Holistic Health and Alternative Medicine - EARTHCLINIC.COM

Cure Ringworm: Q&A

BLEACH FOR RINGWORM LEFT SKIN BURNT
04/25/2012: Strawberryrachy from Dover, Oh: "Ok so I decided to try the bleach alternative one time for 5 min and now it is hugely red almost like a chemical burn but the itch is gone and the bumps r gone... Will this leave a scar and how long does it take before the redness goes away? Honestly afraid to do the 2nd dose of the bleach... please help me."

CAN YOU ADVISE ME ON RINGWORM?
04/03/2012: Zanytranscriber from Port Townsend, Washington Usa: "My question is some of the things I have read say that you have to wash your sheets every day, also only wear your clothes once. By the way, I think I got it from hotel sheets unless it was just a coincidence. So do I really need to do the laundry every day? I got some organic ACV and some Vicks as I can't see that the creams are working very well. I have had it for about 6 weeks now. Any input would be greatly appreciated."

NEED HELP FOR RINGWORM SINCE THE REMEDIES I'VE TRIED HAVEN'T WORKED
02/11/2012: Person That Needs Help from London, United Kingdom: "I am a 14 year old girl and I have ringworm on my face, it is very embarrasing :( I have had it for about a month and a half now. It has been getting bigger and bigger since. I have tried tea tree oil, vinegar, prescription creams but none of them makes it better! I really want it to go. Please help me, it is very visible. I feel like I don't want to go to school because everyone asks me what it is and stares. I don't like it at all. It's half term now I want it to go before I go to school. Any suggestions? Also I have sensitive skin. Right now the ringworm on my face is flaky and has a red outline of the circle and it's gross. Please help."

02/12/2012: Jennywren from Perth, Western Australia, Australia replies: "Hi there! You didn't mention what kind of vinegar you used. If it's white vinegar, it's probably no good. It will need to be a good apple cider vinegar, probably from your health food store. Apply some to a cotton wool ball and dab on the ringworm several times a day. As ringworm is a fungus (not a worm!) and apple cider vinegar is anti-fungal, it should kill it. Apple cider vinegar's smelly, but it should do the trick! You should see some difference in around a week. And make sure it's ringworm, too. Good luck!"

02/16/2012: Justin from Jamesburg, Nj replies: "Try lotrimin- it's not anywhere as expensive as what the doctor would prescibe to you. Jeeze I almost had to pay $103.00 because stupid insurance wouldn't cover the cream which probably wouldn't have worked anyway."

RINGWORM ON FOREHEAD AND SCALP FOR 8 MONTHS
06/07/2011: Anonymous : "Dear Ted:

I have ringworm and have had it on my forehead and scalp for 8 months now. I have tried everything. Could you please give me some advice how to cure it? Thanks"

06/30/2011: Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "Ringworm is really a fungus. Castor oil and DMSO seems be most powerful ones I can think off, it is a 50/50 mix which is applied thinly. The traditional ones are tea tree oil applied to the ringworm at night and wash off the remainder or leave some overnight. There are tannic acid mixed with DMSO that kill them too, which is 5%-10% tannic acid and apply thinly enough but may leave a scar, so some aloe vera oil may prevent that so aloe vera is added to 1% -2% of the solution, it may be left overnight or rinse after 1 hour, but I can't be exact.

Ted"

07/01/2011: Anonymous replies: "Dear Ted:

Thanks for the info. I have read a lot about ringworm and when I say I have tried everything I mean I have. Lamisil, Loprox, all the fungal preparations from Monistat to Clotriderm. Tea tree oil, oil of oregano, neem oil, apple cider vinegar, aloe, vitamin e, castor oil, grapefruit seed extract, etc. I have not tried DMSO and so thank you for that recommendation. Could you please tell me where I might get it and in what form. None of the others have even touvhed it. I have been on an anti-candida diet for two months, take caprylic acid and garlic capsules as well as a capsule a day of a 50 billion acidophilus.

Nothing seems to help. This problem is located on my scalp and I am losing my hair because of it. I have seen three western doctors and two naturopaths. No one knows what to do as they say I have done all the things they can recommend.

So I shall try DMSO.

If you have any other ideas I would appreciate knowing.

Thanks for answering"

07/01/2011: Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "Yes, the main reason is DMSO gets in your skin. We used tannic acid to kill and DMSO as a delivery device. It always works. Castor oil sometimes work and DMSO is used as a delivery device too, but tannic acid with DMSO is consistent. It's a matter of how much tannic acid. If I have tough cases I just use 10% tannic acid to the DMSO solution. DMSO is available over the internet, you should be able to find it.

Ted"

09/07/2012: Julie from Amarillo, Tx replies: "I am having trouble finding tannic acid at health food stores. Most people confuse it with the tannins found in tea. My four year old son has scalp ringworm in several places and has had it for 6 months. Is dmso and tannic acid the best remedy for him? Can you give me the exact dosage for him please? Desperate to make it go away!"

GRANULOMA ANNULAR
09/10/2008: CH from PD, USA: "I have had this ring growing on my foot for about a year, I first noticed it after I had surgery in May of 2007, it was a odd shaped reddish purple j shaped area, I thought maybe the doc had burned or brusied that area of my foot (top of foot) At first I thought it was a ringworm, but no ring worm treatment worked, but finally went to dermatologist he said it was localized granuloma annular and gave me an cream to use, been using it for three days, nothing happend yet, then I talked to an elderly friend of mine and he said that he made his go away with Badger Healing Balm, he said it had to be the dark can not the light can. I am going to give it a try and see it it works on mine. I will keep you posted, If anyone else has any ideas please let me know, post it on this site and I will read it.
Thanks CH"

11/29/2012: Ed from Nanamio, Bc Canada replies: "I have had granuloma Annulare for over three years and every doctor replied there is no known cure, even sent an e-mail to the Mayo Clinic, John Hopkins, etc.. Etc.. And etc.. All the same answer. I started going to Tijana Mexico in 2005 for treatment on Postrate Cancer and Hydrogren Peroxide is their main IV treatment. I bought half a gallon and keep it in the refrigerater. With a swab I paint my round spots a good two or three times, it will burn for a few minutes just ignore it and do some more [Bed Time] the spot will fuzz white then I go to bed. I do this three nites then stop, pretty soon the spots begin to fade no more Granuloma. Now I'm trying to find a way to remove the scar."

RINGWORM ON CHEEK SPREADING
10/13/2007: Anonymous : "Hello, I saw some of your comments on earthclinic. I wrote you once. I do apologize for keeping bugging you. My problem is this. I have a ringworm on my right cheek. It was the size of a quarter now it's spreading. First , I tried the tree tea oil and acv and it did do some good. It peeled? off nicely. Then I went and had sushi and steam fish all in one week and a couple of days later the ring worm came back with a vengence !!! It scabbed up and oozed badly. The old ring is dark red, however the new ring is beginning to form. I'm using undecylenic acid 10% for about a day now. It's still red and itchy at times. I'm so concern that it might spread to my eyes. Do you have any advice? I want to do body cleanse. I read a comment from someone on this forum, he's trying the Allimax and Walnut wormwood complex but he hasn't post any comment since, weather it's helping him out or not. I know you are very busy but please, please help me out. I graduated a couple of months ago and I'm just beginning to work. I went to a dermatologist about a month ago, before I tried the tea tree oil and he told me that it was just a "skin irritation". Any advice, remedies would be much appreciated. Please be very detail about describing remedies. I know you posted some already under ringworm section, but in my case, what would kill it the quickest?? It's getting too close to my right eye!!!!!!! Thank you so much, I hate ring worm."

Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "A ringworm is a fungus. Recently the best remedy for facial area that have worked with me, topically, is the 1-3% H2O2 peroxide solution. In most situations a 1% H2O2 application works quite well, however, it appears the frequency of application is critical, which had to be reapplied, at least initially for every 30 minutes, with a minimum of 5 applications. A 1% is the H2O2 concentration I used, which can be diluted from the 3% H2O2 used in drug stores. So, assuming I want to prepare a large batch of the preparations, this means one small cup of 3% H2O2, plus 2 small cups of water, should about be equal to 1%. The solution is then applied to the skin, with frequency, using cotton balls.

If the above solution is too weak, another simple solution is the application of 1 part of 1% H2O2, plus 1 part of pure distilled vinegar. This is then applied to the skin for about every 30 minutes interval, for 5 times. Thereafter, the application is applied, whether it's H2O2 alone or H2O2 mixed with distilled vinegar, every 3 hours. Once it gets better the intervals between application increases perhaps to about 4-6 times per day.

I have found the H2O2 to work better, while tea tree may be too much of a skin irritant in the face area.Hence a H2O2 is more likely a more skin friendly solution.

It should be noted that too frequent application may cause skin drying, but that's the reason why tinea can't grow.

There are other solutions that can be used, but the chemicals are relatively hard to find. Getting the body alkalized helps. Eating certain foods, which can be any high protein foods, causes the body to be acid, which is why tinea exists. Hence, it is necessary that urinary pH be kept at 7 during the treatment period to discourage its further outbreak. So for men's dose, at least 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda in at least 1/2 glass of water taken twice a day should get the body to be more alkaline, discouraging its growth."

RINGWORM ON CHEEK SPREADING
10/13/2007: Anonymous : "Thank you very much for your respond. I am now using one of your remedy, the glycerin and borax. I started it yesterday. I will continue to do so for about 3-4 days to see how it goes. If it doesn't work I'll try the hydrogen peroxide. I have four more questions for you. 1. If all fail, (I hope not) I want to take an antibiotic. Which do you suggest? 2. Is the anti algae and borax method is too harsh for the face? 3. You said for male 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda in at least 1/2 glass of water but I'm a female, so how much baking soda and how much water should I use? 4. My face itch so bad at times and woke me up a couple of times at night. What is good for anti-itch?"

Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "1. If all fail, ( I hope not) I want to take an antibiotic. Which do you suggest ?

A borax and glyerine solution maybe too weak. A 20 mule team borax for local applications would be more appropriate. I would much prefer to combine the borax saturated in hydrogen peroxide up to 3% before going to antibiotics. At least from my side, this has worked without failure, although the 3% is quite strong for most people that is done, if previous weaker solution were not successful. I have no successes at all with the use of conventional antibiotic, as they are "anti-bacteria" and not antifungal medicines. Anti-fungal medicines for me none of them worked and those I know have no positive feedback. As a result I can't recommend them, although I might try other solutions such as 1 teaspoon of citric acid in 1% hydrogen peroxide solution, or carbamide peroxide (found in tooth whitening preparations) that are quite antifungal in itself.

2. Is the anti algae and borax method is too harsh for the face?

Borax has a surfactant properly much like soaps. The problem for me is the so called commercial soaps currently under use are to harsh for the skin. For example a liquid soap, which contains SLS or SLES (sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate) is used in skin transdermal vaccination as the SLS destroys the top skin cell allowing the vaccinations to penetrate to the skin faster. That's the problem I have with commercial soap preparations. They also destroy the skin cells. In a research study, they found the regular use of SLS, alters normal skin cell growth, which I interpret to mean, abnormal skin cell growth. As you can see this is a long story, but I will leave it simply that borax is a mild soap preparation so mild that both borax and boric acid ARE USED AS AN EYE WASH COMPOUND, sold in drugs stores today. Just check it out!

3. You said for male 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda in at least 1/2 glass of water but I'm a female, so how much baking soda and how much water should I use?

A female are smaller in frame generally speaking, so 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda, but an exception exists where if the build is larger, or the condition is severe, or requires somewhat immediate attention. In that case a 1/2 teaspooon can also be used in that instances. The reason for the low dose, is usually to avoid the laxative effect, which is why it is taken on an empty stomach, or at least 30 minutes or more before eating or 30 minutes or more after eating.

4. My face itch so bad at times and woke me up a couple of times at night. What is good for anti-itch?

A simple anti-itch medicine is found in your kitchen. It is called distilled vinegar. Apply it a couple of times it usually goes away. If not, a simple bottle of well shaken milk of magnesia, will do it as it causes the skin to dry out starving the fungus of moisture. It does take several minutes (about 30 minutes) to notice.

There actually is two medications (actually many more) other I used that kills fungus rather effectively, although I bet you
will have trouble locating them. One is ammonium chloride mixed with some water and applied to the skin. It helps too. A more effective ammonium carbonate solutions work too, however sadly it is difficult to locate that. "

RING WORM ON RIGHT CHEEK
10/12/2007: i hate ringworm from ft.lauderdale, usa: "Hello, I saw some of your comments on earthclinic I do apologize for bugging you. My problem is this. I have a ringworm on my right cheek. It was the size of a quarter now it's spreading. First , I tried the tree tea oil and acv and it did do some good. It peeled' off nicely. Then I went and had sushi and steam fish all in one week and a couple of days later the ring worm came back with a vengence !!! It scabbed up and oozed badly. The old ring is dark red, however the new ring is beginning to form. I'm using undecylenic acid 10% for about a day now. It's still red and itchy at times. I'm so concern that it might spread to my eyes. Do you have any advice ? I want to do body cleanse. I read a comment from someone on this forum , he's trying the Allimax and Walnut wormwood complex but he hasn't post any comment since, weather it's helping him out or not.I know you are very busy but please , please help me out. I graduated a couple of months ago and I'm just beginning to work. I went to a dermatologist about a month ago,before I tried the tea tree oil and he told me that it was just a "skin irritation". Any advice,remedies would be much appreciated. Please be very detail about describing remedies. I know you posted some already under ringworm section, but in my case, what would kill it the quickest ?? It's getting too close to my right eye!!!!!!! Thank you so much"

Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "A ringworm is a fungus. Recently the best remedy for facial area that have worked with me, topically, is the 1-3% H2O2 peroxide solution. In most situations a 1% H2O2 application works quite well, however, it appears the frequency of application is critical, which had to be reapplied, at least initially for every 30 minutes, with a minimum of 5 applications. A 1% is the H2O2 concentration I used, which can be diluted from the 3% H2O2 used in drug stores. So, assuming I want to prepare a large batch of the preparations, this means one small cup of 3% H2O2, plus 2 small cups of water, should about be equal to 1%. The solution is then applied to the skin, with frequency, using cotton balls.

If the above solution is too weak, another simple solution is the application of 1 part of 1% H2O2, plus 1 part of pure distilled vinegar. This is then applied to the skin for about every 30 minutes interval, for 5 times. Thereafter, the application is applied, whether it's H2O2 alone or H2O2 mixed with distilled vinegar, every 3 hours. Once it gets better the intervals between application increases perhaps to about 4-6 times per day.

I have found the H2O2 to work better, while tea tree may be too much of a skin irritant in the face area. Hence a H2O2 is more likely a more skin friendly solution.

It should be noted that too frequent application may cause skin drying, but that's the reason why tinea can't grow.

There are other solutions that can be used, but the chemicals are relatively hard to find. Getting the body alkalized helps. Eating certain foods, which can be any high protein foods, causes the body to be acid, which is why tinea exists. Hence, it is necessary that urinary pH be kept at 7 during the treatment period to discourage its further outbreak. So for men's dose, at least 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda in at least 1/2 glass of water taken twice a day should get the body to be more alkaline, discouraging its growth."

QUESTION ABOUT GLYCERIN
10/06/2007: i hate ringworm from fort lauderdale, fl: "try applying borax, or preferably sodium perborate mixed with glycerin to the area affected (10% borax/sodium perborate)." What is glycerin that ted is talking about???"

Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "Glycerine description: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycerol . You can purchase bottles of glycerine easily in most drugstores for about $3.00. "

DOSAGES
08/30/2007: Mie from Detroit, MI: "I always enjoy reading your expertise at earthclinic.com. I have a very simple question. The book "Folk Medicine" and Bragg's ACV bottle recommends "2 teaspoon of ACV with 8oz water...." but earthclinic.com recommends 2 tablespoon of ACV. Do you know why earthclinic.com recommends 2 tablespoon instead of 2 teaspoon? Thank you."

Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "Dear Mie:

The book recommended two teaspoon of pure apple cider vinegar diluted 8 oz of water because that's the maximum tolerable dose without having a major side effects from the acidity of the apple cider vinegar. Actually that dose if used alone is still way too strong in my own experience for people who are sick.

I used 2 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar because it was the baking soda that' helped neutralized the solution and hence it is possible to use a larger dose. The reason why that dose was set is simple. My own observations is that the body needs a minimum of 1/2 teaspoon of bicarbonates per day at least for the body to maintain normal pH and sufficient buffers, which is divided into two equal dose of 1/4 teaspoon each. The apple cider vinegar is determined to get the pH of about 7 and this works out to about 2 tablespoons.

To further weaken the solution I used at least 1/2 glass of water, as 8 oz. of water can be too much for some people so a 1/2 glass is the minimum. Most healthy active people actually needs more than this, and the body needs about 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda a day. However I hold the apple cider vinegar constant (but can be added more) since it seems the body needs to maintain buffers much more than the need of acetates and malates to help detoxify.

Of course more apple cider vinegar can be added to about 4 tablespoon ACV plus 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda, but its effect (from my own very small samples of feedback) is not as great as the 2 tablespoon ACV plus 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda on the maximum dosage side. It is obviously seen that an athlete can need much more bicarbonates, but in such a situation, bicarbonate used is not effective for sports medicine, a more compact form is the citrate form, such as sodium citrate or potassium citrate, which can effectively alkalize the body much much more better. Although this is not feasible as citrates are much harder to find than a simple baking soda, which is more available in most supermarkets.

It should be noted that biochemically the solution of apple cider vinegar does more than meets the eyes, it buffers the body's fluids, increase the body's antioxidation Oxidation Reduction Potential, it effectively alkalizes, reduces excess serum calcium which cause blood clots and heart attacks, malates reduces aluminum accumulation in the brain helpful for alzheimer, alkalization increases the body's need to unload toxins by sweating more easily, and the list goes on an on. However the use of strictly apple cider vinegar is problematic and causes the body to go acid whenever the body's bicarbonates is already lacking and this may not be helpful in the condition of candida, or at least temporarily helpful.

In my opinion most booklets to promote certain supplements will only promote that and nothing more. This can be a problem since every supplements will have a weakness. In case of apple cider vinegar, it is too acid for some people's digestive system to handle. A middle ground therefore is where the solution's pH is at least neutral or if the solution is fairly close to the body's fluid between 7.3-7.4."

CURES FOR RINGWORM
Veronica : "Do you have any cures for ringworm? we live in an old townhome, i feel it has mold or something that keeps it occuring. my kids and i keep getting them. my hus and does not. yes, we keep a clean house i use bleach constantly on the shower heads."

Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "To treat ringworm, apply to area infected using vinegar for a 15 minutes, rinse, and put on tea tree oil plus lavender oil and leave it overnight. Rinse in the morning. Keep applying for at least a month and this should go away. If it still doesn't work, try applying borax, or preferably sodium perborate mixed with glycerin to the area affected (10% borax/sodium perborate)."

02/20/2011: Buggsnomore from Rathdrum, Idaho replies: "For intense ringworm itching I found that Spilanthes USNEA compound stops itch within 5 to 10 seconds. It's a tinture that you can get at a natural health store. A 1oz bottle costs $9.95 It can be applied as needed: also can be taken internally. This info is from the Therapeutic Herb Manual by Ed Smith : a guide to safe and effective use of liquid herbal extracts, cost $3.95 the health store should have this manual."

09/04/2012: Patrmac04 from Boston, MA replies: "Neem is a tree in India. The different parts of the tree are used for different medicinal puposes. The most effective part of the tree for fungal infections of the skin is the leaf.

There are a few ways that the leaf can be used to help the fungal infection, but for this application I will only give one way. Simply take a bath in water that has neem leaf tea in it. So simple, but works so much better than any other method.

To make the tea, I make a very very strong tea from 1/8 cup dried ground neem leaves. I make it by just using filtered water in a pan and letting the pan come to a boil and I just shut off the heat once it boils. I let it sit for ten minutes or so then add to the tub. I have also had success by just adding the dried neem leaf powder to my bath water as it is filling by adding 1/4 cup of dried ground neem leaves. I like to let it sit in hot bath water for at least twenty minutes before taking a bath.

I live in the United States, so I don't have access to fresh leaves. This is why I buy dried ground leaves online by the pound. One pound will usually last me about ten to twenty baths depending the method used. I give the dried neem leaf powder a shelf life of three months before it doesn't seem to work as well and you have to buy more.

Take a bath in this water daily until the problem subsides. Take a bath in this water one time per week to keep the problem away once it is cleared up.

If you have neem trees local or can buy the fresh leaves local, then just adding a handful of them to your bath water or make a tea out of the leaves and adding to bath water will do the same thing.

This will get rid of virtually all skin disorders naturally and gradually. Since neem is an anti bacterial, anti parasitic, antiseptic, anti fungal, anti protozoal, anti viral and as a non toxic pesticide... I really mean that neem can be used for virtually any skin problem to help with anything from herpies to scabies to athletes foot, ringworm and jock itch.

The problem as most might know by now with ringworm and any fungal skin infection is that it is very easy to get reinfected. What this method provides is a way to cover your entire body to rid the total skin of the problem, even in areas that you did not know had any problems. It also is great for problem areas that are not easy to reach such as your back or where you can not see like the back of your head.

In order to keep your clothes from reinfecting you once you clear up, get in the habbit of adding a cup to two cups of cheap white vinegar in with your clothes when washing."