Ringworm, medical name Tinea fungus that forms in a circular form, red with defined edges, center of pattern is of normal skin color, contagious, not a real worm.
I have received a few emails from readers, about ringworm, with the basic questions such as;
What is it?
How did I catch it?
Is it really a worm?
How do I get rid of it?
So, these questions, I thought would make a great post, and after doing some research online, I was able to come up with the basics of, what is Ringworm.
First, time to squash the notion that this fungus is really a worm, living under the skin, it is not.
Tinea, is Latin for ëgrowing wormí, this translated to English is simply “Ringworm” a very unattractive name to say the least.
What it is
A common fungal infection, that targets certain areas of the body, such as the feet, nails, groin and scalp. What is interesting, depending on the area of infection, each is giving a specific name.
Head and scalp – Tinea Capitis
Body – Tinea Corporis
Feet – Tinea Pedis or commonly known as “Athletes Foot”
Groin – Jock Itch
With this information, we can clearly see, that this fungus is not just a scalp condition , but rather a targeted infection that invades several key body parts.
Ringworm the cause
Fungal spores that are all around us, they live on our bodies, we breath them in, harmless, until they invade the body, by way, of a weak point, which is usually a micro tear on the surface of the skin, or scalp. Once inside the body, depending on the strain of the fungal spore, ringworm infection becomes a very possibility, to the host.
Basically, a yeast overgrowth in the body, is a good way to sum it up.
Characteristics and What to look for
This condition is pretty easy to identify, but as always, when in doubt seek medical attention.
Ringworm produces a circular shape, outer edges, are most of the time red in color, the center stays unchanged and is of normal skin tone. Sometimes, and this is not uncommon, the infected area may be so large, that the ring is not noticeable, or clearly defined.
If on the scalp, scalp soreness may be present, as well as patches of hair loss around the area in question, itching if not treated will surly leave scabs on scalp.
Without question, it itches and makes one scratch.
Transference, It is contagious
Ten to fourteen days after indirect contact, tinea is notiable, four to 10 days with direct skin to skin contact they can appear.
There are so many ways, one may come into contact, and end up with this condition, the most common ways are reported as;
• Contact to contact directly with infected human or animal ( yes, it’s possible to catch from your pet).
• Sharing objects, such as towels, combs, hair brushes, headgear, clothing.
• Surface contact of various objects, touched by infected human or animal (bathrooms and locker rooms are a hot spot)
Just a little side note here, some age groups, have an higher rate of contacting ringworm, these are, young children, especially if in day school and young adults that are involved in, contact sport activities, such as wrestling.
Remedy
Popular first choice, is an anti-fungal medication, which may be in either cream or powder form, if no noticeable improvement, then the next step would be a prescription medication in stronger form, or possibly fungal tablets taken orally.
Prevention
Cleanliness is important, keep common areas clean and disinfect, avoid at all cost, the sharing of personal items. Wash sport uniforms regularly,
Children’s toys, if shared with other infants need to be sanitized.
Most of all, just use common sense.
Conclusion
Ringworm of the scalp is very embarrassing, as this area my be more difficult to hid, depending on individual situations.
They you have it, a small but detailed report, I hope some find the information they seek, but just as a reminder, seeking medical advice is always the best course of action to take, if you feel you’re dealing with ringworm.
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