Tinea Versicolor
Answered by: Susan Eagles
Question from: Carrie
Posted on: September 6, 2001

I have a skin condition called Tinea Versicolor. I can’t seem to get rid of it, regardless of different creams I have been prescribed. I feel very depressed about this, and I was wondering if you could possibly help. I have researched a few different herbs, and I have read that Tarragon will help get ride of viruses of the skin. I hope this is true. If so, I know there are a couple different kinds of Tarragon (French tarragon and another form) but I’m not quite sure how to go about preparing this. Do you have any thoughts?

Tinea versicolor is a fungal infection (not a virus) causing patchy changes in skin pigmentation, usually on the chest, neck and abdomen. It often recurs, because the offending organism is a normal skin inhabitant, which has been caused to multiply and appear on the skin surface.

A sugar and yeast free diet and herbs with an anti-fungal action are used in treatment. Avoid yeast and sugars in the diet to discourage the growth of the fungus: all breads containing yeast, all sugars, excess fruit, mushrooms, mouldy cheese (blue cheese), stale nuts and dried fruit. Many practitioners have had success using Black Walnut Tincture, made from fresh green hulls. This is applied externally, three times a day for a period of about three months. The 3 month time period and the diet changes minimize the chance of recurrence. Other anti-fungal agents that may be added to the Black Walnut tincture for external application are Thyme essential oil (2 - 3 drops per tablespoon of tincture) and Calendula tincture, which also helps to regenerate the skin tissue.

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