How To Treat Ringworm

Today, I'm going to talk about how to get rid of ringworm. Step one. The first thing to say is that ringworm is not due to a worm.

Ringworm is actually a fungal infection of the skin. The reason why it's called ringworm is because it starts as a small patch but then works its way out in a ring shape so that you end up with a very red itchy inflamed skin lesion. Step two.

There are things you can try yourself over the counter. These tend to be anti-fungal creams. It's important to put the cream on as advised and use it just beyond the edges of the legion, a maximum of four centimetres around the lesion.

Only use it for the maximum amount of time as it says on the bottle. Step three. If that hasn't worked, pop along to see your GP.

If the ringworm is very itchy or irritating, your GP may give you a different anti-fungal topical treatment that also contains a mild steroid. And the point of the steroid in this case is to stop some of that inflammation and itchiness. Never use a steroid cream alone, though, because that could actually make the skin infection worse.

Step four. Things you can do to prevent spread of the rash. Because it's a fungus on the skin, theoretically, it is contagious with close contact.

So, to prevent somebody else from getting it, remember not to share towels, wash your hands frequently and try not to pick the infection as much as possible because otherwise, you may even spread it to other parts of the body. So, just to recap, if you've got ringworm, be aware that it's not a worm. It's a fungal infection of the skin.

You can try some over-the-counter topical anti-fungal creams but if they don't work, pop along to see your GP. He might give you something else and may even consider tablets if the infection is really bad. Bear in mind that it is contagious so you shouldn't be sharing towels and avoid picking it if possible.

And that's how to treat ringworm. .