Changes

*Tea Tree Oil : Several small studies indicate that tea tree oil (a type of essential oil widely used in aromatherapy) may help cure ringworm affecting the feet. For instance, in a 2002 study from the Australasian Journal of Dermatology, researchers assigned 158 patients with athlete's foot to treatment with a placebo or a solution containing either 25 percent or 50 percent tea tree oil. Patients applied the solution to affected areas twice daily for four weeks. By the study's end, significant improvement was seen in 72 percent of the patients who received the 25-percent-tea-tree-oil solution (compared with 68 percent of patients in the 50-percent-tea-tree-oil group and 39 percent of patients in the placebo group). In a 1992 study from the same journal, researchers assigned 104 patients with athlete's foot to treatment with a placebo, a cream containing 10 percent tea tree oil, or a cream containing 1 percent tolnaftate (a synthetic antifungal sold in over-the-counter medications). While tea tree oil significantly reduced ringworm symptoms, it was no more effective than placebo as a cure for the fungal infection.

*[[Garlic]] Extract : Ajoene (a natural compound extracted from garlic) shows promise in the treatment of ringworm. For example, a 1999 study from the German journal Arzneimittel-Forschung found that a gel containing ajoene helped treat tinea cruris and tinea corporis. The study involved 60 adults with either condition, each of whom was assigned to receive a gel containing .6 percent ajoene or a cream containing 1 percent terbinafine (an antifungal agent). Sixty days after treatment, the healing rate was 73% and 71% for the groups treated with ajoene and terbinafine, respectively. Several small studies also suggest that ajoene may help treat athlete's foot.

*For help in preventing ringworm, the National Institutes of Health recommend keeping your skin clean and dry, shampooing regularly, and avoiding the sharing of personal-care items. You should also wear sandals or shoes at gyms and pools, and avoid touching pets with bald spots. When using any type of treatment to cure ringworm, make sure to keep your skin clean and dry and wash your sheets and nightclothes every day while infected. It's also crucial to treat infected pets.