RINGWORM

Natural Cures For Ringworm - More Than Home Remedies

To cure ringworm, you can soak a rag or paper towel with natural apple cider vinegar and let it soak the ringworm for about 15 minutes several times a day.

OR, you can use Myrrh Essential Oil, Peppermint Essential Oil, Tea Tree Essential Oil, Geranium Essential Oil, or Lavender Essential Oil. The most commonly used oils are tea tree and lavender, especially for children. (The respiration of a baby or child under 5 can be slowed down or even stopped if peppermint oil is close enough for the child to even breathe it.)

For babies up to 12 months, use only 1 drop of only Lavender Essential Oil diluted in 1 teaspoon of jojoba carrier oil. The other essential oils are not recommended for little ones. Over a year old, you can dilute 2 drops of only lavender with 1 teaspoon of jojoba carrier oil. If the child is 5 or older, you can use two drops of any of these essential oils except peppermint in 1/4 ounce (about 2 teaspoons) of jojoba carrier oil. For a child 12 or over, you can use 3 drops of any of these essential oils in 1 teaspoon of jojoba carrier oil.

A common recipe is 1 drop of Lavender Essential Oil and 2 drops of Tea Tree Essential Oil in 1 teaspoon of Jojoba Carrier Oil. Stir gently to mix and apply with a Q-tips cotton swab 3 times a day. For children under 12, make a mixture of lavender and tea tree oil in this ratio, and then add 1 or 2 drops (see above) of this mixture to jojoba carrier oil. Cover the spot with a Band-Aid Clear Spot.

OR, you apply clear nail polish to the ringworm once a day.

OR, you can apply Tinactin Antifungal Cream or Lotrimin twice a day to the rash and 1 inch beyond its borders. Continue this treatment for 1 week after the ringworm patch is smooth and seems to be gone. Successful treatment often takes 3 to 4 weeks.

Ringworm is a highly infectious fungus (not a worm). As a result, you may want to throw away any combs, brushes or hats your child has used if the hair is touching the ringworm. You should wear loose clothing and check daily for raw, open sores. Wet dressings applied to moist sores three times a day can lessen inflammation and loosen scales. Anything the patient has touched or worn should be sterilized in boiling water, whether they have ringworm on the scalp or body. If the spot of infection is scratched, the hands should be washed, especially under the nails. After bathing, you need to dry off completely.

The spores of ringworm fungus are found primarily in the soil and around people or animals who have the disease. Ringworm of the skin usually appears 4 to 10 days after contact.

A weakened immune system (as a consequence of medical problems such as diabetes, leukemia, or AIDS) increases susceptibility to ringworm. So do dampness, humidity, and dirty, crowded living areas. (Note the word increases - you don't have to live in a dirty environment to get ringworm.)

Although it may take four weeks for ringworm to be completely gone, if you don't see improvement or if it continues to spread after a week, or if it is not gone after 4 weeks, you need to be seen by a doctor. And, if you develop fever, increased pain, swelling, drainage, or redness, which could suggest a bacterial super-infection, go to a Hospital Emergency Room.

SCALP RINGWORM

Scalp ringworm is a different fungal infection and much more serious. It usually appears 10 to 14 days after contact. It can be found in humans, animals (most commonly household pets such as cats, dogs, and farm animals such as cattle), or soil. Fungal spores can be acquired from an infected person, fallen infected hairs, or fomites (contaminated barbershop instruments, hats, movie theater seats, hairbrushes, bedding, or clothing). This alone may not be enough to cause an infection. But coupled with minor trauma to the scalp, such as scratches or tight braiding, spores can be introduced into the skin. Using hair gel will also raise the risk of getting scalp ringworm.

Doctors would say to use shampoo containing pyrithione zinc (DHS Zinc Shampoo or American Crew Anti Dandruff Shampoo), selenium sulfide (Selsun Blue), or ketoconazole (Nizoral Anti-Dandruff Shampoo) twice a week. But, they would also prescribe oral antifungal medicine and/or oral steroids since it must be treated systemically (medicine spreads throughout the body) to penetrate the hair follicle. Also, scalp ringworm can cause permanent hair loss and scarring. It is not recommended to treat this without the oral medication from a doctor.

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