What Is Ringworm?
Ringworm is a skin infection caused by mold like fungi that exists on the dead tissues of your skin, hair and nails. It can also spread it between your toes and your groin.
How Do I Know If I Have It?
You have to visit a dermatologist to ensure if the infection is ringworm because there are a couple of skin infections that look like a ringworm.
How do you Get Ringworm?
Ringworm is highly contagious and you can catch it through skin contact, pets, objects and soil that is infected with the fungus.
What Are the Symptoms?
The ringworm is a red, scaly patch or a ring- or circle-shaped patch thattends to start out as a bump or small sore. The outside of the patch is slightly raised and bumpy.
Ringwormmay turn into several flaky and scaly rings and your scalp may feel tender and sore to the touch. You may also notice that your hairstarts to fall out in patches.
How Can I Prevent Ringworm?
Below are some tips you can do to prevent ringworm or stop it from spreading:
- Keep your skin clean and dry.
- Change your clothes at least once every day.
- Don’t share clothes or towels with someone who is infected.
- If you play sports, don’t share your gear and uniformwith other players and always keep them clean
- Wash your hands with soap and water after playing with pets that are also infected. If your pets have ringworm, do visit your vet.
What’s the Treatment?
In many cases, your doctor may recommend amedicine you can easily get at the drugstore. If the ringworm is on your skin try an antifungal cream, lotion, or powder. You might have to use the medicines on your skin for a month to make sure you kill the fungus that causes ringworm. If you have ringworm on different places of your body, your dermatologist would write you a prescription. You also have to look out for symptoms that get worse or don’t clear up after 10-15 days. If that happens, you need to visit your doctor again.
If you are suffering from any skin disease, our primary care physicians at Manhattan Medical Arts, will work closely with you to provide a treatment that works best for you.