Fungus which causes ringworm

Symptoms of athlete's foot may include:. Jock itch tinea cruris. Ringworm may be hard to cure. This condition is also more common in males and happens more often during warm weather conditions.

It is very rare in females. Symptoms of jock itch may include:. Scalp ringworm tinea capitis. Scalp ringworm is highly contagious, especially among children. It happens mainly in children between the ages of 2 to It rarely happens in adults. Symptoms of scalp ringworm may include:.

Ringworm of the scalp can also develop into a kerion, a large, tender lesion over the area of the initial ringworm.

This is caused by a hypersensitivity to the ringworm and may be associated with a rash elsewhere and tender lymph nodes in the neck. Nail infection tinea unguium. An infection of the finger or toe nail, this type is characterized by a thickened, deformed nail. About Ringworm. Minus Related Pages. Epidemiological trends in skin mycoses worldwide external icon. Related Links. Ringworm can closely resemble another condition, nummular eczema. Doctors also call nummular eczema discoid eczema or nummular dermatitis.

The lesions are often itchy and scaly. A person with ringworm usually has fewer ring-like patches than a person who has nummular eczema. Sometimes the two conditions look so much alike that the only way to tell the difference is to see your doctor. A doctor can take samples of the skin cells and send them to a laboratory for testing. Doctors treat nummular eczema in different ways from ringworm. They use topical steroids, which if used for ringworm infections, can mask as well as worsen the infection.

Learn more about differences between the two and how to treat them. Essential oils are highly concentrated extracts from flowers, herbs, and other plant types.

Often, people purchase these oils and dilute them with a carrier oil, such as olive oil or coconut oil, before applying to their skin. There is no scientific data to support the routine use of essential oils in treating antifungal infections like ringworm, only anecdotal evidence. Some of the essentials oils people use to treat ringworm include:. Oregano oil is potent and can potentially act as an antifungal. Lemongrass oil is an essential oil that might also act against ringworm.

You must mix it with a carrier oil such as olive or coconut oil before applying it to the affected area. Tea tree oil is another oil that is believed to have antifungal properties. For ringworm, you can apply it to an affected area of skin at least three times a day. If you find that tea tree oil is too irritating, mix the oil in coconut oil to dilute it. These are just some examples of essential oils used to relieve ringworm symptoms.

Read more about how tea tree oil can treat ringworm. Psoriasis is another skin condition that can sometimes resemble ringworm. Plaque psoriasis is a disorder due to immune dysfunction that produces inflammatory plaques on the skin. It appears as pink plaques with heavy white scales. Small isolated plaques can sometimes look similar to ringworm. However, ringworm on your trunk or limbs tinea corporis will usually have a circular appearance with clearing in the middle.

It will also usually be an isolated spot or limited to only a few lesions. Plaque psoriasis skin lesions are usually larger, involve more areas of the skin, and occur in distinct locations lower back, elbows, knees. The conditions have different underlying causes as well. A fungus causes ringworm, while a dysfunctional immune system causes psoriasis. Find out how to identify ringworm and psoriasis. If left untreated, ringworm can spread to other areas of the body.

A person can also risk spreading the infection to someone else. Other potential areas of complication include:. The complications of tinea capitis ringworm of the scalp are especially worrisome, since it can produce life-long permanent hair loss. Editorial team. Ringworm can affect the skin on your: Beard, tinea barbae Body, tinea corporis Feet, tinea pedis also called athlete's foot Groin area, tinea cruris also called jock itch Scalp, tinea capitis.

Alternative Names. Dermatophytid; Dermatophyte fungal infection - tinea; Tinea. Dermatitis - reaction to tinea Ringworm - tinea corporis on an infant's leg Ringworm, tinea capitis - close-up Ringworm - tinea on the hand and leg Ringworm - tinea manuum on the finger Ringworm - tinea corporis on the leg Tinea ringworm. Tinea Infections Read more.