Scabies: How to scratch your skin without spreading mites

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The Scabies itch Guidebook:

So if you really just?can’t?find a way to control yourself and stop scratching, here is a way to scratch more safely. And by safely I mean limiting the amount of scabies mites you are spreading across your body and in your environment.

Coat your hands (especially under your nails) in essential oils such as?clove?or?tea tree?oil?before you go to bed, or anytime you have the desire to scratch. Scratch at your leisure and remember keep your fingers oiled up.

This way any scratching will potentially kill mites instead of providing a safe ride for them to other parts of the body.

It will still not be good for your skin, but this method eliminates the potential for spreading the mites further around your body/environment.

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14 thoughts on “Scabies: How to scratch your skin without spreading mites”

  1. grammar queen

    How to itch your skin? You use the words itch and scratch as if they are synonyms. They are not.

    1. Apologies – that was poor grammar indeed. Fixed. Thank you!

      1. I always say itch when I mean scratch as well, not sure why. I try and catch myself. I try and proof read to catch my common errors. I have even written “are” when I meant “our”.

  2. grammar queen

    And yes, I probably should have used the subjunctive there.

    1. Itchy itchy SCRATCHY scratchy

      Omg get a life grammar queen. No one likes a smarty pants. I mean we are all adults and I can pretty much bet that we didn’t come here to get a lesson on the proper usage of the English language. So please save it for some one who requests your assistance. This is not the forum for this. Sorry, I just don’t appreciate unsolicited correction. It is annoying and it may discourage people that are not as grammatically correct as you from posting suggestions or requesting help. So please let’s be kind and consider the audience.

      We are all here to either 1.) learn how to permanently eradicate these nasty skin parasites. Or 2.) share our success stories.

      Sorry, I’m just sayin’.

      1. Im so itChy

        Salut on that one itchy. As if we aren’t irritated enough with parasitic infestation and the resulting ITCHING and SCRATCHING.

        1. will vinager help with the itching if thats all u got on hand at home

  3. Thank you to whoever wrote http://www.lifewithoutscabies.com. I found it a week ago (wish I’d found it a month ago) and it’s been invaluable. Skin mites are beyond horrendous! I’d rather go through labor without an epidural and I have three kids–or break a bone! Here’s my story:
    My 15 year-old son has sensitive skin. I thought he had a flare-up of eczema over the hot summer so treated him with various OTC items & switched back to perfume/dye free detergent. My boyfriend, who’s an RN, was visiting & joked that my son looked like he had scabies. I thought scabies was like Leprosy and that he was just being silly. A few weeks later, my BF began itching & got rashy. We thought maybe it was because of new perfume/dye free fabric softener since he had done laundry at my house and my son & he had used the softener while the rest of the household had not. We rewashed everything. My BF continued to be miserable so went to his doctor, who said he had contact dermatitis that was just taking a while to clear up. My son & he continued various OTC things. My BF got another doctor who he works with to call in scabies pills (Ivermectin) for himself after itching two more weeks and self-diagnosing. I took my son to our family practice. He had his annual exam & we showed his rash, especially his hands. She diagnosed eczema & contact dermatitis. I told her we had switched back to perfume & dye free everything. She thought it odd, but that he must just be very sensitive & was sure it was residual from the perfume/dye free fabric softener. She gave us advice about Cetaphil, Vaseline, Aveeno, etc & prescribed eczema cream. One week later, I started itching. (I seriously don’t even get mosquito bitten when outside while my kids and BF have a dozen bites.) I went back to my family practice & told the same PA about the BF’s scabies. She looked at the bites I showed her, said nothing indicated “classic scabies signs,” e.g., postules in a line, between finger webbing’s, and that her husband is a dermatologist and he says scabies is way over diagnosed. She was very nice, as always, and said I’m a fair-skinned red-head and advised checking the environment. I reminded her about the perfume/dye free everything. I researched and checked matresses for bedbugs in the dark with a flashlight. We checked for fleas even though my dog’s on flea pills. We sprayed lice spray on matresses and used lice shampoo from head to toe just in case. My BF got better–the rest of my household got worse. I did more extensive on-line research on scabies. We all used promithrin from the Tractor Supply Store per on-line recommendations over the holiday weekend. It was awful. More itching. The BF got better last week but we got worse.

    One of my son’s best friend, who spends the night often, came by last week and said their household was itching miserably too. I called his mom. They had done all the OTC things, checked for fleas, contact dermatitis, poison ivy from the dog, etc., etc too! I feel sure we all have scabies. My daughter now has circular patches so I’m thinking it’s the Norwegian scabies. I was able to get the practice to call in promithrin cream two days ago. We went out of town for two days and greased up chin to toe. Itching is better but today, I feel the creepy-crawlies 🙁 We’re headed out to find the sulfur soap, etc. we already tried tea tree oil & neem oil. And borax baths. We have to go home tonight, so pray for us! We’re going to try the other lifewithoutscabies things and take the no scratching advice.

    It’s ridiculous that scabies isn’t diagnosed more frequently. From thousands of posts on-line, it seems scabies is UNDER diagnosed.

    Prayers to all who have and are suffering. There are no words to describe the misery and worry of reinfestation.

    1. I’m happy that this site has helped you. Thanks so much for sharing your story. It’s hell for all of us and it’s good to hear others experiences. Take care.

  4. Tiffany

    Hey I just found out my daughter has this mess…. We are in so much pain right now!! She’s getting her meds in the morning from the doctor but the last couple days she’s been through hell,now I’m beginning to know how she feels… I’m itching so bad… I’ve used benadryl and it doesn’t seem to be helping… My sin and husband gas not caught it yet,but I’m sir ethey will…. I’ve tried the oatmeal for my daughter it seemed to ease up but didn’t stop it completely… This was very helpful considering I’ve been researching since 10 tonight but I don’t understand how she caught it when we haven’t been around anyone with it…. When my nice had it a month or 2 ago she was around but we didn’t catch it then,so why now!?!?!?! I’m so confused!!! What else can I do to make my baby girl comfortable?!?! Please help anything to help me help my daughter!!! While keeping this mess from my husband and son?!?!?! Anything please…. Thanks and God Bless You!!!

    1. Hi Tiffany. Thanks for your comment.

      If your niece had it a month or two ago she could have passed it onto your daughter then. When we first get scabies we don’t feel the symptoms right away. It can take upwards of a month, sometimes even longer, to experience the itching symptoms.

      As far as helping your daughter get more comfortable – the first thing to do is to treat the condition as best you can. I have a guide on treating scabies here.

      For the rest of your family I recommend doing what you can to keep the infestation away from them. Clean your spaces and avoid physical contact if you are potentially infested. (I know, it sucks.)

      Good luck Tiffany.

  5. Anonymous

    Mr. Admin, My whole family myself, my wife and a baby girl. suffering from scabies. started using permethrin with the half of consulting a doctor. now reached fourth application. my wife showing good improvement. I still have some. but it’s my one-year-old baby girl who is having loads of scabies and suffering. started fading but still returning back again and again. she is also diagnosed with eczema. taking treatment for that also. we clean our floor with Dettol hot water. washes clothes regularly with hot water in washing machine. please advise what else we can do on this your post is very accurate when compared to other links and misleading info about scabies.

  6. Confused

    I?m not sure how I might?ve gotten them? I haven?t been around with them??

  7. I’ve been rubbing the itches with an ice cube, that has helped to quell the intensity of the itch. Who knows, maybe it even killed the nasty mite chewing underneath it. My doctor had prescribed a week of prednisone for the itchiness which did help. I’m taking Benadryl (Zyrtec model) now daily before bed so I can fall asleep. It’s a 24 hour dose. I guess it makes things better but I still need itch relief. The ice cubes are great and immediate. Held with a paper towel or kleenex helps to them from slipping away (and wipe up drips).

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