You should contact your healthcare provider if: Your infection gets worse or doesn't go away after using non-prescription medications. You or your child has ringworm on the scalp. Ringworm on the scalp needs to be treated with prescription antifungal medication.
See a doctor if the rash doesn't go away after two weeks of home treatment. A ringworm infection that doesn't improve or that spreads may require a prescription-strength topical cream or oral antifungal medication. Make an appointment with your primary care doctor or see a dermatologist.
If left untreated, ringworm can spread to other areas of your body. You may also risk spreading the infection to someone else. Other potential complications include: hair loss and scarring.
Ringworm scars are usually brown or discolored and flat. They may cover large or small patches of skin. Some scarring caused by ringworm can be permanent.
How Long Does Ringworm Last? Most mild cases of ringworm usually clear up in 2 to 4 weeks. But treatment might be needed for up to 3 months if the infection is more serious, or affects the nails or the scalp.
Ringworm may be hard to cure. This condition is also more common in males and happens more often during warm weather conditions.
Steroid creams can make ringworm worse because they weaken the skin's defenses. Steroid creams can allow ringworm infections to spread to cover more of the body. Ringworm that has been treated with steroid creams can have an unusual appearance, making it hard for healthcare providers to diagnose.
The fungus that causes ringworm can live in humans, dogs, cats, other animals, and soil. The fungus can survive on contaminated objects for long periods of time, sometimes up to 18 months.
Ringworm remains contagious during the first 48 hours of treatment in people and for about 3 weeks from the start of aggressive treatment in pets. In both cases, untreated ringworm remains contagious for much longer. The fungal spores themselves can live for up to 20 months.
Ringworm is treated with antifungal medicines that you either rub on the skin or take by mouth. Ringworm of the scalp is treated with a special shampoo and an oral antifungal medicine. You may have to keep using whatever medicine you're prescribed for several weeks to fully get rid of the infection.
The short answer is yes - ringworm can eventually go away on its own. However, this can take anywhere from between a few weeks to a few months. Not seeking treatment for a ringworm or jock itch infection can cause you to experience unnecessary itching and discomfort throughout the entire time you have the infection.
Touching or scratching the area with ringworm and then touching another area can spread ringworm from one part of your body to another.
A scaly ring-shaped area, typically on the buttocks, trunk, arms and legs. Itchiness. A clear or scaly area inside the ring, perhaps with a scattering of bumps whose color ranges from red on white skin to reddish, purplish, brown or gray on black and brown skin. Slightly raised, expanding rings.
If someone in your family has a fungal infection, there is no need for them to stay off work or school. However, treatment should be started as soon as possible. Good personal hygiene should also be followed to stop it spreading to other children.
Do not cover the ringworm with a bandage. Wash and dry your hands well.
Always use lukewarm water. Avoid using very hot water. Hot water favors fungal growth in the body. Wash the affected parts with cold water once you are done taking a bath.
It's called “ringworm” because it can cause a circular rash (shaped like a ring) that is usually red and itchy. Anyone can get ringworm. The fungi that cause this infection can live on skin, surfaces, and on household items such as clothing, towels, and bedding. Ringworm goes by many names.
You Didn't Complete the Duration of the Treatment
Fungal infections like buni (ringworm), hadhad (jock itch) and alipunga (athlete's foot) take time to stop growing. That's why it's important to follow the recommended frequency and duration set by your doctor when it comes to treating them.
You can treat most cases of ringworm at home with over-the-counter antifungals. Popular choices include clotrimazole (Lotrimin) and tolnaftate topical (Tinactin). Healthcare companies market these products for athlete's foot, but they will also work on ringworm of the body and jock itch.
Since fungi love moist environments, this is particularly important after a workout. Treat all areas infected. If your ringworm has spread to other areas, it's important to use cream, lotion, powder and/or oral medicine as directed on all infected body parts.
Following the pediatrician's treatment regimen is important because ringworm can get worse and make your child very sick with a widespread fungal infection. If your child's ringworm is worsening, he or she will have these signs and symptoms: Fever. Pus or drainage.
What does a cancerous rash look like? Cancerous rashes, marks, and moles can vary in their appearance. If you notice a red, scaly patch on your skin that itches, cracks, or bleeds — and doesn't seem to be healing — there is a chance it could be cancerous.
There are a variety of ringworm imposters that could be causing you or your child's rash. The two most common conditions are nummular eczema and granuloma annulare. Nummular eczema causes circular patches of dry skin that can burn or become dry and scaly.
How is ringworm diagnosed? Your healthcare provider might suspect you have ringworm by looking at the affected skin and asking questions about your symptoms. Your healthcare provider will generally take a small skin scraping or nail sample to examine under a microscope or send to a laboratory for further testing.