Ringworm on the Face

My client called to discuss her son, who had a circular skin rash on the left side of his face, below his mouth. She went on to tell me that the doctor said it was Ringworm. She stated that the skin rash has flaky skin in the center of the red ring, which is itchy and worse from scratching. After asking my client a few questions about the Ringworm to help select a Homeopathic Remedy, I was between 2 Homeopathic Remedies: 1, Bacillinum and 2, Sepia. Since my client’s son is prone to coughs, colds and swollen glands, I selected the Homeopathic Remedy Bacillinum. Sepia has the same flaky skin symptoms as Bacillinum, and is selected for Ringworm on the left side of the body. The young boy took Bacillinum 30c in a Remedy Solution Bottle (RSB) daily at bedtime with no succussions (0 taps).

A week later, my client called saying the Ringworm is not as itchy, and the center of the ring is less flaky. I advised my client to continue administering the Bacillinum daily. My client reported back 10 days later that the skin rash was improving, up until the last couple of days. The skin is starting to become itchier and flakier. I had my client start succussing (tapping) the Remedy Solution Bottle 2 times before she administers each dose of the Bacillinum to her son. My client called back 4 days later, telling me how she was amazed that just tapping the Bacillinum Remedy Solution Bottle 2 times before taking it made such a difference. The Ringworm area of flaky skin is almost gone in the middle of the circle, and it rarely itches. The red circle is starting to fade. My client continued administering the Bacillinum, and increased the succussions by increments of 2 when the skin symptoms started to become worse, until the Ringworm was completely gone.

What is Ringworm?

Ringworm (also known as tinea corporis) is a fungal skin infection that develops on the top layer of the skin. A fungus (called dermatophytes, fungi that require keratin for growth) that naturally lives on the skin, hair, and nails develops into Ringworm from the skin becoming hot and damp, causing the fungi to grow uncontrollably on the body (i.e., the arms, legs, torso and face) The center of the Ringworm skin infection is red, flat, bumpy, scaly, flaky and itchy, with a red circular ring around the rash. The circular ring around the skin infection is what helps to identify the skin condition as Ringworm. The ring around the rash may not be completely closed around the rash. Ringworm is not from an actual worm.

Symptoms of Ringworm Infection

Ringworm usually appears between 4 and 14 days after the skin comes in contact with the fungi that cause ringworm. Ringworm stops being contagious 48 hours after treatment. It can take 8 to 12 weeks to clear up for someone that did not treat the Ringworm, and all that time they will still be contagious.

Symptoms of a Ringworm Infection:

• Itchy Skin
• Center of Ringworm infected skin is clear, red, scaly, cracked or there are red bumps on the skin
• Ring-shaped Rash with raised border or wavy outline of a snake or a worm
• Hair Loss or bald spots in the affected area
• Several Rings or interlocking rings

How Contagious is Ringworm?

Ringwormis contagious and often is spread from skin-to-skin contact with an infected person, animal or object (i.e., locker rooms and public showers).

How is Ringworm Spread?

• Skin-to-skin contact with a person who has ringworm
• Touching an animal that has ringworm such as a dog, cat (especially kittens and puppies), or livestock (i.e., cows, goats, horses and pigs)
• Contact with a contaminated surface (i.e., locker room floor or sweaty gym clothes, towels, and bedding)
• Sharing objects with an infected person or animal (i.e., a brush, towel or bedding)

Ringworm can Appear Anywhere on the Body:

• Athlete’s Foot (tinea pedis)
• Jock Itch (tinea cruris)
• Scalp (tinea capitis)

• Hands (tinea manuum)
• Beard (tinea barbae)
• Toenails or Fingernails (tinea unguium or onychomycosis)

Common Homeopathic Remedies for Ringworm

A Homeopathic Remedy is selected according what the Ringworm infection looks like and its location. Take the selected Homeopathic Remedy in a 30c potency once a day (at bedtime).

Treating Ringworm with an anti-fungal medication (over the counter or as a prescription) suppresses the skin condition. How do we know this? When you stop the anti-fungal medication, the skin condition comes back either in the same location or elsewhere on the body.

Arsenicum Album – Selected for Ringworm that appears as small raised bumps or pimples. The area is dry, rough, scaly, and worse from cold application.

Bacillinum – Selected for Ringworm that is especially on the scalp. The person is prone to enlarged glands, colds and sore throats. The Ringworm can be on the face or beard.

Dulcamara –Selected forRingworm that appears on the scalp of children. The eruption is worse with changes in weather, especially in cold and wet weather. The Ringworm has thick, brown crusts, and is scaly and moist, and may bleed when scratched and also causes the hair to fall out.

Graphites – Selected for Ringworm that is on the face and beard area. The skin is dry rough, and breaks open easily. It also oozes a sticky honey-like serum (discharge).

Lycopodium – Selected for Ringworm that has scaly, flaky (peeling) skin. The Ringworm starts on the right side of the body and eventually appears on the left side of the body, too.

Natrum Muriaticum – Selected for ringworm on the face and abdomen. The eruption dry, red, chapped, skin, which is itchy from warmth.

Nitricum Acidum – Selected for Ringworm that appears as an ulcer like eruption in the beard area. The ulcers have irregular edges (zig-zag) and the base looks like raw flesh. The ulcer discharges a profuse granulation (red, bumpy tissue that is described as “cobblestone-like” in appearance) of skin, that bleeds easily when touched (sensitive skin). The eruption has a splinter-like sticking pain.

Phytolacca – Selected for Ringworm that is on the face, especially on the right side. The Ringworm can be a chronic condition that never heals. The Ringworm flares up and becomes painful when the weather changes.

Sepia – Selected for Ringworm that is red with scaly patches in isolated spots, such as on the face, abdomen, or head (scalp). It may also be seen in the bends of the elbows and knees. The skin is itchy, which is not relieved with scratching.

Tellurium Metallicum – Selected for Ringworm that is on the face, abdomen and body, especially on the lower limbs on single parts. The ring can have small, very red pimples with very minute vesicles (a thin-walled sac filled with a fluid, usually clear). The rings commonly intersect. The rash is itchy, and worse in cool air. The remedy Tellurium is known for conditions with an offensive garlic or fishy smell, especially while sweating.

Thuja – Selected for Ringworm that appears on covered parts of the body (i.e., abdomen, face and beard area). The skin is very itchy and worse from scratching and with cold bathing.

Tuberculinum Bovinum – Selected for Ringworm on the face with bran-like scales. The ringworm intensely itches in cool air and at night. The skin is better with heat.

Is it Ringworm or Eczema?

Eczema is often mistaken for Ringworm. Both Ringworm and Eczema have red skin that is itchy. Eczema isn’t contagious as is Ringworm, spreading from one area to another on your body. Examining Ringworm under a microscope confirms Ringworm.