How can ringworm be diagnosed?

Your healthcare provider can usually diagnose ringworm by looking at the affected skin and asking questions about your symptoms. He or she may also take a small skin scraping to be examined under a microscope or sent to a laboratory for a fungal culture.

What gets rid of ringworm quickly?

Over-the-counter antifungals can kill the fungus and promote healing. Effective medications include miconazole (Cruex), clotrimazole (Desenex) and terbinafine (Lamisil). After cleaning the rash, apply a thin layer of antifungal medication to the affected area 2 to 3 times per day or as directed by the package.

What are 3 symptoms of ringworm?

Symptoms of Ringworm Infections

• Itchy skin.
• Ring-shaped rash.
• Red, scaly, cracked skin.
• Hair loss.

Where do you get ringworm from?

Ringworm is highly contagious and can be spread multiple ways.

• You can get it from an infected person, animal, object, and even soil.
• Heat and moisture help fungi grow and thrive, which makes them more common in areas where you sweat.
• Fungi also grows in skin folds such as those in the groin or between the toes.

Do you need to see a doctor for ringworm?

When should you call your doctor? If you suspect you have ringworm of the skin, call your doctor if: You have patches of skin that are itchy, red, or scaly with bumps that look like blisters, and they have not improved after 2 weeks of treatment with a nonprescription antifungal product.

How do I know if I’ve got ringworm?

Signs and symptoms of ringworm may include: A scaly ring-shaped area, typically on the buttocks, trunk, arms and legs. Itchiness. A clear or scaly area inside the ring, perhaps with a scattering of bumps whose color ranges from red on white skin to reddish, purplish, brown or gray on black and brown skin.

Does ringworm go away by itself?

After treatment, the rash will go away. But ringworm can return unless you follow steps to prevent it. The tendency to get fungal skin infections or to have them return after treatment seems to run in families.

What happens if ringworm is untreated?

If left untreated, ringworm can spread to other areas of the body. A person can also risk spreading the infection to someone else. Other potential areas of complication include: hair loss and scarring.

Is ringworm caused by poor hygiene?

The fungi that cause ringworm thrive in warm, moist areas. Poor hygiene and long-term wetness of the skin create a perfect environment and raise the risk for a fungal infection.

Can you get ringworm from bed sheets?

Ringworm spreads through direct contact with infected skin or fungal spores. The spores can live on fabrics, including clothing, couch cushions, bedding, and other porous surfaces.

What will happen if ringworm is not treated?

If not treated, ringworm can spread and the skin can become irritated and painful. Skin blisters and cracks can become infected with bacteria. If this happens, you may need to take antibiotics.

Does ringworm go away on its own?

Although some people do not show visible symptoms of the fungus or may have their visible symptoms go away for a time, without treatment the fungus that causes the rash will remain present on the skin. Because it is fungal in nature, ringworm will not go away on its own.

What are the first signs of a ringworm?

Ringworm causes a scaly, crusted rash that may appear as round, red patches on the skin. Other symptoms and signs of ringworm include patches of hair loss or scaling on the scalp, itching, and blister-like lesions. Ringworm is contagious and can be passed from person to person.

What are the long term effects of ringworm?

Effects. While ringworm will usually go away over a month’s time, there can be long-term effects, including the spread of the ringworm to other parts of the body, bacterial skin infections or permanent baldness if the ringworm is on the scalp or where facial hair grows.

What is the best medicine for ringworm?

Griseofulvin ( Grifulvin V, Gris-PEG), Terbinafine, and Itraconazole are the oral medicines doctors prescribe most often for ringworm. Terbinafine. If your doctor puts you on these tablets, you’ll have to take them once a day for 4 weeks. They work in most cases. Side effects usually are mild and don’t last long.