Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsComplicationsContagiousnessCausesDiagnosisTreatmentOutlookSimilar ConditionsPreventionWhen to See ProviderNext in Ringworm GuideCauses and Risk Factors of Ringworm
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Complications
Contagiousness
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Outlook
Similar Conditions
Prevention
When to See Provider
Next in Ringworm Guide
The itchy, circular rash usually starts small and expands outward. Its appearance can vary based on its location, such as on the torso, face, hands, scalp, buttocks, arms, and legs. Ringworm can also look different on different skin tones and be harder to spot on darker complexions compared to lighter complexions.
This article shows pictures of ringworm along with a description of signs and symptoms. In addition to discussing complications and risk factors, this article also explains how ringworm is diagnosed and treated and when it is time to see a healthcare provider.
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What Are the Symptoms of Ringworm?
The symptoms can also vary based on the part of the body the fungal skin rash affects.
Scalp Rash: Reasons for Itchy Bumps and Sores
The Body (Tinea Corporis)
Ringworm of the body(tinea corporis) causes a rash on the arms, legs, and other exposed body areas.It typically starts with a small, scaly area on the skin that itches. The scaly area progresses quickly to form the classic ringworm rash, circular in shape with slightly raised edges. As the rash spreads, the ring will grow outward in a symmetrical circular pattern.
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See PhotoDermNet /CC BY-NC-ND
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.
With that said, the rashes aren’t always circular. You may have just one or several rashes, and they may either be separate or overlap. Small blisters may also form within the patchy skin, causing oozing and crusting.
In some cases, the skin inside the ring may be clear and appear normal. At other times, the rash may resemble a bullseye.
The Face (Tinea Faciei)
Ringworm on the face (tinea faciei) can cause a classic ring-shaped rash, but not always.Instead, you may simply have raised, red or brown, scaly patches of skin that itch.
Tinea faciei rashes tend to be photosensitive, meaning they can turn red or brown and become irritated when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. The rash can sometimes feel wet or develop crusting.
What You Need to Know About Ringworm on Your Eyelid
The Beard (Tinea Barbae)
In people with facial hair, ringworm in the beard area (tinea barbae) causes crusty, flaky areas of skin.The hair can break and fall out in large patches. Tinea barbae can also cause bumps and blisters that are easily confused withacne.
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See PhotoReproduced with permission from ©DermNet NZ www.dermnetnz.org 2022
Reproduced with permission from ©DermNet NZ www.dermnetnz.org 2022
Tinea barbae causes inflammation of hair follicles (folliculitis). It predominantly affects males and can affect those who are clean-shaven as well as those with heavy beards or mustaches.
Is It Ringworm or Psoriasis?
The Scalp (Tinea Capitis)
Ringworm of the scalp(tinea capitis) is uncommon in adults and mainly seen in toddlers and school-aged children. It rarely causes a ring-shaped rash.Instead, you’ll find flaky, itchy patches on the scalp that may be red, brown, silvery gray, or yellowish in color.
Tinea capitis can cause hair shafts to become brittle and break, causing single or multiple patches of hair loss.
How Quickly Does Ringworm Develop?If you’re exposed to ringworm, you can expect to develop a rash anywhere from four to 14 days later.
How Quickly Does Ringworm Develop?
If you’re exposed to ringworm, you can expect to develop a rash anywhere from four to 14 days later.
The Hands (Tinea Manuum)
Ringworm of the hands (tinea manuum) tends to affect the back of the hands, causing classic itchy, ring-shaped rashes.
On the palms and between the fingers, the symptoms tend to be less obvious with dryness, peeling, and cracking (reminiscent of athlete’s foot). You may also notice a callus-like thickening of the skin.
The Feet (Tinea Pedis)
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See PhotoReproduced with permission from © DermNet and © Raimo Suhonenwww.dermnetnz.org2023.
Reproduced with permission from © DermNet and © Raimo Suhonenwww.dermnetnz.org2023.
If left untreated, the soles of your foot may thicken like a callus. Athlete’s foot is common in teens and adults and rarely seen before adolescence.
The 9 Best Athlete’s Foot Treatments to Soothe Your Feet
The Groin (Tinea Cruris)
The rash can easily spread to the genitals, thighs, buttocks, and stomach. Jock itch blisters in the groin area can easily be mistaken for genital herpes.
Jock itch is more common in males, especially during warmer weather conditions. It very rarely affects females.Like athlete’s foot, jock itch is rare in children.
The Nails (Tinea Unguium)
Nail fungus (tinea unguium) can affect both fingernails and toenails but is more common in the toes. Also known asonychomycosis, this hard-to-treat fungal infection can cause nails to become discolored, thickened, and brittle. In severe cases, the nail may separate from the nail bed and fall off.
Tinea unguium affects roughly 10% of adults with older adults being most commonly affected. Males have nail fungus more than females.
The 6 Best Toenail Fungus Treatments
What Are the Possible Complications of Ringworm?
Serious complications from ringworm are rare. In the vast majority of cases, ringworm goes away quickly with treatment. With that said, there are certain complications you need to watch out for, particularly if the infection is left untreated.
Hyperpigmentation
After the ringworm rash has healed, some people may find a dark mark left in its place. This is calledpost-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
Some people, including those with dark complexions, are more prone to post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation than others.
Secondary Infections
Secondary infections are those that occur when a primary (first) infection provides disease-causing organisms entry into the body. With ringworm, dryness and cracking of the skin provide bacteria easier access to susceptible tissue beneath the surface of the skin.
Signs of secondary bacterial infections may include:
Risk of Cellulitis
Kerions
A type ofskin abscesscalled akerioncan develop as a result of an immune reaction to the fungal infection. A kerion is a large, inflamed, pus-filled lump that most commonly develops on the scalp but can appear elsewhere on the body.
Kerions most commonly occur with tinea capitis or tinea barbae, causing folliculitis and large patches of hair loss.
The bald patches can be temporary or permanent, depending on how much damage has been done to the skin. Some people also experience fever and malaise (a general feeling of unwellness).
Majocchi’s Granuloma
Although rare, the fungi that cause ringworm can cause a deeper infection calledMajocchi’s granuloma. This occurs when the fungus travels down hair follicles and infects the deeper skin layers, called thedermis.
Majucchi’s granuloma causes hardened, pinkish or brownish lumps or lesions as well as pustules (pus-filled bumps). It can affect any hairy part of the body but is most often found on the scalp, face, forearms, and legs. Patchy hair loss is common.
Is Ringworm Contagious?
Ringworm is contagious and easily spread from person to person.It doesn’t take much; merely brushing against a lesion on someone with ringworm may be enough to establish an infection.
How Long Is Ringworm Contagious?
What Causes Ringworm?
The fungi thrive on moist areas of skin, but certain types are more robust and can establish an infection on dry areas of skin.
Risk Factors
Anyone can get ringworm, but certain people are at greater risk. These include:
How Is Ringworm Diagnosed?
Ringworm may seem obvious on physical inspection but, to confirm the infection, your healthcare provider will want to take a scraping of the rash and look at it under the microscope to see if there are characteristic spores.
The scrapings can also undergo a fast and simple test calledpolymerase chain reaction (PCR)that can detect the “genetic signature” of ringworm-associated fungi.
How Is Ringworm Treated?
The choice and duration of treatment can vary based on the severity of the rash, the part of the body affected, and your immune status.
The following approaches are recommended:
Do not use creams that contain steroids to treat ringworm. Steroid creams weaken the skin’s defenses. This allows the ringworm infection to spread and cover an even larger area of your body.
Home Remedies
There is no home remedy guaranteed to clear ringworm, but some may be used to support antifungal treatment, including:
Outlook for Ringworm
The outlook for ringworm varies depending on where the infection is located and how severe it is. Ringworm on the skin, including athlete’s foot and jock itch, usually responds to over-the-counter ringworm creams, lotions, or powders within two to four weeks.
What Conditions Are Mistaken Ringworm?
Can Ringworm Be Prevented?
Ringworm can’t always be prevented, but there are ways to reduce your risk:
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Ringworm is rarely a serious medical condition, but certain signs and symptoms warrant a visit to a healthcare provider, particularly if:
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Summary
Ringworm is a common fungal infection that causes a ring-shaped skin rash. But it can take other forms when it develops on the face, hands, scalp, feet, groin, or nails. In cases like these, there may be irregular patches of dryness, discoloration, and scaling as well as tiny blisters or pimples. Hair loss can also occur.
Although ringworm pictures can help you identify this infection, remember ringworm doesn’t always cause a ring-shaped rash. Ringworm is easy to confuse with other skin conditions like psoriasis, eczema, or herpes. See a healthcare provider to obtain the right diagnosis and treatment for your symptoms.
18 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.
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