Ringworm: definition, symptoms, causes, to treatment

Definition

What is ringworm (ringworm)?

Ringworm is a contagious skin disease caused by a fungal infection that attacks the top surface of the skin. Also known as ringworm, this disease is characterized by a red rash on the skin. Typically, a ringworm rash forms a ring-like pattern surrounded by slightly raised scaly edges.

This fungal infection (tinea) initially only attacks certain areas of the skin until it can eventually spread to other parts of the body.

Reporting from the American Academy of Dermatology, depending on the infected area, ringworm has a different designation. Here are the various types of ringworm based on the infected area.

Tinea corporis, ringworm that appears on the neck, arms, and body.
Tinea pedis (water fleas), type of ringworm that occurs on the feet, also called water fleas.
Tinea manuum, ringworm that appears on the palms of the hands.
Tinea capitis, ringworm of the scalp.
Tinea cruris, ringworm of the groin, also known as jock itch.
Tinea unguium, Ringworm that appears on the nails Nails, also known as nail fungus infection (tinea unguium or onychomycosis).
Facial tinea, ringworm that appears on the face.

How common is this condition?

Ringworm is a fairly common disease. Often this disease affects children, but it can also affect people of all ages.

This disease can be prevented by avoiding risk factors as the trigger. Talk to your doctor for more information.

Signs & symptoms

What are the signs and symptoms of ringworm (ringworm)?

A common feature of ringworm or ringworm is a ring-shaped rash. However, there may be some signs and symptoms that are slightly different, depending on the area that is infected. The following are the characteristics of ringworm according to the affected area:

Skin or body (tinea corporis)

A scaly skin rash that forms like a ring.
The skin is red and inflamed on the outside of the ring but looks normal in the middle.
Rash that collects.
Slightly raised ring area.
Itching sensation on the rash.
The patches can grow slowly, get bigger and spread to other areas of the body.

Feet (tinea pedis / water fleas)

Itching, burning, and stinging feeling between the toes.
Dry, scaly skin between the toes and spreads down the soles to the sides of the feet.
Peeling skin.
Cracked skin blisters that bleed.
Thick red patches on scaly skin.
The infected area has a bad smell.
Toenails become thicker and can easily become brittle or injured.

The palms (tinea manuum)

Dry and thickened skin on the palms.
Quite deep cracks in the palms.
Ring-shaped patch on the back of the hand.

Usually this condition arises from frequently touching feet that have been infected with water fleas.

Scalp (tinea capitis)

There is a bald area on the head that is scaly.
Extensive baldness is accompanied by thick patches and crusts on the scalp.
The appearance of black dots on the bald head area.
Open sores that ooze pus.
There is an area of the head that is soft, spongy, and inflamed, sometimes painful when touched.
Swollen lymph nodes.
Unbearable itching sensation.

Groin (tinea cruris)

A red rash accompanied by an itchy swelling in the crease of the groin area.
The rash spreads to the groin to the inner thighs, waist, and buttocks.
The infected skin tends to be scaly and has a slightly raised outer border.
The skin peels and cracks.
Sometimes it feels very itchy and sore.

Usually the symptoms will get worse when walking, running, or playing sports.

Nail (tinea unguium / onychomycosis)

Usually attacks just one nail or more.
Starting with a thickening of the tissue under the nail.
Nails blackened and thickened.
Thickened nails usually begin to appear as if they are lifting from the skin underneath.
Nails crushed.
Nails sometimes come off the skin.

Compared to the nails on the fingers, this infection affects the nails on the toes more often. In addition, this condition also usually often develops in people who have been infected with water fleas for a long time.

Face (tinea facial)

A red rash appears that can spread to the cheeks, nose, around the eyes, chin, and forehead.
Sometimes the red rash is also accompanied by small bumps or boils.
The face feels itchy.
Itching that gets worse when the face is exposed to sunlight.

Beard

Redness, swelling, and pus-filled lumps in the area around the beard.
Swollen lymph nodes.
Beard hair is slowly falling out.
Skin that is dry and looks like it is exposed.
There is a part of the skin that is prominent, soft, and secretes fluid.
Experiencing more fatigue than usual.

This condition usually appears in men who have thick beards. Usually the infection occurs when they come into contact with an animal that has been infected with ringworm.

There may be symptoms not listed above. If you are concerned about certain symptoms, consult a doctor.

When should I see a doctor?

Call your doctor if you have a rash on your skin that doesn't get better in two weeks. You can also go to the doctor right away if you have any unusual symptoms in your body that make you uncomfortable.

The sooner it is treated, the lower the risk of spreading the disease to other areas of the body. That way, you can still do your normal activities without being bothered by this skin problem.

Cause

What causes ringworm (ringworm)?

The cause of ringworm is a fungus that lives in the outer layer of the skin. Trichophyton, microsporum, and epidermophyton are three different types of fungi that can cause this infection. This fungus can also live for a long time as spores in the soil.

Ringworm can be transmitted in the following ways.

Human to human, when in direct contact with an infected person.
Animal to human, direct contact with infected animals.
Thing to human, when touching surfaces that have been touched by infected animals or people.
Land to man, when the skin sticks to infected soil from both animals and humans. This mode of transmission is rare.

The fungus that causes ringworm can live on the infected object for a long time. For this reason, you are very susceptible to infection if your family at home is infected with this skin disease.

Risk factors

What are the risk factors for ringworm?

People of all ages can get ringworm. However, the risk factors that cause you to become infected with ringworm can increase, if:

living in the tropics,
frequent activities in hot and humid weather,
have open sores on the skin,
often swim in public pools,
often use used personal items at the same time,
not wear footwear in the locker room of a gym or swimming pool,
obesity, as well
have diabetes.

Athletes are a profession that tends to get ringworm frequently. The reason is, the intensity of exercise that often makes his body a lot wet and damp. Therefore, always keep the body dry to avoid fungal infections of the skin.

Diagnosis & treatment

What are the usual tests for ringworm (ringworm)?

A dermatologist can usually tell right away that you have ringworm or ringworm just by looking at the symptoms that appear on the infected area. The doctor will usually also examine other areas of the body. This is because ringworm is very easy to spread from one area to another.

Before giving a diagnosis, doctors will usually take samples of infected skin, hair, or nails to a laboratory.

The doctor will scrape a small amount of skin, nail clippings, or part of the hair that is infected for examination. By looking at the sample under a microscope, the doctor will easily see the presence of the fungus that causes infection.

What are the treatment options for ringworm (ringworm)?

Ringworm must be treated immediately. Otherwise, the skin rash can grow and spread to other areas of the skin.

Proper ringworm treatment can help prevent the spread and relieve the irritating itching sensation. In addition, treating ringworm is also one way to prevent this disease from spreading to other people.

Topical antifungal medications are commonly used to relieve rashes caused by ringworm. Topical antifungal medications are medicines that are applied to the surface of the skin and can come in the form of creams, gels, lotions, powders, or sprays.

Some of the drugs that are often used to treat ringworm are topical types of azole (clotrimazole, fluconazole, ketoconazole) and allylamine (terbinafine). Both types of drugs function to inhibit the action of ergosterol, a component of the main fungal cells forming.

Topical antifungal medications can be obtained without a doctor's prescription. Usually this medication is used twice a day on the affected area for two to four weeks. However, the duration of use of this drug also depends on the location of ringworm and how severe the infection is.

If symptoms do not improve after using over-the-counter drugs, contact your doctor immediately. Later, you may be given another, stronger antifungal medication. Sometimes patients also need oral medication if the infection persists.

Home remedies

What are the home remedies for ringworm (ringworm)?

Here are various skin treatments and home remedies that can be done to treat ringworm.

Wash bed linen and clothes regularly

During a ringworm infection, you need to wash your clothes every day and your bed linen every few days. This is so that ringworm does not easily spread to other parts of the body. That way, treatment can be done quickly and effectively.

Wear loose clothing

During ringworm attack, avoid wearing tight clothing. Wear loose clothing so that you don't rub against the infected skin, which can make the disease worse.

Also use cotton clothes that absorb sweat. These clothes are able to absorb excess sweat well so that it does not make the fungus grow more fertile.

Compress the itchy area

Ringworm makes the skin feel very itchy. However, do not ever scratch it as this can spread the infection to other areas.

One way to deal with itching due to ringworm, compress it with cold or hot water for 20-30 minutes. Only compress the affected area, not all of it. Compressing all of them actually makes the infection spread widely.

When finished compressing, wash the cloth you are using with hot water. The goal is to kill the fungus that is attached.

Prevention

How to prevent ringworm (ringworm)?

It is quite difficult to prevent this one skin disease. The reason is, the fungus that causes ringworm is everywhere and very contagious. There are several ways to prevent ringworm that you can do to reduce the risk, including the following.

Maintain cleanliness of the body

Maintaining cleanliness is of course the most important preventive step. Try to wash your hands frequently after handling animals or after handling objects, especially in public facilities.

Don't forget to take a shower regularly after exercising or doing activities that make you sweat. Bathing helps remove dirt, including bacteria and fungi that stick to the body.

Do not use personal items at the same time

Even though it looks clean, it is not impossible that your friends or family have actually been infected with fungus. For that, avoid transmission by not sharing personal items.

Towels, combs, toothbrushes, handkerchiefs, and shoes are all personal items that should not be shared. Don't also borrow similar items from other people even if they are very close.