Did you know that your skin is the largest organ of your body? It’s there to protect your body from bacteria and fungus that could harm your insides, so it has to be. But sometimes the skin itself can get infected. Skin infections are caused by a wide variety of germs and fungus, so it's good to understand the differences between them.
Bacterial skin infections
These happen when bacteria attack through a break in the skin, like a cut or scratch. These usually heal perfectly well, but sometimes they can get infected. Bacterial skin infections often start off as small, red bumps that slowly grow in size.
Fungal skin infections
Fungi are organisms that live by decomposing and absorbing the organic material in which they grow (like molds, mildews and yeasts). The chemistry of your body and your lifestyle can increase the likelihood of getting a fungal infection. For example, if you exercise or if you sweat a lot, you may get more than one round of athlete’s foot. Fungi love warm, moist environments, such as the feet or armpits. If you wear damp or sweaty clothes often, you’re at risk for fungal skin infections, and a scratch or skin cut can let bacteria get into the deeper layers of your skin.
Because essential oils don’t trigger the same side effects as some synthetic ingredients currently used to fight fungus and bacteria, they are becoming more and more widely used for this purpose. Many essential oils are anti-fungal and/or antimicrobial, so they can fight the growth of certain bacteria and fungus.
Essential oils for bacteria
Evidence shows that antibacterial essential oils can effectively kill bacteria without becoming resistant to them, making them wonderful antibacterial and antimicrobial resources. For some of the best antibacterial essential oils, consider thyme, oregano, cinnamon and tea tree oils.
Essential oils for fungus
Some essential oils have antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and fungicidal properties. Tea tree oil, thyme, cinnamon, oregano, clove, citronella, geranium, eucalyptus, and peppermint are all examples of anti-fungal oils. Great for addressing ringworm, athlete’s foot, toenail fungus and jock itch.
How to use essential oils
Choose a mixture of 2-3 oils, and along with it make sure to include a carrier oil like coconut oil (essential oils are powerful so they need to be diluted with a carrier oil) to give you the best results. Make sure you clean the area before applying the oils. Mix 2-3 drops of each oil along with 20 drops of your carrier oil and apply them with a sterile cotton gauze pad to coat the affected area of your skin. Make sure that you are only touching the area of your skin that’s affected by the fungus so that you don’t spread the fungus across healthy skin. Apply the oils 2-3 times daily over a period of several weeks to see results.
Use skin products that contain these essential oils to keep bacteria and fungus in check
Some of these powerful essential oils are ingredients in Beauti Me’s skin care collection, specifically designed to address bacterial and fungal skin issues. Try them out—you’ll like the results!
