Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTypesSymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatmentNext in Ringworm GuideWhat Does Ringworm Look Like?
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Table of Contents
Types
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Next in Ringworm Guide
This article will explain how to recognize, treat, and prevent ringworm. It also covers rare serious complications of this common fungal skin disease.
Verywell / Laura Porter
Types of Ringworm
Ringworm is so-named because of its circular shape. Also known astineaordermatophytosis, it is a fungal infection that can affect the skin, hair, and nails. It has nothing to do with worms.
What You Need to Know About Ringworm on Your Eyelid
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See PhotoTinea Corporis Infection (Ringworm).OGphoto / Getty Images
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See Photo
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See PhotoRingworm on Arm.alejandrophotography / Getty Images
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See PhotoRingworm on Leg.phanasitti / Getty Images
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See PhotoTinea cruris.DermNet /CC BY-NC-ND
DermNet /CC BY-NC-ND
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See PhotoGranuloma annulare on the foot.DermNet /CC BY-NC-ND
Ringworm Symptoms on Different Skin Tones
Ringworm isn’t hard to recognize once it develops its characteristic circular rash. Sometimes, though, ringworm symptoms can be confused with otherskin rashes.
On most parts of the body, ringworm starts out as a flat, scaly lesion that gradually develops a border before extending outward to create a circular ring shape.
Ringworm can look different on certain parts of the body. Athlete’s foot, for example, usually causes an itchy, patchy rash with cracking (fissuring) and scaling between the toes.
Ringworm on the scalp (tinea capitis) may cause patches of hair loss with black dots on the scalp where hairs have broken off. There may also be boggy, thickened skin and tiny oozing sores on the scalp calledkerions.
Signs of Ringworm on Light Skin Tones
On lighter skin tones, ringworm will cause a red, scaly patch. This makes it more easily recognized as you will see a clear demarcation between the inflamed, raised “ring” and the normal or generally lighter interior.
Signs of Ringworm on African-American and Dark Skin Tones
Ringworm can be harder to identify the darker your skin tone is. With African-American skin and other dark skin complexions, the rash will often look brown or ashen grey.If your skin tone is especially dark, there may be little contrast between the infected skin and normal skin.
Because of this, ringworm may go unnoticed or be confused with other conditions like an insect bite or a local skin allergy.
Even if a healthcare provider is able to identify the rash, the less inflamed appearance may lead them to minimize and undertreat the condition.
A 2022 study found that medical students at Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit reported only “moderate confidence” in diagnosing skin diseases like ringworm on darker skin tones. Part of the issue is that over 90% of the medical school curriculum involves images of skin diseases on light skin only.
Ringworm Signs and Symptoms
What Causes Ringworm?
Approximately 40 different species of fungi cancause ringworm, according to the CDC. The scientific names for these fungi areTrichophyton, Microsporum, andEpidermophyton.
These dermatophytes survive on dead keratin, a protein in the top layer of theepidermis. Keratin also is found in the hair and nails, which is why the toes, feet, and scalp are so susceptible to fungal infections.
Possible Complications
If left untreated, ringworm can lead to rare but potentially severe complications, particularly in severelyimmunocompromisedpeople. These include:
Causes and Risk Factors of Ringworm
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How Ringworm Is Diagnosed
Ringworm infection is pretty self-apparent, given its unmistakable appearance. However, ringworm can sometimes mimic other skin conditions, includinggranuloma annulare, eczema, andtinea versicolor.The same can be said for infections of the scalp, which are often hard to distinguish frompsoriasisorseborrheic dermatitis.
Ringworm Doctor Discussion GuideGet our printable guide for your next healthcare provider’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.Download PDFEmail AddressSign UpThank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up.There was an error. Please try again.
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How Ringworm Is Treated
Ringworm doesn’t always go away on its own and should be treated. There are numerous approaches to treating ringworm infections, depending in large part on the region of the body affected.
Treatments include:
There are also a few natural approaches for treating ringworm that have shown promise in studies, including tea tree oil for athlete’s foot and garlic extract.
How to Get Rid of Ringworm
Prognosis
Fungal infections of the skin can be itchy and uncomfortable and even cause unsightly lesions. Tinea on the head can result in bald patches.When a fungus gets hold of fingernails or toenails, not even a manicure or pedicure may be able to mask the problem.
On the other hand, fungal infections almost always are easy to treat, and there are many effective steps you can take to prevent them based on common sense and good hygiene.
If you, your child, or a pet bring home a fungal infection, prompt diagnosis and treatment can protect the rest of the family from infection. You should also wash your hands with soap and water after playing with a cat or dog you don’t know.
Summary
Ringworm (tinea) is a common fungal skin infection that causes a ring-shaped rash. It is passed from touching ringworm on someone else or coming into contact with an object contaminated with the fungal spores. The rash can look red and inflamed on light skin; on dark skin tones, the rash may be brown or grey and easier to miss.
9 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Shanga AM.Dermatological conditions in skin of color: managing atopic dermatitis.Clin Aesthet Dermatol.2021 Mar;14(3 Suppl 1):S20–S22.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Fungal diseases: ringworm.Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care.Athlete’s foot: overview.Leung AKC, Hon KL, Leong KF, Barankin B, Lam JM.Tinea capitis: an updated review.Recent Pat Inflamm Allergy Drug Discov. 2020;14(1):58-68. doi:10.2174/1872213X14666200106145624Leung AKC, Lam JM, Leong KF, Hon KL.Tinea corporis: an updated review.Drugs Context.2020;9:2020-5-6. doi:10.7573/dic.2020-5-6Shango KH, Abdole FA, Gonzalez SM, Farchchian M, Mooossavi M.Medical student confidence in diagnosis of dermatologic diseases in skin of color.Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol.2022;5:745–750. doi:10.2147/CCID.S357743Tabassum N, Hamdani M.Plants used to treat skin diseases.Pharmacogn Rev. 2014;8(15):52–60. doi:10.4103/0973-7847.125531Phillips TG, Slomiany WP, Allison R.Hair loss: common causes and treatment.Am Fam Physician. 2017;96(6):371-378.Muth CC.Fungal nail infection.JAMA. 2017;317(5):546. doi:10.1001/jama.2016.20617
9 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Shanga AM.Dermatological conditions in skin of color: managing atopic dermatitis.Clin Aesthet Dermatol.2021 Mar;14(3 Suppl 1):S20–S22.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Fungal diseases: ringworm.Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care.Athlete’s foot: overview.Leung AKC, Hon KL, Leong KF, Barankin B, Lam JM.Tinea capitis: an updated review.Recent Pat Inflamm Allergy Drug Discov. 2020;14(1):58-68. doi:10.2174/1872213X14666200106145624Leung AKC, Lam JM, Leong KF, Hon KL.Tinea corporis: an updated review.Drugs Context.2020;9:2020-5-6. doi:10.7573/dic.2020-5-6Shango KH, Abdole FA, Gonzalez SM, Farchchian M, Mooossavi M.Medical student confidence in diagnosis of dermatologic diseases in skin of color.Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol.2022;5:745–750. doi:10.2147/CCID.S357743Tabassum N, Hamdani M.Plants used to treat skin diseases.Pharmacogn Rev. 2014;8(15):52–60. doi:10.4103/0973-7847.125531Phillips TG, Slomiany WP, Allison R.Hair loss: common causes and treatment.Am Fam Physician. 2017;96(6):371-378.Muth CC.Fungal nail infection.JAMA. 2017;317(5):546. doi:10.1001/jama.2016.20617
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Shanga AM.Dermatological conditions in skin of color: managing atopic dermatitis.Clin Aesthet Dermatol.2021 Mar;14(3 Suppl 1):S20–S22.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Fungal diseases: ringworm.Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care.Athlete’s foot: overview.Leung AKC, Hon KL, Leong KF, Barankin B, Lam JM.Tinea capitis: an updated review.Recent Pat Inflamm Allergy Drug Discov. 2020;14(1):58-68. doi:10.2174/1872213X14666200106145624Leung AKC, Lam JM, Leong KF, Hon KL.Tinea corporis: an updated review.Drugs Context.2020;9:2020-5-6. doi:10.7573/dic.2020-5-6Shango KH, Abdole FA, Gonzalez SM, Farchchian M, Mooossavi M.Medical student confidence in diagnosis of dermatologic diseases in skin of color.Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol.2022;5:745–750. doi:10.2147/CCID.S357743Tabassum N, Hamdani M.Plants used to treat skin diseases.Pharmacogn Rev. 2014;8(15):52–60. doi:10.4103/0973-7847.125531Phillips TG, Slomiany WP, Allison R.Hair loss: common causes and treatment.Am Fam Physician. 2017;96(6):371-378.Muth CC.Fungal nail infection.JAMA. 2017;317(5):546. doi:10.1001/jama.2016.20617
Shanga AM.Dermatological conditions in skin of color: managing atopic dermatitis.Clin Aesthet Dermatol.2021 Mar;14(3 Suppl 1):S20–S22.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Fungal diseases: ringworm.
Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care.Athlete’s foot: overview.
Leung AKC, Hon KL, Leong KF, Barankin B, Lam JM.Tinea capitis: an updated review.Recent Pat Inflamm Allergy Drug Discov. 2020;14(1):58-68. doi:10.2174/1872213X14666200106145624
Leung AKC, Lam JM, Leong KF, Hon KL.Tinea corporis: an updated review.Drugs Context.2020;9:2020-5-6. doi:10.7573/dic.2020-5-6
Shango KH, Abdole FA, Gonzalez SM, Farchchian M, Mooossavi M.Medical student confidence in diagnosis of dermatologic diseases in skin of color.Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol.2022;5:745–750. doi:10.2147/CCID.S357743
Tabassum N, Hamdani M.Plants used to treat skin diseases.Pharmacogn Rev. 2014;8(15):52–60. doi:10.4103/0973-7847.125531
Phillips TG, Slomiany WP, Allison R.Hair loss: common causes and treatment.Am Fam Physician. 2017;96(6):371-378.
Muth CC.Fungal nail infection.JAMA. 2017;317(5):546. doi:10.1001/jama.2016.20617
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