Herbs to Help Scabies

Scabies is an incredibly contagious skin rash caused by small parasites called Sarcoptes Scabiei. These mites lay their eggs in skin, leaving lesions that become extremely itchy. There are many skin medicines for scabies, but here are some safe and natural herbal treatments you might want to try first.

Tea Tree Oil

• Tea tree oil is a disinfectant that will help keep the affected skin areas free from infection, treat the itching and kill the parasite that causes scabies. Fill a bowl with tea tree oil. Dip a washrag in it and spread it over the affected areas. Make sure to wear gloves during this process to avoid getting any of the scabies parasites on your hands. Let the oil do its work and reapply it one more time during the day. Before reusing your washrag, boil it in water. This will disinfect it and make it safe for reuse.

Onion

• Quercetin, a compound found in onion skins, helps soothe the itching associated with scabies. To extract the quercetin, boil some onion skins. The quercetin will be in the water. Let the water cool, and use a washrag to apply the quercetin-containing water to the affected areas. Do this every time the itching becomes difficult to tolerate. Wash your rag in boiling water to disinfect it for reuse.

St. John's Wort

• St. John's wort has strong antibacterial properties. Taking it orally will help kill any infections associated with scabies. Taking it topically will help soothe the itching, treat any skin infections, and may also kill the parasites on the skin. St. John's wort, which can be found in most health food stores and department stores, usually comes in a cream that can be applied directly to the skin with a washrag or gloved hands. Using gloves and immediately throwing them away after application helps ensure the disease won't spread.