There appears to be a lot of confusion about the true nature of ringworm, particularly among individuals or parents who are dealing with the infection for the very first time. What is ringworm, exactly?

Ringworm is is a skin condition caused by fungi that may spread in the nails, skin, or scalp. It is one of the most prevalent skin diseases out there – a report by the U.S. Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) puts the number of persons carrying the disease to be about 20%, at any given time period.

What is ringworm? Is it really caused by a worm?

Ringworm, is caused by fungal organisms referred to as “dermatophytes.” To be clear, they’re not caused by worms as many people believe. These fungi are present on the skin of animals and people and in the soil. These creatures consume the dead skin cells in the outermost peeling of our skin and breeds in moist, warm, and unhygienic places. An infection will start when the fungi starts to multiply in large numbers through an entrance in the dermal layer such as a cut or a scratch, for instance.

What is ringworm? What does ringworm look like?

Ringworm often begins as a minute slightly protruding growth on your skin. As it progresses, it takes on a reddish hue and grows in size. The spot is often extremely itchy forcing the person to scratch it for some relief, which in turn could provide the fungus with more opening in the skin layer in which to spread. As the ringworm expands, it now begins to look like a ring with reddish scaly borders surrounding healthy looking skin in the middle. Hairless patches in the head with a few broken-off hair (black spots) are often observed in kids with ringworm of the scalp.

There are several types of ringworm, depending on the location of the infection. Tinea corporis or ringworm of the body affects the arms and legs, the chest, abdominal and back parts. Tinea capitis or ringworm of the scalp occurs in the head and is common in grade school kids, as mentioned above. Tinea pedis or ringworm of the feet, also referred to as “athlete’s foot” can thrive in the damp spaces between the toes, on the soles or sides of the feet.

Is ringworm contagious? As a matter of fact, it is. You risk spreading the infection to other parts of the body if you keep scratching the lesion. Fungal spores can cling to your fingertips and may be transmitted to other persons through direct skin contact. Tinea capitis (ringworm of the scalp) in particular, which is common among grade-school children, is extremely contagious.

What is ringworm? How do you cure this infection?

Many cases of ringworm like ”athlete’s foot,” “jock itch,” and tinea corporis are not difficult to treat and will respond well to self-care ringworm treatment using over-the-counter ointments or powders. Some of the OTC anti-fungal brands are: Tinactin, Monistat, Lotrimin, and Lamisil.

There are certain kinds of ringworm infection that may be more difficult to treat. Home care OTC medications may not work very well to cure ringworm of the scalp, fingernails, or toenails. The fungal growth in such cases may be hard to reach with ordinary creams or may have developed resistance to common anti-fungal remedies such as certain species of the scalp ringworm fungus. Oral drugs, such as Grifulvin or Sporanox, may be recommended by your doctor to combat the infection.

What is ringworm? It’s only a fungal infection and ringworm cure is easy to implement  - certainly not a something to get stressed about. With some very basic steps in maintaining cleanliness, this infection can be easily prevented. 

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