Ringworm starting stage: Ringworm (body) – Symptoms and causes

12.08.202326.06.2023 by alexxlab

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Psoriasis vs. Ringworm: What’s the Difference?

Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition caused by the rapid growth of skin cells and inflammation. Psoriasis changes the life cycle of your skin cells. Typical cell turnover allows skin cells to grow, live, die, and slough off on a routine basis. Skin cells affected by psoriasis grow rapidly but don’t fall off.

This causes a buildup of skin cells on the skin’s surface. Psoriasis can appear red or pink on light or fair skin tones with silvery white scale. On medium skin tones, it can appear salmon-colored with silvery white scale. On darker skin tones, psoriasis could look violet with gray scale. Or it can also appear dark brown and difficult to see.

It’s commonly found on the:

knees
elbows
genitals
toenails

More than one type of psoriasis exists. The part of your body that’s affected by the skin condition and the symptoms you experience determine the type of psoriasis you have. Psoriasis is not contagious.

Ringworm (dermatophytosis) is a temporary circular rash that appears red or pink on light skin tones and brown or gray on skin of color. The rash may or may not itch, and it may grow over time. It can also be transferred if your skin comes in contact with the skin of someone who has the fungal infection.

Despite its name, ringworm rashes are not caused by a worm.

Your symptoms of psoriasis may be different than someone else’s symptoms. Psoriasis symptoms may include:

pink or red patches with silvery white scale on light and fair skin tones
salmon in appearance with silvery white scale on medium skin tones
violet with gray scale on darker skin tones
small spots of scaling
dry, cracked skin that might bleed
itching or burning
soreness on spots
sore or stiff joints
thick, ridged, or pitted nails

Psoriasis is a chronic condition. It may cause one or two patches, or it may cause clusters of patches that grow to cover a large area.

Treatment can reduce symptoms, but psoriasis patches may be a lifelong issue. Thankfully, many people experience periods of low or no activity. These periods, which are called remission, may be followed by periods of increased activity.

The signs and symptoms of ringworm will change if the infection worsens. Ringworm symptoms may include:

red or pink patches on light skin tones
brown or gray patches on medium to dark skin tones
a raised border around the scaly area
an expanding scaly area that forms a circle
a circle with red bumps or scales and a clear center

You may develop more than one circle, and these circles can overlap. Some of the borders of the circles may be uneven or irregular.

There currently is not a cure for psoriasis, but treatments are available that can end or reduce outbreaks. The type of treatment you’ll need depends on the severity and type of psoriasis you have. The three main types of treatments are:

topical
light therapy
oral or injectable medications

Topical treatments

Your doctor may prescribe a medicated cream, ointment, or another solution to treat your mild to moderate psoriasis. These types of topical treatments include topical corticosteroids, topical retinoids, and salicylic acid.

Light therapy

Phototherapy uses light to halt or slow the growth of skin cells in the affected areas. These light sources include:

natural light (sunlight)
UVB rays
photochemotherapy UVA
lasers

Light therapy may be applied to your affected areas or to your whole body. Exposure to some of these light sources could make symptoms worse. Do not use light therapy without your doctor’s guidance.

Oral or injected medications

Your doctor may prescribe oral or injectable medications if you do not respond well to other treatments. They’re appropriate for various forms of moderate to severe psoriasis.

These medications include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), corticosteroids, and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). They can help alter how the immune system works, resulting in slower skin cell growth and reduced inflammation.

DMARDs can be nonbiologics or biologics.

Nonbiologics include:

methotrexate
cyclosporine
apremilast (Otezla)

Biologics used for psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis include:

etanercept (Enbrel)
adalimumab (Humira)
certolizumab (Cimzia)
secukinumab (Cosentyx)
ustekinumab (Stelara)
ixekizumab (Taltz)
guselkumab (Tremfya)
tildrakizumab (Ilumya)
risankizumab (Skyrizi)

Infliximab (Remicade), golimumab (Simponi), and brodalumab (Siliq) are biologics that are also used to treat psoriasis, but they’re used less often in comparison to other options.

These treatments often cause severe side effects, which is why they’re used on a limited basis.

Your doctor may change your treatment if it does not work or if the side effects are too severe. Your doctor may also recommend combination treatment, which means using more than one treatment type.

According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), you may be able to use lower doses of each treatment when your doctor prescribes them as part of a combination treatment.

Ringworm is caused by a fungal infection. Antifungal medication can treat ringworm. Some cases of ringworm will respond well to ointments or topical treatments. These treatments, including terbinafine (Lamisil AT), clotrimazole (Lotrimin AF), and ketoconazole, can be purchased over the counter.

If the infection is severe, your doctor may need to treat your fungal infection with prescription antifungal ointment or cream. More severe cases may also require oral medication.

Make an appointment with a primary care doctor or dermatologist if you’ve developed an unusual spot on your skin. If you think you came into contact with a person or animal with ringworm, be sure to tell the doctor.

If you have a family history of psoriasis, mention that as well. In most cases, the doctor can diagnose the condition by conducting a thorough skin exam.

If you’re diagnosed with either of these conditions and you begin experiencing any of the following symptoms, talk with your doctor as soon as you can. These symptoms include:

painful and swollen muscle joints
difficulty working because the affected area is swollen, painful, or preventing you from bending your joints properly
a concern about the appearance of your skin
interruption in your ability to perform routine tasks
a worsening rash that is not responding to treatment

Both ringworm and psoriasis can be effectively managed and treated. Currently, psoriasis cannot be cured, but treatments can help reduce symptoms.

Ringworm treatments can eliminate the infection. This will reduce the chances that you can transfer the fungus to other people.

It’s important to note that you may come into contact with a fungus that causes ringworm again in the future, and you could develop another infection.

Ringworm in Babies: Treatment and Prevention

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Medically reviewed by Karen Gill, M. D. — By Rachel Nall, MSN, CRNA on March 14, 2016

Overview

Ringworm is a fungal infection that fortunately doesn’t have anything to do with worms. The fungus, also known as tinea, takes on a circular, worm-like appearance in infants and children.

Ringworm is highly contagious and easily transmitted. In the United States, people-to-people transmission causes the majority of cases, but pets-to-people transmission is most common worldwide.

While babies can get ringworm anywhere, two common locations are on the scalp and the body (including the face).

Ringworm in these areas can often resemble other conditions, so it’s important to be aware of the distinctive appearance that ringworm can take on over time in babies.

What are the symptoms of ringworm?

Ringworm often starts as red, scaly patches of skin. You may note only a single patch, or instead see several patchy areas.

If the areas are on the scalp, you might at first think they are dandruff or cradle cap. Scalp ringworm can cause hair loss and/or hair breakage on the affected area.

Scalp ringworm is most common in children ages 2 to 10.

Ringworm can occur on the face, too. When this occurs, the itchy areas of skin may look like eczema, or atopic dermatitis.

Over time, the patchy areas start to grow in ring-like circles that are between 1/2 inch and 1 inch in diameter with a raised border and clear area in the center. You may notice your little one itching these areas.

A scalp ringworm can also enlarge into what’s known as a kerion. A kerion is a lesion over the area where the ringworm first appeared.

If a child has a kerion, they also may have symptoms like a rash and tender lymph nodes in the neck. Other areas of the skin that may be affected include:

cheeks
chin
eye area
forehead
nose

Tinea can affect any parts of your baby’s body, but may not always appear in the ringworm-like shape. Ringworm of the body is called tinea corporis and is also common in children.

Other types of fungal infections include tinea of the groin (jock itch) and feet (athlete’s foot), but these occur mostly in teenagers and adults. They’re very uncommon in children.

How is ringworm siagnosed?

Doctors often diagnose ringworm by a physical examination and taking a medical history.

Ringworm can be distinctive in appearance, so doctors can usually diagnose it with a physical examination. But they can also take a few scrapings of the skin and examine them under a microscope.

What are the risk factors for ringworm?

Some babies and infants are more likely to get ringworm than others. Risk factors include:

living in warm climates (tinea thrive in warm, moist environments)
being in contact with other children and/or pets that have ringworm
being considered immunocompromised, which includes receiving treatments for cancer
being malnourished

Occasionally, a family will bring home a new pet that may be infected with the disease, and an infant will rub their face on the pet. This can contribute to ringworm.

How is ringworm treated in babies?

How can you prevent ringworm in babies?

Pets can unfortunately pass ringworm to infants. Carefully watch your pet’s fur for any itching, scaling, and/or bald spot areas that could indicate ringworm. Identifying and treating their ringworm can prevent your little one from being affected.

Additionally, you shouldn’t share the following items with other children:

barrettes
brushes
combs
hair clips
hats

If your child or another baby has ringworm, sharing these objects can easily transmit the fungal infection.

The takeaway

Ringworm can be an inconvenience and uncomfortable for babies, but it’s highly treatable. Through regular topical skin applications, you can help your child become ringworm-free.

Many children become reinfected, so it’s important to take preventive steps to keep your child from having it again.

“Ringworm, a fungal infection of the skin or scalp, is common in children over 3, but uncommon in infants. It’s easily treated when it affects the skin, but treatment of scalp lesions usually requires several weeks of medication taken by mouth.” – Karen Gill, MD, FAAP

Last medically reviewed on March 14, 2016

Parenthood
Baby
06 Months 1 Year

How we reviewed this article:

Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Ringworm. (2015, November 21)
healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/skin/Pages/Ringworm.aspx
Ringworm. (n.d.)
Ringworm, facial. (2010, May 3)

Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

Current Version

Mar 14, 2016

Written By

Rachel Nall, MSN, CRNA

Edited By

Nizam Khan (TechSpace)

Medically Reviewed By

Karen Richardson Gill, MD

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Medically reviewed by Karen Gill, M.D. — By Rachel Nall, MSN, CRNA on March 14, 2016

Ringworm.

Causes and symptoms of disease

05/24/2022

Everyone has heard of such an infectious skin disease as ringworm, but not everyone knows how to identify its symptoms and identify the disease in the initial stage.
Ringworm is considered to be a highly contagious infectious skin lesion caused by the pathogenic fungus Microsporum and Trichophyton. From the name of the fungus, the disease is known as Trichophytosis and Microsporia, Dermatomycosis, Dermatophytosis and Dermatophytosis. Nails and hair are also involved in the process. Microsporia is transmitted to humans from domestic animals, and trichophytosis is located only in humans.
With ringworm, ring-shaped spots appear on the body of a sick person. The elements become noticeable a few days after infection, their color is pink or red, they can itch and be very intense. Bubbles form near the spots, after which a crust and foci of peeling remain. If there are hairs in the affected area, they break and fall out.
Symptoms depend on the form of the disease and the pathogen, and the general condition of the person also affects this. Doctors distinguish the localization of rashes: the skin of the arms and legs, feet, palms and hands; torso; fingernails and toenails; armpits; inguinal folds; skin on the face; scalp skin. In animals, this disease most often manifests itself on the head. Small specks of a rounded shape appear, it seems as if the wool was specially cut off. You can see damage to the skin, crusts form, the skin becomes inflamed, swollen, pus is released when pressed. If the disease progresses, then the symptoms can be found on the paws and throughout the body.
Most often, human infection occurs through contact with a sick animal. You can also get infected from an animal that has just become ill with lichen. You may not notice the symptoms, but you have already contracted the disease. You can also get infected on the street, passing through the places where an infected animal lived. Ringworm is a very persistent disease. For example, to kill the spores of this fungus, it needs to be in direct sunlight for several hours. Especially rapidly lichen spreads in the environment when the weather is humid and warm.
When ringworm occurs in a person, the basis of treatment is the fight against the fungus that caused ringworm. The course of treatment is prescribed only by a dermatologist, and is carried out at home. It combines local therapy with lichen ointments – antifungal creams, sprays, shampoos with oral antifungal drugs.
As a preventive measure, it is necessary to timely identify foci of the disease and isolate infected representatives, disinfect personal items, systematically examine children in children’s institutions. Warn that it is better to avoid contact with stray animals and observe the rules of personal hygiene. It is necessary to take vitamin complexes in the autumn-winter period on their own or after consulting a doctor. City services must identify and treat sick animals. It will be useful to regularly sanitize the premises with chlorine-containing disinfectants. If domestic dogs and cats live in the country in the summer, they must be illuminated with a Wood’s lamp for the presence of trichophytosis.

The material was prepared by specialists of the department of veterinary arias and risk analysis of food production of the Federal State Budgetary Institution “Rostov Reference Center of Rosselkhoznadzor”.

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Types of lichen, general principles of its treatment – clinic “Dobrobut”

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Medical Library Dobrobut

Publication date: 2020-06-21

Lichen in adults and children. Effective treatment of lichen in humans

Lichen is an infectious disease that affects the skin. The disease is common and not only among children – adults often turn to dermatologists for medical help. Effective treatment of depriving a person consists in an individual choice of a therapy regimen and the implementation of all the recommendations of a specialist.

Ways of infection and signs of lichen

The infectious disease in question is transmitted by household contact and that is why, when diagnosing it, doctors determine the patient for strict isolation, quarantine. How is lichen transmitted:

through toys and stationery;
when sharing towels and bedding with an infected person;
in contact with handrails in transport, counters in shops and benches in the park, if previously used by the sick.

Even if a child with shingles is cuddled with parents or other relatives, there is a high risk of infection. But infection does not always occur. Doctors are sure that the disease develops only if a person has reduced immunity, there are chronic pathologies in the acute stage, or he is forced to take any medication for a long period. It is in these states that lichen planus of the oral cavity can manifest itself and progress.

How lichen manifests itself:

certain, clearly defined areas of the skin are visibly lightened, standing out against the general background;
peeling appears on the surface of too visible areas of the skin;
non-intense itching, redness of pathological foci;
if lichen affects the scalp and scalp, then hair loss will most likely occur.

Signs of rosacea in a child will be somewhat different – pinkish spots with blurred borders appear on the body, the surface of which is slightly flaky. Only after a few days the boundaries of pathological foci become clear.

General principles for the treatment of lichen

Depending on which type of lichen progresses in the patient, therapy will also be selected. Types of lichen and effective treatment:

Shearer. The main carriers of an infectious disease are animals – homeless, neglected cats and dogs. Since children most often play with them, it is not surprising that such a disease is inherent in just such an age. How to treat ringworm on the head in children? First, you need to completely get rid of the hairline – this rule also applies to girls. Of course, you can solve the problem without this stage, but in this case, the treatment will be lengthy and problematic. Secondly, you will need to use antifungal ointments such as Lamisil or Microspor. Thirdly, you need to regularly treat stains with iodine, and then lubricate with medicines. Ringworm is a fairly complex infection. In some cases, in the presence of an inflammatory process, before applying therapeutic compresses, it is necessary to remove the crusts and get rid of pus. You need to know what lichen looks like at the initial stage – a barely noticeable spot on the head with broken, thin and fluffy hairs.
Pink lichen. It is often diagnosed in childhood and is chronic with periodic exacerbations. How to quickly cure childhood lichen? Doctors prescribe antihistamines, zinc ointment, hydrocortisone-based products, Acyclovir tablets. Only such an integrated approach will help to get rid of the problem quickly and without serious consequences. But you also need to adhere to dietary nutrition – products must be hypoallergenic. It is highly desirable to exclude sweets and fatty foods, spices from the menu.
Lichen planus. According to statistics, women aged 50 years and older are most often infected with it. The disease can be localized on the skin of the body and on the oral mucosa. Sometimes characteristic spots appear in the most visible places of the body, so the question often arises of how to treat lichen on the skin of the face. Doctors do not recommend self-medication in this case – the wrong selection of drugs, violation of their dosage and rules of use in most cases leads to the formation of scars and scars. As a rule, complex therapy is prescribed, which involves the use of antibacterial agents, and antihistamine, and vitamin-mineral complexes. The causes and incubation period of this type of lichen are closely related to each other – for example, if characteristic spots appeared in the oral cavity, then no more than 10 days ago there were problems in the gastrointestinal tract.
Pityriasis versicolor. It is caused by fungal spores and is fairly easy to treat. This type of disease looks characteristic – whitish-pink spots on the skin that do not have a clear outline. Often the localization of the disease falls on the hands. What to do if there are symptoms of lichen in an adult? It’s simple – a multi-colored pityriasis type of pathology is treated with conventional antimycotic agents. Applying an ointment with an antifungal effect, you can solve the problem in a week.

In official medicine, several more types of lichen are considered. All of them have their own symptoms and distinctive characteristics. But if any spots on the body that look like lichen itch, then this is an absolute reason to seek qualified medical help. Timely diagnosis of the disease will not only speed up and facilitate its treatment, but also prevent the spread of infection among family members, neighbors, colleagues and friends.

More details about the problem under consideration, as well as how maternal lichen is prevented during pregnancy, can be found on the website https://www. dobrobut.com/.

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