Ringworms: Things to Know

May 26
07:22

2010

Jay Sanders

Jay Sanders

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Ringworm is a very common infection that occurs on animals and humans alike. Unlike the name however, ringworm isn’t actually a worm, rather it’s a fungal infection that appears as a set of rings when on the skin.

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 Another type of ringworm is athlete’s foot. The organism that creates ringworm is called a dermatophyte and the effects can be different according to what part of the body the infection occurs on,Ringworms: Things to Know Articles which can be the feet, head, nails, and skin.

 

You can catch ringworm by coming into contact with people or animals that have a live infection. It is also possible to contract it from walking barefoot in soil where active ringworm has fallen off an animal, although this is highly rare in most cases.

 

Ringworm gestation period ranges from 10 to 14 days, depending on where the infection occurs. Ten days is the usual gestation for ringworm to form on the skin and 14 days for it to show on the scalp. These are average gestation periods and ringworm can form sooner or later than what is stated. The most common way to get ringworm is by contact with a cat or dog that has an active infection.

 

Symptoms for ringworm vary but usually include round rings that appear red on the skin, followed by a rash that appears patchy, becoming itchy and very uncomfortable. On the scalp it usually appears as a pimple like pump that has a crusty top to it and can lead to patchy hair loss if untreated. If the infection is on the feet, athlete’s foot, it will show as a scaly, cracking skin irritation between the toes that is highly itchy. It can make your nails brittle and thick with strange yellowish discoloration.

 

Since ringworm isn’t actually a worm, but rather a fungal infection, you can treat it with an appropriate fungicide. Since every case is a bit different due to geographical location, area of the body, and type of fungal organism, you should consult a doctor before trying to treat this on your own.

 

Your doctor will be able to recommend or prescribe the correct fungicide for you that will clear up the ringworm infection. While there are home remedies online that you can find, you should always be careful when trying to treat an infection in this way as it can cause more issues than it solves.

 

 

 

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