Ringworm Causes, Symptoms

Ringworm is a type of fungal infection that affects the skin of an individual. In early medicine it was assumed that ringworm was caused by a particular type of parasitic worm, but that has been proved to be wrong. Ringworm is actually caused by a fungal infection that thrives on the warm and moist areas of the skin. Being a fungal infection, testing is required to confirm its nature and develop effective ringworm cure. Ringworm often presents itself in the form of a round shaped abnormality on the skin surface, but in some cases, it does not present in this way. It should also be noted that not all round shaped abnormal skin conditions are associated with ringworm. In order to make an accurate diagnosis, the tissue of the skin surface affected by the condition needs to be studied under a microscope. In some cases, this is not enough and a culture of the affected area is ordered. During this process, which takes a few days, the fungi are allowed to grow, if they are present. This can confirm or rule out the condition. The most common ringworm symptoms are the formation of lesions, usually in a circular pattern around an area that is infected with the ringworm fungi. The skin within this ring appears to be like scales and it could be quite itchy as well.

Once it is diagnosed, ringworm treatment can commence. Ringworm treatment is through the application of local ointments on the affected area. These creams are antifungal creams that are targeted at the fungi that cause ringworm. They kill the fungi, allowing the skin to return to its normal shape. It should be noted that ringworm fungi can cause problems anywhere in the body including the scalp, the groin, anywhere on the skin and even on the nails. Anti-fungal creams usually take up to 15 days to completely cure a fungal infection like ringworm. However, some people do not respond to treatment using anti-fungal medication. In this case, other forms of medication are used as a ringworm remedy. Medication may be prescribed orally for such patients. Ringworm prevention is essential. People who are in humid climates should clean and protect the areas of their body that are prone to sweat and heat. This may warrant bathing twice a day. Areas that are known to be damp may be treated with talcum powder or some medicated powder which prevents the establishment of any fungal or bacterial infection in the area.