The skin is the first line of defense against viruses, germs, and fungi. And if it becomes infected, you are in grave danger. While serious infections require medical assistance, minor skin infections can be prevented or treated at home. No, you do not need to be a dermatologist to accomplish it. There are several simple home remedies for skin infections that can help treat skin issues. Although you should always consult a dermatologist before using any home treatment, you can try these for immediate relief. Before we go into the list of home remedies for skin infections, let’s define what a skin infection is and the various types of skin infections. Scroll down for more information.
What Is Skin Infection?
You get a skin infection when a bacterium, a parasite, a virus or a fungus enters your skin through a cut or an open wound and spreads. This causes pain, swelling, redness, changes in your skin color, and other symptoms. Skin infection should not be confused with skin rashes. You get rashes when your skin is irritated (by any external agent, including chemicals). Skin infection and skin rashes may have similar symptoms like swelling, redness, and pain. You may get a skin rash because of an infection, but not every skin rash is an infection. You need a proper diagnosis to determine that. Skin infections can be of many types. Let’s explore them in the next section.
Types Of Skin Infection
Skin infections are classified into the following types based on the causes:
1. Fungal Infections
Fungi love the warm and damp folds and areas in your body, especially your armpits, the areas behind your knees, and your feet. Fungal infections are pretty common and usually not contagious. Some common types of a fungal infection include:
Ringworm Yeast infection Diaper rash Athlete’s foot
2. Bacterial Infections
You might have noticed small red bumps on your face, neck, back, or hands. Often, these red bumps increase in size and are filled with pus due to bacterial invasion. Some common types include:
Boils Cellulitis Impetigo Carbuncles
3. Parasitic Infections
Parasitic infections are not life-threatening but can be uncomfortable. They are usually not localized to the skin and might spread to your bloodstream and organs. Common examples include:
Scabies Lice Bedbugs
4. Viral Infections
Viruses can give you mild to significant skin infections. Common viral infections include:
Measles Chickenpox Shingles Warts
Now, the question is, how do you know if you have a particular skin infection? Simple. You have to check for the symptoms.
Symptoms Of Skin Infection
A tattoo, a piercing, a cut, or a bruise – germs are always looking for openings to invade and infect your skin. While some infections occur on the surface of the skin, some may go beyond that and cause serious issues. Here are a few symptoms you should watch out for:
Pus or fluid leaking from an open wound A reddish bump or a pimple (with or without) a yellow pus-filled crust The reddish hue of the skin around the wound Sores that appear more like blisters Swelling around a bump or wound that gets worse with time An open wound that is not healing even after 10 days An injury accompanied by a fever
Consult your doctor immediately to identify what is causing the infection. It’s important to know that as that will determine the course of treatment:
What Causes Skin Infection?
Whether it is a fungus, bacteria, virus, parasite or bug bite – anything can cause a skin infection. The causes depend mostly on the type of infection you have. Here are a few factors that might cause a skin infection:
1. Bacteria
Open wounds, cuts, and sores are perfect gateways for bacteria to enter your body. A cut or a bruise always doesn’t mean you will get an infection, but it makes your body more vulnerable to bacterial attacks.
2. Viruses
These are the most common factors that cause an infection. Why? Viral infections are highly contagious. The most common viruses that cause skin infections are herpesvirus, poxvirus, and human papillomavirus (this causes skin warts).
3. Fungi
Fungal infections depend a lot on your lifestyle (and cleanliness, of course!) Wearing sweaty clothes for long and not cleaning the folds of your body properly make you vulnerable to fungal infections.
4. Parasites
These are tiny bugs that burrow themselves deep into your skin, laying eggs on your skin and feeding on you (for instance, lice). While you may treat these issues with over-the-counter medications, you can also treat them with simple home remedies. Wondering how? Read on!
How To Diagnose A Skin Infection?
For initial diagnosis, you may check the common symptoms caused by different skin infections. However, a doctor is the best person to run a thorough diagnosis and determine what type of skin infection you have. The doctor can identify the type of infection by checking the appearance of the area where you got it. However, they may also do some more tests for a better diagnosis. The tests may include examining the skin sample and taking a closer look at the lesion. If the infection is severe, the doctor will suggest antibiotics and other topical medicines (spray and ointments). However, if you have a minor infection, you can try treating it with home remedies.
Home Remedies For Skin Infection
1. Yogurt
Unsweetened yogurt Cotton pad
Twice a day until the infection is gone. Plain yogurt contains probiotics that help prevent microbial infections by producing lactic acid (1).
2. Garlic
2 garlic cloves 2 drops of olive oil
Twice a day. Garlic has diallyl sulfide and diallyl disulfide that help manage fungal infections (2).
3. Turmeric
1 tablespoon turmeric powder 1 teaspoon honey
Twice a day. Turmeric contains curcumin that has antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties, which help heal infections (3).
4. Aloe Vera
Pure aloe vera gel Twice or thrice a day. Aloe vera gel contains anthraquinones, which have antibacterial and antifungal properties (4).
5. Tea Tree Oil
1 tablespoon coconut oil 2-3 drops of tea tree oil
Twice a day.
Why This Works
Tea tree oil has antimicrobial and antifungal properties (5), (6). It can kill a wide range of fungi and bacteria quite efficiently.
6. Honey
1 teaspoon honey 1 teaspoon onion juice
Twice a day. Both onion and honey have antimicrobial properties (7), (8). Honey has been used since ancient times (in traditional medicine) for healing wounds and infections (8).
7. Ginger
Ginger paste OR a fresh stalk of ginger OR Ginger extracts Twice daily. Ginger has antifungal properties that help inhibit the growth of fungus on the skin (9), (10).
8. Fenugreek
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds Cotton pads Water
Twice a day. Fenugreek seeds possess antibacterial properties that inhibit the growth of acne-causing bacteria on the skin (11).
9. Coconut Oil
2-3 drops of coconut oil 30 mL of olive oil
Once a day (if you are using it for overnight application) or else twice a day. Coconut oil contains monolaurin and antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral agents that help prevent skin infection (12).
10. Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon baking soda Water (for making a paste)
Twice a day. Baking soda inhibits the growth of bacteria, especially Streptococcus mutans, and other infections that breed in the area around your mouth (13).
11. Olive Oil
1 teaspoon olive oil 1 teaspoon beeswax ½ teaspoon honey
Twice a day. Olive oil has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties and is effective against some strains of bacteria (14).
12. Lemon Or Lime Or Any Citrus Fruit
1 tablespoon lemon juice (or juice of any citrus fruit such as orange) 1 tablespoon olive oil (or any carrier oil)
Once or twice a day until the infection heals. Lemon juice has antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. Compared to lemon and lime, orange juice has been found to be much stronger against fungal infections (15).
13. Green Tea
5-6 green tea bags Boiling water
Twice a day. Green tea has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that are effective against skin pathogens (16).
14. Warm Milk
A glass of warm milk 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
Mix the turmeric powder with warm milk and drink it. Once or twice a day. Turmeric contains curcumin, which has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties (3). Milk contains lactic acid that boosts collagen and makes your skin smooth. The topical application of lactic acid boosts collagen production and makes your skin smooth (17).
15. Cranberry Juice
A glass of cranberry juice (unsweetened) Drink a glass of unsweetened cranberry juice for a month (or until the infection is gone). Once a day. Cranberry juice was found to be very effective against the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus (18).
16. Margosa Leaves (Neem)
1 tablespoon paste of neem leaves Apply the paste directly on the affected area. Once or twice a day until the infection is healed. Neem is widely used in Ayurveda and Chinese medicine for its healing and therapeutic properties. It has antioxidant and antibacterial properties that protect your skin from free radical damage and inhibit the growth of bacteria (19).
17. Onion Juice
1 tablespoon onion juice 1 tablespoon betel juice
Mix both the juices and apply the mixture on the area that’s infected. Twice a day (until the skin infection has healed). Onion contains quercetin and thiosulphinate and is exceptionally effective in treating fungal and bacterial infections, including warts (20).
18. Epsom Salt
¼ cup Epsom salt 500 mL distilled water (warm) Gauze
Once or twice a day. Epsom salt does not cure skin infection but helps soften the skin so that the medications that you are using eliminate the infection faster.
19. Tomato
1 tomato
- Blend the tomato to make a paste. 2. Apply it evenly on the affected area. Once a day. Tomato contains succinic, tartaric, and citric acids that give it antibacterial properties, making it a good remedy to treat skin infections (21).
20. Sea Salt
1 cup sea salt 1 bucket water
Once a day. A study shows that saltwater baths help in treating infections as they have antimicrobial properties (22).
21. Thyme
You Will Need
2-3 drops thyme essential oil 2 tablespoons aloe vera gel
What You Have To Do
How Often You Need To Do This
Once a day. Thyme contains chemicals that fight bacteria, fungi, and other infections (23).
22. CBD Oil
You Will Need
¼ cup CBD oil 2 teaspoons coconut oil
What You Have To Do
How Often You Need To Do This
Once-daily.
Why It Works
Cannabis or CBD oil has therapeutic benefits and is useful in managing acne vulgaris. It also has antibacterial properties and can reduce the growth of bacteria like staphylococci and streptococci that cause skin infections (24), (25).
23. Hot Compress
You Will Need
A clean washcloth A bowl of warm water
What You Have To Do
How Often You Need To Do This
2-3 times a day
Why It Works
A hot compress provides relief from the pain and helps in draining abscesses or boils, thus clearing the infection. These home remedies may take several days to show results. However, if you don’t see any signs of healing within a week, consult your doctor. Most skin infections can be easily treated with medicines and ointments. However, certain strains of bacteria might be tough to treat as they are often resistant to antibiotics. And that’s why you should try to avoid contracting a skin infection. Mentioned below are a few tips that will help you do so.
Tips And Precautions For Preventing Skin Infections
Wash your hands frequently and do this before touching any wound or applying ointment to it. Avoid popping blisters and pimples (sounds tempting, but it’s a strict no-no). Cover your mouth and nose. Many infections spread through coughs and sneezes. In case you are down with an infection, avoid contact with others. Stay at home and treat it appropriately. Make sure you are getting vaccinated for preventing infections and diseases such as measles, chickenpox, shingles, and human papillomavirus.
Is It possible to fight bacterial skin infection without antibiotics? There is always a chance that the infection may spread without antibiotics. It is better to consult a doctor for proper treatment. What is the best antibiotic for skin infection? Some of the most commonly used and effective antibiotics used for treating skin and soft tissue infections include amoxicillin/clavulanate, ampicillin/sulbactam, piperacillin/tazobactam, cephalexin, cefotaxime, ceftazidime, ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, and moxifloxacin (26). Can a skin infection clear up on its own? Whether or not a skin infection can clear up on its own depends entirely on the kind of infection it is. Some can clear up on their own, some require topical antibiotic ointments, while others require stronger oral medications and pus drainage.
