What are the main causes of ringworm of the scalp. How can you identify its symptoms. What are the most effective treatments for this fungal infection. How long does it take for ringworm of the scalp to heal.

Understanding Ringworm of the Scalp: A Comprehensive Overview

Ringworm of the scalp, medically known as Tinea capitis, is a fungal infection that affects the scalp and hair shafts. Despite its name, it’s not caused by a worm but by fungi called dermatophytes. These organisms thrive on dead tissue, such as hair and the outer layers of skin, particularly in warm and moist environments.

This condition is highly contagious and can spread through direct contact with an infected person or by sharing personal items like combs, towels, hats, or pillows. While ringworm of the scalp is most common in children, it can affect individuals of any age.

Why is ringworm of the scalp so contagious?

The high contagiousness of ringworm of the scalp is due to several factors:

• The fungi responsible for the infection can survive on surfaces for extended periods
• It spreads easily through skin-to-skin contact
• Sharing personal items can facilitate transmission
• The fungi thrive in warm, moist environments, which are common in crowded or unhygienic settings

Identifying the Causes of Ringworm of the Scalp

The primary cause of ringworm of the scalp is infection by dermatophyte fungi. These organisms are particularly fond of keratin, a protein found in hair, skin, and nails. The most common species responsible for scalp ringworm include Microsporum and Trichophyton.

Can animals transmit ringworm of the scalp to humans?

Yes, animals can be carriers of the fungi that cause ringworm. Both domesticated and farm animals can transmit the infection to humans:

• House pets: Cats and dogs are common carriers
• Farm animals: Goats, cows, horses, and pigs can also spread the infection
• Infected animals may not always show visible signs of the condition

Recognizing Symptoms of Ringworm of the Scalp

Identifying ringworm of the scalp early is crucial for prompt treatment and prevention of spread. The most common symptoms include:

• Itchy patches on the scalp
• Scaly, red areas or bald spots where hair has broken off
• Black dots on the scalp where hair has broken at the surface
• Brittle hair that easily breaks
• Painful or tender scalp
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Low-grade fever in some cases

Are there any severe complications of untreated ringworm of the scalp?

If left untreated, ringworm of the scalp can lead to more severe complications:

• Kerion: These are crusty, pus-filled swellings that can develop on the scalp
• Permanent hair loss: Severe infections can damage hair follicles, leading to permanent bald spots
• Scarring: In extreme cases, the infection can cause scarring of the scalp

Diagnosing Ringworm of the Scalp: Methods and Procedures

Accurate diagnosis of ringworm of the scalp is essential for effective treatment. Healthcare professionals typically use a combination of methods to confirm the presence of the fungal infection:

How do doctors diagnose ringworm of the scalp?

The diagnostic process usually involves:

1. Visual examination: A doctor can often diagnose ringworm based on the appearance of the scalp
2. Wood’s lamp examination: This special ultraviolet light can help identify certain types of fungal infections
3. Skin or hair sample analysis: A sample is examined under a microscope to confirm the presence of fungi
4. Fungal culture: In some cases, a sample may be cultured to identify the specific fungus causing the infection

It’s important to note that while visual examination can provide a quick diagnosis, laboratory tests are often necessary for confirmation. The fungal culture process can take up to three weeks to yield results.

Effective Treatments for Ringworm of the Scalp

Treatment for ringworm of the scalp typically involves a combination of oral antifungal medication and medicated shampoo. This two-pronged approach helps to eliminate the infection and prevent its spread.

What are the main antifungal medications used to treat ringworm of the scalp?

The primary oral antifungal medications prescribed for ringworm of the scalp are:

• Griseofulvin (Grifulvin V, Gris-PEG): This is a long-standing treatment option
• Terbinafine hydrochloride (Lamisil): A more recent medication that has shown good efficacy

Both medications are typically taken for about six weeks. They work by interfering with the growth of fungal cells, eventually killing the fungi causing the infection.

Are there any side effects associated with these antifungal medications?

Like all medications, antifungal drugs can have side effects. Common side effects include:

• Diarrhea
• Upset stomach
• Headache
• Rash or hives

More severe side effects, though rare, can include liver problems and allergic reactions. It’s important to discuss potential side effects with your healthcare provider before starting treatment.

How does medicated shampoo help in treating ringworm of the scalp?

Medicated shampoos play a crucial role in the treatment of scalp ringworm. They typically contain active antifungal ingredients such as:

• Ketoconazole
• Selenium sulfide

These shampoos help to:

1. Remove fungus from the scalp surface
2. Prevent the spread of infection to other areas
3. Reduce shedding of infected skin cells and hair

While medicated shampoos are essential for management, they do not cure the infection on their own and must be used in conjunction with oral antifungal medication.

The Healing Process: Timeline and Expectations

Ringworm of the scalp is a persistent infection that requires patience during treatment. Understanding the typical healing timeline can help manage expectations and ensure compliance with the treatment regimen.

How long does it take for ringworm of the scalp to heal?

The healing process for ringworm of the scalp is gradual:

• Initial improvement: It can take more than a month to see noticeable improvement
• Complete resolution: Full healing may take several months
• Hair regrowth: In cases where hair loss occurred, regrowth may take additional time after the infection clears

It’s crucial to complete the full course of treatment, even if symptoms improve, to prevent recurrence of the infection.

Prevention Strategies for Ringworm of the Scalp

While ringworm of the scalp can be effectively treated, prevention is always preferable. Implementing certain strategies can significantly reduce the risk of contracting or spreading the infection.

What are effective ways to prevent ringworm of the scalp?

To minimize the risk of ringworm infection:

• Practice good hygiene: Regular hair washing and scalp cleaning are essential
• Avoid sharing personal items: This includes combs, brushes, hats, and towels
• Keep hair and scalp dry: Fungi thrive in moist environments
• Regularly clean and disinfect shared spaces: This is particularly important in schools, gyms, and similar facilities
• Treat pets promptly: If you suspect your pet has a fungal infection, seek veterinary care immediately
• Educate children: Teach them about the importance of not sharing personal items and maintaining good hygiene

Living with Ringworm of the Scalp: Coping Strategies and Support

Dealing with ringworm of the scalp can be challenging, especially for children who may face social difficulties due to visible symptoms or treatment requirements. Implementing coping strategies and seeking support can make the experience more manageable.

How can individuals cope with the social aspects of ringworm of the scalp?

Coping strategies may include:

• Education: Understanding the condition can help reduce anxiety and stigma
• Open communication: Discussing the condition with friends, classmates, or colleagues can prevent misunderstandings
• Stylish head coverings: Using hats or scarves can conceal visible symptoms while adhering to treatment
• Support groups: Connecting with others who have experienced similar conditions can provide emotional support
• Psychological support: In some cases, professional counseling may be beneficial, especially for children struggling with self-esteem issues related to the condition

Remember, ringworm of the scalp is a common and treatable condition. With proper care and patience, most individuals recover fully without long-term complications.

Ringworm of the Scalp (Tinea Capitis): Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

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A fungal infection on the scalp can cause itchy bald spots. You may also have other symptoms, including brittle hair and fever. Treatment can include antifungal medication and medicated shampoo.

Ringworm of the scalp is not really a worm, but a fungal infection. It gets the name ringworm because the fungus makes circular marks on the skin, often with flat centers and raised borders. Also called Tinea capitis, this infection affects your scalp and hair shafts, causing small patches of itchy, scaly skin.

Ringworm is a highly contagious infection that’s usually spread through person-to-person contact or by sharing combs, towels, hats, or pillows. Ringworm is most common in children, but can infect a person of any age.

Fungi called dermatophytes cause ringworm on the scalp. Fungi are organisms that thrive on dead tissue, such as fingernails, hair, and the outer layers of your skin. Dermatophytes prefer warmth and moisture, so they thrive on sweaty skin. Overcrowding and poor hygiene increase the spread of ringworm.

Ringworm spreads easily, especially among children. You can get ringworm from touching the skin of someone with the infection. If you use combs, bedding, or other objects that have been used by someone with the infection, you’re also at risk.

House pets, such as cats and dogs, can spread ringworm, too. Farm animals like goats, cows, horses, and pigs can also be carriers. However, these animals might not show any signs of infection.

The most common symptom of ringworm is itchy patches on the scalp. Sections of hair may break off near the scalp, leaving scaly, red areas or bald spots. You may see black dots where the hair has broken off. Left untreated, these areas can gradually grow and spread.

Other symptoms include:

• brittle hair
• painful scalp
• swollen lymph nodes
• low-grade fever

In more severe cases, you may develop crusty swellings called kerion that drain pus. These can lead to permanent bald spots and scarring.

Learn more: Ringworm in babies »

A visual exam is often enough for a doctor to diagnose ringworm of the scalp. Your doctor may use a special light called a Wood’s lamp to illuminate your scalp and determine signs of infection.

Your doctor may also take a skin or hair sample to confirm the diagnosis. The sample is then sent to a lab to determine the presence of fungi. This involves looking at your hair or a scraping from a scaly patch of scalp under a microscope. This process may take up to three weeks.

Read more: What’s causing my scalp condition? »

Your doctor will probably prescribe fungi-killing oral medication and medicated shampoo.

Antifungal medication

The leading antifungal medications for ringworm are griseofulvin (Grifulvin V, Gris-PEG) and terbinafine hydrochloride (Lamisil). Both are oral medications that you take for approximately six weeks. Both have common side effects, including diarrhea and upset stomach. Your doctor may recommend taking these medications with a high-fat food such as peanut butter or ice cream.

Other possible side effects of griseofulvin include:

• sun sensitivity
• vomiting
• fatigue
• faintness
• dizziness
• allergic reactions in people who are also allergic to penicillin
• headache
• rash
• hives

Other possible side effects of terbinafine hydrochloride include:

• stomach pain
• itching
• rash
• hives
• loss of taste or change in taste
• allergic reaction
• headache
• fever
• liver problems, in rare cases

Medicated shampoo

Your doctor may prescribe a medicated shampoo to remove fungus and prevent the spread of infection. The shampoo contains the active antifungal ingredient ketoconazole or selenium sulfide. Medicated shampoo helps prevent the fungus from spreading, but it doesn’t kill ringworm. You must combine this type of treatment with an oral medication.

Your doctor may tell you to use this shampoo a couple times per week for a month. Leave the shampoo on for five minutes, then rinse.

Shop for antifungal shampoo.

Ringworm heals very slowly. It can take more than a month to see any improvement. Be patient and continue taking all medication as directed.

Your doctor may want to check you or your child in 4 to 6 weeks to make sure the infection is clearing up. It can be difficult to get rid of ringworm, and it’s possible to get the infection more than once. However, recurrences often stop at puberty. Long-term effects include possible bald patches or scarring.

Your child can usually return to school once they start treatment for ringworm, but you should ask your doctor when it’s safe for them to return.

Pets and other family members should be examined and treated if necessary. This will help prevent reinfection. Do not share towels, combs, hats, or other personal items with other family members. You can sterilize combs and brushes that belong to the infected person by soaking them in bleach water. Follow the directions on the bleach container for the proper dilution ratio.

The dermatophytes that cause ringworm are common and contagious. This makes prevention difficult. Because children are especially susceptible, tell your children about the risks of sharing hairbrushes and other personal items. Regular shampooing, hand washing, and other normal hygiene routines can help prevent the spread of infection. Be sure to teach your children proper hygiene, and follow these practices yourself.

It can be hard to tell if an animal has ringworm, but a common sign of infection is bald patches. Avoid petting any animals that have patches of skin showing through their fur. Maintain regular checkups for all pets and ask your veterinarian to check for ringworm.

Ringworm of the Scalp (Tinea Capitis)

Nationwide Children’s Hospital

 Tinea capitis is also called ringworm of the scalp, but it’s not caused by a worm. It’s a fungus infection. A fungus is a germ that is too small to see.

Ringworm is very contagious (spreads easily) among children. It most often happens in children 4 to 7 years old. However, it can happen in children as young as 1 year of age. It is rare in adults.

How the Infection Spreads

The fungus usually spreads when a child:

• Comes in direct contact with the head or hairs of someone who has ringworm.
• Uses a comb, brush, hat, stuffed toy, towel, or pillowcase of an infected person.
• Comes in contact with an infected animal.

Symptoms

• Ringworm can be on parts of the scalp or all of it. The scalp will have:
  • Round, bald patches with black dots where the hair has broken off (Picture 1). Blonde-haired children will have blonde dots.
  • Dry raised scales and crusty bumps. These might drain pus and be tender.
  • Itchiness.
• Sometimes a child may have lumps (swollen glands) in the neck and back of the head.
• Ringworm usually doesn’t cause fevers.

Diagnosis

Your child’s doctor or health care provider can tell if they have ringworm by the way their scalp looks. Sometimes, they may send a bit of the scaly skin and/or hairs for testing. It usually takes 2 to 3 weeks to get the test results back.

Treatment

Ringworm won’t go away on its own. Medicine and a special antifungal shampoo can cure it. Treatment should start early to prevent scarring or damage to the scalp. It may take many weeks to go away.

• Your child’s doctor or health care provider will prescribe a medicine to be taken by mouth for 1 to 3 months. The medicine goes through the blood to the scalp and into the growing hairs to stop the fungus from growing.
• With some medicines, your child may need to eat fatty foods, such as whole milk, cheese, ice cream, or yogurt to help the medicine work better.
  • The infection may come back if your child stops the medicine too early
• Do not use over-the-counter (OTC) creams or ointments. These might work for ringworm on the body or athlete’s foot, but they do not work for ringworm of the scalp
• Your child’s doctor or health care provider will suggest or prescribe a special antifungal shampoo (Picture 2). The shampoo will make it harder for the fungus to spread to others. It is not a cure by itself.
  • Do not shave your child’s head.
  • All household members, even those not infected, should also use the antifungal shampoo to reduce their risk of infection. They should use it 2 to 3 times a week for about 6 weeks.

Prevention

• No one should share combs, hairbrushes, hats, stuffed toys, towels, or pillowcases with others.
• Soak combs and hairbrushes in a mixture of half bleach and half water for 1 hour each day. Do this for the first 3 days after you start giving the medicine and using the antifungal shampoo.
• Wash towels in warm, soapy water after each use. Rinse and dry.
• Wash your hands after touching pets and animals.
• Some OTC dandruff shampoos (Selsun Blue^® or Head and Shoulders^®) can help prevent the spread of the fungus. Ask your doctor or health care provider about these.

More Information

• Some children who have ringworm need to stay home from school. Your child’s doctor or health care provider will tell you when they may go back.
• If your child takes the medicine for longer than 6 to 8 weeks or needs to repeat the course of treatment, they may need blood tests to check for side effects of the medicine.
• The places where hair has fallen out will usually grow back after your child finishes their treatment. It may take several months.

When to Call the Doctor

These things could mean that your child may also have a bacterial infection. 

Ringworm of the Scalp (Tinea Capitis) (PDF), Somali (PDF)

HH-I-145 • ©1991, revised 2023 • Nationwide Children’s Hospital

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Tactile sensations are important for children, which is why they love to hug animals so much. We cannot forbid them to do this, especially now, when any positive emotion is worth its weight in gold. Just as we cannot forget about the danger of infections. Is there a compromise?

Natalia REZNICHENKO, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor of the Department of Family Medicine of the State Institution “Zaporozhye Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine” , asked ThePharmaMedia about this.

Natalia Reznichenko

“Lichen” is a historically established name that combined all kinds of rashes on the skin of infectious and non-infectious genesis. For example, today we know that psoriasis is a non-infectious genetically determined skin disease, but earlier it was also referred to this group and was called “scaly lichen” because of the characteristic rash in the form of pink-red nodules, plaques and silvery-white scales.

Despite the fact that in modern medical practice today other, more accurate names are used for these diseases, in everyday life people use the historical name “lichen” more often.

In addition, no one has canceled the terms pink lichen (or pink lichen Gibert), herpes zoster (aka – herpes zoster).

Mycoses of the scalp

Dermatophyte infections of the scalp include the so-called “ringworm” and other fungal diseases/mycoses of the scalp.

Children are the first to get these infections. This is due to the fact that before reaching adolescence, the scalp under the hair is not yet inhabited by fungi. But everything changes along with hormonal changes: the active activity of the sebaceous glands begins, which contributes to the colonization of the scalp with fungi of the genus Malassezia (Malassezia).

Malassezia fungi are part of the normal microflora of the scalp.

When their number reaches the required number, they can successfully resist various pathogens, preventing them from populating the scalp.

By the age of 20-30, there are enough fungi of the genus Malassezia on the skin of the scalp to prevent the outbreak of infection and the development of the disease.

Thus, even if a pathogenic fungus gets on the skin (from the fur of an animal or the skin of another person), it simply will not have a chance to gain a foothold there to multiply and parasitize, since the body of an adult healthy person is able to protect itself from infection.

But when the body is weakened by other diseases, its defense mechanisms also weaken, then the pathogenic flora manages to penetrate and grow inside the epidermis, affecting all its new areas.

Of course, there are factors that predispose to the occurrence of mycosis of the skin of the scalp.

Who is more susceptible to mycotic infection?

First of all, these are people with immunodeficiency conditions, including HIV-infected patients.

In addition, people who by the nature of their activities (professional or at home) have frequent or constant contact with pathogenic fungi are at increased risk. Animal technicians, milkmaids, animal shelter workers and other professionals, for example, are more likely to come into contact with infected animals.

By the way, people who frequent beauty salons and hairdressers are also at greater risk, since haircuts, combs, etc. are not always properly disinfected.

But, children are more often infected. Due to the lack of appropriate microflora, which has not yet formed immunity, children are more susceptible to infection with a mycotic infection not only of the scalp, but also of the skin on any other part of the body.

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Symptoms of mycosis of the scalp

As a rule, people become infected from animals (cats, dogs, cattle, etc.). Most often, this disease is encountered by children, becoming infected from their peers.

The first symptom is the appearance of a red scaly spot on the scalp.

Then the hair breaks off (as a rule, it breaks at the base, which is why this disease used to be called “ringworm”).

Thus, clinically lichen/mycosis of the scalp is defined by three features:

1. Pink or red sore spot;
2. Presence of desquamation of the skin;
3. Presence of broken hair.

Diagnosis of mycosis

Mycosis of the scalp is definitely not a clinical diagnosis, except for taking an anamnesis and examining the patient, the diagnosis must be confirmed by laboratory by: 0055 culture (sowing) to determine the type of pathogen.

A doctor of any specialization who has identified this problem can send for such a study, but this must be done immediately (!), since an error in diagnosis can lead to incorrect treatment, and ultimately to the spread of infection.

In addition, the earlier the disease is detected, the lower the risk of complications and the higher the chances of a complete restoration of the hairline.

Differentiate mycosis of the scalp with alopecia areata. Now this is an actual diagnosis, since such a pathology most often develops against the background of severe stress. In Ukraine now, alas, we are all subject to such stress, including children.

You can distinguish alopecia from mycosis of the head by the following signs :

• with alopecia areata (focal) alopecia, hair loss always (!) occurs against the background of unchanged skin . On the head of such children or adults, round or oval areas without hair appear, which over time can merge with each other, but the skin in these places will not be inflamed, which means it will not change color and will not peel off;
• with mycosis of the scalp there will always be inflammation: discoloration of the skin, scaly spot with broken hair (with alopecia, the hair is completely absent).

A characteristic feature of microsporia is that the hair usually breaks off, leaving 5-7 mm above the surface of the head. With trichophytosis, the hair breaks off below, leaving 1 – 2 mm above the surface of the scalp.

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Treatment of fungal infections

Due to martial law, access to a medical facility may be difficult, but you should not self-medicate. If it is completely impossible to visit a doctor, you can take a high-quality photograph of the foci and send it to the doctor.

The fact is that in children, against the background of stress, alopecia areata can occur, which parents mistakenly take for mycosis and begin “treatment”: they lubricate non-infectious foci with iodine, brilliant green, fucorcin, and so on. As a result, inflammation occurs on the skin as a result of contact with irritating substances. After that, it becomes impossible to differentiate the disease from the photo.

Thus, the disease will remain undiagnosed, which threatens, firstly, with its spread within the team. Secondly, with improper treatment, the infection will capture large areas up to the entire scalp.

But the most difficult complication is the formation of deep forms of mycosis, in which various organs and systems of the body suffer. In addition, the running process is fraught with the appearance of huge abscessing elements (in fact, large abscesses) with the formation of cicatricial alopecia. Hair may never grow in the scar area. Therefore, the sooner adequate treatment is started, the greater the chance of avoiding complications.

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Topical and Systemic Therapy: The Role of the Pharmacist

A pharmacist can certainly recommend over-the-counter drugs to a patient, but a very important and very first recommendation would be to refer the person to a doctor’s appointment. This is important not only for confirming the diagnosis, but also for choosing the right treatment, because in approximately 70% of cases external means alone cannot cope with mycosis: mycosis will not spread, but will not be cured either. In the future, this threatens the appearance of new foci and the spread of mycotic infection to the entire scalp.

In addition, the doctor will help the patient to get ready for a rather complicated and lengthy treatment. It is important to warn the patient that therapy will need to be continued for 2-3 months.

Mycosis of the scalp, unlike mycoses of other localizations (for example, fungal infections of smooth skin), is treated for a long time, and you should not expect a result after several days or even weeks after the start of treatment.

Topical therapy

So, when mycosis of the scalp is confirmed by laboratory, the initial treatment is prescribed for 1 month.

At the end of the first stage of treatment, laboratory control is carried out. If no fungal particles and spores are found in the scale and/or hair samples, the treatment can be considered successful and complete. But in order to ensure a positive result of therapy, three such control studies / scrapings need to be done.

As a practicing dermatovenereologist, I want to emphasize that in most cases the treatment is still stretched for 2-3 months. Patients should be warned about this in advance in order to be sure that the person will follow all the doctor’s instructions.

Treatment of mycosis of the scalp consists of systemic and topical therapy, for which :

• antifungal creams and ointments are used containing terbinafine or sertacanazole . These funds are applied twice a day: in the morning and in the evening.

It is important to note that antifungal shampoos are not used for this pathology due to the lack of effect, since most of them contain ketoconazole, to which pathogenic fungi are not sensitive;

• 2. 5% iodine solution. Since only a 5% solution is sold in pharmacies, which cannot be used for children, it is too aggressive for children’s skin and can cause burns. To obtain a 2.5% iodine solution, 5% iodine is diluted with any alcohol-containing solution (medical alcohol or just vodka) in a one-to-one ratio.

An iodine solution is applied to the affected area of ​​the skin once a day, the interval between applying iodine and other preparations should be at least 2 hours.

External treatment can be quite effective if mycosis of the scalp is diagnosed at the very beginning of the process.

Systemic therapy of fungal infections

In most cases, topical treatment is carried out in parallel with the use of systemic antimycotic treatment – oral administration of tablets.

In this case, the drug of choice is griseofulvin , and if available contraindications – terbinafine.

Of course, its effectiveness is somewhat lower than that of griseofulvin.

Systemic therapy is first prescribed for one month, and then, after examination by a doctor and laboratory control, a decision is made to stop/prolong treatment.

Preparations for the treatment of mycosis must be prescribed by a doctor, who will then monitor its effectiveness and safety. During treatment, for example, it is important to monitor liver function tests because antifungals are hepatotoxic.

Prevention of relapses

Fungal diseases often recur, so after treatment, it is important to follow all the doctor’s recommendations:

• monitor the integrity of the skin;
• Do not pet stray animals. Alas, looking at the animal, we cannot guess whether it has mycosis or not. The usual localization of mycosis in cats and dogs is the ears, but foci of fallen hair, scabs, and so on should also alert. In any case, it is better to exclude tactile contact of children with homeless animals;
• If contact cannot be avoided, thoroughly wash hands and change clothing. In this case, the disease can be avoided;
• in the children’s team it is necessary to focus on the signs of mycosis in other children;
• basic prevention – personal hygiene (individual comb, towel, hats, hand washing).

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Ringworm (on the face and scalp): causes, symptoms, signs, treatment, diagnosis, prevention

Overview

Ringworm is a common skin infection caused by a fungus rather than a worm or helminth. The fungus grows in moist areas and can occur on the skin and scalp. Most often, ringworm affects children, but they can get sick at any age. The infection is contagious and is transmitted through direct contact with infected skin or objects where there may also be particles of ringworm – with combs, dirty clothes, showers. Ringworm can also be transmitted from dogs and cats. It causes itching and discomfort, but is treatable. Ringworm on the skin can be treated with over-the-counter medications. However, during its spread to the hair, prescription medications are required.

What to expect

If the lichen has not spread to the hair, you can try to treat it yourself within a month, after which you should see an improvement. However, in cases where the hair, beard, and beard are affected, treatment involves prescription antifungal drugs. Ringworm can spread to other areas of the body, and scratching it can cause infection. Sometimes ringworm can lead to swelling and similar skin problems. If, in your opinion, you have contracted lichen from a pet, be sure to contact your veterinarian.

The condition may worsen due to

not receiving timely treatment.

Diagnosis

Your doctor will examine your skin and scrape a sample of infected skin to test for ringworm.

Treatment

If self-treatment with over-the-counter drugs does not help, or if ringworm has affected the scalp or beard, see a doctor for another treatment that includes :

• antifungal tablets or preparations for direct application to the skin;
• antibiotics against infection.