Ringworm
Natural Remedies

Top Natural Cures for Ringworm: Quick & Easy Remedies

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.

Remedies That Didn't Work

3 User Reviews
1 star (3) 
  100%

Posted by T3 (Chicago, IL) on 01/04/2009
★☆☆☆☆

I took baths with the vinegar stuff and that didn't work, athlete's foot creme, not working, back to applying the vinegar. I do not have itching or dark rings around the circle, i don't see any white in between. Dr. said fungi, the ointment didn't work either. Now years later, no job or insurance still, I'm at a loss. Spreading more, now to my legs which, I do not touch the bumps then my legs. Now what about our insides, how are we being affected? I heard we need a anibiotic as well.

Mom thinks garlic pills everyday will help. If I can't reach on my back and the others do go away, I think it will come back. But when I took baths everyday in it, that didn't work anyway. It is ugly and embarrasing, can't ever let anyone see them. I also from coming back from FL started getting like heat rashes or bumps every time I sunbathed. I didn't have that in FL, or would I had I stayed. So I have 2 battles now and no insurance. I"m worried about my insides and my vision, is what I heard. I'm already half blind anyway, so this is not helping matters. Man, I stink of vinegar right now, everyone will be looking at me.

Replied by GJ
(Springfield, Ohio)
01/04/2009

T3from Chicago, are you sure what you have is ringworm? I have a niece who was told she had everything from ringworm to dermatitis to eczema. Much like you she battled it for several years with it spreading to different areas of her body. Certain foods and heat and sun exposure made it worse. Finally one very alert Pediatric Rheumatologist recognised her skin condition as Skin Lupus, confirmed by a skin biopsy.


Remedies That Didn't Work
Posted by Kevin (LA, US) on 05/20/2008
★☆☆☆☆

ringworm -- what has not worked for me: hydrogen peroxide, garlic, lamasil, vinegar, ashes. 5 failures


Remedies That Didn't Work
Posted by Ship (Wilmington, OH) on 12/15/2006
★☆☆☆☆

i have had ringworm since march of 2006 when i was crawling around a manure spreader for some photography shots. i first tried cutting it off and placing bleach on it at the recommendation of a wrestler. THAT HURT!! and it went away...for the summer. i suppose there were traces on my boots or something because in the fall it came right back, and it was spreading - three on each leg!. >so i steeped thyme and used the "tea paste" 2x a day, but that merely left it stagnant. it didn't grow but it didn't go away. i moved on to ginger, and instead of brewing it, i cut slices and taped it with duct tape to the spots. that was good until i went jogging and started sweating. o no! now i have ringworm and some crazy rash all around it caused by duct tape and sweat. i think i will try the cider vinegar solution and disinfect my boots and all my socks and pants. the end, or is it?

Replied by Ted
(Bangkok, Thailand)
392 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.

Replied by Mylisa
(California)
12/05/2015

Hi! Apple Cider Vinegar WITH the Mother will work but you have to apply it daily, several times a day AND eliminate all sugar you can from your diet. Look up an anti-candida (yeast) dietary plan. It's tough but it works. And Antibiodics will make it WORSE@!! NOOOOOO antibiotics unless you want to have more resistance to killing it for good. Also wash all your bedding and clothing well and keep washing your hands well too. It's a nightmare and takes forever to cure. YOu can also ask your DR. for an antifungal which is my next step. Coconut oil works too, unrefined but it's messy so use a shower cap over night. I haven't tried it yet but in small amounts but know it works from friends. Good luck!!! See a Naturopath instead of a regular DR. if you can too. :) They know what they're doing. Most of them anyway. :)


Reptile Light

1 User Review
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Posted by Lynn (Ann Arbor, Michigan) on 01/27/2012
★★★★★

My son has had recurring ringworm in a couple spots (thigh and forearm). It always seems to flare up in the fall and get better when he can get sun on it (which is nearly impossible in a Michigan winter). We decided to try a reptile light bulb available at a pet store (it has UVA and heat). We put the bulb in a small lamp fixture and he held his arm above it for 10-15 minutes a day and it worked like a charm. He was also using the Absorbine for the week or so prior to this, and that helped somewhat, but the reptile light really made a difference. The skin was clear after 5 or 6 days.


Ringworm Remedies

Posted by Naturalrush (Toronto, Canada) on 09/26/2013

Ringworm help please. I have what the doctor says is ringworm. It seems to be fading (slowwwly) with clotrimazole. However after reading everyone's posts here it seems it always comes back or becomes resistant? What can I do right now to aid the healing process. I am going crazy with this, afraid to touch my own face etc. I have three spots, all on my legs.

Also, if you see a pimple like bump what can you do right away to keep it from developing/getting worse?

Can anyone speak to there being any truth that you need to take on an anti candida like diet :S seems extreme

Replied by Dave
(Fountain Inn, Sc)
09/27/2013

To Naturalrush/ Canada:

Greetings...the joys of killing a fungus. Not.

Know what you're going thru. Ringworm is persistent and I've used a lot of different things to counter attack: Success with Epsom Salts... Disolve the mag sulfate in water leaving it graney and take the paste and rub vigorously if you like on the infected spot. It sure feels good too if itching. Just let it dry. Again a few hours later. Then apply borax; as in 20 Mule Team Borax, which has boron in it. Let dry. Again apply an hour later and let dry.

That is a three day protocol. If the fungus is in the system then you'll see the infection re emerge at different skin locations as ringworm seeks the skin and I'm thinking (maybe wrong but I think not) that the fungus if in the blood stream will seek out its favorite "home" which is the skin.

So to kill it system wide; colloidal silver taken daily over a two month period with alternating doses of bentonite clay or charcoal... You can get the clay in health food stores in pill form and also the charcoal in powder form. I know charcoal is in powder canisters also but I've only used it to take internally by pill. Either way, powder disolved in water or in pill form it's a good cleanser.

By the way, you might try using charcoal and clay... Either one... Topically too if the epsom salts/boron aren't doing the trick. CS also topically might work. I'd combine CS with DMSO if you are going to use topically to get it deep into the skin layers to the root system of the fungus.

Dave

Replied by Dave
(Fountain Inn, Sc)
09/27/2013

To Natural rush in Canada re ringworm (fungus) cures:

I posted about using "clay" and incorrectly said you can take that by capsule... and was talking also about charcoal. NO. The clay you mix in water and disolve and drink or make a more solid paste to apply topically. Over the years I've used CHARCOAL in pill form not clay in pill form. You can also make a paste out of charcoal and apply topically.

So sorry. And I do proof my posts three times before sending. I'll have to start proofing four times. (Or stop writing in the middle of the night... Which is when I am most alert... I thought.)

Dave

Replied by Naturalrush
(Toronto, Canada)
09/27/2013

Thank you for your reply! When you say let the epsom salt dry do you mean for a few minutes then wash off? I cant imagine just leaving it on lol. I have no clue what the heck borax is, will look into it. Will taking ACV orally help kill the fungus internally? I already have it at home (with 'the mother') Have you gotten rid of your ringworm successfully?

Replied by KT
(Usa)
09/28/2013

When my daughter had one, a nurse practitioner told me to use some miconazole cream. I don't remember how long I kept applying it but it worked. She only had the one.

Replied by Dave
(Fountain Inn, Sc)
09/28/2013

Hello again Naturalrush: In re Ringworm; you let the Epsom compress (just a thick mix of a tablespoon of epsom salts with enough water to disolve... But expect it to be a bit lumpy. Now apply as a compress, just spoon it onto the rash site and let dry for twenty minutes. You can leave longer until completely dry and then wash off. Hours later repeat as described in prior post.

Best to you,

Dave

Replied by Theresa
(Mpls., Mn)
10/08/2013

Hey there!

I am sorry you are going through this process.

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.


Ringworm Vs Pityriasis Rosea

Posted by Tatsiana (Columbus, GA) on 04/24/2009

Hi everybody - this is a great site with probably very helpful advices on how to get rid of ringworm. HOWEVER, it might not be a ringworm you're fighting! There is a very very similar skin condition called Pityriasis Rosea, and the initial outbreak on the skin looks EXACTLY like ringworm (most often it's on the chest or back). But it is not caused by fungus - that's why none of anti-fungi medication helps to clear it up. I got it about a month ago, figured it was a ringworm, started applying over the counter anti-fungul cream, did it for a week with absolutely no change in condition, during the second week I got little spots all over the body, got scared, tried to get an appointment with dermatologist, but was told that next available would be in a month or so (for a new patient), so I went to emergency room where doctor confirmed that it was a ringworm (without any tests though), and prescribed stronger cream and also antibiotic. I took antibiotics and started applying new cream which seemed to aggravate my rashes even more, they became bright read in color. That's when I found this web site, and I started trying every remedy, one after another - tea tree oil, ACV, white vinegar, nail polish, liquid bandaid, garlic - which badly burned my skin. I was thinking about clorox bleach already but skin was already burnt by garlic, so I was pretty desperate - I went to dermatologist's clinic and cried and begged they get me an appointment. I finally got to see the doctor, who took a few scrapings, looked under the microscope, and told me it was not a ringworm but PITYRIASIS ROSEA which is very often mistaken for ringworm. So look up that condition on the internet, and if you are fighting uphill battle with what you think is ringworm, you might find that you have totally different condition, which is not contageous because it's not caused by fungus, and the treatment is a steroid shot (optional) and steroid cream. I hope this information will help somebody.

EC: Images of Pityriasis Rosea on Google search here.


Rubbing Alcohol

5 User Reviews
5 star (5) 
  100%

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).


Rubbing Alcohol
Posted by Lady Mars (Lithia, Fl) on 04/10/2015
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

Hi, I live in hot and humid Florida so every now and then get a touch of athlete's foot or other form of ringworm. Have tried many things over the years, with aloe vera being one of the best at relieving the itch but so-so at curing it completely. Decided to try rubbing alcohol since that was the highest rated remedy on EC. Just rub it on a couple times a day. Cures the itching quickly and dries it up. Works the best of anything I've ever tried.

Replied by Om
(Hope, Bc Canada)
04/10/2015

TURMERIC works best. The dry powder.


Rubbing Alcohol
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.


Rubbing Alcohol
Posted by Jqueen (Atlanta, Ga, 30309) on 06/20/2011
★★★★★

Try rubbing alcohol for ring worms. I got one a few months ago and was going crazy trying to look for fungus cream until I said forget it and tried rubbing alcohol. Gone in a few days.


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.


Rubbing Alcohol, Clotrimazole Cream

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Lin (Haverhill, MA) on 05/10/2022
★★★★★

I treated my ringworm with rubbing alcohol and clotrimazole cream and it cleared up in about two weeks. I tried cleaning the area before applying the cream with hydrogen peroxide, tea tree oil, then apple cider vinegar, but the rubbing alcohol seems to have been effective. After cleaning, I'd put a glob of the cream and cover it for 48 hours with a waterproof bandage (the Nexcare Max Hold Waterproof bandages are great), repeated for a few weeks and it's almost completely cleared up. Also tried the clear nail polish for a few days, to no avail.


Salt

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Hawaiian_nut (Honolulu, Hi, Usa) on 01/15/2012
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

I had a small outbreak of ringworm after working at a feral cat sanctuary after only 1 day, needless to say that the fungus is highly contagious.. Anyhow, the woman at the sanctuary told me she was applying coconut oil to the cats to treat the ringworm.

When I had it, I started to apply the coconut oil. Next day, it got bigger. Tried it again, and again it got bigger. My sister recommended putting iodine, it didn't make it go away, but also didn't make it get bigger. I started thinking to myself.. ok, fungi like moisture, no wonder the oil is making it spread, the iodine doesn't quite dry it out, so what dries things out...salt!

I took a bottle cap that was roughly the same size as the ringworm, filled it with salt, and put just enough warm water to melt it into a pasty liquid form, I then stuck the whole lid onto the ringworm and let the salt paste soak into it for 5-10 minues (can tape it on so it doesnt move). Then I took it off, let it dry, and reapplied it later, few times a day. The fungus dried up in 2-3 days and was completely gone, though the new skin needed a week or so to heal the pigmentation.


Shampoo Brush, Coconut Oil

1 User Review
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  100%

Posted by Robyn (Abingdon, MD) on 02/02/2009

21 Month Old With Scalp Ringworm: My 10 yr old son had dreadlocks for 6 yrs of his life. Once we cut his locks, we noticed that he had ringworm. So, for the past 4 yrs, we've been going back and forth trying to get rid of these things. They never have spread to any other part of his body...I've had good results with the hydrogen peroxide, apple cider vinegar shampoo and the tea trea oil, lavender oil, and sweet almond oil conditioner; however, my younger son (21 months) has recently had a few circular spots on his hair (short hair)...I began with the same thing I'd been doing for my son last night. Also, my daughter has scaly spots on her head every now and then, but if you go to scratch them, they come up very easity and the skin looks healthy underneath the scaliness. I don't know if thats related to what the boys are experiencing. She also has a few little bumps around her the front of her hairline. I use the acv on her head every week--she has very long thick hair. We're african american. But I was wondering if I should do something more. I don't know if it is now systemic. We don't use any other supplements, etc. Please help us!

Replied by Pam
(Huntsville, AL)
02/03/2009
★★★★★

Robyn, my four year old had ringworm on his arm and black walnut tincture from the health food store has cleared it up in less than two weeks. As far as your daughter, are you chemically straightening her hair or pressing it? I was a stylist for many years and saw a lot of what you are describing. What I would say is go to the beauty supply store and get a shampoo brush. When you shampoo her hair use the brush on her scalp with light pressure in a circular motion. This will stimulate scalp circulation. Also coconut oil applied to the scalp overnight and before any straightening will help clear the dry patches. If you find the coconut oil is too heavy,try sweet almond. if you are using petroleum jelly on her scalp and aroud her hair line this could be causing the little bumps. Hope this helps.

Replied by Mike
(Amsterdam, Europe)
02/25/2013

Try N___ shampoo containing ketoconazole. I heard they have taken it out of a lot of pharmacies, not sure why. I've been using it as by accident I found on a forum looking for tinea versicolor sures that it has a side affect of growing hair, and then found on hairloss forums a LOT off comments (and some research) that it can make hair thicker. I had dandruff for years, and also my hair grows so slow and it's so thin you can see my scalp right though my hair. Anyway: though it stings a bit, and you should look out for any side effects, it IS an antifungal also prescribed for ringworm! And so I reccomend trying it. For me: I got rid of my dandruff! My theory: some fungussus can just live there for years in your hair and in my case make my hair quality worse... Now I feel much better, even if I don't use it anymore for a while now.

Replied by Zsuzsi
(Ireland)
07/21/2017

Hi Robyn, it s been a few years,, did you manage to get rid of it? We're now struggling with the same, big bald spot on my 5 year old son's head..working with nizoral shampoo, apple cider vinegar, neem oil with tea tree in it..didn't want to start giving him the drug that the doctor described.so just thought I d ask how the natural approached worked for your boys..?


Sunlight

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Jen (Wilmington, De) on 08/03/2017
★★★★★

I read somewhere that ringworm thrives in dark damp places. I put direct sunlight on it...all that was needed was maybe 2-3 mins of direct sunlight over several days. The sooner you do it the quicker it'll heal. The cream really wasn't quick enough at all.



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