Ringworm Home Remedies. Cure Ringworm Fungal Infection Fast and Stop Spreading

What is Ringworm?

Ringworm is actually a fungal infection of the skin that tends to creep insidiously along the groin, scalp, feet, body, nails and face. The name comes from a characteristic red ring of small scales that appears on the infected person’s skin and has nothing to do with worms, thank goodness. It often starts out as a round, itchy red patch that grows outward. As it expands, the middle area heals, but all around is a red ring where infection continues to spread. If it’s on your scalp, count on some flaky skin and patches of hair loss. Though it is not dangerous, it is contagious. The condition thrives in warm, moist environments, and is often spread when people touch an infected surface such as a shower floor. As a first step, you need to practice excellent hygiene, washing clothing, bedding, and towels in hot water followed by a dryer cycle. Avoid sharing towels. Next, use these natural cures.

Other Common Names for Ringworm

Ringworm is also known as Tinea Corporis (Scientific Binomial Name), Fungal infection of the skin or scalp (Common English), (Unani), Daad / Dadru / Mandal Kushth (Hindi / Urdu), Patartamarai / Patai / Eccirremal (Tamil), Gajakarna / Nayata (Marathi), (Sanskrit), Dad / Kandu / Dadru (Bengali), Ringvarm / Tamara Vyadhi / Ati Durada Jabbu (Telugu), Ringvarm (Kannada), Vira (Malayalam), Xuan / Jinqian Xuan / Xuan (Mandarin / Traditional Chinese / Simplified Chinese), Tina (Spanish), Micose / Tinha / Manchas Circulares / Doenca Da Pele (Portuguese), Strigushchiy Lishay (Russian), Leichin / Leichinas / Leichina (Greek), Alquba Alhalqiat Marad Jalladi (Arabic), Hakusen (Japanese), Capitis Damnare / Lichen (Latin), (Dutch), Tigna (Italian), Stryhuchyy Lyshay (Ukrainian), Ringworm (Punjabi), Scherpilzflechte (German), (Javanese), Kurap / Kadas (Malay / Indonesian), Binh Sai (Vietnamese), Baegseon (Korean), Teigne (French), Sackiran (Turkish), Dadara / Daraja (Gujarati), (Nepali). Ringworm is a contagious itching skin disease occurring in small circular patches, caused by any of a number of fungi and affecting chiefly the scalp or the feet. The most common form is athlete’s foot. Any fungal infection spreads easily, and ringworm once thought to be an actual worm lurking beneath the skin, is no exception. It all begins with prevention. Keep your feet and groin dry and take quick action with an over the counter antifungal medication when you see the first suggestion of an outbreak. Also try the home remedies below.

Ringworm Natural Home Remedies

1. Essential Oil

Essential oil gives soothing effect to skin. Apply 3 to 5 drops of essential oils of lavender or tea tree topically to the area. You can also use echinacea tincture, goldenseal tincture, and/or myrrh tincture simply by applying enough to cover the affected area three times daily.

2. Neem

An alternative treatment is to wash your body with Neem soap. Then dry thoroughly with soft towel, and apply some Neem oil (about 1/4 teaspoon) mixed with about 10 drops of tea tree oil. Apply that mixture topically to the affected area with a cotton swab. Neem’s most common use in the West is as an oil, which can bring relief to sore and itchy rashes. It can be safely applied to fungal problems such as ringworm.

3. Oregano

Oregano also known as wild marjoram shows strong antiseptic and anti fungal activity. Apply the infusion or the diluted oil regularly to skin problems such as ringworm and fungal nails. Try diluting oregano oil maximum of 5 % dilution in a carrier oil such as olive oil.

4. Coconut Oil

This is an old folk home remedy for warts. African studies show that virgin coconut oil, a folk remedy for treating such fungal skin infections as athlete’s foot and ringworm, has anti-fungal properties. Likewise, turmeric is an anti fungal agent. Over low heat, melt 60 g of coconut oil in a pan. It happens in a matter of seconds. Whisk in 2 g of turmeric root powder. Turn off the heat. Pour the mixture into a clean dish. When cool, spread on the affected area. Allow to soak in for 15 to 20 minutes. Rinse off and dry the area thoroughly. Be careful while using turmeric, as it is traditionally used to dye fabrics yellow. It will temporarily stain your skin and permanently stain clothing.

5. Garlic

Garlic is very effective to treat fungal infection. You can also rub a crushed garlic clove briefly over the area several times daily, but don’t leave the garlic clove on the skin as it can burn. Garlic oil, a major anti-fungal agent, can also be used internally in dose 3 capsules daily. In addition, take one dropper of black walnut tincture which is a powerful anti-fungal agent, three times daily and a probiotic supplement three times daily to help the body better resist fungal overgrowth.

6. Basil

A basil poultice can be used to treat ringworm infections.

7. Aloe Vera

Aloe is an effective antifungal natural ointment. Apply aloe gel on ring worms. Here is how to use and store aloe leaf for further use. Wash the leaves. Cut into 5 cm lengths. Slice each piece in half, to expose the largest amount of gel. Wrap each piece in plastic wrap and date. To use, remove plastic and apply the gel side of the leaf to the skin; smear over the affected area, or hold in place with a bandage.

8. Keep It Dry

Be sure you keep the affected patch clean and dry. If the infection starts to ooze or blister over, apply cool or warm moist compresses. Or soak in water with dissolved Epsom salt or Domeboro powder to help dry the oozing rash. Take care not to break the blisters, and make an appointment with a doctor as soon as possible.

9. Black Walnut

Try green or immature black walnut externally. If ringworm strikes in the fall, you might be able to resolve the problem with a green hulled harvest from a nearby black walnut tree. Black walnuts have a distinctive smelling thick green rind. Crush the rind into a pulp and apply it to ringworm up to four times a day until the condition clears up. It works magically on skin blemishes, ringworm and even warts. OR Just make a couple of incisions into its outer shell and rub the juice on whatever you want cleared up. At first there may be a slight burning sensation, but don’t worry. At other times, the juice could turn the skin where it’s applied a little brown, but this will eventually wear off. Practically all kinds of warts, dark, ugly age spots and ringworm have been successfully eliminated with this treatment. But black walnut pulp is toxic if you eat it, so make sure it just goes on your skin.

10. Pineapple Leaves

Fresh pineapple or powdered guava leaves can be put on ringworm with good results.

11. Turmeric

It is a traditional Indian treatment for warts. Turn ringworm away with turmeric. The main ingredient in curry powder, turmeric contains curcumin, which has helped many people who have inflammatory conditions like arthritis. It’s not clear why turmeric should work so well on a fungal skin problem, but Asians have long used this spice to fight ringworm. In India and China, a little powdered turmeric is mixed with the juice from half a squeezed lime and a little water to make a smooth, even paste, which then is put directly onto ringworm with excellent results. OR Stir enough water into a teaspoon or two of powdered turmeric to make a paste. Smear it on the affected area and cover it with a bandage or piece of gauze. After 20 minutes to an hour, remove it. You can repeat this three or four times a day, but stop the treatment if turmeric irritates your skin.

12. Licorice

Licorice shows anti fungal action. This antifungal action lends credence to the Chinese practice of using it to treat ringworm. Simply brew a strong decoction using about five to seven teaspoons of dried herb per cup of water. Bring it to a boil, simmer for 20 minutes, then let it cool. Apply the decoction directly to the affected areas using a cotton ball or clean cloth.

13. Chaste

Five leaved chaste tree also known as VUex negundo. The leaves of this Chinese shrub have a long history of folk use as a poultice for treating scabies, eczema and ringworm. Five leaved chaste tree is available in the United States as an ornamental plant. You can mash the leaves and apply them directly to the affected areas of skin.

Tips To Prevent Ringworm Spreading

  • Don’t share shoes or used towels with other people, they can spread an infection.
  • Cut out sugars, alcohol, and fruit juices when you have ringworm as all of these foods nourish fungi.
  • If family members have ringworm, make sure that no one shares clothing or grooming items, such as hairbrushes.
  • Wear loose fitting natural clothing and use natural fibers in bedding so the skin can breathe and fungal infections will not thrive.
  • Wash in hot water any clothes, towels, washcloths, and bedclothes that may have come in touch with the infected area.
  • Add 1 cup (235 ml) of apple cider vinegar to the final rinse water of your laundry.
  • Be sure to dry your feet completely soon after swimming or bathing, using a hair dryer whenever possible. The area between the toes is the most common place for fungus to start growing.
  • Instead of going barefoot at a public swimming pool, wear flip-flops or sandals to avoid picking up fungus.
  • Use a powder such as Zeasorb-AF in your shoes or your groin area to absorb excess moisture. The powder contains an antifungal ingredient for extra protection.
  • Pets can carry ringworm that can be transferred to humans. If you see a hairless spot on your dog or cat, take your pet to the vet as soon as possible for a ringworm treatment.

Caution

If your symptoms don’t improve after a few weeks of self-care treatments, or the ringworm continues to spread, talk to your doctor. If you have ringworm in the groin area, the doctor might prescribe an antifungal powder such as Nystatin. For ringworm of the scalp, you’ll need to get a prescription drug that’s taken orally. And if you have diabetes, it’s essential to get ringworm treated by a doctor as soon as possible. It can cause skin cracking, and if bacteria enter the skin, you could end up with a serious infection.

Leave a comment