Ringworm Treatment

Ringworm treatment should start immediately as soon as the ringworm infection is detected. Although some experts consider ringworm as mild and harmless condition, ignoring it and hoping that somehow it would go away on its own, can be detrimental to your child's health or your's. In some instances, like in ringworm of the scalp (tinea capitis), which is most common in children, it could lead to permanent (and premature) hair loss and baldness. Failure to treat the infection can make it chronic, persistent, and more widespread – making it all the more difficult to treat later.

Ringworm, an infection caused by mold-like fungi known as dermatophytes (not by worms!), is so common that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that at any given time, approximately twenty percent of the population is affected by it. Before you start ringworm treatment at home, I suggest you make certain first that it is really ringworm you are dealing with and not other conditions that show similar symptoms. Please see Symptoms of Ringworm.

What does ringworm look like? What are the symptom of ringworm? To see pictures of ringworm please visit the page 'What does ringworm look like?' Take a few minutes to learn the facts before starting ringworm treatment. Ringworm has a distinctive appearance and quite easy to spot. It would appear as reddish circular lesion with healthy skin in the middle and raised scaly borders, usually 1/2 to 1 inch in diameter, or about the size of a dollar coin. If you're not sure, have a medical professional take a look at the lesion for accurate diagnosis of the symptoms.

Fortunately, ringworm is easy to treat and responds well to home care or personal care ringworm treatment. Using over-the-counter medications (you don't need a doctor's prescription to purchase any of these), you can start treating ringworm and expect the infection to be completely cured in 2-4 weeks.

The most common over-the-counter topical agents (in cream, powder, or spray form) that are available for ringworm treatment are:

• Tolnaftate (common brands: Tinactin)

• Miconazole (common brands: Monistat Derm cream, Micatin)

• Clotrimazole (common brands: Lotrimin, Cruex, Desenex)

• Ketoconazole (common brands: Nizoral)

• Terbinafine (common brands: Lamisil)

Thoroughly wash and clean the affected area. Allow it to dry. Then, apply a thin layer of the topical agent twice a day for at least two weeks, or according to package directions. Some doctors actually advise to also apply the cream one inch beyond the affected spot, just to arrest the spread of the infection. Continue with the ringworm treatment for at least two more weeks even if the infection appears to have dried up and vanished.

Infected pets should also be treated, if there are any. This is to prevent you or your child from getting infected again.

When to Contact a Medical Professional

Some fungus infections do not respond well to external applications. In fact, home care ringworm treatment using the over-the-counter medications mentioned above is ineffective in treating ringworm of the scalp and of the nails. These types of infection attack the hair and the nails deep in the roots, and to penetrate these areas, oral medications, prescribed by a doctor may be necessary.

See your doctor immediately, if ringworm of the body covers a large area, affects the scalp or nails, is severe, or doesn't respond to over-the-counter medication within 4 weeks of self-care.

Your doctor will recommend either prescription-strength topical (external) medication such as:

• Econazole

• Miconazole (common brands: Monistat, Micatin)

In most cases, the doctor will recommend oral medication like:

• Griseofulvin (common brands: Grifulvin, Fulvicin, and Gris-PEG)

• Terbinafine (common brand: Lamisil)

• Itraconazole (common brands: Sporanox)

• Fluconazole (common brands: Diflucan)

In taking oral medication to treat severe ringworm infection, the Mayo Clinic article cautions that "side effects from oral medications include gastrointestinal upset, rash and abnormal liver functioning. Taking other medications, such as antacid therapies for ulcer disease or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), may interfere with the absorption of these drugs. Oral medications for ringworm treatment may alter the effectiveness of warfarin, an anticoagulant drug that decreases the clotting ability of your blood."

For years, when the only available medication for treating ringworm of the scalp and nails was Griseofulvin (common brands: Grifulvin, Fulvicin, and Gris-PEG) doctors often caution patients against these side effects of oral ringworm treatment. As a consequence, many patients until this very day, try to avoid using oral medication even if it was shown that external medications are ineffective in treating their scalp or nail infection.

The MedicineNet article however, observes that "in recent years, newer agents" for ringworm treatment "have been introduced that are both safer and more effective. These include terbinafine, itraconazole , and fluconazole. Reputations die hard, however, and many people continue to fear that even these newer agents are 'bad for the liver,' when in fact they are quite safe when used properly" under the supervision of a medical professional.

My personal preference for ringworm treatment is the natural or bio-organic method. This ringworm cure, being harnessed by modern medicine in treating ringworm and other fungal and bacterial infections, uses one hundred percent organic plant extracts. One of these uses Tea tree oil extracts taken from the tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia), a plant native to New South Wales in the north east corner of Australia. Many scientific studies have proven, beyond doubt, that this is a very safe and effective ringworm remedy.

If you are averse to taking oral medication, you should consider using this form of ringworm treatment in dealing with ringworm of the scalp or nails. Tea tree has been known to be a powerful antifungal agent and can penetrate deeply-rooted infections like these.

Tea tree oil or tea tree extract-based ringworm treatment is completely natural and organic. Unlike synthetic medications, it has no adverse side effects and is safe to use in treating ringworm externally in children and pregnant women. Naturally, like in any other medication or substance that you apply to your body, it is best to consult a medical professional before starting treatment and to follow product directions.

RELEVANT LINKS:

MedicineNet.com, "We Bring Doctors' Knowledge to You."

Read related articles on the topic Treatment for Ringworm.

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Ringworm Treatment - Before You Begin

(Article published in EzineArticles, 10 February 2008)

I know you would like to get rid of the itch and that unsightly lesion in your arm right away. Your friend told you that it's ringworm and you're ready to start ringworm treatment. But first, before you do, try and double-check if it's really ringworm. Or better yet, double-check with your doctor.

Ringworm is a skin infection caused by mold-like fungi called dermatophytes. What are ringworm symptoms? If you have seen ringworm pictures before, you must have noticed that the infection appears as a red or pinkish circular lesion, usually about 1/2 to 1 inch in diameter (in the early stages) with scaly raised borders. It assumes the appearance of a ring as it grows bigger because the area in the middle usually clears up and would look just like normal uninfected skin. The lesion may or may not be itchy.

Why do you have to be certain that it's ringworm? This is because other skin conditions like numular eczema, pityriasis rosea, psoriasis or atopic dermatitis have symptoms closely similar to ringworm symptoms. A lot of people see their doctor complaining that they couldn't get rid of the ringworm after weeks of treatment, only to find out the condition wasn't ringworm, in the first place.

Your doctor would basically base his or her diagnosis on visual observation. If there is uncertainty, the doctor might order culture test or by examining scrapings from the affected area under a microscope. Another test is by examining the infection under a blue light or Wood's lamp - the fungi will actually glow bright green. You can do visual observation yourself or you can buy a blue light (18W UVA long wave, black light blue bulb) to conduct the "glow" exam.

Now that you're sure it's indeed ringworm you're up against, you're ready to start treatment. And start it immediately. The key to a successful ringworm treatment is identifying the infection early on and starting the treatment as soon as you have the correct diagnosis. Allowing the infection to spread unchallenged can make it chronic and more difficult to treat later.

Fortunately, ringworm responds well to common over-the-counter medication (common brands available are Tinactin, Monistat, Micatin, Lotrimin, and Lamisil) and you can expect to cure the infection completely within 2-4 weeks. Personally, I would use natural ringworm treatment myself (safer and lesser risk of side effects), but any antifungal agent could work just as well for mild infections (a patch or two). If you're dealing with ringworm of the scalp or if the infection doesn't go away after 4 weeks of treatment, call your doctor. It might be necessary for your doctor to prescribe oral anti-fungal medicine to cure persistent, widespread, or hard-to-reach infections.

Read related articles on the topic Treatment for Ringworm.

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Ringworm in Dogs - Symptoms

Ringworm is a fungal skin infection that affects both humans and animals. In particular, pets like dogs and cats are potential sources of ringworm. For ringworm treatment to be effective, you must also consider having your pets examined and treated by a veterinarian.

In most cases, ringworm infection comes from another person rather than from animals. When ringworm is transmitted from pets to humans, the infection is said to be "zoonotic" and and in over 30% of households where a pet has ringworm, at least one person will get it. Children are the most commonly infected, although it is possible for a child to catch the infection at school and infect the household dog or cat.

So, what are the symptoms of ringworms in dogs? Unlike cats, almost all dogs invariably show the classic symptoms of ringworm: a small round lesion that is free of hair (The fungi live in hair follicles and cause the hair shafts to break off at the skin line). The lesion will often have crusty, scaly skin in the center. The lesion may start as a small spot, often affecting the head, but may also occur in the legs, feet or tail. The lesion may or may not be irritated and/or itching. As the ringworm fungi multiply, the lesion will become irregularly-shaped and can spread to other parts of the body.

The incubation period of the ringworm fungi is 10-12 days. Thus, you can expect for 10-12 day to pass before any lesion becomes visible. Fortnately, most healthy adult dogs are often immune to ringworm. The most vulnerable are puppies and dogs with lowered immunity.

How is ringworm in dogs diagnosed? Before prescribing ringworm treatment, the vet will diagnose the presence of ringworm by one or a combination of these methods:

1. Visual identification of the typical ringworm lesions.

2. The Wood's Lamp method - this is a popular method of detection, although generally considered to be not very accurate since only 4 species of ringworm-causing fungi actually glow (flouresce) when examined under a black light (wood's lamp).

3. Culture test - considered to be the most accurate method of diagnosis, in which collected scales and crust from the lesion are incubated in special medium to allow the fungi (if any) to grow and become visible in the microscope.

As advised, elsewhere, to prevent reinfection in humans, dogs (and other pets) suspected of being infected, must also undergo medication. A number of conventional methods can be used (primarily the use of the traditional agent Griseofulvin) although alternative and safer methods, like natural ringworm treatment are now available to pet owners everywhere.

Photo courtesy of www.fungrx-ringworm-treatment.com.

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For more information, you might also want to visit the following sources:

Pet.Education - Drs. Foster and Smith's Source for Expert Pet Information.

Pawprints and Purrs, Inc. - Ringworm in Dogs.

MediVet.com - Ringworm (Dermatophytosis) in Cats and Dogs.

Marvistavet.com - Ringworm FAQ

Ringworm Treatment and Immunity

Jonathan C., of Reston, VA., asked me this question last week: "After having been cured of ringworm, will I develop immunity from this infection?"

Unlike many childhood diseases, like chickenpox, measles, and mumps, for example, you don't develop immunity against ringworm. This means that even after having been infected and cured of the disease, you can still contract ringworm, once exposed to a source of infection.

Ringworm is a fungal infection, and is in fact highly contagious. It is transmitted through direct skin contact with an infected person, animal, object, or surface. To prevent reinfection, it is advisable to identify and stay away from the source of infection.

With infected pets, like cats and dogs, ringworm oftentimes spontaneously disappear after several weeks - even without treatment. However, knowing that you can get infected again by your pet, it is necessary to bring your pet to the vet for ringworm treatment immediately.

Here are some basic steps you can take to avoid reinfection:

1. Always maintain personal hygiene.

2. If you have a spot of ringworm, don't scratch it, whatever you do. You'll only end up spreading the infection to other parts of your body or to others.

3. Never share personal objects like clothes, brushes, hats, shoes, etc. This is one of the surest ways to catch the disease.

4. Avoid skin contact with infected persons or pets.

5. Have infected pets treated imediately.

6. Be careful in what you touch or where you sit or lean on when using public facilities like gyms, pools, playgrounds, etc.

7. Wash your hands and use hand sanitizers regularly, throughout the day.

While it's true that you constantly face the risk of infection in your daily activities, and that you're never immune from ringworm, it's also true that the disease can be easily rid of using the various methods of ringworm treatment. Of course, the best option is not to get infected at all, by observing these basic methods of prevention.