Scabies is a skin problem that causes intense itching, especially at night. If any of your family members suffer from scabies, you should take immediate action; that's because scabies is a disease that is easily transmitted within the family. Apart from using medicines, scabies can also be treated with natural ingredients.

What is Scabies?

Scabies is an itchy skin infection caused by the Sarcoptes scabiei mite. These mites breed on the surface of the skin and then burrow into the skin to lay their eggs. This mite activity causes intense itching at night.

Scabies mites can be transmitted through direct contact with a person who has scabies, and the use of clothing, towels, bed linen, and sleeping in the same bed together can also transmit scabies.

In addition to night-time itching, some common symptoms of scabies include a rash or reddish spots on the fingers, palms, chest, around the nipples, belly button, and waist.

Read more: Scabies (Kudis) Juga Dapat Menyerang Manusia, Ini Cara Mengatasinya

Natural Treatment for Scabies

The main treatment for scabies is administering creams, ointments, or lotions. Some of the scabies medications that doctors usually prescribe include:

• Permethrin creams
• Benzyl benzoate, calamine, and lindane lotion
• Sulfuric ointment

If the scabies are extensive enough to form crusts, your doctor may prescribe stronger medications such as ivermectin. They may also prescribe other medications, such as anti-histamines to reduce itching and antibiotics to treat the infection.

In addition to the above treatments, scabies can also be treated with some natural ingredients and home remedies, namely:

Aloe vera

Aloe vera has long been known to have a soothing effect on burned skin. A study suggests that aloe vera gel is as effective as doctor-prescribed benzyl benzoate lotion in treating scabies. However, this study was small in scope and requires further research to assess the effectiveness of using aloe vera on scabies.

Cloves oil

Clove oil has anti-microbial, anesthetic, and antioxidant properties that can be used in treating itching. Clove oil can also be an effective insecticide against parasites.

An animal study revealed that clove oil is effective in treating scabies when compared to other herbal oils. You can apply clove oil to itchy areas to treat scabies.

Read more: Manfaat Tea Tree Oil untuk Kulit

Neem

Neem, also known as Indian lilac, is an herbal plant that is known to have many health benefits. In a laboratory study, neem was found to have active compounds that help treat mange in dogs. After 14 days of using a shampoo containing neem, the condition of dogs experiencing mange experienced a significant improvement.

Those are some alternative scabies treatments that you can try at home. Some natural ingredients still require further research regarding their use in treating scabies. If you use these natural ingredients and it doesn't get better, you should consult a doctor.

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