Is Ringworm Contagious?

Is ringworm contagious? Yes! This condition is highly contagious and will quickly spread when there is personal skin contact between persons or between human and animal. It can also very rapidly be spread when clothing, sports equipment and gear and other personal items are shared between people.

There was a belief a long time ago that ringworm was caused by a worm and hence the name, but it is not caused by a worm. It is a fungus which causes infection of the skin. This fungus lives and spreads on the skin's top layer and also on the hair. It grows well in warm areas that are moist like in skin folds, locker rooms and in swimming pools.

Sometimes a ring shape will be formed by the rash, but this is not always the case. The main thing is that the rash will be extremely itchy. If the infection has spread to the hands, the skin there will be scaly, dry and thick. The area between the fingers will become damp, and open sores will appear on it.

To prevent ringworm, you should not share towels, sports gear, clothing or bed linens. If you suspect that you have been exposed to the infection, immediately wash your clothing in hot water and add special anti-fungus soap powder or liquid. Always wear sandals or slippers in public bathing regions and locker rooms. Wash the body and hair very well after any sporting activity where skin contact has been made. Dry your body completely and very well after taking showers or having a bath and make sure to dry your feet last.

Loose fitting clothing made of cotton should be worn. Your underwear, as well as your socks, should be changed every day. If you have a fungus called athlete's foot, you should put your socks on your feet before you put on your underclothes. Do this to ensure the prevention of spreading the fungus from your foot area to your groin area. If you notice that your pet has some bald areas on their body, you should get them to a vet quickly to have them checked for the fungus. Having the fungus transmitted from your pet is possible, but it does not happen very often.

A diagnosis of this particular fungal infection will normally be made by scrapings from the area where the rash is and using a microscope to identify the fungus. An additional test that will be done is a culture test to enable successful conclusion and to find a suitable cure for the condition.Click here to know about the natural way to treat ringworm.

Home treatment is possible and getting lotions from your local pharmacy will be possible especially with use of phytozine, and you will not require a prescription to do this. The rash will disappear a short while after successful treatment has begun. Make sure to use the treatment as directed and until the end of the treatment course or the condition will re-surface. Once you've tried the lotions and this does not work, you can opt for prescription ointment. When you do not treat the condition, blisters will be formed on the skin, and there will be an infection in the cracks. When this happens, antibiotic medication will have to be administered.