Human scabies is a debilitating skin disease caused by Sarcoptes scabei, known by several names such as "itch mite." At any given time, the worldwide burden of disease is about 300,000,000 people.

Scabies occurs when tiny parasitic mites called Sarcoptes scabiei burrow into the upper layer of skin, triggering an intense allergic reaction that causes severe itching and a distinctive rash.

You might not even have to go to the doctor’s office for a diagnosis. You won’t get by with anti-itch cream to treat scabies ...

It is now also found in some over-the-counter anti-itch treatments, says Agbortoko. You can buy the essential oil at a local health food store. A 2002 study published in The British Journal of ...