Share
Ringworm is not a worm. It is a fungal infection of the face, trunk, and extremities that causes pink-to-red annular patches and plaques with raised scaly borders that expand peripherally and tend to clear centrally.
Signs and symptoms of ringworm
- A scaly ring-shaped area, typically on the buttocks, trunk, arms and legs
- Itchiness
- A clear or scaly area inside the ring
- Slightly raised, expanding rings
- A round, flat patch of itchy skin
Causes of ringworm infection
- Human to human. By direct, skin-to-skin contact with an infected person.
- Animal to human. Ringworm can spread while petting or grooming dogs or cats.
- Soil to human. In rare cases, ringworm can be spread to humans by contact with infected soil.
Ringworm treatment
- Topical antifungals. Topical anti-fungal topical products containing ingredients such as clotrimazole, ketoconazole, miconazole.
- Antifungal pills.
