Scabies is an itchy condition in which mites infest your skin, burrowing in to lay their eggs. If you have scabies, you're likely looking for something to both eradicate the mites and treat the itch. While oil of oregano has some utility in certain skin conditions, it isn't proven effective against scabies mites.
Scabies
The Sarcoptes scabiei mite, commonly called scabies, spreads through contact with an affected person or the clothing or bedding used by an affected person. The mites burrow into your skin and cause severe itching, but it's not the burrowing that causes you to itch. Instead, after the mites have been under your skin for several days or weeks, your immune system starts to respond to them, explains MayoClinic.com.
Oil of Oregano
Oregano and oil extracted from oregano are common components of the herbal armamentarium. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, oil of oregano has utility as a complementary or alternative remedy for psoriasis, an itchy skin condition with unknown cause. The university website points out, however, that while oil of oregano is a common herbal treatment for psoriasis, no scientific evidence supports its use.
Oregano and Scabies
The fact that oil of oregano is a common treatment for one itchy skin condition doesn't necessarily mean it's useful against any other itchy skin conditions. In the case of scabies, to relieve your symptoms, you don't simply need to treat the itching, you need to kill the mites. No scientific evidence suggests that oil of oregano can help to relieve the symptoms of a scabies infestation, nor is there evidence to suggest that using the oil will help prevent contracting scabies.
Treatments
To treat a scabies infestation, you need to see a doctor to confirm the diagnosis. Your doctor can prescribe a mite-killing medication such as permethrin, explains MayoClinic.com. You may also need an itch-relieving cream that can help to alleviate your discomfort in the weeks that follow treatment with permethrin. This is because dead mites continue to activate the immune system, and you can therefore itch for many weeks after you've treated the infestation.
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