MedicineNet.com

About Us | Privacy Policy | Site Map
February 10, 2012

Patient Discussions: Ringworm - Effective Treatments

Question:What kinds of treatments have been effective for your ringworm?

Published: May 11

I contracted ringworm from an infected kitten and it's a bugger to eradicate. I tried every cream at the pharmacy and nothing worked. I even tried bleach, no dice. Then I remembered black walnut extract. Get it at the health food store in pure form, no tinctures and apply it directly. The biggest problem I found with the ringworm on my arm is the running (in Florida there is a particularly nasty form of it, not just crusty and itchy but running and leaking lesions). Apply it directly and the running stops immediately. It seals off the lesion and it has a chance to heal. Also found that a topical dose iodine and ammonia in tincture form stops the spreading. It stings like crazy and smells awful but it stops the spreading. It takes six weeks to cure it so be sure to treat it two to three times a day and use band aides to cover it so it doesn't spread. This form is very painful and in a tropical climate it is hard to get rid of. I also agree that it must be dealt with internally as well as externally, so drops of black walnut in water once a day as well as the external application to the lesion helps keep it in check.

Related Reading: ringworm

Comment from: sublime, 25-34 Male (Patient) Published: February 05

My wife and I rescued a kitten off the streets of Beijing and the kitten had ringworm all over her body. We took her straight to the vet and they treated her with Itraconazole (an oral anti-fungal medication) and Terbinafine spray (a topical anti-fungal treatment). After twelve days we took the cat home and treated her ourselves. She was cured in total twenty-six days, she has no ringworm. She is still on the medication, and will be for another month. Just today, i felt an itch on my hand and noticed a faint red half circle. I immediately sprayed it with the kitten is Terbinafine spray and I watched it disappear in about an hour. Four hours later I could feel an itch again in the exact same place on my hand, a very faint red soft circle began to appear. I sprayed it again with Terbinafine spray and it disappeared within 20 - 25 minutes, right before my very eyes! The vet told me it will be ok, and cured completely within six days. It's now been 8 hours and my hand is totally free of the ringworm, I hope it stays that way. I will spray it in the same place once more before I go to bed and hopefully that will hold off the ringworm while i sleep. All I can say is be very aggressive in treatment and treat the area affected area ASAP. Even if its not ringworm, over the counter topical anti-fungal spray will not harm you. As I said be aggressive, that is how we cured our kitten. I will keep everyone posted on my progress. I will win the ringworm war.

Related Reading: Itraconazole | Terbinafine | sleep

Comment from: Mom F., 7-12 Female (Caregiver) Published: February 05

My husband has suffered on and off with what is called tinea versicolor - a skin discoloration which is very itchy, and is also caused by a fungus like ringworm. After trying many products, Lamisil for one, we just could not get this under control and over the summer it spread all over his back and any other sweat point he had. Through a combination of using tea tree oil soap, and pure GSE (Grapefruit Seed Extract) in oil form, he totally cured the tinea versicolor. The GSE also worked quickly on my 8 year old, who had one ringworm spot, and now my 11 year old has one which we are treating with GSE. (I mention the other incidents because I feel they are all related.) It stings a bit when you apply it, but it dries out the ring quickly if applied several times per day. We also take natural colloidal silver.

Related Reading: tinea versicolor

Comment from: Margee, 55-64 Female (Patient) Published: September 17

I have found a product that works very fast to clear up ringworm on my hand. And the treatment also stops the itching. However, it is not marketed for that purpose. I realize that ringworm is a fungus, but the OTC products did not work for me. I even tried scraping, but it continued to slowly spread until I tried a counter-attack with alternating two OTC anti-bacterials: Benzalkonium chloride and Ethyl Alcohol and keeping the area very dry. Both kill bacteria on contact. The Benzalkonium is found in Band-Aid Antiseptic Wash, and the Ethyl Alcohol is found in GermX Hand Sanitizer. After washing my hands thoroughly, I towel-dry very well, apply the Benzalkonium, air dry my hand, and then apply the Ethyl Alcohol, and let that air dry as well. When working around water during the day, I use disposable plastic gloves over my hands to keep it totally dry, and the remainder of the day, I let my hand be exposed to light, but not to heat. Within less than a week, my hand has no more tiny eruptions (I call them micro-blisters), and the area is dried up. It will take two more weeks for the skin to slough off normally to expose new unaffected skin. Hope this helps someone.

Related Reading: itching

Comment from: John, 25-34 Male (Patient) Published: August 21

I have multiple ringworms on my right side (only on the upper front part of my body) for more than six weeks. Nothing seems to work. I've tried Clotrimazole and Neosporin AF. I've started using Lamisil in the last two weeks, and the old ones ringworms stopped growing, but new ones are starting to appear. I don't think it helps that the doctors keep switching me from one medication to another.

Related Reading: Clotrimazole


Patient Discussions

Viewers share their comments

Ringworm - Symptoms Question: What symptoms and signs did you experience with ringworm?

Patient Discussions are not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your physician or other qualified health provider because of something you have read on MedicineNet. The opinions expressed in the comments section are of the author and the author alone. MedicineNet does not endorse any specific product, service or treatment.

Alert If you think you have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately.


Report Problems to the Food and Drug Administration

 

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit the FDA MedWatch website or call 1-800-FDA-1088.



MedicineNet Doctors

Suggested Reading on Ringworm by Our Doctors

  • Related Diseases & Conditions

    • Rash
      • The word "rash" means an outbreak of red bumps on the body. The way people use this term, "a rash" can refer to many different skin conditions. The most common of these are scaly patches of skin and red, itchy bumps or patches all over the place.
    • Athlete's Foot
      • Athlete's foot (tinea pedis) is a skin infection caused by the ringworm fungus. Symptoms include itching, burning, cracking, peeling, and bleeding feet. Treatment involves keeping the feet dry and clean, wearing shoes that can breathe, and using medicated powders to keep your feet dry.
    • Itching
      • Itching can be a common problem. Itches can be localized or generalized. There are many causes of itching to include: infection (jock itch, vaginal itch), disease (hyperthyroidism, liver or kidney), reactions to drugs, and skin infestations (pubic or body lice). Treatment for itching varies depending on the cause of the itch.
    • Jock Itch
      • Jock itch is an itchy red rash that appears in the groin area. The rash may be caused by a bacterial or fungal infection. People with diabetes and those who are obese are more susceptible to developing jock itch. Antifungal shampoos, creams, and pills may be needed to treat fungal jock itch. Bacterial jock itch may be treated with antibacterial soaps and topical and oral antibiotics.
    • Hair Loss
      • There are many causes of scalp hair loss. This featured article covers the common ones such as patchy hair loss (alopecia areata, trichotillomania, and tinea capitis), telogen effluvium, and androgenetic alopecia (male-pattern baldness, female-pattern baldness).
    • Fungal Nails
      • Fungal nails (onychomycosis) may be caused by many species of fungi but the most common is Trichophyton rubrum. Distal subungal onychomycosis starts as a discolored area at the nail's corner and slowly spread toward the cuticle. In proximal subungal onychomycosis, the infection starts at the cuticle and spreads toward the nail tip. Yeast onychomycosis is caused by Candida and may be the most common cause of fungal fingernail.
    • Children's Health
      • Children's health is focused on the well-being of children from conception through adolescence. There are many aspects of children's health, including growth and development, illnesses, injuries, behavior, mental illness, family health and community health.
  • Medications

  • Procedures & Tests

  • Pictures, Images & Illustrations

  • Doctor's & Expert's Views

  • Health News

  • Health Features

Women's Health

Find out what women really need.



Symptom Checker: Your Guide to Symptoms & Signs: Pinpoint Your Pain



Ringworm

Itching (itch) facts

  • The medical term for itching is pruritus.
  • Infections, bites and stings, infestations, chronic diseases, sun exposure, and dry skin are among the numerous causes of itching.
  • Anti-itch creams and lotions containing camphor, menthol, phenol, pramoxine (Caladryl, Tronolane), diphenhydramine (Benadryl), or benzocaine can bring relief.
  • Some cases of itching will respond to corticosteroid medications.
  • It is best to avoid scratching and itch when possible to avoid worsening of the condition and disruption of the skin that could lead to bacterial infection.
  • If itching persists with time or worsens, or is associated with skin lesions, consulting a health-care practitioner is advisable.

What is an itch?

Itch is an irritation in the skin that elicits an urge to scratch. Itches are a common problem and can be localized (limited to one area of the bo...

Read the Itching article »






Ringworm Related Supplements


Use Pill Finder Find it Now

Pill Identifier on RxList

  • quick,
    easy,
    pill identification

Find a Local Pharmacy

  • including
    24 hour
    pharmacies