes seen as Peru Balsam, is an essential oil collected from trees found in El Salvador (it is processed in Peru, hence the name).  The oil has been used to treat eczema and arthritis. It can kill scabies because of its anti-parasitic properties. Ten to 30 drops should be given daily in a syrup solution (castor oil is a good choice) with an egg yolk added.  It is said to raise the blood pressure, so you might not want to try this one if your blood pressure is already high.

7.  Goldenseal - When used as a topical treatment, goldenseal will help fight the infection caused by the scabies mites and by scratching of the scabies sores.  

8.  Tamanu Oil  -   Found in Southeast Asia and Polynesia, the tamanu tree is known by various  names including ati, kamani and foraha. The tamanu tree produces a nut that is cracked and dried, which allows the oil to develop.  It is available in a bottle and is very effective in helping to heal the skin injury caused by scabies.

9.  Garlic – Used both externally and taken in pill form, garlic has anti-parasitic properties that help kill the scabies mites.  Obviously, some people will not want to use garlic as part of their treatment and, fortunately, there are many other natural scabies treatments available so that garlic may be avoided by those who do not wish to use it.

10.  Colloidal Silver – Colloidal silver is one of the most talked about natural remedies.  It has been heralded as both an antibiotic germ killer and effective for prevention of infections.  It is an effective treatment when applied to areas affected by scabies infestation and particularly helpful at preventing a secondary infection that might be caused from scratching scabies sores.  However, care should be taken to obtain it from a reputable source as there are companies that sell cheaper versions of the product that are inferior in quality and ineffective.

neem tree

11.  Black Walnut and Wormwood – Black Walnut and wormwood are two herbal remedies that help the body fight parasitic infections making them ideal as a natural scabies treatment. They’re often found together in prepared remedies for parasitic infections.

12.  Neem Tree Leaf  -  One of the chemical components of this tree has been found to be 95 percent effective as a natural pesticide and insecticide.  It is helpful both for killing the scabies mites and healing scabies sores.  When combined in the proper ratio and applied properly, neem tree leaves combined with tumeric are a very effective natural scabies treatment.

These are just some of the natural scabies treatments that are very effective in healing scabies without resort to prescription and over the counter scabies drugs.  There are many others as well and, when used together as part of a complete natural scabies treatment plan, these remedies can actually kill scabies within 24 hours and quickly repair the damage caused by a scabies infestation.

Permethrin

Permethrin is now available as an over the counter scabies treatment as well as by prescription. It is sold under the brand name “Elimite” or “Nix Dermal Cream”. If you are going to use Permethrin to treat scabies, it is important that you purchase the 5% solution.  The 1% Permethrin cream rinse solution product is intended for the over the counter treatment of lice and is not potent enough to kill scabies.  In addition, 1% cream rinse cannot be left on your body for more than 10 minutes which is not enough time to kill scabies even if it were effective as an over the counter scabies treatment. 

Permethrin is an insecticide based scabies treatment and therefore, poses the health risks associated with human exposure to insecticide.

Benzyl Benzoate

Benzyl benzoate is another over the counter scabies treatment available without a prescription.  It is applied over clean skin from the neck down and left on for 24 hours before washing. It is important to follow the application directions very carefully in order to avoid serious side effects.  The manufacturers of benzyl benzoate warn that pregnant women should only use the product if other treatments are not available and that breast feeding should be discontinued during treatment. When administered as an over the counter scabies treatment, Benzyl Benzoate is applied on the entire body from the neck down and left on for 24 hours.  Overdose is a potential problem with this benzyl benzoate if directions are not followed carefully.  Warning signs of a possible overdoes include include blistering, oozing, itching or scaling skin and crusting. Loss of consciousness has also been known to occur.

Any over the counter scabies treatment comes with the risk of side effects.  Make sure that you are knowledgeable about the risks of conventional scabies drugs so that you can make an informed treatment decision.

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