Natural Approaches for Scabies: Exploring Effective Remedies

WARNING!

Another post mentioned they had bumps. I have had these bumps for three years that I could not get rid of. They are teeming with scabies and their debris and need to be broken down. The only thing that will do it is salicylic acid (3%) in a solution along with an anti-parasitic of some kind (clove oil etc). Recently I have discovered that petroleum jelly or emulsified ointment is a good medium for the other two ingredients. It is a cheap product purchased from the chemist that has wax and paraffin (vaseline and other petroleum based products would also work). The lumps are the physical evidence of a crusted area of lesions caused by the large numbers of scabies present in that region of the skin [they may look scaly or they may be like adhering lesions (clinically described as a hyperkeratonic lesion)or they may look like a scar or wart or a fungal nail infection or some other discolouration on the skin]. Untreated or not properly treated they will gradually spread out into neighbouring regions as may appear on the skin under the typical scenario of scabies with redness, blisters, scabies appearing on the surface of the skin when an anti-parasitic is rubbed onto them. After applying this treatment over a lengthy period I realised about three weeks ago that I had what would be considered crusted scabies as these lesions were over most of my body. Upon realising this I am in the beginning of a third week of a very unpleasant treatment where I take oral ivermectin every seven days and put the following application on my skin at least twice a day (ideally applied so that it is always covering the entire body except the eyes and delicate mucous membranes):

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've found help with a cocktail of; equal amounts of dollar store mint mouthwash with90% alcohol and witch hazel. Apply 3 layers letting each layer dry in between. Hope it works for you. Good luck.

Dear Ted,

Thank you for all your help with what's posted. I've read extensively.

I believe I had scabies, it was misdiagnosed as many things and finally treated w oral ivermectin after about 6 months. It seemed to be clear. That was in the spring of 2014. I spent a lot of time in the ocean that summer. When it got colder and I spent less time it came back. Clustered bite marks and other itches. I should mention that prior to the ivermectin (stromectol) I went through three episodes of nodules. When it came back I did several treatments of permethrin and had die offs. At the same time a new sensation had started very tingly around the bottom of my nose and nipples and tops of toes. Heavy treatments of sulfur seems to stop it for a bit. Then in the winter I did home crusted scabies w Iver paste and once a week perm. Almost gone again but then came back. In the summer in the ocean it goes away until I stop swimming. Also sulfur soap keeps it down. I now think it's Demodex and not scabies. Maybe I had scabies maybe not.

I've been taking the borax 1/4 teaspoon w distilled water one liter for 5 days. I immediately began having a sensation that I haven't heard people mention, which is increased pricking sensation on torso. Not so much itching. Back of neck is itchy. I can see some cylindrical dandruff in my beard but not eyelashes. Is this sensation from the borax normal? The ocean where I am is very salty and when I leave it to dry on my skin I get 12-24 hours of almost nothing. I intend to begin baking soda and have no bath tub so maybe spray with borax peroxide or Epsom salt?

Many thanks, Ted!

I wanted to know can scabies be on hard wood or tiled floor. I'm constantly washing and drying. I feel like I'm going crazy trying to get rid of the bugs.

After beginning borax external treatment, how long is scabies still contagious for? Or should I be on internal as well before physical contact with someone? If so for how long should I wait?

Scabies: Andrographis paniculata internally as tea or tablets. Very good. Hemp oil with vinegar.

You must you must treat the whole household and clean everything including clothes shoes etc.

This is in response to Earthdweller Mo. I have coconut oil but where did you find sulfur powder? Did you put this mix on your skin before or after showering? Did you leave it on while you slept? Or wash it off after a duration of time. I'm in desperate need of advice! Thanks.

So sorry for you, you did not mention whether you were using the cleansing regiment, if you are not maybe doing so would get you the results you want and need

How can you possibly be "finding" these mites? In your bath towel, in your daughter's shirt, etc.

They are supposed to be invisible to the naked eye, and I have yet to see one (despite all the evidence of them).

I keep getting these itchy bumps all in a row between the webbing of my fingers especially while sleeping. At first I thought I got poison ivy but in time it became apparent they were probably related to some bug. I did some research and scabies seemed to be the closest fit. Piecing together information on earth clinic I came up with a plan as I did not want to use pharmaceutical pesticides over my whole body which I heard often didn't even work. At first I took super hot baths which seemed to help but did not knock everything else. Then I used tiger balm on the itchy bumps and also dipped my hands in hot hot water as that is primarily where the infection was. Then I got some tea tree ointment and added glove & neem liberally treating the affected areas. Finally I alternated between tea tree oil soap and neem soap every other day. Between this and the ointment I put on it seemed to wipe things out.

Thank you, JohnMac,for the very informative post.

Jess didn't really add anything to it.

A controlled, blind study of dozens of patients (as you cited), is a hundred times more reliable than 15 or so self-reported, anecdotal stories from people who frequent Earthclinic.

Though this website is a god-send,

I'm not so quick to ignore a controlled, blind study.

Most people on here (including myself), may click "Yea" to bleach bath, and attribute the cure to the bleach bath (as I did), but I also used Permethrin a couple days before the bleach bath. This is probably true for many others here--so it adds confounding variables.

That's why we need controls.

In reply to Winning:

Yes, I suppose it's possible with my method (leaving your home for a few days and staying at a hotel--since they die without a human host after a few days) that you'd bring the mites with you.

However, you could bring bleach with you and immediately take a bleach bath in the hotel room.

Another potential problem with my method (haven't tried it--I only took bleach baths for a few days and that did it),

is the eggs.

Not sure if the eggs survive longer than 48 hours without a human host, say, in the carpet.

If that's the case, you'd have to be absent for as long as it takes for the eggs to die too; or as long as it takes for them to hatch, then die (without you).

One more idea. There's now something called AHP (Accelerated Hydrogen Peroxide).

Since HP is one of the best cures according to the reviews on this site, and AHP works MUCH faster than HP as a disinfectant (hospitals all across USA are changing to AHP because it's the perfect cleaner and disinfectant, disinfects 10 times faster than bleach or lysol or anything). Then maybe AHP would work even better for the scabies.

Fran, You might be interested to know about use of clove bud essential oil used in a carrier oil for scabies. Clove oil on its own will burn!

See this article for more info:

http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0012079

The article details a study done on permethrin-resistant scabies. The results showed that a 6% clove oil mix with other oil killed the scabies within 15 minutes.

I need to begin scabies bathing treatment - but I am confused by all the different amounts and strengths of borax, hydrogen peroxide, bleach, etc. that others report success with:

2 C. borax, 1 C. 3% hydrogen peroxide, etc.

1 C. borax, 1 C. 35% hydrogen peroxide, etc.

Immerse hair 10 min.?

Can you give basic amounts to start with in hot bath - duration 30 minutes?

How did u use sulphur? What was your protocol? Thank you!!!

I'm still waiting to hear from my doctor about my culture, but after extensive cleansing, and diligent treatments, I believe I have killed off all signs of scabies.

I am a 20 year-old diabetic, who thought the constant itching was a result of my new insulin prescribed...wrong. I went to the ER due to severe itching which scabbed over and even infected certain wounds. They prescribed benedryl, claritin, and a steroid, which only made things worse for my auto-immune disease. Itching still going on full-throttle.

Finally went to my derm, who checked my body and saw the scabbing all over. She took a culture of my dead skin flakes, and microscoped these little suckers - scabies. I was disgusted, and mortified. However, I am one of the cleanest people I know. I am a huge believer in medicine, and doctors, as I am a healthcare professional myself. But it doesn't matter how clean you are, you ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO SCABIES regardless of your circumstances.

I used the permethrin 5% cream, prescribed to me, which seemed to immediately work overnight, however, that kills the first generation of scabies. They are constantly laying eggs, which are the little bumps all over your skin. I still kept itching, which is normal, due to the allergic reaction your body has to foreign mites in your system.
I was eager to rid them completely, so I created a super intense killing process...if you want to kill these pests, you MUST follow this extensively.
I'm only on day 2 of my process, and I'm already feeling and seeing the results. NO MORE ITCHING, and all of my scabs have healed.
First, I have access to a sauna and pool. Yes, you can use the pool, even though it's public, the chlorine in the pool will destroy them before they can access another person. I've already asked my doctor. Scabies HATE heat, so I'm sauna-ing every day for about a half hour on HIGH, changing my clothing after each thing I do. After the sauna, I immediately jump in the pool. After the pool, buy the original kind of dawn, (it's blue) with concentrate. Lather BEFORE you get in the tub all over your body to exfoliate the skin with the dawn.

Put Petroleum jelly on your neck so the scabies can't get past your neck and infect your face. I take an extremely HOT bath with about 2 cups of BORAX, 1 Cup of Bleach, a handful of sea-salt crystals, 100% orange peel essential oil and clove oil.
Rinse off with a HOT shower after.

DO NOT USE A TOWEL TO DRY. Use the hair dryer to dry yourself off, AFTER you lysol it.
If you put on clothing, make sure it is either steam-cleaned before you put it near your body, or in the dryer for 30 minutes.
I like to add Diatomaceous Earth to my dryer for each load. Sprinkle Diatomaceous Earth daily to all bedding, pillows, carpets, and furniture, and vacuum daily.
When finished with your bath, I suggest you make a paste of diatomaceous earth and coconut oil, with a couple drops of clove and orange peel essential oils.
Dust DE on top of your paste when finished.
I've also made a spray that I use throughout the day consisting of 1 cup of hydrogen peroxide, 1 cup of bleach, 1 bottle of water (Distilled ONLY), clove oil, orange oil, and 1/2 cup of borax...which will dissolve.

I sleep on a tarp, which is a dollar at your local dollar store, and wrapped my pillows in garbage bags. If I use a blanket, It's dried 30 minutes while I bathe, and if used, I throw it in the wash every morning. Never use or wear the same material twice...always wash.

I steam all of my clothes daily, wear a mask and gloves when doing laundry and vacuuming the DE because it is very bad to inhale.

Also, if you can, there is a bug fumigator you can buy for your house, 1 per room. It's about $10 for 4. It contains the same ingredients as the cream prescribed by my doctor, and though it's not for mites, it will help kill them if they're in a house...just make sure you're gone for 4 hours while you fumigate. PLEASE comet your tubs and sinks after use, and scrub the heck out of them while wearing gloves.
I suggest shaving with disposable razors, and throwing away with each use.
Please be diligent. It's worth taking a week to do all of this, in place of having these pests for 10 years.
Like I said, I'm on day 2, and no itching, no bumps, and scabs are healed....AND I have diabetes...meaning I heal much slower than your average joe.
I also will note, I'm drinking DE (doesn't matter how much) in every drink, and I take 2 TBSP. of ACV daily to start my day.
This is not to be taken lightly. Do your research, be careful, and get rid of this!

Next time try psorinum homeopathic - its made from scabies and should kill them - or check online search scabies +cure and you see what other people have used successfully.

Can you tell me exactly how much of each went into lotion and spray bottle. Also, how much in the bath? What did you use the spray on? I'm sorry if you explained it and I am not fully understanding? I just don't want use wrong.

I had scabies in 2010;they hatch out on 30 day intervals, learn how 2 time that.Doctors should no that, the 1 I had did and kept me infested to get my $$$.Yes, unfortunately most dr.s today r very unethical, so ur probably better off on ur own.My scabies turned into the norwieghan variety because I drove them off my body in a 130 degree bath.They are permithrin resistant, to the 5&10% permetrin. If you go to ace hardware&get the 38% permethrin &double the water dilution you have 19&1/2% prmethrin. I kept a spray bottle next 2 me at all times .I kept the house&bedding etc.clean, but what really got em was spontaniously spot treating with my 19% perm. Every little itch or twitch even if I had to get up at 2:oo a.m., lift the scab or bump its under&spray directly on site .It got the scabies; unfortunately they had already attracted a co-infection of bird mites to my home & it being 3.5 years I think it has progressed into morgellons now. It's only 10 or 12 dollars for a bottle that will make several gallons of treatment, spray the house, yard&septic system with the straight 38% mix.

So, if all you have is scabies, that should be all you need. I got rid of it in less than 3 months once I started doing this .Hope this cures you.

I totally agree with sulfur, only be very careful you can over do it. I burnt my neck and chest pretty bad cause I was so anxious to have the bugs killed. They are fine now after intense moisterizing..I used sulfur paste and mixed with eurcerin lotion. Go easy, it should be one part sulfur to 9 parts lotion and don't get it near your eyes. It will irritate them. Should continue for three weeks. Good luck all!

Try vitamin E oil to reduce discoloration/scars.

Ok the person telling ppl they cant get burned from peroxide. There's always someone trying to INVALIDATE another's experience. There are different strengths of peroxide skin types etc. and many outcomes possible. For instance, Diatomaceous Earth might have worked great for some but there are many different type of mites and solutions are not always one size fits all.

SCABIES TREATMENT: Be sure to treat your animals for mange at the same time! :)

There are literally thousands of types of mites and the medical establishment doesn't know everything. Some mites are super strong and regular meds aren't wrking

So it's been about a week since my last post regarding clove oil.. So far it's one of the best things to use to subside the itch and move forward with your life. Unfortunately I've been reinfected. This morning after waking up and feeling itchy again I decided to take another shower. Every day before I use a towel to pat dry I look at it to see if there is bugs on it and low and behold, I saw about 10. So, I finally took this opportunity to put them separately in a glass so I could test which of my solutions kill them fastest if at all. Long story short.. Windex!! First I tried Diatomaceous Earth and let them crawl through it, waited 15 min but they were still moving. Then let clove oil touch them, then a few repellents containing permethrin, then witch hazel, and I'm sure a few others I'm forgetting but ammonia (Windex) killed them in under a minute. Although I was thoroughly enjoying making these things suffer. So now, on top of my clove oil/permethrin/orange oil mixture in lotion and spray form, I now have a spray containing ammonia, mint scented alcohol, and equal parts water so it doesn't melt my skin off. These bugs do travel too.. My daughter who shares just about everything with me, has yet to have one bite but across the room she found one of her shirts with two of the mites just sitting on it. At that point after finding so many (15) in less than an hour I'm now in serious clean mode again while spraying everything with this ammonia solution. I will report back with my findings or other cure I've found. I also plan to try to find the stuff from Sweden that was previously mentioned. Good luck.

Took me forever to believe a natural oil would do the trick but after spending $125 on everything everyone else said, I finally found clove bud oil in rite aid. The employees didn't even know it was there, and I also grabbed orange oil too because it smells better than what I originally mixed up. So long story short, it does kill everything including the babies. You will feel relief almost instantly. There was a time I felt like giving up and I just started crying, mind you I'm a grown man. The next day I used the clove oil and I was back to life again. It takes about a week of doing what I'm about to tell you but seriously, stop reading so many posts and go find this stuff. First, in a store like Walmart, get sulphur soap, tea tree oil, clove oil, orange oil, a spray bottle, olive oil, and unscented lotion. The soap dries out skin which mites hate. Make a lotion by adding a small bottle of clove and orange oil to the lotion. Then make a spray using the olive, clove, and orange oils. The oils should be like 10% of whatever you're mixing it with to dilute it a bit. Then, take a very hot bath with drops of tea tree and orange oil in it. Soak as long as you can and get your head under water too. When you get out, air dry off and apply the lotion. This moment of relief will leave you feeling so much better already.. but it's not over. You will still itch up to a week but not merely as bad as it was. After 2 days you have your life back. BTW, clove oil stinks. That's why orange oil is key. Im on my third day of using these things and I can see them dead in my tub, because they get stuck in the oils and go down the drain so you don't have to worry. I also have extremely good vision. My itching is minimal and now I know it's working. I still have a Martin's 10% permethrin bottle from Amazon on its way as well as some diatomaceous earth (De). I plan to add the permethrin to the spray and lotion just for extra security and the DE I'll put on everything I touch and everywhere I've been including my car. Windex with ammonia also kills them on the surface so electronics etc can be treated with that. Small stuff like wallets and lighters can be frozen over night but I'd go 2 days straight to be sure. I never needed borax for my laundry, just high heat, but I'd still get it if I were you. So much for a long story short. I hope I helped someone because you're not alone.

Ive been dealingwith this severalmonths and thought I finally beat it however it was great for 2 months but I had company it was mani had rented out roomto and he never showered I had wondered how in crap did this happen now I know it was him in first place..... But I got sle lupus andmy skin so sensitive plus I got a dog who vet started on revolution but I noticedshe has no bumps or rashes but shes keeping me up again but neways I sprayed myself with bleach last night and later took shower I exfolatite my skin good, , , right now tho this morning I wike up to bump on belly im sorry I get so confuse what are yhe spots that look like freakles and make patterns at times?is that the fecal?and can we see larva on skin I have noticed some ppl report seeing them but they are so small so these few raise bumps are on me but this tume around no wiggles only itches could somebody plz help me understand I did take 2 tubes of stuff that start with P im on fixed income I cant find the borax or sulfer I even thought about takibg bath in my dogs shampoo they gave me foe mites? Thank you and I pray u all are having success with this ugly infestation mite monsters

So red wine works and kills these monsters? I've done all the cleaning on what these threads say except the steam which I cant afford! I got a dog and got lucky with myvet they took my word and started her on revolution ive took the hot bath the suanas...ive applied TTO bleach periode and avc! My problem is I thought I had it licked but my dog seems to b acting up in the nights and now I am again aftr 2 months im really low on money and havent tried the borax and dont even know where to get it only thing I can think of was a person came over and they never shower but I seen them itching so now makes me wonder if I was cured or reibfested myself? So upset can anybody plz help with a cheapwr method so far ive only got a few raised spot that look like mosquite bites with itches luckily no wiggles yet however I have foundthose brown specks on my belly when they had been clearing up andvmy vet told me scabies in dogs r different than humans tht is very rare tht a mite from dog get on us so they cant produce I got sle lupus my skin is so dry plzhelp just cant handle this nitemare thank u for listening and god bless each good luck to all.

I have written here before thinking I had found relief from scabies only to find again that they were still around. I used many of the ideas on Earthclinic. It is almost a year ago now that I started using a hair dryer on the scabies and it is amazing as soon as you start. I haven't found any scabies in months but I worry every time I itch and I just use the hairdryer. I use it as hot as possible till I can't stand the heat or burn feeling. I read from a person on this site about that idea first and it made sense. As soon as I did this the redness or aliveness faded. It works fast, you just have to get all the places and then of course there is the clothes and house cleaning. Good luck with these horrible little "animals". This works great!

My heart goes out to anyone who is suffering from any skin issues especially scabies. I just wanted to leave a comment to those franticly and endlessly up in the middle of the night searching the internet for a cure or treatment.

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 use ACV for many many things but it certainly does not clear up critters on everyone. Well-diluted bleach baths have been recommended for years by people and even dermatologists for adults and children with severe eczema and/or psoriasis. I don't see much difference in bathing in it vs spraying it on. As a mother, I'm sure she was careful using it on her daughter. It worked for them in 3 days which is great since many suffer for months and even years.

I'm trying to get my head around the fact that someone knowingly sprayed themselves with bleach, and not only themselves but their child as well.

Sure, bleach will kill mites and also you, if you inhale it and have an unknown allergy to it..

...we already live in a world where our bodies have to cope with many external contaminants such as pollution, and commercial shampoos etc that are mini labs of chemicals designed " to clean your hair" etc. The pores on our skin are there for a reason...

Try to buy a large ( possibly 2 litres that we can buy here from local supermarket) bottle of ACV. It doesn't even have to be organic . Failing that , brown or white vinegar, will do..dilute 1 cup of vinegar to 4 cups of warm water, which should be a 2 litre bottle..a plastic bottle would be more practical where you shower than a glass bottle and can safely be reused, without breaking.

Try it on a small patch of skin to see if it is comfortable after a few moments, and if so add an extra cup of water and prepare to use it, after you have had a hot shower initially, then gradually reduce the hot water until it is still warm but cooler have and washed yourself thoroughly, hair included..lightly towel dry yourself and then whilst your skin pores are open, pour the bottle of vinegar/water, over your head and shoulders and everywhere else (and don't forget to close your eyes) ..a 2 litre bottle of mixture is quite sufficient to do a large adult and another for a child. and leave to a-dry on your body.If infestation is heavy, it can be done 3-4 times a day and should be gone within 24 hours- 36 hours

If all this sounds like a lot of work, it isn't. Doing this every time you have a shower is also helpful for your skin because it gradually alkalines your skin and makes you less suseptable to hosting mites.. They don't like living on skin that isn't acidic.

Before I got sick I used to do this every day and it cured a skin complaint that I'd had for several years and nothing had been able to cure it. But ACV in this proportion did, in just 2 weeks and in over 7 years it has never returned.. but as for bleach? ... great for sterilising bandages and cloth nappies and dog kennels but not on living things..

For some added protection you may wish to buy some solution for scabies, if you don't want to do the ACV everyday.

Go to your chemist or pharmacy and buy 5% Permethrin Cream, and Google scabies lotion online and it will show you step by step how to make the lotion for home use, to keep in case this happens again.

Hope this will be of help to you..

Jenn x

We got mites from a dog we picked up. I used mostly bleach and a little hot water. I had the bleach as strong as I could stand it and sprayed it all over my body and let sit for five mins then washed it off. Word of advice - don't scratch while bleach is on you. It burns really bad if you do. Not bad if you don't scratch; it has a light sting to it but the next day I was seeing results. My daughter had it from head to toe and I sprayed her down let it sit on her skin for about five mins then had her get a shower. Same thing I saw results the next day. We did that for three days and it's gone.

Kleen Green works. Google it. It is an enzyme spray that dissolves their hard shells. I got some a couple weeks ago. You need to take shower and then dry off well. To one ounce of the Kleen Green add 7 ounces of water. Spray everywhere, all body crevices including your naval, ears, nose, genitals, (because if they can hide out they will.) Leave the spray on for thirty minutes, it is worth it, just stand there in the tub. Use the spray all over your hair too. You can leave this on. It is totally safe. It is organic and only made with 4 enzymes.

BUT you have to do this twice a day, along with washing all your bedding, clothes etc...

Make sure you also bathe your pets with it. They can also carry this and then you get it back again and it keeps on going.

How are you able to keep bleach and water on you?

I tried the bleach and water sprayed on me at just the recommended mix on here and within a half hour I had an absolutely horrible headache. Is there some kind of bleach that you are using that doesn't have the awful harmful smell?

I LOVE your overview --- your belief it's not crucial for sanitizing the bedding, carpeting etc. And that 3 days without feeding they die. If a person did go to a clean environment for a time, wouldn't he or she bring a population under the skin that would be brought along? I feel I'd come back and the critters under my skin would come with me. Re-infesting clothes, linens back home which was rid of eggs, etc after the 3 days.

But, it's the most hopeful thought I've ever heard!

I hope you got better. I contracted bugs after going to the San Diego area. They went away once but came back again. Both times in the fall, October this year, late November last year. They don't bite my husband (so he says).Could be rat or bird mites, since they look for shelter from cold weather.

I saw a remedy for dog scabies from a girl that worked in a shelter. They covered the dogs in mayo. I know when my daughter was young we had to "smother" the head lice. They went away AFTER, I made my husband get the headlice treatment, same as us, even tho he claimed he did not have them. People are strange.

So this time I am having a more difficult time eradicating, but not giving up. Jesus saves! I think soaking clothing overnight will help. purchasing the steam dryer and washer, mainly to keep bugs out of them! One utube site admits the bugs in humans are epidemic and the Drs don't know what to do? It's a Channel 7 news report. Visit that, you'll realize your itchies are not the worst!

What if you only have a shower, no tub?

WORKED TEMPORARILY

As soon as I saw the Dudadiesel address in another post, I bought a 5 lb bag of sulfur for scabies... the sulfur calmed the itch the first night. Somewhat less the second night. By third and fourth, the itching under the sulfur is back like mad. I find that anything I try: permethrin, clove oil, heated cloth, Listerine, diatomaceous earth, peroxide work for a limited time. And same with the sulfur.

Although is certainly helps to build your immune system when fighting scabies, this will not cure scabies alone. The tea tree oil kills both the mite and the eggs that it comes into contact with. The neem oil blocks hormone production so that eggs being laid are not viable, therefore, unable to 'hatch', it also causes the living bugs to literally starve themselves to death.

It could have also been a fungal infection due to the weakening of the skin. I use the borax treatment, with peroxide and pour mineral oil around the base of the portion of leg showing, this effectively creates an oil barrier that they will get stuck in if they surface. I was prescribed clarithromycin for the fungal infection that had grown from the damn feces and larvae, regular occuring fungus is fueled by the feces it seems like.

All of the areas you noted are naturally oily areas of the face, but the seborratic derm was probably a manifestation of presence of mites. aka get nizoral, womens yeast infection cream, etc and try that on face. or go get some antibiotics, warning tho: if it is strong enough, be ready to feel all the mites on the move at once, my first dosage was while driving back from the ER, had to stop on side of the road. this time, I'll be at home and will hop in the shower 5-10 minutes after taken the meds. so when they run out... wash'n em down, let you all know how it goes. Treat this as a systemic problem, the feces is a huge factor, espcially if you get ringworm, (fungus) and with all the hot baths, you are bound to get ringworm or some other infection. FIght the war on all fronts troops!!

cheapest, safest, best quality sulfur powder I can find, feed grade: http://www.dudadiesel.com/search.php?query=sulfur

On the topic of scabies, Diatomaceous earth works wonderful. Use one cupful in bath water and soak for while covering all parts of body. When you get out of bath just pat dry to leave as much DM on the body as possible. Use the food grade. It can also be used for internal parasites. I have used it for 6 yrs on my dogs, goats, mule, chickens and even taken it myself. It works to get rid of mites on chickens and scale mites on their feet . Research this for more info.

Hi, what's your recipe for the essential oils body rub? Thanks

Thanx very much for your loving support Mmsg. You are such a strength here on E.C.!!!

Timh, why "live thru one more winter"?! May you live thru many more, G-d willing!!

How long ago had your friend had Scabies when you got her furniture, clothing etc.? I heard they die after 3 days when they don't have a human host.

Despite a big lack of diagnostics, I have had the fortune to live near a Mennonite Community which has an excellent health clinic w/ Naturopathic Dr's and the good homegrown herbs. They use Iridology w/ much precision as their primary means of diagnostics. I was twice diagnosed w/ "blood parasites", so it appears we have that correlation.

Seeing how you are able to get about much, you may try and pay em' a visit. They are located just across the Tn/Ky border at Salinas in the Cumberland River basin in the community named Hestand Ky. They have very good cancer treatment protocols and help people from near & far.

Speaking of Sauna, I have been using the Steam room & Sauna faithfully for yrs until recently become unable. These treatments are certainly great for detoxing and generally invigorating. My condition is slowly improving and am hoping to get back to the health club this month and live thru one more winter.

Hope to hear of any improvements in your case.

HI U TIMH, , , , , , , , , , , Yep, a FIR sauna at 160 degrees killed my mites when the MD's could not.

I got a kick out of Rees comment about my having lots of health problems. I have lots of health problems because I test when most don't. I am on my second round of blood cancer in 3 years because I test before problems become clinical.

It's the high jumper story. What are you? "I'm a high jumper". How high do you jump? "Pretty dang high". And how high is that? " Way higher than most folks in this area". Exactly, how high is this? " A little less than 6 ft."

Partner, I don't know what you are, but you are no high jumper.

Most folks don't know their problems because they don't test. They don't know their health condition until it hits them in the face. I know where I am because I test.

Going to Dr Shallenberger in Jan. because he has a test like no other physician on the planet. He gets it down to the cell level. I was successful in the paper industry because I listened to folks smarter me. At 78, my challenge is my good health and I still listen to folks smarter me.

What tests are you talking about? For openers, all on EC should take their urine and saliva pH test once a week. That will keep you busy for quite awhile. Take your glucose and blood pressure daily . Chump change. Spit in a glass of water and you will know about your Candida. No MD needed.

A few tests and you will know more about your health than your MD.

ATS =======OLE ROBERT HENRY====

Zapping and a bath w/ added Turpentine are two items which come to mind. Hot Sauna have been reported somewhat effective.

WORKED TEMPORARILY

My boyfriend and I have been attempting to treat scabies at home over the past 2+ months. We have tried borax and hydrogen peroxide baths, borax scrubs, benedryl, and topical hydrogen peroxide, hydorcortisone and witch hazel. All of these may bring some sort of mild, temporary relief, but definitely not a cure. We are still suffering with the underlying symptoms and signs of small red and clear fluid-filled bumps, intense itching that is often worse at night, and even open sores and bruising likely from incessant, mindless itching.

I have researched and would be open at this point to prescription medications, but most resources state that complete recovery is not often achieved even with repeated doses and I am not willing to use pesticides without the guarantee or even a high chance of success. Please help us find a way to put this misery behind us; we welcome any advice, tips and hope from your own similar experiences.

Hi, Like most I have found scabies to be a scary infection.

A thought first: First check the possibilty that it may be 'folliculitis' as scabies is often diagnosed incorrectly.

I scrubbed my large area of infection on the knee with neat conditioner (I use any unbranded name). They are better than the one that is head and shoulders above the rest for infections. I use neat conditioner for most things especially eczema.

This cleared the area of surface critters. However, I notice there often isn't a distinction between 'I'm free of them' to 'I'm free of the infection underneath the skin'.

The following is not for the faint hearted. I can only say this is what I did and not saying do it.

I poured a very small amount of 33% peroxide into a small glass. I then add a little water. The mixture was very powerful, way beyond 10%.

With a cotton bud I rubbed into the infected burrow lines till they opened and whoosh the peroxide just killed everything. The process was so painful that I thought I couldn't bear it but I keep pushing the bud. The off white residue was hard so I washed it down. Later, I repeated the process on the missed areas.

I can always tell if there is any infection under the skin because if I press an area it feels like a pin sticking in me. My knee looked like I had fallen on gravel that cut deeply into my flesh.

At last the infection had gone. Now I am recovering and applying simple balms to the sores. There is no scarring of 'burnt' areas.

Max

I used regular bleach...like Chlorox.

chlorinated

Not sure if "non-chlorinated" bleach is real bleach. I put one or two cups of bleach in the bathtub, about the same hydrogen peroxide, then fill up the tub.

I've read through hundreds of posts here on scabies, and wonder why there is such confusion and angst.

If you read the scientific literature on scabies, it is generally cured with one dose of Ascabiol or benzyl benzoate.

E.g.: Landegren, J. et al. Treatment of scabies with disulfiram and benzyl benzoateemulsion: a controlled study.

In a double-blind study, 38 adults with scabies were treated with the scabicide Tenutex (a proprietary aqueous emulsion containing 0.5% DDT, 2% disulfiramand 22.5% benzyl benzoate) and 42 patients were treated with a similar emulsion lacking DDT. The treatment consisted of a single whole-body (except for the head) application which was washed off after 24 hours. When examined 3 weeks later, both groups were completely cured. Thereafter, a further 35 patients took part in an open trial with the DDT-free Tenutex emulsion and allpatients were cured, irrespective of whether the treatments were administeredby skilled personnel or by themselves at home. It is concluded that for the treatment of scabies in Sweden, the most commonly used preparation, Tenutex, can be replaced, without risk of loss of efficacy, by an emulsion containing 2% disulfiram and 22.5% benzyl benzoate, I.e. Tenutex without DDT.

Personally, I'm using clove bud oil. After 3 days most of my itching has gone, and many mites have died and surfaced through my skin. Clove kills the mites, but apparently not (all) the eggs, so I'll keep applying it for 6-8 weeks till the breeding cycle is over. As for fanatically laundering and hot-drying your clothing and bedding daily, spraying your entire house daily (including the ceilings! ), etc: Why? The literature is clear that scabies mites survive 24-36 hours only off the human body: "Human and canine scabies mites are capable of surviving for 24–36 hours at room temperature and retain the ability to re-establish infestation. Canine mites dislodged from a host respond to host odour and thermal stimuli by actively seeking their source. Despite the detection, survival and penetrative abilities of S scabiei when kept at room temperature, the role of contaminated bedding as a reservoir for infestation appears to be overemphasised. For example, in experiments where volunteers climbed into warm beds just vacated by heavily infected patients, only four new cases resulted from 272 attempts." (Google it.) Yes, you do need to treat scabies. Yes, you do need to wash your clothes and bedding - or abandon them for a few days to let the mites die.

John

Just an update. The rash is totally gone now. It's more than 2 weeks later. I didn't go nuts and have my entire apartment and car sanitized. I think that's just overreacting to the maddening itching. Spraying the affected area (plus I took one or two diluted bleach baths) did the trick.

Away from human contact, scabies mites die within 3 days; so it would probably be cheaper to just rent a motel for a couple nights then return to your home. Go to Starbucks with your sanitized suitcase in the car, stay there 12 hrs, then stay in a motel for the night, the next day, and another night if you want to be sure.

When you get home, all the mites will be dead, and you didn't have to sanitize every inch of your home.

But all the above is overkill anyway...that's my point.