tilde.pink/1/~bencollver/log/2025-05-19-ringworm-and-antifungal-home-remedies/

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# 2025-05-19 - Ringworm & Antifungal Home Remedies

I came down with a bad case of ringworm. Looking through my first aid
and medical ebooks, none of them discuss treatment of fungal
infections. Thus this log entry.

Best practice, per WikiHow, is to use OTC antifungal medications
specific to the condition. I am writing about DIY home remedies.

Reviewing public domain medical texts on the Internet Archive, i
found Victorian treatments that are effective, but dangerous and
harsh. For example, ringworm can be effectively treated with
invasive x-ray therapy or with toxic mercury oleate (C36H66HgO4), but
i wouldn't recommend it.

# Contents

* Diet & Nutrition
* Humidity / Moisture Control
* Sunlight & UV
* Borax Body Wash
* Garlic / GOOT
* Postscript

# Diet & Nutrition

Avoid eating sugar.

Vitamin A can help. Eating beef liver is a megadose.

> A deficiency of vitamin A causes excessive release of the lysosomal
> enzymes, acid hydrolases, resulting in tissue catabolism. Also,
> vitamin A is necessary for the proper differentiation of cells in
> skin and other membranes. A deficiency tends to cause an increased
> rate of cell division, with the production of abnormal cells, and a
> substitution of keratinized cells for other types.

> So what happens when you increase your intake of vitamin A? It
> slows down the turnover of skin cells, and makes them function
> longer before flaking off. In other words, vitamin A helps reverse
> the retention hyperkeratosis. This can have a dramatic impact on
> skin health and appearance

HTML From: https://www.saturee.com.au/blogs/blog-posts/liver-the-secret-to-great-skin-balanced-hormones

I also read turmeric & black pepper, garlic, and vitamin D can help.

# Humidity / Moisture Control

Do not cover infection with bandages because they can prevent it from
drying out, which encourages fungal growth.

For the same reason, wear loose-fitting clothes to permit air-flow.

Launder bedding and towels more frequently to reduce spore load.

# Sunlight & UV

Sun bathing can help. Ultraviolet light kills fungi.

Long ago a friend advised me to apply virgin coconut oil when sun
bathing. Virgin coconut oil is high in caprylic acid, which is a
potent anti-fungal. It also keeps the skin hydrated, which reduces
the risk of sunburn.

# Borax Body Wash

Bathe daily to keep the affected area clean and dry.

A doctor advised that if many cats are in one's life, then thrice
weekly use antifungal shampoo as a body wash to prevent ringworm.

An affordable DIY option is to make borax body wash. Boron is said
to be the most antifungal element, and borax is inexpensive.

Use a ratio of approximately 1 cup of borax to 1 gallon of water.
Put water in crockpot and turn on HIGH heat. Add the borax to hot
water and stir occasionally until it has completely dissolved,
approximately 30 minutes. Turn off crockpot and allow to cool.
Use measuring cup to pour into clean plastic jug. Label jug.

To use, soak washcloth and apply to body. Or put a handful in your
hair, work it into thin lather, and allow to soak for a while before
washing it out.

HTML From: https://sustainingourworld.com/2014/02/27/using-borax-for-clean-healthy-hair/

# Garlic / GOOT

Garlic contains allicin, a potent antifungal. Allicin pills are
sold in the supplement & vitamin department of grocery stores and
can be beneficial taken internally and applied externally.

## GOOT Recipe

Warm 3 tb virgin coconut oil until melted. Add 3 tb olive oil.
Remove from heat and add 3 tb fresh garlic chopped into a paste.
Use a blender. Pour mixture through a screen. Pour into a
wide mouthed jar and label it GOOT.

You may add 2 dropper-fulls of oregano oil and mix well, and several
drops depending on amount of GSE (grapefruit seed extract) for extra
strength and effectiveness before refrigeration.

Place in refrigerator. GOOT turns into a thick, soft paste after
1 hour. GOOT, rubbed into the skin, transfers raw garlic oil
directly into the blood stream. Good for internal and external use.

After 2 weeks, make a new batch of GOOT.

HTML From: https://www.reddit.com/r/ringworm/comments/ok47yr/ringworm_keeps_coming_back/

# Postscript

I received a friendly email and it turns out that i was mistaken.
One of my first aid e-books does cover fungal infections.

TEXT Tinea

If you use an antifungal cream like one containing clotrimazole, use
it several times a day. Infrequent use is not enough.

Oral antifungals are hard on the liver, but may be necessary for
scalp ringworm.

Hygeine and preventing transmission is paramount.