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Learn About Ringworm

What is Ringworm Infection?

According to a research report published in 2014, an estimated 10 to 20 percent of the world's population is affected by fungal skin infections. Ringworm infection is one of them.

Regardless of its name, ringworm is not actually caused by a worm or any living parasite. Instead, it's a skin condition that's caused by a type of fungus called tinea.

It's a superficial fungal infection that doesn't usually cause disease below the surface of the skin. Ringworm causes a red, scaly and itchy patch on your skin. Over time, it takes the shape of a ring or a circle (or several rings). This is where the name "ringworm" comes from.

You can get ringworm on your skin, nails or anywhere in the body. It's most common on the arms and the scalp, but you can get it anywhere on your skin, including your face. Ringworm mostly affects the skin on the body, the scalp, the feet, or the groin.

Ringworm may be called by different names if it develops in different areas. For example, when it affects the groin area, it's referred to as "jock itch". When it affects the area between your toes, it's called "athlete's foot".

 

Recognizing Ringworm Symptoms And Stages

The symptoms of ringworm depend on the infected areas. They typically include:

  • A ring-shaped rash
  • Itchy skin
  • Red, scaly, or cracked skin
  • Patches that develop pustules or blisters
  • Patches with edges that are defined and raised
  • Hair loss in the affected area

When your skin comes into contact with the fungi that cause ringworm, the symptoms tend to appear after 4 to 14 days.

Some of the stages you may see include:

Initial Stage: Ringworm typically starts as red or pink skin patches (or spots) that may be either flat or slightly raised. In this initial stage, the sores are more often dry, scaly, and itchy, but it can be moist.

Second Stage: Over time, the rash will increase in size. After that, the core of the rash will start to clear up, leaving a ring-shaped infection with a raised, red border and a healthy-looking center (though the center may remain red and scaly).

You may break the skin if you scratch the rash, which could lead to a bacterial or viral infection. After scratching, if you instantly touch other areas of your body, you may also involuntarily spread the ringworm infection. So treating at the initial sign of infection is vital.

Ringworm Infection

Location of Infection

Symptoms

Tinea capitis

Scalp

Itchy, scaly, inflamed bald spots

Tinea barbae

Beard, cheeks, chin, and upper neck

Red crusty spots, hair fall in affected area

Onychomycosis

Fingernails and toenails

Thick and abnormal nails in shape and color

Tinea cruris, or "Jock Itch"

Groin region

Itchy, scaly red spots on inner thighs

Tinea pedis, or "Athlete's Foot"

Soles, toes and heels 

Swollen, red, itchy and blistered skin

                                          Tinea corporis

                                        Body

                                        Round ring shape patches

Types Of Ringworm Infection And Its Symptoms

 

What Causes Ringworm Infection And How Do You Catch It?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are about 40 different species of fungi that can cause ringworm. These species live off the dead tissues of your skin, hair, and nails.

They grow in sweaty, moist, and warm areas such as the skin folds of the groin area or between the toes.

You may get ringworm:

  • Through close contact with surfaces that harbour the fungi.
  • Having direct, skin-to-skin contact with affected infectious areas of an infected person's body.
  • Playing with pets, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), you can contract ringworm by petting or grooming them.
  • Touching an object or surface that's contaminated with the fungi, such as clothing, bed linens, towels, brushes, chairs, and toilets.
  • Touching other infected animals, such as farm animals like lambs and cows or guinea pigs, can also lead to an infection.
  • Having prolonged exposure to contaminated soil, though this is rare.

Team athletes taking part in organized sports, for example, wrestling can spread ringworm through contact with each other. But the infection can often spread even with sports that don't involve direct contact, by sharing equipment such as mats and gear like helmets, shin guards, and towels.

 

How Is Ringworm Treated?

Ringworm can be treated with antifungal powders, soaps, shampoo and creams containing anti fungal ingredients. In cases of rigorous or resistant infections on the scalp or nails, your dermatologist may prescribe some oral medicines such as terbinafine, itraconazole.

Ringworm skin medications may clear ringworm infection in 2 to 4 weeks, and most people respond positively to treatment.