Ringworm
What is "ringworm of the skin"?
Ringworm is a common name used for a superficial fungal infection in the skin.
What causes ringworm?
A superficial fungal infection is the cause of ringworm. Ringworm is not actually a worm, but something that begins as a small round spot that gets bigger and bigger until it's a large round patch. Because of that ammonal shape and the growth pattern it got the name ringworm,
How does someone become infected with ringworm?
Ringworm is contagious and can be gotten from another person with ringworm, or by getting in a shower or walking by a pool without flipflops on your feet, where someone else who was infected has just been.
Is it possible for my pet to spread ringworm?
In addition to being spread from other people, the infection can also be spread from animalis including; household pets, dogs, cats, hamsters, rodents.In some cases the infection is quite obvious and can cause hair loss or tangled hair in your pet, in which case you can bring them to the veterinarian. In some cases, the infection is so slight that you don't realize they're infected until you get infected.
What are the symptoms of ringworm?
A red itchy rash, which starts as about the size of a dime and becomes larger and larger and larger over time.
How does a dermatologist diagnose ringworm?
Ringworm causes a red, scaly patch. There's lots of things that cause red, scaly patches. It's called a differential diagnosis: all the different things that a red, scaly patch can be. Sometimes it's so obvious in its clinical appearance that a dermatologist can do it just on the way that it looks. But in order to confirm that that is in fact the problem a small scraping can be done that shows hyphal elements characteristic of the fungus.
What treatments are available for ringworm?
There are a lot of treatments available for ringworm, both topically and orally, depending on the severity of the infection.
What can happen to me if I don't seek treatment for my ringworm?
If you do not treat the infection, it will not stand still. It will continue to spread. Sometimes people put a little bit of over-the-counter Hydrocortizone on a red, scaly patch, thinking it's just excema or an allergic reaction. This can actually make ringworm initially appear to improve and then come back as a sort of deep, pustular infection. It is best to treat ringworm.
How can I prevent ringworm?
You can prevent getting infected with ringworm by avoiding obvious contact with a person who has an active infection.
