herbs, etc. for tinea versicolor

Does anyone have personal experience with tinea versicolor? I am almost positive that it is what I have on my torso. Unfortunately, I just figured out this morning that that is what it probably is. I have been treating it topically with calendula ointment, comfrey oil and hydrocortisone (because I was getting desperate) but even with the hydrocortisone it is not really going away. After my husband suggested that it might be fungal I did a search for fungal infections on the torso and tinea versicolor came up. Mine sure looks like it. So, we've started putting the OTC medicine for althete's foot and ringworm (can't remember the name of the medicine) just this morning. I just took some calendula tincture plus raw garlic/honey mixture and some MSM (sulfur) because I read on a comment that sulfur can help (they were saying topically but MSM is something that we take internally for dental health). I don't even know if MSM is the "right" kind of sulfur for this. All I know is that I am itchy and I really want to help my body combat this infection. So thank you in advance for any advice that you can offer.

My midwife always advised to wash with Selsun Blue shampoo... definitely NOT an herbal remedy. She said wash, then let sit for 5-10 minutes and rinse, and it will eventually go away. the shampoo had to be the 'original' kind, with selenium sulfide.

I think that while topical anti-fungals are necessary, ultimately you have to balance the body so that they have less of a niche.

Zenais Buck wrote:My midwife always advised to wash with Selsun Blue shampoo... definitely NOT an herbal remedy. She said wash, then let sit for 5-10 minutes and rinse, and it will eventually go away. the shampoo had to be the 'original' kind, with selenium sulfide.

I think that while topical anti-fungals are necessary, ultimately you have to balance the body so that they have less of a niche.

Thanks for the reply! I have actually heard that advice from several people. Since I posted I have started mixing oil of oregano with aloe (in addition to the things in the OP) and it seems to be working well!

Elissa Teal wrote:

Zenais Buck wrote:My midwife always advised to wash with Selsun Blue shampoo... definitely NOT an herbal remedy. She said wash, then let sit for 5-10 minutes and rinse, and it will eventually go away. the shampoo had to be the 'original' kind, with selenium sulfide.

I think that while topical anti-fungals are necessary, ultimately you have to balance the body so that they have less of a niche.

Thanks for the reply! I have actually heard that advice from several people. Since I posted I have started mixing oil of oregano with aloe (in addition to the things in the OP) and it seems to be working well!

That is good to hear! Oregano is so good for so many things. I deal with this on and off; once you get it, it is hard to get clear. You really have to be tenacious. I know when I did a specialized diet it got much better, and then I fell off the wagon. When I get back on my food routine I will try the oregano as well. Best wishes!

OK, just throwing this out there (which I rarely do). For some reason, I have been thinking about this post, and keep thinking "Usnea". I usually don't get these strong feelings, so I don't know if maybe info stored deep in my brain is resurfacing, or what. I don't use Usnea often, and have not used it for this issue... but... maybe?

Here is a link from Susan Weed; see what you think:

http://www.susunweed.com/An_Article_wisewoman3d.htm

It grows profusely here; if you send my your mailing address I will drop some fresh usnea in a mailing envelope and send you some (you can make a tincture, easy). If you are squeamish about strangers sending herbs (as I sometimes am) I can heartily endorse Mountain Rose Herbs as a source. ~ Z

Zenais Buck wrote:

That is good to hear! Oregano is so good for so many things. I deal with this on and off; once you get it, it is hard to get clear. You really have to be tenacious. I know when I did a specialized diet it got much better, and then I fell off the wagon. When I get back on my food routine I will try the oregano as well. Best wishes!

I have read that you have to be tenacious! I have actually had a patch on my lower back since at least last summer but for whatever reason just ignored it since it wasn't spreading. Now I know better and when you know better you do better, right?!

Zenais Buck wrote:OK, just throwing this out there (which I rarely do). For some reason, I have been thinking about this post, and keep thinking "Usnea". I usually don't get these strong feelings, so I don't know if maybe info stored deep in my brain is resurfacing, or what. I don't use Usnea often, and have not used it for this issue... but... maybe?

Here is a link from Susan Weed; see what you think:

http://www.susunweed.com/An_Article_wisewoman3d.htm

It grows profusely here; if you send my your mailing address I will drop some fresh usnea in a mailing envelope and send you some (you can make a tincture, easy). If you are squeamish about strangers sending herbs (as I sometimes am) I can heartily endorse Mountain Rose Herbs as a source. ~ Z

You are so kind for the offer. As it turns out, I am fixin' to put in an order for MRH so I will put that in my order. Much gratitude to you!

usnea is a great medicine for many things, but something not always known about it is that its very difficult to tincture. the medicinal part doesnt come out of it in a normal tincture process, it has to be heated up in the alcohol, which is kinda sketchy and logistically difficult to figure out.

if you want to use it internally, just grind it up to a powder and eat it raw, this is much more effective. a good quality company hopefully knows this and makes the tincture with special equiptment. otherwise i have seen other people just think a normal tincture will work, but they dont know that it isnt effective medicinally because the medicinal parts cant be extracted this way.

Thank you, leila!

leila hamaya wrote:usnea is a great medicine for many things, but something not always known about it is that its very difficult to tincture. the medicinal part doesnt come out of it in a normal tincture process, it has to be heated up in the alcohol, which is kinda sketchy and logistically difficult to figure out.

if you want to use it internally, just grind it up to a powder and eat it raw, this is much more effective. a good quality company hopefully knows this and makes the tincture with special equiptment. otherwise i have seen other people just think a normal tincture will work, but they dont know that it isnt effective medicinally because the medicinal parts cant be extracted this way.

Thanks for this info!

youre welcome =)

yeah i have used usnea in this way (eating it raw) many times to help with cleansing the digestive tract. most of the big companies do sell a hot extracted usnea tincture, so thats good too. but homemade simple tinctures do not have all the best medicinal qualities of the raw stuff.

it is possible that the condition may be linked somewhat to diet issues...i definitely see a link in many skin problems and the digestive system issues i have dealt with. too many times i have had to observe my bad cheats on my diet leading to directly to skin issues a few days later. although i am not familiar with this particular one.

Would you provide us with an update on this?  What did you end up doing and how long/often did you do these things to treat the tinea versicolor?  Thanks.