Ringworm

What is ringworm?

Ringworm is a fungal infection of the skin, and is not caused by any type of worm at all. Ringworm is often grouped together with jock itch and athlete’s foot, because they’re all known as tinea, a type of fungal skin infection. Jock itch is, in fact, a form of ringworm that affects the groin area, usually in men, and can also be caused by the athlete’s foot fungus.

One of the Common Fungal Diseases

The fungi that cause ringworm live on the surface of the hair and the skin. Ringworm is highly contagious through skin-on-skin contact, or even from things like towels and clothes. You can also catch ringworm from a dog or cat, so if a pet is infected, people in the household may catch ringworm, too. Usually, however, someone in good physical health with a healthy immune system can avoid developing the infection.

Ringworm develops as a red, itchy rash on the skin. It can be located anywhere on the skin, including the scalp. Very often, the rash will appear in the form of rings, but this isn’t always the case. If ringworm appears in the groin area, it’s known as jock itch. When it’s present on the hand, it will have the same general appearance as athlete’s foot, with thick, scaly skin on the palm and sores developing between the fingers.

A ring-shaped rash will almost always be ringworm, but other general rashes could be one of many different conditions. If you have a rash that won’t go away or gets worse, you should see your doctor, as it could be caused by other parasitic worms. Untreated ringworm can cause blisters and cracks in the skin, where you can develop secondary infections and need antibiotic treatment. A skin scraping looked at beneath a microscope can reveal whether or not a rash is ringworm or a different condition.

Treating Ringworm

Ringworm isn’t difficult to get rid of. Over-the-counter antifungal medications will usually clear it up. Even once the rash is gone, the creams should be used for the entire duration of treatment that your doctor recommends. This will help prevent a recurrence. If the fungus is too advanced to be treated with an over-the-counter cream, systemic antifungal medications can be prescribed.