Also called saline water, saltwater is a solution often used in medicine for different skin conditions. Saltwater baths are relaxing and refreshing, and the effectiveness of salt in treating certain skin conditions and healing wounds has been well researched. In addition to these researched benefits, there have been implications that this solution can help with ringworm infections.
So, can you use saltwater to treat ringworm?
Saltwater and Skin
Saltwater contains many healthy minerals like magnesium, calcium, sodium, and potassium, all of which may be beneficial for our skin health. That is exactly why saltwater baths have been used for centuries in alternative medicine.
Research has confirmed saltwater’s benefits for our skin health. One study from the University of Kiel, Germany found that bathing in magnesium salts from the Dead Sea can improve skin hydration, reduce inflammation, and enhance skin barrier function.
How to Use Saltwater to Treat Ringworm
If you want to use saltwater to treat ringworm, here is how you can do it.
- Fill a bathtub with warm water;
- Add between one and two cups of salt. Keep in mind that table salt is often robbed of its natural minerals during the production process, so try to find healthy salts like Himalayan salt;
- Soak your whole body or the affected body part in the solution for 30 minutes.
Final Word
Although there isn’t much evidence that this treatment could help you with a ringworm infection, saltwater can promote skin health and is often used to treat skin conditions like psoriasis. However, if you want to use saltwater to treat ringworm, make sure not to overdo it, as too much exposure can lead to dry skin. Try to keep your sessions under 30 minutes and only do this once every day.
