here you will find a list of natural treatments and how to use them to combat ringworm
You are welcome to mix and match treatments and find what works best for you. Every body is different in it’s needs. The important thing is that you are doing a minimum of THREE full treatments a day. This is to ensure that you are properly and consistently attacking the fungus and inhibiting it’s growth cycles.
Iodine is often the most effective treatment as it soaks to the bottom layer of your skin, killing and drying out the fungus from above and below. Remember that most cases of ringworm are only active in the top layer of skin. Iodine is also very drying, producing conditions that the fungus cannot exist in. It dries quickly and rinses off easily. I prefer to use it for the two daytime treatments with a coconut salve in the evenings so that my sleep is not disturbed by worrying about iodine stains on my sheets or clothing.
Full strength ACV [with added essential oil tea tree, optional]
May be used to heal ringworm in any location except inside the ear.
Every other day opposite the conditioner treatments for scalp
Cover infected area and leave on for at least 20 minutes
For scalp: Use a glass dropper bottle and section or shave hair.
For body: Use medical tape to tape cotton pads onto affected area, or saturate with a soaked cotton pad every 2x over 10 minutes.For feet: Fill a foot bath, bowl, or bucket with warm water and 1-2 cups ACV. Soak feet 3x daily for 20 minutes, for up to 2 weeks.
Optional: Add up to 1 cup of epsom salts to the foot bath.Rinse off after 20 minutes, can be done by a quick shower or a warm wash cloth
Beware: Shampoo or wash off thoroughly if you plan to use a hydrogen peroxide treatment. They have a toxic reaction together, but are safe alone.
Iodine slathered on any active or still itchy ringworm spots
may be used to heal ringworm in any location except inside the ear.
3x daily every day for first week everywhere you have active spots
For scalp you may opt to do 2x a day and do ACV or Coconut Oil treatments for the 3rd treatment, since iodine is a dye and will stain sheets or clothes
You are meant to leave it on until the next treatment, but if your scalp feels to dry or itchy you may want to rinse it off after 1 hour and apply coconut oil salve.
You may want to wear a beanie, or hat because it leaves your skin orange
Before applying next round, wash off the previous with warm soapy water
This will be our most important fungicide, so it should be prioritized, and done as often as possible.
Coconut oil salves as needed for moisture
may be used to heal ringworm in any location except inside the ear.
Salves can be made at home by melting cold-pressed EV coconut oil gently, pouring into jars, allowing to cool as much as possible before adding essential oils, and whisking them in for full incorporation.
Make one salve with oregano [1-3 drops], tea tree, rosemary, lemon, grapefruit, and clove. This will be your “Attack Mode” salve, and it is considered a full treatment on it’s own.
Make a second salve with lavender, lemon, rosemary, grapefruit, frankincense and clary sage. This will be your “Soothing Balm,” and it excellent at reducing itch quickly and can be used in between any treatments, overnight, or throughout the day as desired.
I recommend adding one of these salves after ACV is rinsed off to enhance treatment.
It is recommended to wash off any previous treatment before adding coconut oil salve
The potency of these salves is highly individual, it should feel tingly, but never burning. I recommend to test a drop or two on your inner forearm and scalp periodically as you add oils, to ensure it’s potency matches your skin’s needs.
Hydrogen Peroxide [topical solution]
may be used to heal ringworm using different methods for different locations. safe for ears.
For anywhere on your trunk, limbs, or groin: Soak a cotton pad and press on the rash for up to 5 minutes 2x a day. Rinse. Follow with a salve.
For scalp with a shaved head: Soak a cotton pad and saturate entire scalp. Leave on for 10-20 minutes then rinse off. Follow with a salve.
For scalp with hair: Fill a glass spray bottle with 1 cup HP, the rest filtered water. Section wet or dry hair and carefully saturate in rows until entire scalp is covered. Leave on for 5-25 minutes. Shampoo carefully, deep condition, and oil scalp with Grapefruit seed extract mixed with a coconut carrier.
Beware: Hydrogen peroxide is a bleaching agent. If you have thin or thinning hair this method may not be for you.
Optional: Oil your ends before beginning to protect your hair, being careful to avoid oiling your scalp.For feet: Fill a foot bath, bowl, or bucket with warm water and 1-2 cups HP. Soak feet 2x daily for 20 minutes, for up to 2 weeks.
Advanced: For ears: Fill a small glass jar with equal parts warm water:hydrogen peroxide. Solution should be body temp, but no hotter. Lay on one side with a WHITE towel underneath your head. Using a glass dropper, drop 5-10 drops of this warm solution into your ear canal. Allow it to fizz for 5 minutes, and never more than 10. Plugging your ear hole with the towel carefully turn to your other side and repeat. Repeat twice a day for up to 5 days, then break for 2 days.
DO NOT use q-tips or stick any object in your ears ever, but especially not during this time.
*This solution serves to both kill ringworm fungus and dissolve earwax making the next treatment of 3 drops 1% clotrimazole 3x/day for 2 weeks, more effective.Beware: Shampoo or wash off thoroughly if you plan to use an ACV treatment. They have a toxic reaction together, but are safe alone.
Grapefruit seed extract
may be used to heal ringworm in any location, including ears.
Test on a sensitive area of skin, and consider using a carrier oil, although this is not a full strength oil to begin with. If no reaction occurs proceed.
Squeeze out a few drops and saturate affected areas 3x daily for a minimum of 2 weeks.
For ears: Two drops 2x/day for 2 weeks, if not using 1% clotrimazole.
If using Hydrogen Peroxide wait two days before starting Grapefruit Seed Extract, but at least 24 hours.