How to Get Rid of Jock Itch

Do you often get itchy on the places you never want to, like groin area, upper inner thighs and genital area? If so, you might be suffering from Jock Itch. Lets understand, what’s it and how to get rid of jock itch!

What is Jock Itch?

It is a fungal infection. Medically called Tinea cruris, jock itch is basically a type of ringworm. As you might be knowing, the misnomer ringworm is a fungal infection that affects the outer layers of your skin, hair, or nails. Just like ringworm that appears on visible skin areas, jock itch that usually occur in the hidden areas of your skin, look like blister shaped skin rash. The edges of these blisters have bumps and they look reddened. These rashes are intolerably itchy and burn quite often. They spread to the adjoining areas very fast. But the more important question that might be surfacing in your mind is whether jock itch is contagious? Let’s find out!

Is Jock Itch Contagious?

Usually jock itch is not contagious but sometimes you might catch it due to close skin contact with a person who has this fungal infection. Most often, such a skin contact can be during sexual contacts only. Other than such cases of close skin contact, if you share such clothing as towels or innerwear/ swimwear etc. then also you might get jock itch. Therefore, it is always advisable not to share such clothing with anyone else.

What are the Causes of Jock Itch?

It is true that jock itch is a fungal infection and is mainly caused by fungus or yeast. However, there are certain other causes that might also lead to jock itch in your groin folds and other surrounding areas.

• Moisture and warmth in the groin area provides perfect environment for fungi to grow there and give you jock itch.
• Skin friction while walking  or performing  intense activities that make you sweat a lot such as sports, may cause jock itch or help spreading it faster if it is already there.
• Tight as well as occlusive clothing and inner garments may cause jock itch as they trap in sweat and do not allow air to reach your skin. This makes the area moist and warm giving rise to bacteria and fungi.
• Fungal and yeast infection caused by such fungus and yeasts as Candida, Trichophyton, and Epidermophyton.
• Bacterial infection too sometimes leads to jock itch.

There are certain groups of people who are more prone to have jock itch. For example, such people who suffer from diabetes, obesity, compromised immune system etc. may frequently witness episodes of jock itch. People who suffer from excessive seating may also get jock itch easily if they do not cultivate the habit of keeping their groin area dry. Also, if someone is prone to have athlete’s foot, he might well be prone to have jock itch too.

How to Get Rid of Jock Itch?

The treatments of jock itch are aimed at eliminating its two fundamental causes – excessive moisture and fungal infection. The cases of jock itch that are there due to friction and moisture are cured by keeping the groin area dry and clean. The mainstream medicine uses zinc oxide creams and ointments for the purpose. In other cases where jock itch is the result of fungal infection, anti-fungal creams are applied topically to get rid of jock itch. When talking about the natural remedies for jock itch, the basic idea is the same- keeping the skin areas prone to jock itch dry and to use natural ingredients to cure fungal infection.

Home Remedies to Get Rid of Jock Itch

The good news is that jock itch is not something that poses a serious risk to your health. It is just a fungal infection and can be cured easily either with medicines or with home remedies using natural ingredients.

1. Tea tree oil effectively cures jock itch

No prizes to guess this, tea tree oil is an excellent natural antifungal agent.  Not only does it help you get rid of jock itch caused due to fungus or yeast but also the one that is caused due to bacterial infection. Tea tree oil also has anti-bacterial properties.  You can get almost instant relief from the itchiness as well as swollen redness of skin due to jock itch.

How to use tea tree oil to get rid of jock itch

Get this:

• Tea tree oil
• Cotton ball
• Water (optional)
• Coconut oil (optional)

Do this:

• Take 2-3 drops of tea tree oil onto the cotton ball and apply this to your itchy areas 2-3 times a day.
• Applying pure tea tree oil like above can give rise to a burning sensation for few moments which gets subsided shortly. However, if you cannot stand this burning sensation, dilute the tea tree oil with some water before applying this to your jock itch.
• Instead of water, you can also use coconut oil to dilute the tea tree oil. Just add a few drops of tea tree oil to a tablespoon of coconut oil, mix well and apply to your jock itch.

2. Vinegar is a good remedy for jock itch

Whether your jock itch is due to yeast or bacteria, vinegar can absolutely cure it. Vinegar, both white and apple cider vinegar, is one of the most effective natural antibiotics. They kill all- fungus, bacteria, virus and protozoa as well as the yeasts like Candida albicans that might be behind your jock itch.

[Also Read: 13 Amazing Home Remedies for Candida]

How to use vinegar to get rid of jock itch?

1st way to use vinegar for jock itch treatment: Drink apple cider vinegar

If you remember, while reading the causes for jock itch, you have also read that compromised immune system is one of the causes of frequent instances of jock itch. So, if you have a weakened immune system, drink apple cider vinegar daily to give it a boost.

Get this:

• Apple cider vinegar (organic with its mother)- 1-2 tbsp
• Drinking water- 1 glass

Do this:

• Mix the ACV into the water
• Drink it 2-3 times a day

2nd way to use vinegar for jock itch treatment: Apply  vinegar topically

You can use any of the vinegars- while or the apple cider one.

Get this:

• White vinegar or Apple cider vinegar- 1 part
• Water- 4 parts
• Washcloth

Do this:

• Wash your skin to clean it properly.
• Mix the vinegar and water to get your desired solution ready
• Dip the washcloth in this solution
• Place this drenched washcloth on your jock itch affected skin
• Wait for few minutes before removing the washcloth
• Repeat 3-4 times a day

3. Rubbing alcohol relieves jock itch

Rubbing alcohol, as you might be knowing, is a surgical spirit, a liquid made with special denatured alcohol solution containing about 70% of pure, concentrated ethanol (ethyl alcohol) or isopropyl alcohol. It is generally used as a disinfectant and as a soothing and cooling agent for relief from aching muscles or burns. Jock itch that also burns can be soothed with rubbing alcohol and it also cures fungal infection to a great extent. What more, it is also a drying agent and thus it prevents jock itch by keeping your skin moisture free.

How to use rubbing alcohol for jock itch?

Get this:

• Isopropyl alcohol- 90%
• Cotton ball

Do this:

• Dip the cotton ball in the rubbing alcohol solution
• Dab this on the jock itch affected area for few minutes
• Repeat multiple times a day to get rid of jock itch

4. Garlic can help you get rid of jock itch

Garlic has anti-bacteria and anti-viral properties that help cure jock itch fast. However, due to its strong properties, when you apply garlic onto your skin, you may feel a burning sensation initially. If this gets intense, remove the garlic and wash the area properly. If you have a sensitive skin, garlic may give you more discomfort so use it cautiously according to the level of discomfort that you feel. You may also make it a little mild by mixing it with some oil as mentioned in the below home remedy.

How to use garlic to get rid of jock itch?

Get this:

• Garlic cloves – 4-5
• Olive oil (optional)- 1-2 tbsp

Do this:

• Crush the garlic cloves to get a paste
• Apply this garlic paste to the washed and dried skin of your affected area
• Wait for 10-15 minutes before washing it off.
• Repeat 2-3 times a day.
• If, however, you have a sensitive skin, reduce the strength of garlic by adding it to olive oil.
• For this, heat the oil with the garlic cloves for few moments.
• Let the oil cool down before straining it.
• Apply this garlic infused olive oil to your jock itch affected area 2-3 times a day.

5. Salt bath remedy for jock itch

Salt is hygroscopic and thus has adsorbing properties which makes it an enemy of bacteria. This simple means that salt absorbs moisture. Salt overwhelms the ability of bacteria to control the osmotic movement of. This depletes bacteria of water and thus it is killed. Therefore, having a salt bath can help you get rid of bacterial infection that might be behind your jock itch.

How to use salt to get rid of jock itch?

Get this:

• Salt-1-2 cups
• Bath water

Do this:

• Fill your bath tub with water
• Add salt to this water
• Now soak in this salt water for about half an hour
• Do this twice a day to get rid of jock itch fast.

6. Bleach remedies for jock itch

Bleach is one of the effective remedies for ringworm and therefore it is also good for getting rid of jock itch, after all this itch is a form of ringworm only. If your skin responds positively to this remedy, you can get rid of jock itch in as less as two days!  However, you must also know that bleach is a caustic chemical and when you use it on your skin, it may scar. Being a poisonous chemical, bleach needs to be used with extreme precaution and only for a short period of time which means for two days only. If your jock itch doesn’t go in these two days, stop using bleach and follow some other remedy.

How to use bleach to get rid of jock itch?

There are in fact, two ways, to use bleach for jock itch, topical application and bleach bath

1st way to use bleach for jock itch treatment: apply it locally

Get this:

• Bleach- 1 part
• Water- 1 part
• Cotton ball

Do this:

• Combine water and bleach to get a diluted solution
• Wash your affected area and dry it well
• With the help of cotton ball, apply the diluted bleach to your skin affected with jock itch. Take care not to apply it on the surrounding healthy skin.
• Wait for some time until the bleach dries on its own
• You need not wash it off till the time it doesn’t burn or give you any discomfort.
• Repeat the previous steps the next day.
• Doing  this once is enough
• Repeat the process next day
• If you are lucky, your jock itch will go within two day. If not, discontinue using bleach from the third day as its excessive use is harmful for your skin.

 2nd way to use bleach for jock itch treatment: take bath

Get this:

• Bleach- 5-8 capful
• Warm bath water

Do this:

• Add bleach to your warm bath water in the tub
• Soak for about 20 minutes
• Wash off your body properly after bath
• As your skin might get too dry, apply moisturizing body lotion

7. Onions can also treat jock itch

Onion have excellent antibiotic, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties that might help you get rid of this fungal infection called jock itch.

How to use onion to get rid of jock itch?

Get this:

• Onions- 2-3
• Lukewarm water

Do this:

• Grind the onions to get a paste
• Apply this paste to your jock itch affected skin area.
• Wait for about half an hour before washing it off with lukewarm water.
• After washing, dry the area properly
• If you are not comfortable applying onion paste on your skin, you can extract the onion juice from the grated or crushed onions.
• Apply this onion juice on the affected area with the help of a cotton ball.

8. Hydrogen Peroxide healing bath can cure your jock itch

Hydrogen peroxide, made up only of water and oxygen, is a fine germicidal. In fact, it is the safest of all natural sanitizers. Hydrogen peroxide kills all the bacteria, fungi, yeast and other microorganisms by oxidizing them. Oxidizing means controlled burning process. Howsoever dangerous it is for micro-organisms, hydrogen peroxide is totally safe to use because when it reacts with any organic material, it breaks down into oxygen and water, and both are completely safe.

How to hydrogen peroxide to get rid of jock itch?

Get this:

• Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2)- 1-2 tbsp
• Vinegar- 1 cup
• Baking soda- 1/2 cup
• Epsom salt- 1/2 cup
• Warm bath water

Do this:

• Add all the ingredients except colloidal silver to your warm bath water. Save a little hydrogen peroxide for later use.
• Soak for about 20 minutes
• Now dry off completely
• Now take the hydrogen peroxide that you kept aside. Mix it with equal amount of water
• Apply this solution to your jock itch affected area and allow it to dry.

Preventive Remedies for Jock Itch

Prevention is always better than cure. So, here are some measures to stop you from getting jock itch again and again.

• Always keep your groin area clean. Wash it 2-3 times a day and dry it properly before wearing clothes.
• Avoid friction and excessive skin irritation in groin area. For this, avoid synthetic clothing, especially undergarments. Wear cotton underwear. Cotton is a breathable fabric and doesn’t lead to friction.
• Wash your clothes well after each use, especially those that you wear for exercising.
• If you are a frequent sufferer of jock itch, do not use fabric softeners, bleaches, or harsh laundry detergents. They might lead to skin allergies and irritation.
• Don’t wear wet clothes.
• Store your clothes in a place which is not damp or enclosed such as a locker or a closet.
• Change your under garments daily after bath. If you take bath more than once, change innerwear every time. Also, when you indulge in some activity that makes you sweat a lot such as sports or dancing etc. change your clothes, at least your innerwear.
• Apply some anti-fungal powder or colloidal silver to your groin area after taking a shower.
• Don’t wear tight clothing, particularly pants and skirts etc.

Taking all the above measures can help you prevent jock itch and if you somehow catch the fungal infection, use one of the home remedies given in this article to get rid of jock itch!