Herbal Treatment for Ringworm

Contrary to what the name suggests, ringworm is a skin condition caused by a fungus, and is not an invasion by a worm. The fungus, tinea, lives on the outer layers of the scalp, skin and nails.

How It Spreads

• ringworm spreads via common shared surfaces like around the shower

  Ringworm is highly contagious and spreads through floors, towels, shower stalls and other shared surfaces. Avoid direct skin contact with others and with shared surfaces to avoid spreading infection or getting re-infected. This is the same fungus that causes athlete's foot.

Symptoms

• Ringworm's primary symptom is a ring-shaped rash. While the skin heals in the center of the ring, the rash is well defined on the outer edges, where it spreads outward. The rash is usually a different color than the surrounding skin, either lighter or darker.

Colloidal Silver

• In addition to herbal treatments, you can use colloidal silver. Apply colloidal silver to infected skin using a sterile pad. If hands or feet are infected, they can be soaked in a colloidal silver solution.

Beneficial Herbs

• Balsam of Tolu comes in resin form and should be applied to the infected areas of skin for three weeks. This herb is antibacterial, antiseptic and promotes healing.

  Pau d'arco is an herb that comes in tincture form to be taken internally, helping the immune system fight the fungus.

  Tea tree is a highly antifungal oil made from the tea tree plant and is a powerful herbal treatment for ringworm. Make compresses with 8 to 10 drops of tea tree oil in 1 pt. of water.

  Walnut leaf also comes in oil form and is used to stop oozing and exudation. Apply as a compress using 8 to 10 drops to 1 pt. of water.

Infected Scalp

• For ringworm of the scalp, use a shampoo that contains selenium sulfide for a week, like Selsun Blue.