Tree Tree Oil For Ringworm

Ringworm, or tinea, is a skin fungus that causes red, ring-shaped rashes. Ringworm can occur anywhere on the body, with some types of ringworm having specific names such as tinea capitis, or scalp ringworm, and tinea cruris, or jock itch. Oil from the native Australian tea tree, or Melaleuca alternifolia, has antimicrobial properties that may help you deal with a ringworm infection.

Tea Tree's Antifungal Properties

Tea tree oil may be able to kill several types of fungi, including tinea, or ringworm, tinea pedis, or athlete's foot, tinea unguium, or nail fungus, as well as trichomonal vaginitis, or yeast infection, oropharyngeal candidiasis, or thrush. and some types of dandruff. Research supports the oil's use for athlete's foot and nail fungus, but insufficient evidence exists to support its use for all types of ringworm, advise experts from the National Institutes of Health.

Function

The active compounds in tea tree oil are terpinen-4-ol and 1,8-cineol, or eucalyptol. Terpinen-4-ol is primarily responsible for tea tree's antimicrobial properties, whereas 1,8-cineol lends the oil its distinct odor. High concentrations of 1,8-cineol can irritate the skin. For this reason, therapeutic quality tea tree oils typically contains 30 to 45 percent terpinen-4-ol, but less than 10 percent 1,8-cineol.

Evidence of Effectiveness

Tea tree oil is a common treatment for ringworm, although not enough research exists to prove its effectiveness. Some research does, however, support the oil's use for tinea pedis, or athlete's foot, which is a type of ringworm. Treating athlete's foot with a 50 percent tea tree oil solution for 4 weeks cured 64 percent of study participants, found research published in the "Australasian Journal of Dermatology" in August 2002. For those using a 25-percent tea tree oil solution, the cure rate was 31 percent.

Application

No recommended dose exists for treating ringworm, but studies have used both a 50-percent and a 25-percent tea tree oil solution as well as a 10 percent tea tree oil. Participants in these studies applied the preparations to the ringworm-infected skin twice daily for a month. If you buy 100-percent tea tree oil, you can dilute it in a carrier oil like olive or coconut oil. For a 50-percent tea tree oil solution, blend 1 Tbsp. 100-percent tea tree oil with 1 Tbsp. carrier oil.

Precautions

Tea tree oil may cause skin reactions ranging from mild irritation to blisters, warn Mayo Clinic medical experts. Before using, apply 2 or 3 drops of tea tree oil to the inside of your arm and wait 24 hours to check for adverse reactions. Never take tea tree oil by mouth. Swallowing the oil may cause confusion, difficulty walking, stomach pain and even coma. Even if you use tea trea oil, consult a health care provider about your ringworm infection because tea tree oil may not sufficiently clear the infection. Tea tree oil is toxic to dogs and cats and therefore not appropriate for treating ringworm on these animals.