Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatmentPrognosisPrevention
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prognosis
Prevention
Tinea capitisis afungal skin infectionthat affects the scalp and involves both skin and hair. It is also known asringwormof the scalp. The most common symptoms of tinea capitis are hair loss, dry and scaly areas of skin, inflamed skin, redness, and itch.
Fungi called dermatophytes cause tinea capitis.The condition is highly contagious and is transmitted from person to person. It is most common in children ages 3 to 7 but can also affect older children and adults, especially those with weakened immune systems.
The article covers the signs and symptoms of tinea capitis, its causes, treatment, and more.
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Tinea Capitis Symptoms
The medical terms for ringworm are “tinea” and “dermatophytosis.”Other names for ringworm are specific to the location of the infection, such as tinea capitis (ringworm of the scalp) or tinea barbae (beard ringworm).
Tinea capitis may affect all or part of the scalp. While rare, it might also affect the eyebrows and eyelashes.The most common symptom is itchy, swollen, red patches on the scalp.
Additional symptoms of tinea capitis might include:
Tinea capitis can sometimes cause swollen patches called kerion.The patches may have blisters that ooze pus and crust over. If this occurs, tinea capitis can lead to scarring and permanent hair loss.
You or your child can acquire tinea capitis from contact with a person or animal with the infection or from contaminated soil.You can also acquire ringworm from objects or surfaces that hide the fungus.
Risk factors for tinea capitis include:
Does Hat Tightness Cause Hair Loss?
The healthcare provider may take a skin or hair sample to look for the presence of fungi. That is usually done with aKOH prep test, which involves scraping an affected skin or hair area onto a slide.Potassium hydroxide (KOH) is added to the sample, which causes it to break apart and makes the fungus easier to see under a microscope.
If the KOH test doesn’t confirm a diagnosis, a healthcare provider might order afungal culture testthat allows fungi to grow and be identified in the lab. This test is more accurate than the KOH stain. But it might be weeks before the results are reported.
How Ringworm Is Diagnosed
Conditions That Mimic Tinea Capitis
Tinea capitis is sometimes mistaken for other conditions that cause similar symptoms. This includesscalp psoriasisandseborrheic dermatitis.
Scalp Psoriasis
Scalppsoriasiscan cause red, flaky patches on the scalp.Like tinea capitis, it might cause temporary hair loss.
Psoriasis is a problem with the immune system overreacting and causing skin cells to grow quicker than the body can shed them, leading to a buildup on the skin’s surface. Also,psoriasis cannot be spread to others.
Seborrheic Dermatitis
Seborrheic dermatitiscan cause red, flaky rashes on the scalp. It can affect people of all ages and is known ascradle capin babies.
Antifungal medicinesare used to treat tinea capitis. Topical treatments (applied to the affected area) are usually a first-line therapy. If these do not work, or if the ringworm is widespread, a healthcare provider will prescribe oral medicines. Treatments must be taken for at least a few weeks before the fungal infection fully clears.
Topical treatments for tinea capitis includeantifungal creamsand medicated shampoos.
Most topical creams for treating scalp ringworm are available over the counter (OTC) and applied directly to the scalp. Examples of OTC antifungal creams include Desenex (miconazole), Lotrimin (clotrimazole), and Tinactin (tolnaftate).
A healthcare provider might prescribe asteroid creamto manage inflammation if the ringworm has led to kerion.The steroid might help to reduce scarring and prevent permanent hair loss.
A medicated shampoo will stop the fungus from spreading and affecting more areas of the scalp. It is typically combined with oral medicine to help eliminate the fungus.
Oral medicines used to treat tinea capitis include Grifulvin V (griseofulvin microsize), Diflucan (fluconazole), and Lamisil (terbinafine). These medicines can be prescribed to children and adults.
If you suspect a pet has ringworm, they also need a diagnosis and treatment plan. Maintain regular wellness visits for all your pets and ask the veterinarian to check for ringworm.
Fungal infections can be hard to clear up. Therefore, using antifungal medicines as prescribed and helping your child use creams or shampoos is essential.
Antifungal treatments should be taken consistently. You should complete the treatment course even if your skin appears to be cleared up.
To avoid reinfection or spread, check everyone in the household for infection, including pets. All household members might need treatment to prevent transmitting the infection back and forth.
Antifungal creams and shampoos are available over the counter, or a healthcare provider can prescribe these if needed. You will also want to wash bedding, pillows, and towels and disinfect shared hair items like combs and hairbrushes.
Fungi that cause ringworm are prevalent and highly contagious. This can make prevention hard, especially in children. Even so, reducing the risk of getting or spreading the infection might be possible.
Regular shampooing, handwashing, and not sharing personal care items might help to reduce the spread. Teach children how to practice good hygiene and about the risks of sharing hairbrushes and other personal care items.
Summary
Tinea capitis (scalp ringworm) is a fungal infection of the scalp and involves both the skin and hair. Common symptoms include hair loss, dry, scaly patches, and inflamed skin.
Ringworm of the scalp is treated with antifungal medicines, including creams, shampoos, and oral medicines. It is crucial to stay on your treatment plan until your healthcare provider tells you the infection has cleared or you can stop treatment.
Fungal infections can be challenging to prevent, but reducing your risk and not spreading the infection to others is possible. Regular shampooing, handwashing, not sharing personal care items, and pet wellness visits might reduce the spread of ringworm.
10 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.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:10.2174/1872213X14666200106145624Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Ringworm.Takaliuang DS.Tinea capitis in adolescent: a case report.Eduvest - Journal Of Universal Studies. 2022;2(1):55-63. doi:10.36418/edv.v2i1.333Allmon A, Deane K, Martin KL.Common skin rashes in children.Am Fam Physician. 2015;92(3):211-216.John AM, Schwartz RA, Janniger CK.The kerion: an angry tinea capitis.Int J Dermatol. 2018;57(1):3-9. doi:10.1111/ijd.13423MedlinePlus.Ringworm of the scalp.Ely JW, Rosenfeld S, Seabury Stone M.Diagnosis and management of tinea infections.Am Fam Physician. 2014;90(10):702-710.National Psoraisis Foundation.Scalp psoriasis or dandruff?American Academy of Dermatology Association.Seborrheic dermatitis: causes.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Treatment for ringworm.
10 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.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:10.2174/1872213X14666200106145624Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Ringworm.Takaliuang DS.Tinea capitis in adolescent: a case report.Eduvest - Journal Of Universal Studies. 2022;2(1):55-63. doi:10.36418/edv.v2i1.333Allmon A, Deane K, Martin KL.Common skin rashes in children.Am Fam Physician. 2015;92(3):211-216.John AM, Schwartz RA, Janniger CK.The kerion: an angry tinea capitis.Int J Dermatol. 2018;57(1):3-9. doi:10.1111/ijd.13423MedlinePlus.Ringworm of the scalp.Ely JW, Rosenfeld S, Seabury Stone M.Diagnosis and management of tinea infections.Am Fam Physician. 2014;90(10):702-710.National Psoraisis Foundation.Scalp psoriasis or dandruff?American Academy of Dermatology Association.Seborrheic dermatitis: causes.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Treatment for ringworm.
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.
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:10.2174/1872213X14666200106145624Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Ringworm.Takaliuang DS.Tinea capitis in adolescent: a case report.Eduvest - Journal Of Universal Studies. 2022;2(1):55-63. doi:10.36418/edv.v2i1.333Allmon A, Deane K, Martin KL.Common skin rashes in children.Am Fam Physician. 2015;92(3):211-216.John AM, Schwartz RA, Janniger CK.The kerion: an angry tinea capitis.Int J Dermatol. 2018;57(1):3-9. doi:10.1111/ijd.13423MedlinePlus.Ringworm of the scalp.Ely JW, Rosenfeld S, Seabury Stone M.Diagnosis and management of tinea infections.Am Fam Physician. 2014;90(10):702-710.National Psoraisis Foundation.Scalp psoriasis or dandruff?American Academy of Dermatology Association.Seborrheic dermatitis: causes.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Treatment for ringworm.
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
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Ringworm.
Takaliuang DS.Tinea capitis in adolescent: a case report.Eduvest - Journal Of Universal Studies. 2022;2(1):55-63. doi:10.36418/edv.v2i1.333
Allmon A, Deane K, Martin KL.Common skin rashes in children.Am Fam Physician. 2015;92(3):211-216.
John AM, Schwartz RA, Janniger CK.The kerion: an angry tinea capitis.Int J Dermatol. 2018;57(1):3-9. doi:10.1111/ijd.13423
MedlinePlus.Ringworm of the scalp.
Ely JW, Rosenfeld S, Seabury Stone M.Diagnosis and management of tinea infections.Am Fam Physician. 2014;90(10):702-710.
National Psoraisis Foundation.Scalp psoriasis or dandruff?
American Academy of Dermatology Association.Seborrheic dermatitis: causes.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Treatment for ringworm.
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