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.
Tea Tree Oil
Posted by Dizpo (Peace River, Ab, Canada) on 07/09/2014
★★★★★
Re: Jock Itch
Rubbing alcohol (75% isopropyl alcohol) worked just great, but since moisture is BAD you may as well 99% isopropyl alcohol, if available. I used this with major burning during the first few days. Alcohol messes with your skin pH so I followed up with white vinegar. When dry, I followed this up with a 50/50 mix of emu oil (a natural carrier that actually penetrates the skin) with coconut oil (a natural antifungal agent). I did this treatment twice a day. Symptoms were gone in 8 days. I kept it up 30 days for good measure, though for the last 10-days I substituted tea tree oil for coconut oil - it's a stronger antifungal. Again, 50/50 tea tree and emu oils. No trace of this irritating nightmare remains.
Tea Tree Oil
Posted by Crosel (Toronto, On) on 11/21/2013
★★★☆☆BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS
I used a drop of tea tree oil on my jock itch and I was really impressed. I felt a burn and an immediate change in the condition of the jock itch. As soon as I stopped feeling the burn I reapplied more tea tree oil. As a result, my jock itch is less severe but it's bigger than before. I would give it a YEA, BUT NOT CURED. OR YEA BUT MADE IT WORSE.
Lastly, I would advise anyone using this stuff to use it sparingly and just wait it out. That's what I'm doing now. Hopefully I'll get back to normal!
Borax
Posted by Merk (Frigid, Land O' Ice) on 06/26/2013
★★★★☆
Jock Itch: Buy a box of Borax (the old "20 Mule Team").
Fill an old pill container with the borax and store the rest of the box. A whole box of Borax will be enough to last many years.
After your shower, while the skin is still damp, dip a finger in the jar of Borax and dab it on the affected areas. If fungus is in the groin area, one finger dip per side. You need very very little of this stuff, a small pill bottle full lasts me months.
Fungus thrives in dark, damp high pH environments. The Borax is boric acid and applying this to the skin lowers the pH of the skin making it slightly acidic (the way skin should be) and inhospitable to the fungus.
Do this once a day after your shower and continue as an everyday routine. The athletes foot or jock itch will be gone in about two days. However, if you skip a couple of days it will come roaring back.
Borax
Posted by Lori (North Carolina) on 03/18/2014
Borax is NOT boric acid. Borax is a form but has a different chemical make up.
Borax
Posted by Kyle (Ontario) on 05/09/2016
Confirmed borax is not boric acid... it does have anti-viral properties. It has BORON in there, not boric acid.
Lemon
Posted by Louwrence (Rustenburg, North West, South Africa) on 03/01/2013
Hi Jaya, Urine works quicker.
Black Walnut Juice or Tincture
Posted by Raindeer (Mt. Tremper, Ny) on 02/12/2013
★★★★★
black walnut for crotch rot: juice from hull of a black walnut applied at least 3 times over 3 days or more... stings.
or black walnut vinegar or alchohol tincture holds it in remission for a while.
Black Walnut Juice or Tincture
Posted by Roec (Los Angeles) on 02/13/2013
★☆☆☆☆WARNING!
OMG!!! Do not apply black walnut juice directly from the hull to any part of your skin undiluted!! It will cause a nasty burn and stain more like a wound that will last for up to 3 of 4 weeks.
While making a tincture I splashed a few drops on my arm and hand and it looked like a chemical burn which took some time to heal.
The black walnuts I use are the species native to southern California and may be stronger than the common English black walnut I'm not sure however, I do not recommend applying the juice from the black walnut as it also causes deep staining when the active substance Juglone is oxidized from air exposure. It will also stain your fingernails for weeks!
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Timh (KY) on 01/21/2015 2042 posts
TW: Candida is probably the most covered topic here at E.C., and many people are receiving help after undergoing drudgery of infection like your personal testimony.
Bill Thompson has covered most every angle on this subject in his book Killing So Sweetly.
If I might quickly add some additional remedies to your list which have proven effective.
1. Zapping & Colloidal Silver combo rotation.
2. Turpentine or Kerosene https://www.earthclinic.com/remedies/turpentine-kerosene.html
3. Kefir (said to be many times more powerful than yogurt)https://www.earthclinic.com/remedies/kefir.html
Oregano Oil
Posted by Ed (Baltimore, Md) on 10/21/2012
★★★★★
When your tired of keeping your fungal infection around as a pet try Oregano oil, at whatever strength best suits your desire to get rid of it. I used 3 drops straight then washed it off because of pain, regrouped and put one drop on after applying vaseline where I did not want to treat. It caused a lot of redness, pain and a layer of dead skin formed by the next day; but once the dead skin peeled off I could see it was cured. Treated again just to be sure.
Gold Bond Powder
Posted by Mark Degenius (Tenafly, NJ) on 10/07/2012
★☆☆☆☆
Don't waste your time with Gold Bond's. You will see it dissapear very quickly and then come back right away. Gold Bond only impacts the symptoms, not the underlying cause. I've been applying ACV 2-3 times a day to my scrotum over the past 3 days and the area of infection has become very inflamed and slightly scabbing. Not sure if this is part of the process but will try it for 3-4 more days.
Rubbing Alcohol
Posted by Steve (Needles, Ca) on 07/11/2012
★★★★★
Well I did pure alcohol and worked so far but I think ill get more stuff because I have the foot and groin action going on. Clean every day. I went through a stage of depression and only showered 1 time a month if that. Now that I shower or bathe this stuff came out like a monster. Must have been dormant. I'll let you all know what works. Believe me I have the full action and it sucks.
Garlic
Posted by Skateballer (Woodland Hills, US) on 04/08/2014
★★★★★
Garlic Did It!
After a battle that goes back six years, if remember correctly, I found a way on this site to cure this infection. Store brand creams never worked for me, they would just get rid of the symptoms but never fully cure me. I wasted years of time spent and hundreds of dollars on clomitrozonale, tinactin, lotramin, gold bond, based on popular site searches until I found this website about a year or so ago; and the real healing began. I tried rubbing alcohol which was the same as those topical creams except more painful. Vinegar which I thought would work but my symptoms always returned. Lemon juice which actually made the area more itchy. Oregano Oil which was incredibly painful and ended scorching my skin. ( Eventually the area shed like a snake) Talc powder, soothing but not curing and finally I found a post that really resonated with me. A user said that we all actually like this infection, how relieving it feels to scratch it, how you just become comfortable with it being a part of you, you never truly understand it...It takes an outside as well as inside approach to this infection to kill TC.
If you have had it for a long time like me it is not only on your outer skin but it is inside you feeding on your blood stream as well. After learning this I followed suit. I changed my diet, no more soda, beer, and barely any carbs. Just meat (fish, chicken) and veggies. I ordered some quadriderm which is a popular centrifugal outside the U.S that has tolnaftate like "tough actin Tinactin" and the fungicidal gentamicin but it did not burn like Tinactin, in fact it was like rubbing lotion on the area. Finally, I minced up a clove of garlic and downed it (it did burn in my stomach for a couple moments but it is tolerable) and this began my most successful healing process to date. I would eat a clove every two or three days and apply the quadriderm everyday once in the morning. When I had TC I used to spray super hot water on the area and that was the most relieving feeling, the water could be so hot, much hotter than I could withstand anywhere else on my body but it was one of the most gratifying feelings I have ever experienced, almost as gratifying as knowing that I have possibly defeated the infection. I can no longer spray the area with scalding hot water now and have gone weeks without experiencing a significant itch. I just may have conquered my Jock Itch thanks to the inside outside approach. Quadriderm on the outside and Garlic for my insides.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Yeastman (Poway, Ca, Usa) on 01/27/2012
★★★☆☆
Jock ItchL Applied apple cider vinegar 2-3 times daily and took a 1oz shot twice daily for about two weeks. ACV relieved itchy sensation for a few hours when applied externally, but did nothing to reduce the problem. Taken internally it just rotted the enamel on my teeth.
It seems to work for sufferers of yeast infections, so possibly it depends on the strain of fungus or severity.
Borax
Posted by Bigguy (Iowa City, Ia) on 09/24/2010
★★★★★
Tea tree oil worked for me on jock itch a couple of times where over the counter remedies failed. But the last time I tried it, I got a rash all over that wouldn't go away until I stopped using tea tree oil. Apparently, that is not an uncommon side-effect. A couple of weeks ago, I went for a run and kept my sweaty shorts and socks on while doing some yard work. By the end of the day, that old, familiar itch was back. Baah! After going through a couple of expensive tubes of Lamisil (and finding the relief to be increasingly fleeting), I found the discussion of Borax cures on this site. I knew that Borax was good for removing the mildew smell from old gym clothes, so I decided to give it a try. I dissolved about a cup of Borax in a big pot of hot water (maybe two gallons). I dipped a microfiber car rag in it (a wash cloth would do, if your wife doesn't mind you getting too familiar with it :)), and applied it to the affected area for a few minutes. Then I soaked my feet in the rest of the solution for half an hour. It felt great -- about a 60% improvement after one day, and 90% after two days. By day three, it's virtually cured, but I will keep it up for a few more days to make sure it's knocked out. There's no more itching or redness around my privates, and no more peeling skin on my feet. Be sure to toss a little Borax into your laundry to kill the tinea fungus on your socks and shorts. I also applied a bit of boric acid powder in the morning, as Wikipedia said it's effective for jock itch. I also figured that the alkaline Borax and acidic boric acid might deliver a 1-2 punch against any skin problems.
P. S., I have also suspended taking my hypertension medication (Lisinopril, an ACE inhibitor) until I'm sure this is cleared up. I found it would make me sweat more when exercising or eating spicy food. Staying dry is essential!
Swimming in a Chlorinated Pool
Posted by M.A.C. (Washington State, USA) on 05/24/2023
★★★★★
I remember having jock itch and using hydrogen peroxide and using a spray bottle with rubbing alcohol. I would spray under my ball-sack and it would burn like crazy for almost a minute. It would flake off and then come right back.
Someone told me to go to a local swimming pool, it was winter, so I chose an indoor pool. I swam for a good hour or so and for many years now it has been GONE. Just one time at the pool. I endured all that pain with spraying alcohol for nothing.
I now have what looks like jock itch / ringworm / eczema / psoriasis (one of these if not all) under my eyes. They have the typical round ring under both eyes. It started under just one eye and at first I just thought it was dry skin so I used castor oil and aloe vera gel (using the same finger like a dummy) under both eyes. It spread from one eye to the other. Now both have that same red ring under the eyes and if I scratch when it gets itchy, it'll be inflamed and red again for another day or two. It will then start to flake off and repeat.
I'm gonna go to the Swimming Pool again when they open on Memorial Day 2023 and report back if it clears up these rings under my eyes. I have high hopes.
Mouthwash
Posted by Petersen (Southampton, Uk) on 08/04/2009
★★★★★
Listerene (mouth wash) cured my Jock Itch.
I had Jock Itch for years and had tried the usual creams that they advertise, they didn't work. I read on a site somewhere to use Listerne, as I already had some in my bathroom cabinet I decided to give it a trial run.
I applied it to the area (and a bit further) after a shower in the morning, then in the evening before bed. Yes, at first it does burn a little, but after a while you get used to it and the burning does actually decrease (I assume because its working!). I basically nearly went through a whole bottle of the expensive Listerene, but I guess you could use the normal stuff. I have a feeling its the Menthol and/or maybe the Eucalyptol in the Mouth Wash that are the active ingredients.
*Please feel free to amend this email, I DO NOT work for the people who make Listerene! As I said I just have a feeling it was the active ingredients that worked and may exist in other mouth washes.
Thanks
Mouthwash
Posted by Jockitchsucksworsethantyphoid (Sydney, Australia) on 07/29/2011
★★★★☆
so I am currently suffering from this 'jock itch'(never had it b4) and I swear it is worse than anything I've ever gone through... (n I had gone thru a lot... Near death cases of food poisoning n typhoid) but this itch is unbearably annoying especially when u've got a busy week and work's piling up. I used an otc cloratrimizol or sth like that but it doesnt help the itch much and that's the worst part of this condition then I tried the mouthwash thing and it works well. I don't knw if it cures the condition(still having it... Just my first day of listerine treatment) but it definetly helps the itch although it burns when u apply the listerine but frankly I would gladly take burning and pain than itching. I've also decided to make a paste of the anti-fungal cream with the listerine just to be safe.... Let's see if it cures it... And thanks for the advice
Mouthwash
Posted by Ryan (Northern, Ca) on 07/02/2012
Day one: washed with dandruff shampoo, cleaned with listerine (artic mint), lotramine spray and sure deodorant. Looks inflamed. Will post more tomorrow.
Orange and Neem Oils, Borax and H2O2
Posted by Lon (Stanhope, NJ) on 04/18/2009
★★★★★
My twenty one year old son with Down syndrome has had jock itch since he went through puberty. Over the counter remedies didn't work. Essential oils such as eucalyptus and tea tree helped a little but not significantly, and irritated his already sensitive skin. More diluted mixtures to protect the skin weren't strong enough to help significantly. Eventually the skin became purplish gray (from chronic jock itch, according to the doctor). In addition, the skin on his entire body is always red, very dry and irritated looking.
Recently I had scabies and decided to treat my son in order to prevent him from catching them. The things I did differently than usual were to add some orange oil to his body wash and shampoo, use neem oil on his skin, and I soaked him twice in one week with Ted's borax/hydrogen peroxide soak (not too much peroxide) and left it on the skin. After about ten days, I brought him to the doctor to make sure he didn't have scabies. When the doctor examined his private area, he looked so surprised and commented about how much better my son's skin looked. In fact although still dry looking, the redness that pretty much covers his entire body is about eighty-five per cent gone! I realized that he hasn't been scratching lately either. I don't know which of the remedies contributed to his improvement, possibly a good combination of treatments. In fact it's early to tell, but he might even be completely cured of the jock itch. I chose the neem for it's anti-scaby benefits, but also because it's said to be kind to the skin. I had the impression from researching that neem eliminates scabies, over time, with consistent daily applications, not a one or two time application to be effective.
BTW, I enjoy sharing effective remedies, because we've been helped so much by the info on the site and i like to give back.
Gold Bond Powder
Posted by D. (Sc) on 01/30/2014
★☆☆☆☆WARNING!
DO NOT I repeat DO NOT use Gold Bond if you already have jock itch I used it for 2 days and I had and intense itch afterwards followed by inflammation. The worst idea ever.
Oregano Oil
Posted by Eric (Chandler, AZ) on 02/18/2023
Hydrocortisone cream shouldn't be used on jock itch. It just makes it worse. Sadly I am going through this at the moment. I made the mistake of using hydrocortisone cream on it. It had no affect as far as the itching is concerned and just made a small problem bigger. My remedies so far without success tea tree oil (made my skin peel and burns very bad on the second application), various antifungal creams and sprays with 1 percent active ingredient (tolnaftate, terbinafine hydrochloride, & clotrimazole), hydrogen peroxide 3 percent, and 1 cup table salt in bath water (might have been better to do it as 1 cup water to 1 cup table salt and spray it on). The antifungal creams did get the jock itch under control on my scrotum but not anywhere else. And that has spread to my rear. I am currently trying out isopropyl alcohol 91 percent. It does seem to have an affect on the red rash on my right inner thigh. Next up will be a mixture of oils (tea tree, neem, oreganol, tyme, eucalyptus, myrrh, and frankenscense).
Rubbing Alcohol
Posted by Hadtoshare (Slo, Ca/usa) on 01/14/2012
★★★★★
Rubbing alcohol 100% worked for me. I applied with cottonball saturated in in rubbing alcohol morning, noon and night. It burned a little with the first application, but for me it was not that bad at all. After first application I believe the fungus was gone (it stopped burning and appeared white and flaky, apparently dried up) but I am continuing to apply three times daily for a week or so to make sure I am cured. I am also treating my feet, (although I can't see any athlete's foot) just to ensure I knock this out once and for all. I read that most people with jock itch also have athletes foot and it could be the source for jock itch. Additionally, I am changing clothes frequently and laundering everything I wear daily. Treating shoes and socks for athletes foot as well.
I have been battling this for five months on and off and at last feel I am almost done with this thanks this site and rubbing alcohol, cheap and effective. The over the counter creams worked but as it kept returning I think I was missing areas. The alcohol being fluid covers more area faster, easier and neater. I prefer it over a cream and like the fact that it is so inexpensive as well. Thank you so so much to the people above for taking the time to post your experiences.
Rubbing Alcohol
Posted by Steve (Statesville, Nc, Usa) on 07/09/2012
★★★★★
This worked like a CHAMP. Thank you to those before me who recommended this. The initial sting lasts a brief second, especially if you've been scratching prior to use. After that it is an oh so wonderful feeling of relief. Multiple days of use have shown no more flare up and itching. I applied right after a shower with the alcohol dabbed onto a cotton facial pad, also called makeup removal pads. This is cheap, and it works.
Rubbing Alcohol
Posted by Mostlybetternow (Vancouver, Canada) on 08/31/2012
★★★★★
It stings, but it works. I saw the 8 yeas for Rubbing Alcohol and decided to give it a go. The creams weren't doing anything and I wanted a quick fix so I gave RA a shot. Burned like the dickens the first few applications on the raw spots but after only two days everything is starting to heal and things are lookin up in my world! Thanks Earth Clinic!
Rubbing Alcohol
Posted by Great Balls Of Fire (Orange, Ma) on 11/30/2012
Ok, so I have been trying the Cider Vinegar, and it works slowly, but it leave me itching way more, so I used epsom salts to cure that.. Just tried the selsun blue shampoo ( has an anti fungal in it) , then applied the isopropyl.. Whoa! I swear I saw the guy from the Hellraiser movie appear in my bathroom! Be prepared to call the name of your maker when you do this. I counted the longest 24 seconds of my life and the burn was gone. now we shall see if this is just some cruel joke or if it actually works.
Tea Tree Oil
Posted by Jamie (Cebu, Philippines) on 10/02/2007
★★★★★
It's a miracle i must say. Been suffering from jock itch for years. Tried oral meds, ointment, soap ..name it but nothing had worked.The itching go away for some time then it keeps' coming back.Feeling so hopeless i just accepted the fact that this cannot be cured until i encounter this website.I tried Tea Tree oil and applied on the infected area...with only ONE application..WOW no more itch...I cant believe that theres still hope for jock itch case.More power to this website...i love this website.
Vitamins and Turmeric
Posted by Gurgi (Glen Burnie, Maryland) on 02/23/2011
I have had Jock itch off and on for 20 years. After going swimming with my daughter at the local pool two to three times a week I noticed my issues went away completely. They stayed gone even after we stopped swimming. After four months of not swimming it slowly came back. So I have taken to bathing in the tub with a half cup of bleach water two to three times a week and had an amazingly fast results.
I have used over the counter, vasoline, gold bond many, many times over the years and nothing works as well as bleach in water.
When I was suntanning in tanning beds ten years ago I had decent reductions in jock itch then also.
Vitamins and Turmeric
Posted by Itchyguy (Chiang Mai, Thailand) on 04/16/2012
Swimming pool gets my vote. Have been fighting jock itch for a couple years now ever since moving to the tropics. Well it is hot season now and 2 weeks ago I jumped in the pool, rarely ever use it like most people that own one. Well lo and behold I sat in the pool for a couple hours and the next day the jock itch was gone. I should mention mine was never really bad, just red and flaky skin, no itching at all.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Posted by Joe (Somerville, NJ) on 02/04/2007
★★★★★
I've used hydrogen peroxide, 3% pharmacy grade cut 50% with water, to rinse my mouth before brushing, which has been a great help with eliminating bad breath and plaque. But here's a remedy that no one may have thought - a treatment for "tinea cruris" commonly known as jock itch. I had an issue with this for several months and during this period, several times a week, I used Curex and other over-the-counter options to eliminate it, spending $20.00 to $30.00 to no avail. I knew hydrogen peroxide was effective in killing bacteria, so, as a last resort, I cut the pharmacy 3% grade 50%, just like the mouth wash, and used it-in 2 days!!! the itch and soreness was gone! No joke. Total cost 20 cents!
Hydrogen Peroxide
Posted by Toxeia (Lf, Tx) on 03/14/2010
Hydrogen peroxide (3%, 35%, any concentration) is a carcinogen (read: Can cause cancer). Orally, it is also a bad idea to use as it causes a condition known as "brown hairy tongue." While the name isn't very authoritative sounding, I've seen it myself in patients that claim to use H2O2 as a daily mouth rinse.
Clindamycin
Posted by CallTheDot (Sacramento, CA) on 03/26/2023
★★★★★
I had fought with jock itch for a long time and the topical remedies like rubbing alcohol I tried only minimized but never eliminated the problem.
Last month, I got a really bad case of strep throat and my doctor prescribed a 10-day cycle of clindamycin after penicillin didn't seem to work. The thing I noticed as I took the clindamycin is that my jock itch went away. After my 10-day cycle was over, the jock itch never returned (yet).
**HOWEVER** Clindamycin is an antibiotic and is taxing on the liver. I had a blood test done the day after my 10-day cycle and my liver enzyme (ALT) levels were 5x above normal. Thankfully, they returned to normal after 4 weeks of a whole-food plant diet with no sugar. So far, my jock itch has not returned, and I also see that the seb derm on my face has lessened as well. So clindamycin worked for me to get rid of jock itch (by accident), but it's not a safe remedy and people with liver problems should not attempt this remedy without licensed medical advice.
Apple Cider Vinegar, Garlic
Posted by Razz (California) on 11/24/2023
Lalit, Did your jock itch go away in the end (with ACV and Garlic)? I didn't see your update. I am in a similar situation.
Rubbing Alcohol
Posted by Sam (Usa) on 07/29/2021
Is it just me or does rubbing alcohol causes blisters? I have been using it for 2 days ..not sure if it is gonna work.
Rubbing Alcohol, Anti-fungal Supplements
Posted by Sarita (UK) on 02/05/2020
★★★★☆
For jock itch, you have to change your diet and take oral anti-fungals.
Chronic jock itch (as opposed to acute) is a serious matter, as you know. It spreads under the skin. Topical treatments alone will never get rid of it (as you also know). I am currently on a candida diet and taking an anti-fungal formulation.
Rubbing alchohol cleans/kills fungus on the surface of the skin so is valuable before applying anything else topical.
At the moment I'm alternating between Silver & MSM cream from Amazon (lasts 12 hours), and an intimate hygiene spray (amazing for itching). I hardly itch any more except at night if I let my groin get too hot OR if I eat carbs.
Resistant carbs seem to be okay (potatoes/rice that have cooled and are then either reheated or eaten cold) I also treat a larger area than where I have itched, which is crucial to do (as it spreads invisibly under the skin). I am also washing my underwear and sheets etc at 60 and changing everything daily. And using alcohol to disinfect the surfaces of the topical treatments I use. Good luck!
