Our world is fully surrounded by fungi, molds and yeasts, but luckily, only a few of them cause skin problems. They are called dermatophytes and they cause an annoying infection called ringworm or dermatophytosis.
Ringworm is not a kind of worm; it is an infection of the skin caused by a fungus. This infection is a skin disorder characterized by red, itchy, scaly, rash in the area affected.
People and animals can both be affected by ringworms. The infection starts when you see red patches that later spread to other parts of your body, affecting many other areas of your body like your feet, groin, nails, skin and scalp among others.
A small area of infected skin grows outwards forming a ring-like inflamed red patch of skin. Sometimes, only one area is affected; however, it’s not unusual to have other areas of the body affected too, and covered with the same ring-like patches.
The ringworm can be more than annoying because it can develop into an awfully itchy and exasperating experience. In some extreme cases, we might even lose hair on the affected areas!
Let me tell you all about it and how to get rid of it completely.
Everything about Ringworm
What Causes Ringworm?
Ringworms are infections caused by fungi in the air and can happen to anyone and spread to everyone. It is very infectious and can be easily spread through direct contact with affected persons or household pets.
Anyone can develop ringworm, but it is particularly common in children, especially in warm, moist climates. Touching the infected skin can transmit the infection very quickly, and heaven knows, children tend to touch everything!
Signs and Symptoms of Ringworm
Ringworm can easily be identified because of its characteristic signs:
- The reddish ring-like inflammation.
- The ring-like sore grows quickly, retaining the shape.
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- Inside the “ring” the skin will be crusty, scaly, like a sac filled with fluids.
- The sore may be painful and sometimes itchy.
- They may appear as one or a group of sores.
- The ringworm may appear in one or in several different spots
- Hair may be lost in the center of the ring.
The medical term used for ringworm is “tinea.” It is a Latin name meaning “growing worm.” To specify where the infection is located, the doctors added another appropriate Latin word. For example, Tinea Pedis refers to infection of the feet, Tinea Corporis refers to infection of the skin, Tinea Capitis refers to infection of the scalp, etc.
To properly identify ringworm on your body, you must know the manifestation of this skin disorder in each part of the body.
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- Infection of the scalp or tinea capitis — This infection starts with tiny bumps on the head that grow larger in a ring-like pattern. Tinea Capitis is quite common in children. The affected area becomes a bald patch that will either be scaly or itchy or both.
- Infection of the hands or tinea manus — This infection disturbs the palms and spaces between the fingers and makes them itch.
- Infection of the facial hair or tinea barbae – This infection often comes with itching, crusting, and swelling all of which cause hair to break off or fall from the infected area.
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- Infection of the feet or tinea pedis — This infection causes scaling between the toes, and/or thickening and scaling on the heels or soles
- Infection of the nails or tinea unguium — This infection causes fingernails and toenails to turn yellow, thick, and brittle.
- Infection of the groin or tinea cruris or jock itch — This infection causes a chafed, itchy, painful, and reddish rash in the groin. This condition is also known as “jock itch”. The ringworms usually emerge as itchy, raised, reddish-brown spots that extend from the folds of the groin to the thighs. This fungal infection can be mistaken for psoriasis and yeast infections.
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- Infection of the body or tinea corporis —This infection refers to infections on the arms, legs, and trunk. It produces flat, round, scaly spots on the skin. The ringworms on these areas emerge as swollen and scaly spots.
- Infection of the face or tinea faciei — This infection produces itchy, red, scaly spots on the face.
You will notice the symptoms from 4 to 10 days after the first contact.
However, not all ring-like reddish skin rashes are due to a fungal infection. Thorough physical examination, evaluation and culture tests are needed to accurately and appropriately isolate it from other similar conditions.
Diagnosing Ringworm
Your doctor will examine your skin to diagnose ringworm. He will probably use a black light to view the affected area of your skin. The black light makes the fungi glow. The fungi in your skin, if there are any, will glow under the black light.
Your doctor might order a skin biopsy by taking a sample of your skin and sending it to a lab to test for fungus.
He might also do a KOH (potassium hydroxide) exam, by scraping off a tiny area of infected skin and putting it in KOH solution.
These tests are needed to confirm the presence of fungus and identify the skin infection.
Who is at Risk for Ringworm?
Anyone can develop ringworm. However, the infection is more commonly found in children and people who own pet cats.
People who come into contact with the fungus while they are wet or have minor skin scratches or wounds have a possibility of acquiring this infection.
Others are more likely to develop ringworms if they are always barefoot, they frequently use the public shower or public swimming pools, or they share items like hair brushes and unwashed clothing.
You are also at risk if you:
- Are involved in contact sports like wrestling
- Are in contact with people who suffer from excessive sweating
- Get in contact with animals
- Get in contact with the soil
- Live in a warm, humid climate
- Are obese
- Have a weakened immune system
- Share bedding, towels, or clothing or have close contact with a person who is infected
Ringworm is extremely infectious and can be easily transmitted from you to your friend, or vice versa, just by using clothing or other personal items used by a person or a pet infected with ringworm.
How to get rid of ringworms
Get Rid of Ringworms Thru Medications
Ringworms are generally mild infections and can be cured with drugs without a prescription. The following medicines will stop the infection and block it from spreading to other parts of the body:
1. Antifungal topical applications – Most ringworm infections can be treated with over-the-counter antifungal topical applications in the form of creams, gels, lotions, powders, or sprays.
Continue the application for up to 4 weeks, even if the symptoms are gone. This is to completely eliminate the ringworm and prevent it from appearing again.
2. Antifungal Shampoos – Antifungal shampoos won’t cure the scalp infection, but they will shorten the recovery period and prevent ringworms from recurring.
3. Oral Drugs – If the infection persists after medicating with the antifungal creams and shampoos, it may be necessary to be checked up by a doctor.
Ringworms that are enduring may need to be subjected to more potent antifungal pills that will need a doctor’s prescription.
Get Rid of Ringworms Thru Natural Remedies
Ringworm problems are mild and they’re not life-threatening. The worst part about having a ringworm infection is the discomfort and pain that they cause, the embarrassment that you get when they appear in places in your body that are difficult to cover, plus the humiliating situations that they create especially when you are with other people.
This unpleasant infection causes intense itching that requires heavy scratching in order to obtain comfort. This heavy scratching will cause more skin to break up and be infected, and allow secondary infections to erupt.
Don’t let your ringworm go untreated due to budget limitations. Most cases of ringworm are mild and can be cured with natural, home-made remedies that can be found in your kitchen, like:
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Apple Cider Vinegar – Vinegar has antifungal properties that can get rid of fungal infections. Simply wet a cotton ball with undiluted apple cider vinegar and apply it to the infected area several times a day, until the sore areas start to heal.
Apple Cider Vinegar and Salt – Salt is an excellent astringent. Mix it with apple cider vinegar for added antifungal power. The resulting paste is a very effective treatment to kill the fungus and ultimately heal the ringworm.
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Aloe Vera – Aloe Vera is known for its therapeutic effects on the skin. It is a natural home remedy in curing skin problems like ringworms. Cut open a fresh leaf to get the gel of the Aloe Vera. Apply the gel to the infected area and leave overnight. Rinse off the next day and re-apply until the ringworm has healed.
Coconut Oil – Coconut oil contains healing properties that include curing your ringworm infections especially in the scalp. Apply the oil liberally on the ringworm at night. Leave it on and then wash it off the next day. The oil will provide relief to your itchy scalp and at the same time soothe and soften the infected area. Repeat this process for a couple of weeks, until the ringworms are cured.
Colloidal Silver – Colloidal is an exceptional antibiotic that can destroy disease-causing microorganisms, including the fungi that cause ringworms. It is available at herbal stores. Apply it directly or spray it on the affected area twice a day until the ringworm is cured.
Garlic Extract – Garlic contains an antifungal property that can effectively eliminate the ringworm-causing fungus when you apply it directly to the ringworm!
To make the paste: Crush a few cloves of garlic. Add one tablespoon each of olive oil and honey and blend them all well to create a paste. Apply this paste on your infected skin. Leave on for about an hour, and wash off with warm water. Repeat 3 times a day for the next 4 weeks.
Lavender Oil in Jojoba Oil – Lavender and jojoba oil is a safe cure for babies and children that have ringworms. A small blend of lavender oil in jojoba oil applied in the affected areas with a cotton ball will give your baby a non-toxic, comforting remedy.
Lemongrass Tea – Lemongrass is another natural remedy for the itchy ringworm. It has antibacterial, antifungal and antiseptic properties that prevent the ringworm from spreading and clears up the infection.
Other forms of lemongrass remedy – Drink lemongrass tea to absorb its healing powers, then apply the used tea bags on the infected areas to relieve itchiness.
You can drink lemongrass tea up to three times a day to make the most out of its therapeutic effects on ringworms. In addition, applying used lemongrass tea bags on the affected area is a good way to soothe the itchiness that is associated with ringworms.
As an added bonus, lemongrass acts an astringent. It will diminish the pores on the infected skin and dry out the ringworms.
Mustard Seeds – These tiny seeds when pulverized and made into a paste can be a cure against ringworm. Simply apply it on the affected area to relieve you from itching and irritation.
Myrrh – Myrrh has been in use many, many years ago and is well-known for its many healing properties. It is commonly used to treat fungal infections. Combine myrrh and Goldenseal in equal parts and add a few drops of water to create a paste. This paste, when applied directly on the affected area 3 times a day, will eradicate the fungus and reduce the swelling around the ringworm.
Tea Tree Oil – Tea tree oil can treat skin problems including ringworms. Soak a warm compress in tea tree oil and wrap it in a clean cloth. When you apply the compress to the area three times a day, it will begin to help in healing the skin infection.
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Turmeric – Turmeric is not only a popular food ingredient; it is also a common remedy for skin infections. In fresh or in powder form, its antibiotic properties give it the power to heal ringworms fast.
Get Rid of Ringworm and Keep it From Recurring
Here are general tips and advices to keep ringworms away:
- Avoid touching areas if you are not sure about their cleanliness.
- Observe personal cleanliness by frequently washing the body, especially the hands.
- Collect the used linens and clothes of an infected family member and wash them on their own.
- Avoid sports where you are in frequent contact with each other.
- If your pets have ringworm, take them to a veterinarian for prompt treatment. Vacuum and disinfect the places where they stay most of the time, including surfaces, bedding, and toys. Wash your hands well immediately after handling a pet.
- Keep the infected area in your home clean and dry.
- Do not share towels with other members of the family.
- Wash linens and clothes frequently.
- Clean your shower or bath thoroughly after use.
- Keep from scratching the rash, to avoid spreading the fungus to your body.
- Avoid wearing clothes that irritate the infected area.
- Wash beddings and clothes daily during an infection.
- Keep your skin clean and dry at all times.
- Use disinfectant spray to wash and keep your sports equipment clean.
Ringworm is a mild infection but it can be such an annoyance that it can ruin our life! Let us not take it for granted. Get rid of it and shun it completely to oblivion.
You can prevent the occurrence of ringworm by continuously maintaining a clean and healthy lifestyle. Many infections are caused by getting in contact with animals and the lack of proper hygiene. If you have a weakened immune system, avoid any contact with animals or individuals who are believed to have dermatophytosis.
Nothing is better than prevention and prevention means constantly practicing healthy and hygienic behaviors.
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