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.
Posted by Brenda (San Antonio, TX) on 03/03/2007 ★★★★★
Take a fresh clove of garlic. Cut it, rub the juicy piece on the ringworm 3 x day. It'll be gone in a couple of days. It does sting a bit, but not for long. Tried it on me and my neighbor kids with great success.
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.
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!
I have had this "thing" on my face, right beside my nose. I have had it for 25+ yrs now. I did indeed try ACV, Coconut Oil and Hydrogen Peroxide on it and absolutely nothing changed. I bought a bottle of Bee Propolis with Iodine tincture to try it out. I put it on the area and 4 days later now and it is almost gone! I figured if ACV or HP didn't work on it, there was nothing I could do. I am so glad I tried this! If you have ringworm, don't give up. If the most popular cures don't work for your body, keep trying! I am so glad I found this stuff!
I have had ringworm on my back for a few years and this past winter it exploded. The topical creams from my doctor stopped working. Finally went to see my naturopath and she put me on an anti-fungal protocol for a month. And she gave me ozonated olive oil to use topically. I use that twice a day and the marks have almost completely disappeared in 10 days. It smells strong (kind of rancid - but it's the ozone) but it works amazingly well. This is the one I have. https://www.shaughnessypharmacy.com/products/ozonated-olive-oil
Keep it refrigerated to keep it potent. Wear an old t-shirt while sleeping so you protect your bedding. Multiple thin applications are better than one thick one.
I have tried everything for this and am blown away by the effectiveness of the ozone. I hope it helps others.
Ringrom: cure by taking cotton square generous dab of ABB then rub into solaray yeast fighters (take out of capsules and place into a bowl) then rub into borax then rub into affected area 10 to 15 seconds works
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 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.
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 Robert Henry (Ten Mile, Tn.) on 06/11/2016
HI U SUSEEQ,,,,,,,,,,,,, I'm not an expert in this area but use hydrogen peroxide in my water bed. The reason rain water is better for your plants is that it contains H2O2 it acquires by falling through Ozone in the atmosphere. I also use an aerator in my water bed where I start most of my plants and then transfer them to a pot or directly to the garden. You can over do H2O2.
Our Bill Munro healed himself and then began using H2O2 in his garden. He wrote up his trails on the internet.
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.
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.
Aloe Vera also worked for me, after trying Absorbine, and a multitude of other things. I had it everywhere. I tried bathing in Selsun Blue-no results, but upon using Aloe Vera, in two weeks it was completely gone, and has not come back. NO side effects either. I use pure AV (clear, no color to it, nor lidocaine) Mine is 100% aloe gel.
I had a ring worm when I was a little girl and grandpa put some black gun powder in some Vaseline and put it on the ring worm, than put a band aid on it. Since then I have done this many times to other people and it always works in about 3 to 4 days and with no pain and the ring worm never comes back.
Tinea can get stubborn depending on the fungal strain and the site of infection.
Had a Tinea for 12 years. Had tried all possible solutions/ointments/natural remedies, some of them at full strength and also the liver damaging oral anti-fungals. Want to share the simplest remedy that healed me.
Dettol Antiseptic Disinfectant contains the active ingredient CHLOROXYLENOL 4.8 % w/v and this is also called PCMX which is recommended at 1 % for hand sanitation.
So, about 1% or 1/5th dilution should help if applied thrice a day. Higher concentrations 1/4 or 1/3 or 1/2 is more effective but stings a lot and dries the infection faster and use your judgement while applying in the sensitive areas.
The first application makes the skin dark and dries the outer infected layers and this will fall off within 3-7 days. This can be hastened by the use of salicylic acid soap or ointment that sheds the old skin.
Then target the next layer.
Continue daily or bi-weekly application of the diluted Dettol Antiseptic solution even after cure to ensure continued protection. This is very easy.
Sceptics can google "Gordochom Topical Antifungal" to know how this works.
Among those affected by chloroxylenol are candida albicans, aspergillus niger, aspergillus flavus, trichophyton rubrum, trichophyton mentagrophytes, penicillum luteum and epidermophyton floccosum.
One MUST discuss with the health care practitioner before attempting any treatment.
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!!!!!!!!
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.
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 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!
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