What Causes Ringworm?
Ringworm has absolutely nothing to do with worms. The correct medical term for these infections is tinea. The latin name for the part of the body effected is then used to say where the infection is. For example, tinea pedis affects the feet (and is better known as athlete’s foot), tinea corporis affects the body and tinea capitis affects the scalp.
Ringworm is a fungal infection that can be transferred from other people, soil, animals or household objects. Most cases are caused by a type of fungus called dermatophytes.
Who Can Get Ringworm?
Ringworm can affect anybody. It normally occurs when there is a breach in your bodys defences such as a cut in the skin where spores can enter.
Athletes Foot is caused by excess moisture caused by sweat making it difficult for the skin to be as effective at stopping micro-organisms entering the body.
What are the Symptoms of Ringworm?
Ringworm causes reddened and scaly patches on the skin in an irregular ring shape with a slightly raised edge. The patches may be very itchy. When someon has tinea capitis, the hair inside the patches may be lost, resulting in small circular bald areas.
Ringworm can also affect the nails, causing them to become thickened and discoloured, with scaling of the palms or soles. Curanail is a common cure for this type of fungal nail infection.
Diagnosing Ringworm
Ringworm can normally be recognised once a doctor looks at it. Confirmation of any diagnosis will often be found by Scrapings of the skin being examined under a microscope.
How to Treat Ringworm
Ringworm is normally easily treated with antifungal creams and lotions. These may need to be applied for several weeks to be effective at removing the infection and preventing recurrence because the fungi can be buried deep in the skin tissues.
Rarely cases can be treated with tablets over a number of weeks. If you notice the symptoms returning then seek further medical advice immediately.