Top Natural Cures for Ringworm: Quick & Easy Remedies
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I tried this the last time I got ringworm and it didn't work at ALL! Not only that, it burned my skin horribly and made it worse. Wish I'd never tried it. And I am not ACV sensitive, by the way. What finally cleared it up was simple OTC athlete's foot cream. You can find it at most dollar stores and all pharmacies. Gone in 4 days, no pain, no scars.
Tea tree oil, applied only twice a day not only made the itch go away instantly, but the ringworm went too, in about a couple of weeks. (this was skin ringworm, a proper little circle on my tummy). Same place, same thing for my daughter, tea tree worked again).
I wish my son's scalp healed from it too,, but it's more complicated this time I'm afraid.
Posted by Quadshield (Prattsville, Arkansas) on 09/13/2016 ★★★★★
One of the easiest quickest and cheapest way I've ever found to treat ringworm and athletes foot is iodine. Not the kind you get at the pharmacy but 7%. You get at a farm supply or feed store for use on farm animals. Human iodine is I think 3%. Those are both fungal infections so not positive on mange if it's from a mite but worth a shot.
Posted by Canadianguy (Victoria, Bc) on 03/16/2018 15 posts
Well it kept returning! I also used a doctor prescribed cream after this, which seemed to work better (way slower, but with a longer effect) but it came back then too. I thought maybe reinfection wasn't external, so I got some pills that have been keeping it away - I think by improving immunity. They are beta-glucans with larch arabinogalactans. They are kinda cheap too, as I only take 1 daily despite instructions.
Well, these two posts above are me, and I got lazy and distracted, so I stopped using all these things. I found that liquid (called fractionated) works really well as it is so antifungal. It's cheaper too.
Posted by Some Guy (Las Vegas, Nv) on 06/09/2016 ★★★★★
Alternating 91% alcohol and ACV worked for my jock itch which is ringworm. Diligent generous applications daily/2x for about 3 weeks worked to slowly get rid of it. I now think I have it on my scalp and beard but the fumes from washing them in alcohol make it inappropriate to treat a large area. Possibly have residual excema conditions along with it. I have tried all OTC nuetragena products, rose hip oil, occasional ACV, and some concoction of all of them...to no avail and left with dry skin. I am now using tea tree and it seems to only control the symptoms. Scalp is tough to treat once it starts to spread. Dabbing alcohol seems to help on my beard and hairline where I can see the red patches of dry skin but alcohol does not kill spores (acv supposedly does).
Posted by Tg (Central Florida) on 04/25/2016 ★★★★★
Firstly, thank you for this site!! I wanted to pass on an alternative to Apple Cider Vinegar for ringworm that works for me.
As soon as you feel it spreading (for me that is it starts to itch), treat the spot with full strength Thieves essential oil. I keep rubbing in until the itch stops. May burn slightly but you can tell this is a good burn:) Then I cover the area with castor oil. It seems to prevent the spores from coming back immediately.
Repeat as necessary but for me a few applications even for the largest new spots seemed to work.
Posted by Priscilla (Columbia, Md) on 01/02/2016 ★★★★☆
I have had ringworm all my life. It only happens when the outside temperature drop below 60. When I went on the Paleo diet for 30 days my ringworm when away. I also use black cumin seed oil. It takes the itching away very fast and dries it up. But it will come back. But as long as I eat paleo the ringworm stays away. Basically eating fresh is very easy and I never felt better.
Posted by Robert Henry (Ten Mile , Tn. ) on 07/21/2015
HI U DAWN, , , , , , , , , Buy Walnut tincture and the game is over. I just dice up a walnut that we have on our farm. You city slickers have to buy all this stuff. Us rural Rednecks have all this in abundance.
Posted by Alex (Orange County) on 04/09/2015 ★★★★★
I had a bout of ringworm on my leg a few years ago and after using straight tea tree oil, it seemed to get angry and infected. Coincidentally, I had a trip booked to Cancun and when I arrived, my lower leg was very swollen from the infection, including a good size sore that was also oozing pus. I used calamine lotion to deal with the itching in the meantime. Call it instinct, but I felt that spending as much time in the ocean would help heal and eliminate the problem. Not only was it enjoyable to be wading in warm, clear, salty water, but like magic, my leg started to heal. After a few days, it was completely gone. After 3 years, I developed another bout and I'm treating it with peroxide, iodine, oregano oil, and ACV. I initially used Tea tree oil and it got angry and red, (infection). It's been slow going but the combination of the above seems to be working. I sure wish I was in Cancun now! I may try the local beach if I can find the time.
Just so that everyone knows, ringworm is a viral skin infection and not an actual worm. L-Lysine is helpful as well for anti-viral and skin health. You can take a large dosage the first day - I take a few thousand mg, then one or two tabs a day after that.
Posted by Benjamin (Las Vegas, Nevada) on 03/03/2015
Your experience is very similar to mine. At one point I think I got a secondary infection that caused pus sores and extreme pain. After a round of internal antifungal and antibiotics, which I normally avoid like the plague, I was back to regular ringworm, (which has been a nightmare in itself) in the groin with postules. I read about on a Ted posting and have found that applying peroxide several times a day has helped immensely and I finally see a light at the end of the tunnel. I usually start my day out for the last week anyway by warming up a gallon of 3% peroxide and sitting in it in a basin and splashing it over affected areas that are not submersed. I suppose you could spray it on as well and should several times a day to cure it. As it is on my backside, thighs, groin, etc., I try and do the soak also I'm sure you could use over the counter peroxide with the stabilizers but I had a gallon of 35% food grade peroxide that I make my own with using distilled water. I would also probably start with 1 or 2% then move up to 3%. I actually funnel the used peroxide back into a closed container and have used it for several days. I just put the jug in a pot of hot water on the stove to warm it before use, for comfort and added absorbtion. I figure there are no surviving germs in it and it has been cost effective and cured me a lot. I am thinking to follow the protocol of drinking diluted peroxide in distilled water as well as an added measure in this fight. I did it years ago. One should be very careful to follow the instructions exactly, I believe if you choose the internal approach as well. I hope this helps you as it has me.
This is a seasonal cure for ringworm, but it has worked every time I have seen it tried!!! You take a walnut with the green shell still on it and peal off a thin layer to expose the " what I call husk meat" and rub the juice oozing from it on the affected area.? It will burn a bit and stain the skin, but IT WORKS!!!!!!!!
The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.
About Theresa
Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.
Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.
Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and fueled her quest for the knowledge held in lore, and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.
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How To Show Theresa Your Appreciation
If you would like to thank Theresa for her helpful posts, she asks if you would please consider making a donation to one of her favorite local rescue organizations, or by making a donation to help the genius contributor, Ted from Bangkok, recover from his stroke.
I have not had ringworm myself, but I did manage to rescue a kitten from a goat shed on a farm and sucessfully infect my pack of 6 dogs with ringworm that came from the kitten. The kitten went on to a rescue group and my dogs were left with these funny spots! The first veterinarian wanted to culture the spots for a definitive diagnosis, stating the Wood's lamp only flouresced 50% of the time; the second vet used the Wood's lamp and viola! We saw bright apple green spots flowing under the light. How silly; while only 50% of ringworm species glow under a Wood's lamp or black light, a remarkable 50% DO. I suggest a first step for you would be to see if the species you have glows under the black light - if you can spot the color your species glows you are that much ahead in removing the spores from your home and stopping any reinfection from occuring.
What I did to contain a potentially massive outbreak in my house was to paint all the ringworm spots on the dogs with fingernail polish; some folks suggested liquid bandage but that is a breathing membrane: what you want to do is suffocate the fungus and clear fingernail polish does a good job. So, I painted clear fingernail polish on all the dogs spots daily - this for 7-10 days.
I then got all the dog bedding, and since I sleep with my dogs, my bedding too, and washed in bleach; I washed my pajamas and bedding on a daily basis for the next 10 days.
Next, since the species of fungus my dogs had glowed green, I got a black light and some duct tape. I waited until night, turned out all the lights so I was in pitch black, and then went over all the areas in my house the dogs had access to; anything that glowed green I stickied up with the duct tape. Some people purchase high power vacuum cleaners such as Dirt Devil's and then once they vacuum the beejeezus out of their homes discard the unit; I found that duct tape had all the sticking power I needed and did not resort to infecting and discarding a vacuum unit. Once I was certain my furniture was clean and floors were good, I turned on the lights and then put sheets and covers on the furniture that I could easily wash on a daily basis; if its just you infected and no pets, you may not need to go to the extremes of covering your furniture and washing sheets daily. I did a quick nightly inspection with the black light the first week to ensure any spores that were shed from any critter were promptly removed.
Then, on a nightly basis I would take each dog into the hallway and close the doors and turn off the lights - and then go over the dog with the black light. Areas that were about to 'bloom' glowed faintly, while active open sores glowed brightly. I painted each area with the fingernail polish daily - this quickly quashed any new sores and stopped the open sores from shedding spores.
Given that I had 6 dogs at the time that all got infected from the rescue kitten, I was looking at a potential nightmare with no end in sight. But being able to see the spores with the black light saved me time, money, and aggravation and quickly nipped my dogs ringworm infections in the bud and successfully avoided getting contaminated myself.
Posted by Slim (Washington, Dc) on 07/22/2013 ★★★★★
I also used rubbing alcohol on a ringworm patch I had on my arm some years ago. I applied alcohol everytime I could think to. I think it just dried it up and it went away. I never had that problem again.
Posted by Aries Gyal (Hartford, Ct) on 02/24/2013 ★★★★★
For about a month and a half I had a rash that started mysteriously around Xmas, and I wasn't sure what it was or how I got it. At first it started as bumps then the bumps turned into rings... And then I knew it was ringworm. And it covered my arms, torso, and legs. Pretty much I was devestated. The first rememdy of coconut oil and lavendar oil didn't do too much. It seemed to dry out the parts of the rash which wasn't but didn't do too much to help kill it. I then went on to use Lotrimin which was fine, but something told me to search for more. I then found this site and saw the information on Menthol and Wormwood Oil ... Needless to say its been a day and I'm already seeing results as well as using tea tree oil on the affected areas. I'm amazed this is working so well, plus it seems to help with the itching which has been a huge bane. THANK YOU For this information. Ringworm on this level is very harsh to deal with and effects self esteem... I'm very certain this method will kill this issue. :)
Posted by Davidcoolbreeze (Nashville, Tennessee, U.s.a.) on 07/23/2013 ★★★★★
I had a fungus on my face in two places for years. The fungus appeared to be ringworm. Had a doctor look at it but wasn't a dermatitis doc. I found a prescription creme that made it go away but never killed it. It makes it go away for weeks then comes back "Clotrimazole and Betamethasone Dipropionate Creme USP", which has steroids in it, so I didn't want to take it if I didn't have to. Around May 2013 I was in Natural Grocery Store and bought a product that since I started applying it, has made my fungus completely go away for months now. It is a product made by NoMiss LTD, which the main ingredient is "IODINE". It is a miracle cure! I want to thank EarthClinic for all of the info I have used for years with natural cures!
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.
My son had been suffering from ringworm for about a month and it seemed anything that we tried didn't make a dent. With him being right in the middle of football season we were afraid it might cost him a good part of the season. After doctor visits and prescriptions not working we were losing hope. I then stumbled over this website talking about Absorbine Jr. curing ringworm. After reading other testimonials I thought it worth a try. Let me tell you it is amazing! Why doctors don't recommend this is beyond me. In about a weeks time he is a thousand times better. Be warned it does burn like a mother when it is applied but it works! Don't waste time with other treatments, this is it!
Posted by Muttmom (Emery, Sd, Usecounchm) on 09/13/2012
A bug bites started to get a ring of pustules around it so we started treating it as ringworm with TTO, ACV, and astringents. Absorbine turned the circle black and it sloughed off but continued to grow on the outer edge. At 1 1/2 inches we put on sliced garlic for 20 min. Which burned it. When the scab came off there was good skin unerneath. Still grew so we tried aloe and then slapped on and covered it with plastic. The next day all lumps were gone and there was a purplish flat 2" scar. Thought I had it licked. Then another circle started above the scar. (beloe knee). We went to a Derm. BIG MISTAKE!! She diagnosed impetigo over ringworm. Ignored all my symptoms and refused to do a scraping. Kept questioning her diagnosis. She said Bagbalm just sooths, doesn't cure anything. For 2 months we used the RXs mupirocin, (still refused scraping for fungus) Nystatin, Ciclopirox, and Lotramin Ultra. It got large red lumpy, oozy and crusty. Next DR insisted on biopsy. This showed no fungus or bacteria- suggested nummular (discoid) eczema. We put vaseline around the biopsy holes and all the crud sloughed off so we put it on the whole messed and the next day it was a flat purple scar like when we used Bagbalm 4 months ago. Drs were totally against home remedies and said info on the internet is dangerous. They never said to use emollients , just a steroid rx. So I treated it myself with vaseline. So if anti fungals do not work for you try an emollient because Ringworm looks like discoid eczema. Good luck. Hope I can save people from my 8 mo. Ordeal and $800 bills. Dr steered me in the opposite direction from what my gut felt. His last comment was Bagbalm is not a magic cure and walked out ( Dr have such an ego)
I went through such a horrible experience with what I thought was ringworm, that I wanted to share my story in hopes to save people from what I went through:
My first spot appeared in August 2012 on my stomach, at first I thought it was a bad insect bite that just wasn't subsiding, but it slowly grew and started to look like ringworm. I had had ringworm earlier in my life from playing with barn kittens, and showed to the spot to my parents, who confirmed it was ringworm. I went to a CVS and purchased some lotrimin, as directed by the internet. a month in the lotrimin did nothing, new spots were apearing, on my upper thigh, back, but and 1 behind the knee.
When the over the counter meds weren't working, I finally decided to go to a doctor, who after a quick visual inspection confirmed it was ringworm, sent me off with a topical and oral fluconizole because it was so wide spread. No results after three weeks, so I went to another physician.
This doctor took scrapings to do a KOH test, and a live culture. Perscribed me oral lamisil (TERRIBLE for your liver) and another stronger anti fungal topical. 3 weeks later, the spots grew larger, continued to flake and occasionally itch. Both tests came back negative.
I decided to take the matters to a learned dermatologist- a supposed expert on skin conditions. Once again, diagnosed as ringworm, with a positive KOH test ON SITE. I was distraught- ready to try ANYTHING. She prescribed me "the strongest topical antifungal there is, there is no way this won't work- naftin cream"
Naturally I went on EC and read positive reviews for nail polish, bleach and ACV. I even started going to an accupuncturist. Bleach and ACV did nothing... I used 1:3, 1:1 or straight bleach on one spot behind my knee (it actually worked! ), but it was really painful, and I was afraid to use iton the larger, more sensitive areas affected.
Two weeks later I was back in her office, in tears, they had only gotten worse, the strongest cream in the world had not worked, I was ready to take a bleach bath. The doctor was puzzled and I ended up getting a biopsy. 7 days later the results were in - ECZEMA.
She prescribed me a strong steroid cream. the spots were 90% better OVERNIGHT, and 100%, with the exception of some minor skin discoloration in 1 week.
Prior to seeing all three doctors, I informed them that my mother has eczema, and if there was anyway this was some type of eczema, they all dismissed me.
I went through 3.5 months of absolute hell thinking I had incurable ringworm. I couldn't focus on anything buy ringworm, I tried naturasil, and neem products (all of which I was refunded for :) ). and spend hundreds of dollars on other remedys, creams etc etc.
If after a month, your "ringworm" isn't responding to anything, ask your doctor to "try" a steroid cream. They are often hesitant to perscribe them, because if it was actually ringworm, it makes it even worse.
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