Tea Tree Oil Treatment of Scabies

The skin is the largest organ of the body, it covers an area of 21 square feet (two square meters) and weighs around eleven pounds (five kilograms) in an average adult. No other organ is so exposed to infection, pollution, and injury or can be inspected so readily. It has a very complex layered structure that contains billions of skin cells, sensory cells, nerve endings, pores, sweat glands, oil glands, fibres, blood vessels, and hair roots. Bacteria, yeasts and fungi, that live naturally on the surface of the skin, can sometimes penetrate through the top layer via damaged skin cells, pores or hair follicles to cause various irritating infections.





Tea Tree Oil (a key ingredient in Zap It!) has significant antiseptic properties to fight against the majority of skin infections. It can also impede rashes caused by parasites and insects. It stops the itching and calms the inflammation normally associated with eczema, psoriasis and topical skin flares. But, the very best thing about tea tree oil is that if you have an unidentified area of pimples, patch testing with diluted tea tree or a good quality tea tree cream on a small area will not hurt it and it may well go on to cure it.





Acne Zap It! Tea Tree Oil





Acne can strike at any age, it can be caused by stress, a hormone imbalance, pollutants, a poor cleansing routine or hereditary. Zap-it!, with both tea tree oil and Salicylic acid (which is naturally found in several plants, such as willow, birch and wintergreen) is a safe treatment for those skin conditions that need the dead scaly skin removed so that the natural ingredients can penetrate to work more effectively.





Melaleuca oil is specifically mentioned for having antifungal, antiviral, antibacterial and acaricidal actions against skin infections such as acne, herpes and scabies in the following abstract.





-Adverse and beneficial effects of plant extracts on skin and skin disorders. Adverse Drug React Toxicol Rev. 2001 Jun;20(2):89-103.


This was the first peer-reviewed paper about the effects of melaleuca oil on acne. It concludes that the treatment of acne with melaleuca oil results in fewer side effects than a treatment of benzoyl peroxide.





-A comparative study of tea-tree oil versus benzoylperoxide in the treatment of acne. Med J Aust. 1990 Oct 15;153(8):455-8


Salicylic acid, which is the main active ingredient in Zap-it!, is a safe treatment for skin conditions that need the dead scaly skin removed so that the natural ingredients, such as melaleuca oil, can penetrate to work more effectively. It is naturally found in several plants, such as willow, birch trees and wintergreen leaves.


Salicylic acid applied on pads reduced the number of acne lesions and was well tolerated.





-Treatment of acne vulgaris with salicylic acid pads. Clin Ther. 1992 Mar-Apr;14(2):247-53. In this comparison study, salicylic acid was superior to benzoyl peroxide for the treatment of acne.


Comparison of a salicylic acid cleanser and a benzoyl peroxide wash in the treatment of acne vulgaris. Clin Ther. 1989 Mar-Apr;11(2):264-7.





-Zap It! Melaleuca oil for treatment of skin conditions caused by other organisms. That is the beauty of such a broad-spectrum antiseptic substance, it does not matter what sort of organism caused the skin infection and associated irritation, melaleuca oil helps to alleviate it: The way that melaleuca oil can easily penetrate the skin suggests it may be suitable for use in the treatment of fungal mucosal and cutaneous infections.





-In vitro activity of tea tree oil against Candida albicans mycelial conversion and other pathogenic fungi. J Chemother. 2001 Aug;13(4):377-83. Unlike the normal antibacterial topical medicines, diluted melaleuca oil can maintain the beneficial skin bacteria while getting rid of the nastier strains that cause the problems.





Susceptibility of transient and commensal skin flora to the essential oil of Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree oil). Am J Infect Control. 1996 Jun;24(3):186-9. And don???t forget the viral skin infections. A 6% tea tree dilution in gel form shows significant results against reoccurring herpes labialis (Cold sores).





Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) oil gel (6%) for the treatment of recurrent herpes labialis Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (2001) 48, 450-451


More serious skin infections: Staphylococcus aureus is a strain of bacteria that lives naturally on the skin. When an over-growth occurs it can cause minor infections, such as pus-filled spots and boils, etc. When it becomes resistant to the strongest antibiotics that we have, it becomes known as Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) or golden-staph. This can also live on the skin without causing any problem to the host. But, when it is transferred to another less-healthy individual or it infects a wound, it can become life threatening. MRSA/Golden staph, claims tens of thousands of lives every year. Melaleuca oil has been shown to inhibit and even destroy it, both in vitro and in vivo.





-Staphylococcus aureus and wounds: A review of tea tree oil as a promising antimicrobial agent. Am J Infect Control. 2004 Nov;32(7):402-8.


This controlled trial in a hospital found that tea tree preparations used in the decolonization of MRSA were effective, safe and well tolerated.





-A randomized, controlled trial of tea tree topical preparations versus a standard topical regimen for the clearance of MRSA colonization. J Hosp Infect. 2004 Apr;56(4):283-6.

Karen MacKenzie is a recognized authority on melaleuca,having researched this amazing oil for over 12 years.She founded Tea Tree Oil Information Service to help spread the word, assist medical professionals as well as the general public in using this valuable natural gift.She writes & researches Research Report for RM Barry Publications -popular information source for wellness companies offering melaleuca products.

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Scabies Prevent Passing to Humans

Zoonoses is the term applied to a grouping of diseases that are transferable from canine/feline to human. Basically, these fall into three groupings based on their means of transmission. This also groups them, ideally,in the means of treatment and control. The three groupings are as follows -spread through:





1) urine or feces 2) hair and skin contact, or 3)bites and scratches.





Spread through Urine or Feces





Hookworms





Hookworms enter the body in the area that directly comes in contact with the feces- contanimated soil. Seen more commonly in the South, these parasites are unsuited to ideally live in human beings. Traditionally they die after crawling several inches underneath the surface layer of the skin. Inflammation usually occurs as a result of these parasites in humans and causes a condition called "creeping eruption" which may last several weeks or months depending on its severity.





Leptospirosis





Pets may come in contact with this through swimming, drinking, licking their fur, or by eating food contaminated with animal urine. Many animals may carry this, though rats are most often the culprit.





Symptoms in humans are flu-like including chills, body aches, vomiting, fever and headache. Sometimes kidney damage may occur or the membranes covering the spinal cord or brain may become inflamed. This disease is not usually fatal though it does make its host miserable for weeks at a time.





Roundworms





If these parasites are swallowed by humans they migrate into the body tissues and may cause damage, including symptoms of fever and liver enlargement which can last up to a year in length including symptoms of fever and liver enlargement which can last up to a year in length.





These parasites are most commonly found in small children(2-4 yrs. of age) who mistakenly swallow the eggs and become infected. Children playing in an area in which an animal has defecated in the past, who do not wash their hands after coming in contact with the eggs and inadvertently sticks their hands into their mouth are the most common receptors of roundworm. Only rarely fatal, the disease is traditionally mild though it may be long lasting.





Tapeworms





Tapeworms can easily be ingested by any pet who swallows a flea carrying the infected form when biting at or chewing their coat. Children may get it virtually the same way- minus the coat chewing. Tapeworm infestation in humans this way is actually quite rare when compared to infestation from eating undercooked pork or beef.





Toxoplasmosis





Rarely this may cause death in humans since most people develop a resistance to it during normal exposure. It can cause many types of birth deformities in children born to mothers who have been infected for the first time without having developed an immunity before becoming pregnant. Most commonly this is "picked up" through contact with infected cat feces or in contact with contaminated soil.





Prevention of Waste Transmitted Diseases





There are a few basic precautions everyone should take to prevent transmission of any of the fore-mentioned diseases. First, clean up all pet droppings and wash your hands each time you any come in contact with contaminated soil. It is extremely important to teach children these steps. Also, if your pet has gone wading or swimming in any water which may have become contaminated with animal urine, bathe it at once when you return home.





Spread through Skin/Hair Contact





Fleas





Fleas prefer feeding on your pets though they will not turn up the chance of of making an occasional meal on humans as well.





Ringworm





Most commonly found in children(though anyone may be infected), this is caused by a skin/hair eating fungus which first appears on people as a round, red, scaly area. It grows outward in a circular formation and is the most common fungal disease currently reported.





Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever





Tick borne, this disease can cause symptoms such as fever, chills and headache though it is not usually fatal. Symptoms may last many weeks and it can be treated with antibiotics.





Most commonly it is transmitted through the bite of an infected tick. Also, you may become infected while pulling a tick off your pet . It is best to wear gloves when removing ticks.





Scabies





The less commonly found version of mange(as opposed to the demodetic version), this may still cause intense itching, irritation and thickening of the skin. Animal mange may live in human skin though it cannot reproduce there. Humans have their own version of the scabies mite.





Prevention of Skin/Hair Contact Diseases





Overall, proper nutritional care and health of your pet is the best defense against the chance of your pet harboring any of these diseases. Frequent grooming and herbal repellents are good choices in combating most of these problems before they become major. Stress, roaming and contact with other pets are the three most common points of transmission among the previous diseases. Wash your hands after pet contact and minimize contact with any infected pet until the problem is cured.





Diseases Caused by Bites and Scratches





Cat Scratch Fever





Some people will develop a fever, enlarged lymph nodes and malaise near the area of a bite or scratch from a cat a few weeks after the occurrence. Though not fatal it can be very uncomfortable and can be followed by complications. Infected cat bites may become infected with an entirely different bacteria though the symptoms are similar.





Probably best, is to thoroughly wash an area bitten or scratched by a cat and to clean it liberally on a frequent basis to prevent, hopefully, infection.





Rabies





Virtually 100% fatal once the clinical symptoms appear, this disease is carried by a virus transmitted through the saliva of an infected biting animal. Symptoms include frothing at the mouth, extreme behavioral/personality changes and convulsions which usually ends in the aggressive, staggering and bleary- eyed condition. If you happen upon an animal showing any of these symptoms, get away from it as quickly as possible and call your nearest animal control unit.





If by chance you are bitten, try to follow it to where it lives(if it is a stray)so that the proper officials may capture it for testing. If you do kill it, do not injure the head as this will be needed for verification. Also, if you are bitten by an animal exhibiting any of the symptoms above, thoroughly wash out the wound as quickly as possible and contact your personal physician. Overall, your chances of getting rabies are rare though you can never be over cautious.





Prevention of Bite and Scratch Transmitted Diseases





Best advice,keep your pet in tip-top physical condition through exercise and proper nutrition to reduce its chances of picking up any parasites from less healthy animals. Also, try to minimize your pets contact with wild animals or sick pets.

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