Ringworm / tinea
What is ringworm?
Transmission of ringworm
Prevention / remedies / cures / treatment for ringworm
What is ringworm?
Ringworm (tinea) is a contagious fungal infection that can affect the body, scalp, hands, feet and nails. Its name is confusing because it has nothing to do with worms. However, it sometimes makes a characteristic red ring on an infected person's skin. Ringworm is often itchy.
A reliable diagnosis can be made with a skin or nail scraping; an experienced health provider can also diagnose it visually.
Dermatophytes are a group of three types of fungus: microsporum, epidermophyton and trichophyton. These fungi cause skin infections in both humans and animals, that include:
- Athlete's foot (tinea pedis). Athlete's foot appears as a scaling or cracking of the skin, especially between the toes. It can be a cause of "smelly feet".
- Jock itch, Dhobie's itch (tinea cruris). The most common area of infection on the body is the groin.
- Ringworm of the body (tinea corpora). It can appear as a round patch or ring.
- Ringworm of the face (tinea faciei). This is often confused with or misdiagnosed as psoriasis or lupus.
- Ringworm of the hands (tinea manuum).
- Scalp ringworm (tinea capitis). On the scalp, ringworm begins as a small pimple that becomes larger, leaving scaly patches of temporary baldness. Yellowish crusty areas sometimes develop.
- Blackdot ringworm (tinea capitis). Infected hairs become brittle and break off easily, leaving hair follicle stumps that look like black dots.
- Fungal nail infection, nail fungus, ringworm of the nails, onychomycosis (tines unguium).
Transmission of ringworm
These fungal infections are transmitted by direct contact with an infected person or contact with their exfoliated skin or hair. Infections can be picked up by sharing towels, socks, clothing and hats, combs, hair brushes and bed linen. A common source of infection is bathhouse, shared sauna, gym and locker room floors, hotel rugs, and even theatre seats. They are more likely to be infective if they are wet or damp, and seldom see sunlight.
Depending on the species the fungus may be infective in the environment for many months and sometimes over a year, especially in a warm, wet or damp place that is never cleaned or seldom gets fresh air and sunlight.
You are more likely to get infected in a spot where there is a pre-existing injury to the skin such as scab, scar, burn, cut, crack or scratch. Warmth, humidity and lack of exposure to sunlight or open air assist the infection.
Picking and scratching the skin re-infect the entire area and make it much worse.
Prevention / remedies / cures / treatment for ringworm
Several natural home remedies are effective treatments for ringworm / fungal infections. However, please keep treating the infection for weeks after all the symptoms have disappeared, as these infections often remain in the skin or nails and come back.
An internal protocol to eliminate the fungus is often required in addition to external treatments. For internal fungal treatments, see candida.
- DMSO. It may be taken internally, applied directly to washed and dried clean skin, or applied to clean skin in combination with aloe vera.
- Apple cider vinegar.
- Berberine.
- Cloves.
- Tea tree oil.
- Hydrogen peroxide.
- Rubbing alcohol.
- See details of remedies recommended by Grow Youthful visitors, and their experience with them.