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.
If over-the-counter treatments don't work, you may need prescription-strength antifungal medications — such as a lotion, cream or ointment that you apply to the affected skin. If your infection is particularly severe or extensive, your doctor might prescribe antifungal pills.
Call Your Doctor If:
Rash gets bigger or spreads after 1 week on treatment. Rash is not gone by 4 weeks.
When to Visit a Doctor. If you've started an OTC antifungal treatment or natural ringworm home treatment and your symptoms are not better within two weeks—or your infection has spread to other body parts—you should visit a medical professional or an urgent care center.
See your GP if your symptoms have not improved after two weeks of treatment, because you may need to take antifungal tablets. Both terbinafine and griseofulvin tablets can be used to treat ringworm infections, as well as another antifungal medicine called itraconazole (see below).
The overuse of steroids to treat ringworm may contribute to antimicrobial-resistant ringworm infections, an emerging public health concern.
Because the fungi can live indefinitely on the skin, recurrences of ringworm are likely. Treatment may need to be repeated. If you have ringworm symptoms, see your healthcare provider for treatment recommendations. It is important to note that common home remedies do not effectively treat this condition.
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.
Terbinafine (Lamisil) comes in creams, sprays, and gels and can treat athlete's foot, jock itch, and other ringworm infections on the skin. The CDC says terbinafine seems to be the most effective treatment for tinea pedis.
Mild cases of ringworm clear up within a few weeks. More serious infections may require treatment for six to 12 weeks. Some other things you can do to promote healing: Keep the affected area clean and dry.
Ringworm usually goes away within 4 weeks of treatment.
Treat all ringworm at the same time.
If you treat only one area, you'll still have a ringworm infection. The infection can quickly spread to other areas again. Because ringworm is very contagious, you can also spread ringworm to other people.
Signs and symptoms of ringworm may include: 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.
Don't walk barefoot in areas like locker rooms or public showers. Clip your fingernails and toenails short and keep them clean. Change your socks and underwear at least once a day. Don't share clothing, towels, sheets, or other personal items with someone who has ringworm.
If you have ringworm on your scalp or in many different places on your body, OTC treatments probably won't be enough. Your doctor will have to write you a prescription. Keep an eye out for symptoms that get worse or don't clear up after 2 weeks. If they don't, call your doctor.
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.
The rash caused by a ringworm infection is usually round or oval and has a raised border. It starts small and slowly grows larger.
Since ringworm is a fungal infection, it's extremely rare that the infection would spread below the surface of the skin to cause serious illness. The most serious this infection typically gets is when those with weak immune systems, such as those with HIV/AIDS, find it difficult to get rid of the infection.
If left completely untreated, your stubborn fungal skin infection may cause some or the other kind of permanent damage and in some cases your fungal infection may eventually lead to death.
If you use too much clotrimazole cream, spray or solution or use it more often than you need to, it may make your skin irritated or red. If this happens, use less the next time.
To prevent ringworm from spreading or infecting other areas of the body, keep the skin as clean as possible. To do this, rinse the infection with soap and warm water once or twice daily. Be sure to dry the skin fully, as fungus thrives in moist areas.