Bleach on Ringworm

Ringworm is a common fungal infection that affects human skin. This condition manifests as a skin lesion that assumes a ring like pattern. It leads to itchy, red patches which are sometimes bald. Ringworm can affect any region of the body, right from the scalp to the foot. Many people try out different types of home remedies for ringworm. One such common home remedy is the use of bleach to treat ringworm. Many people claim that bleach is ringworm treatment. Given below are details on how to bleach ringworm so as to cure it.

How to Bleach Ringworm?

• First, select a household bleach that does not contain any sodium hydroxide, which is known to many as lye. It is imperative that the bleach solution you are using does not contain any sodium hydroxide, as this ingredient is very harsh on the skin, more so on infected skin.
• Put a dab of bleach on a cotton ball or a swab.
• Use this cotton ball to pat the infected skin with bleach. Don't rub it in, only pat it on the affected area. Rubbing it in, especially if done vigorously, can lead to irritation, causing the blisters to burst, thus, spreading the infection to other parts of the body. The region will usually sting for a while.
• Ensure that you throw the used cotton ball after dabbing it on the affected region so as to prevent inadvertently spreading the infection.
• Don't use this remedy around mucous membranes, or on the scalp or anywhere near the eyes, as these regions are very sensitive.
• Do this for four to seven days, provided the skin does not open up and become broken. It will dry up the spot and fasten healing, although actual spot of the lesion will generally take longer to heal and disappear.

Is it Safe to Use Bleach to Treat Ringworm?

So, does bleach helps to get rid of ringworm permanently? Well not quite. To be honest, some people claim that it is a myth that the answer to ringworm infections is bleach. Ringworm can be treated by many other ways as well. It is said that bleaching a ringworm lesion can be toxic for a person. Every person's skin has different levels of sensitivity when it comes to bleach. Using bleach directly on infected skin can land a person with a painful chemical burn, which may not only be quite unsightly in itself, but it may even open up the ringworm blisters for further infection, making it an open wound. Although people claim that using bleach clears up their ringworm lesions and causes cessation of itching, experts claim that you may land up with another, more grave lesion like a chemical burn if you try to use bleach on ringworm. This is because bleach kills ringworm but also kills the other surface cells of the skin.

This was all about treating ringworm by using bleach. Ringworm is a condition that tends to cause a lot of discomfort but that is no excuse to use harmful methods to get rid of it. The fact of the matter is that bleach acts by killing the cells of the surface, so, along with killing the fungal cells, it also kills the cells of the body. Thus, if you really wish to treat ringworm, it is best to visit a doctor who will prescribe you some topical antifungal for ringworm. However, if you do try using bleach for ringworm and land up with pain, excessive stinging or a chemical burn it is best to visit your doctor immediately to prevent any further complications.