NaturalSociety July 25 2013
Ringworm is a fungal infection of the skin, most commonly treated with over-the-counter creams. But this infection is notoriously resistant to treatment and often comes back again and again. Of course there are numerous home remedies for ringworm, with a recent study indicating that essential oils may be as effective (if not more effective) than conventional treatments for ringworm, giving us another natural remedy to add to our “medicine” cabinet.
According to scientists with the Department of Veterinary Science at the University of Pisa in Italy, a combination of 5% oregano essential oil, 5% rosemary essential oil, and 2% wild thyme essential oil mixed into a base of sweet almond oil was effective at treating severe ringworm infections in cats and sheep.
As GreenMedInfo reports, this fungal infection is common in animals as it is in humans. Because it is contagious and difficult to get rid of, some veterinarians don’t even want infected pets in their clinic. In humans, the telltale signs of ringworm are red, itchy patches of skin that are often shaped in a circle, hence the name. Despite the name, however, ringworm is not a worm or parasite at all. In fact, it’s a similar fungus that causes jock itch and athlete’s foot; all three are known as “tinea”.