The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Iodine
Posted by Toourlady89 (Hayward, Ca) on 09/29/2013
★★★★★
I have used Lugol's Iodine for ringworm. My nephew had it in his thigh. I had him apply Iodine to the area twice a day and it cleared in about a week. I googled how to use it, I used 4% Iodine.
Paper or Wood Ash
Posted by Red Robyn (Tx) on 07/26/2013
★★★★★
Ringworm was treated with ashes from burned paper and/or hard wood ashes from the fire place, both seemed to work very good and fast. Rub on morning and night and every time we thought about it in between. It also worked on our cats, we put it on their skin and their bedding.
Ginger
Posted by Squigworm (Bethesda, Md) on 10/21/2012
★★★★★
Each is there own but I will share what finally worked for me. I had a bad case of ringworm. All over my legs and arms and wherever else. Before I realized what it was it had spread quite a bit and nothing was working to get rid of it. I tried this cream, that cream... I even tried bleach, nail polish and I swear I almost considered burning it off one day. Long story short I ended up juicing some ginger and mixing in a little vinegar. I would apply this directly to the ringworm and let it dry up. Then I applied the shea butter mixture I made. (Shea butter, sea salt, tea tree oil) The ginger and vinegar really started nuetralizing the fungus and the shea butter mixture kept it clean and hydrated. Plus when it itched really bad I could rub the very course shea butter mixture on it and it would help a lot. The only helpful product I found was the naturasil ringworm stuff. I think if I hadn't let it go for so long this product may have worked completely but it didn't fully treat what I was dealing with. Just thought I would pass this along in case someone else is as desperate as I was for something that will help.
Coconut Oil
Posted by David (British Columbia) on 03/20/2025
★★★★★
I found this to work very well, although I used regular, fractionated oil - the liquid part of the oil only, and it was refined and cheap. Fungus hates coconut oil!
Menthol and Wormwood Oil
Posted by Itchy (Howell, Nj) on 08/15/2012
I replied on 8/9 to the warning post.
Since 8/9 I put it absorbine on 4 times a day... They forgot a few times here and there.... It actually got a little worse for a few days... Then... As of Today it is clearly going away. I dont own stock in absorbine... Lol..... As your skin scabs over and you wash dead skin off gently in the shower or bath... You will feel some intence pain when applying it.... I should have taken pictures. I will update once 1oo% .. So less than one week massive improvement. After taking steroids orally and topically... And keflex... And another antibiotic.... bleach baths and oatmeal baths.
3! Trips to the doctor... 1 to the emergency room because I was out of state. 3 months later this is the only thing that has worked...
NOT ONCE DID ANY OF THEM TAKE A CULTURE...I GUESS THEY LIKE RETURN CUSTOMERS!!!! DOCTORS ARE JUST AS BAD AS LAWYERS
Iodine
Posted by Gina (Martins Creek, Nsw, Australia) on 12/29/2011
★★★★★
from childhood I have always used iodine tincture for ringworm. I have never known it fail.
Clear Nail Polish
Posted by Diamond (St Ann, Jamaica) on 09/11/2013
★★★★★
Clear Nail Polish really works miracle for ringworm, saw some testimonies and tried it and I was surprised. It really work.
Fig Tree Sap
Posted by Vcanfield (San Antonio, Tx, Usa) on 03/03/2010
★☆☆☆☆WARNING!
Warning on fig tree sap for Ringworm!
The sap is caustic and will burn the skin. We have a fig tree and I have to use gloves when I harvest figs or my hands will get terrible chemical-like burns. Fig sap is a natural cure for burning warts off, so putting it on the skin that is already inflamed is cruel and abusive.
Please do not use this method on your animals. There are other, kinder methods to turn to.
MMS
Posted by Kokila (Roslyn Heights, NY) on 07/25/2009
★★★★★
Hi, This is for all ringworm sufferers! Fungus help:
I had a very bad case of fungal skin infections (ringworm most likely) on my legs and hand. I had also a bad case of lymphedema, which I got rid of (see my other entry here), but then the stupid fungus attacked with a vengence! So I got rid of one enemy to only attract number 2! So no more swelling and pain, BUT now ITCH and sores! It was going on for a few months with almost no relief. I tried every cream/remedy known to man without success!
Despairing I told a friend, who told me: try "MMS" aka Magic Mineral Substance created by a man named Jim Humble...It cures all sorts of pathogen related viral infectious diseases. Serious ones like Malaria, Lyme diease, you name it! Skeptical I tried it! It WORKED! All the fungus is GONE! Took a few weeks...but eradicated it, even from my hand, where I had had a weird fungus for a year.
So here's my protocol:
MMS in the AM, along with topically some health food store natural fungal cream, just to protect the skin from lingering nasties.
That's it folks!
I tried: ACV, lavender/tea tree oil mix with sea salt first to dry the skin (paid $40 bucks for the download of that info...didn't work), oregano (wild) oil, garlic, multiple creams, etc. NOTHING really got rid of the torture of this fungus, except MMS. Not trying to advertise it, just spreading the word to help fellow fungus sufferers. Interestingly enough Jim Humble's simple remedy is cheap too.
Good luck...hope this helps others.
Apple Cider Vinegar, Copper Penny
Posted by Cheylynmob (Plano, TX) on 06/04/2009
★★★★★
Apple Cider Vingar and a penny (copper).
I drenched a cotton swab in the apple cider vinegar and wet the penny with it also. I placed it on the ringworm located on my son's head and covered it with an extra large band-aid and additional medical tape because it has grown to be rather large. I let him go to bed with it on his head and the next morning, it had gone down tremendously! Today is day two and I'm anxious to see what it will look like later.
We had already tried bleach, Lamisil, prescribed Ketaconozole, and Griseofulvn. Nothing was working and it actually grew larger!
This is working. I'll use this method everytime.
Menthol and Wormwood Oil
Posted by Rick2560 (Cape Girardeau, Missouri) on 08/26/2009
★☆☆☆☆
My "rash" started out on my left foot in 2003 after spending time in a dorm setting. Later, I got the same looking rash underneath my watch band. I have been to numerous doctors for this "rash". One told me it was because of my watch band & sweating so I quit wearing the watch for a long time, but it didn't clear up any. I have tried Tinactin & numerous other athlete's foot products because I was told the "rash" on my foot was athlete's foot. It was weird because the rash has been just on the left side of my body, until recently, when it has migrated to my groin area. I was told it was eczema & given several different types of medications & tried many home remedy type treatments, without success. Other doctors have told me it is psoriasis...and have treated it as such. All the while, the "rash" has gotten significantly worse, driving me into seclusion & getting me thrown out of physical therapy today because the therapist insisted it was RINGWORM! Well, I had seen this site a few days ago & sent my wife to get some Absorbine Junior ...this stuff burns like wild fire & so far, I haven't seen much, if any, difference since starting it (AJ) 3 days ago & having used all but about a 1/2 oz of a 4 oz bottle in those 3 days! Today, the doctor finally said, "yes, I believe it IS ringworm" & he gave me yet another medication (oral) called Ketoconazole 200mg tabs. He said they were pretty wicked & should take care of the ringworm once & for all. I have to go tomorrow to get a blood test to check my liver function so he can monitor my liver function during treatment.
I was so excited to hear about everyone using the AJ but so disappointed that it hasn't worked for me!
Menthol and Wormwood Oil
Posted by Ron (Sacramento, California) on 08/28/2011
★★★★★
Absorbine Jr. Worked for me when all other remedies failed. I was dealing with ringworm on my thigh for over a month. Tinactin, and all other OTC anti fungal cures proved totally ineffective.
My girlfriend got me started on lavendar oil, but that did not seem to work either. This website showed absorbine Jr. as a possible cure so I drove over to CVS and picked some up.
It took about 4 days to completely irradicate the ringworm. I am so thankful for this suggestion. Earthclinic rocks.
Listerine
Posted by Trina (Casa Grande, Arizona) on 03/17/2009
★★★★★
for a ring worm listerine mouthwash works wonders. you will notice immediate change just thought you might want to know.
Misdiagnosing Ringworm
Posted by Misdiagnosed myself (Nashville, TN) on 02/23/2009
I diagnosed myself with ringworm after I showed my scaly patches to friends and family and two of them said definitely ringworm. So as with anything, I skipped the doctor and started looking at Earth Clinic! (how much money have I saved over the years by coming here first?) Unfortunately I wasted a few days on your readers' suggested ringworm treatments... My diagnosis was incorrect, I actually have Pityriasis rosea, which is a virus and just has to run its course, apparently. If you think you may have misdiagnosed your ringworm, put "Pityriasis rosea" into google images. As soon as I saw the pictures I knew it was me. This rash feasts on areas that have never had much sun: breasts and butt for women, butt for men.
Supplements
Posted by Lance (National City, California) on 10/15/2008
★★★★★
Selenium deficiency and anemia appear to the biggest factor of candida or ringworm. Silver mercury filling can deplete the body of selenium, zinc. This can lead to fungal infections.
Iron folic acid, b12 deficiency lead to anemia that can cause fungal infection.
I took:
- 200mg selenium 3 times a day
- zinc 50mg 2 times a day
- folic acid 3 times a day
- iron 1 a day
- b12 3 times a day.
It doesn't take long for it to work.
Too much copper in the body can deplete selenium also causing fungus growth.
Garlic
Posted by Stella (Brisbane, Qld Australia) on 10/08/2012
★★★★★
Yes Garlic definitely works to get rid of ringworm. I slice a clove into slivers and rub the juice into the fungal spot. Though its easier to get liquid garlic capsules — pierce them to rub the oil directly on the spot. Gone in less than a week. Garlic is so good for so many things its a staple to have in the house.
Urine
Posted by Michelle (Mansfield, OH) on 10/09/2008
★★★★★
I haven't actually tried this myself but am quite sure it works, due to the fact that the fungus that causes ringworm is the same as athlete's foot. My reason for this conclusion is that my husband who was in the Marine corp from 94-98 was taught that if ever he was to get athlete's foot and could not get medical treatment to urinate on it. and he says it did work.
Rubbing Alcohol
Posted by Indy (Indianapolis, IN) on 01/10/2008
★★★★★
re: Plain Old Alcohol -- I got ringworm from my sisters kids 4 times. It was usually only one spot on the arm, leg, or once on my back. The first time i used some OTC. I forget the name, but it didn't work. Then I read on another site that rubbing alcohol works. I soaked the infected area in alcohol 2 to 3 times a day, and it went away in about a week. It burned a little, but it wasn't that bad.
Fig Tree Sap
Posted by Jack Parker (Gaffney, SC) on 07/31/2007
★★★★★
My grandmother taught me this and it works for Ringworm. Take a leaf from a fig tree (Edible Fruit Variety) and the milky white sap from the leaf rubbed on the ringworm will get rid of it in a few days.
Remedies That Didn't Work
Posted by Ted (Bangkok, Thailand) 391 posts
A ringworm won't die. Their weakness is a saturated solution of borax and 1% hydrogen peroxide. It is a strong form of fungus. An alkaline form is more effective in the long run. If you want to really kill there is also another way, available at your local aquarium retail outlets everywhere. The anti algae bottle to control algae in fish tanks are often a solution of copper sulfate or a buffered form of copper chloride. Those are applied two or three time to the area and repeated weekly application should be more than enough. They outperform all doctor's med on fungus treatment and for less than 1/20th of the price. Fungus and ringworms major weakness are borax, and copper. There are others, but this would be best tested so far. A borax and copper solution is another possibility. Basically you will add saturated borax to the anti-algae bottle, (often it is light transparent blue in color, usually it is copper sulfate - but they don't label as such, but this is usually the case). The apply this solution to the feet or areas where there is ringworm for external application only. As far as I know this has worked better than any doctors med for topical ringworm applications.
Tea Tree Oil
Posted by Krenee (Oregon) on 11/24/2006
★★★★★
I had a very bad case of ringworm that I got from a friend's cat. I tried everything to get rid of it, baking soda, calamine lotion, ++ nothing worked and it got worse. I went to the emergency room of the hospital, because it had spread down my leg and looked terrible and the itch was driving me crazy. . They prescribed me a ointment and after spending close to $300 it did not work. I told a friend about it and she went online for me and found that pure tea tree oil extract is a homeopathic alternative. I would have tried anything to get rid of it. I ran to the store and bought the purest little bottle I could find. I rubbed a small amount of the oil on my infected skin reapplied every so often, and I kid you not, in two day it was pretty much all cleared up! It stopped the speeding and caused what was there to dry up and my skin was healing. I was hooked. I heard it is used for acne and helps mosquito bites dry up fast without drying out your skin. I now carry it when ever I travel. Please try this. It really works! I good bottle cost about $8 and will last a very long time.
Garlic
Posted by Eddie (Ft Lauderdale, FL) on 09/19/2006
★★★★★
I applied pure garlic oil directly on the ringworm patch. I also took Garlic oil capsuls internally to cleanse the bloodstream. This worked for me.
Bee Propolis, Iodine Topically
Posted by Katzie (Calgary, Canada ) on 04/21/2023
★★★★★
Iodine for Ringworm
I have had what I had thought was simply an enlarged pore or scar on my cheek, right next to my nose. I tried acv, pure hydrogen peroxide 10%, colloidal silver and other things; this is why I thought it was simply a scar or something.
I found a neat product called Bee Propolis w/Iodine Tincture, so I put 2 drops onto it and only the infected area went dark. Did this 2x/day for 4-5 days and then it was all gone. Amazing stuff!
