Dermatophytosis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dermatophytosis
Synonyms	Ringworm, tinea
Ringworm on a human leg
Symptoms	Red, itchy, scaly, circular skin rash
Causes	Fungal infection
Risk factors	Using public showers, contact sports, excessive sweating, contact with animals, obesity, poor immune function
Diagnostic method	Based on symptoms, microbial culture, microscopic examination
Similar conditions	Dermatitis, psoriasis, pityriasis rosea, tinea versicolor
Prevention	Keep the skin dry, not walking barefoot in public, not sharing personal items
Treatment	Antifungal creams (clotrimazole, miconazole)
Frequency	20% of the population

Ringworm, also called dermatophytosis or tinea, is a common fungal infection that affects your skin. It can also show up on your hair or nails. It often looks like a red, itchy, and scaly rash that forms a circle. Sometimes, hair can fall out in the affected area.

You might start to see symptoms about four to fourteen days after coming into contact with the fungus. There are different types of ringworm, and they are usually named after the part of the body they affect. You can even have ringworm in more than one place at the same time.

About 40 different types of fungi can cause ringworm. These fungi are often from types like Trichophyton, Microsporum, or Epidermophyton. You might be more likely to get ringworm if you use public showers, play contact sports like wrestling, sweat a lot, or are around animals. Having a weaker immune system can also increase your risk. Ringworm can spread from animals to people, or from one person to another. Doctors often diagnose ringworm by looking at the rash and hearing about your symptoms. They might also confirm it by looking at a skin sample under a microscope.

Signs and Symptoms

Doctors can usually tell if you have a ringworm infection by checking your skin and asking about your symptoms. They might also take a small scraping of your skin to look at it closely under a microscope. This helps them confirm if it's a fungal infection.

Ringworm infections on your body often look like red, raised rings that grow larger. If it's on your feet, it might be athlete's foot. When it affects your nails, they might become thick or discolored.

Animals, including dogs and cats, can also get ringworm. The infection can pass from animals to humans, which means it's a zoonotic disease.

Here are some specific signs of ringworm:

• Red, scaly, itchy, or raised patches on the skin.
• Patches that are redder on their outer edges, looking like a ring.
• Patches that start to ooze or form small blisters.
• Bald spots may appear if the scalp is affected.

How You Get Ringworm

Fungi that cause ringworm love warm, wet places. This includes areas like locker rooms, swimming pools, and even skin folds on your body. Because of this, ringworm can spread if you use exercise machines that haven't been cleaned. Sharing towels, clothes, shoes, or hairbrushes can also spread the infection.

Keeping Ringworm Away

There are simple ways to help prevent ringworm:

• Try not to share clothes, sports gear, towels, or bed sheets with others.
• Wash your clothes in hot water with soap if you think they might have touched ringworm.
• Don't walk barefoot in public places like locker rooms. Wear shoes or sandals instead.
• Be careful around pets that have bald spots, as they can sometimes carry the fungus.

Treating Ringworm

Ringworm is usually treated with antifungal medicine. For skin infections, you might use topical agents like creams or lotions. These are applied to the affected area twice a day. You usually continue treatment for one to two weeks, and then for another week after the rash disappears. This helps make sure the infection is completely gone.

For more serious cases, or if the ringworm is on your scalp, your doctor might prescribe oral medications. These are medicines you take by mouth.

To stop the infection from spreading, try not to touch the rash. Always practice good hygiene by washing your hands and body regularly.

How Common is Ringworm?

Ringworm is a very common infection worldwide. It is estimated that many people will get a fungal skin infection like ringworm at some point in their lives. These infections are especially common in warm and humid places.