Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.
Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.
Conventional wisdom holds that minimizing sweat and moisture can
help prevent fungal infections. Common recommendations along these
lines are for men to wear boxer shorts, for women to avoid panty
hose, and so forth. Whether these measures, some of which are quite
difficult to implement, are really worth all of the effort is open to
question.
You can also take steps to prevent transmission of ringworm infections. Do not share clothing, towels, hairbrushes, combs, hair accessories, or other personal care items. Wearing sandals or shoes in gyms, locker rooms, and at pools can help reduce your chances of contracting athlete's foot. You should avoid touching pets that have signs of ringworm (typically bald spots).
Ringworm is a common fungal infection of the skin and is not due to a worm.
The medical term for ringworm is tinea. The condition is further named for the site of the body where the infection occurs.
Ringworm causes a scaly, crusted rash that may itch.
Ringworm is treated with antifungal medications used either topically or orally.
Additional resources from WebMD Boots UK on
Ringworm
Medically reviewed by
Norman Levine, MD,
Board Certified - American Board of Dermatology
REFERENCES:
Lesher Jr., Jack L. "Tinea Corporis." eMedicine.com. Dec. 2, 2009. <http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1091473-overview>.
Rashid, Rashid M., and Andrew C. Miller. "Tinea." eMedicine. May 12, 2009. <http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/787217-overview>.
United States. "Ringworm and Animals." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. July 28, 2010. <http://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/diseases/ringworm.htm>.
The word "rash" means an outbreak of red bumps on the body. The way people use this term, "a rash" can refer to many different skin conditions. The most common of these are scaly patches of skin and red, itchy bumps or patches all over the place.
Athlete's foot (tinea pedis) is a skin infection caused by the ringworm fungus. Symptoms include itching, burning, cracking, peeling, and bleeding feet. Treatment involves keeping the feet dry and clean, wearing shoes that can breathe, and using medicated powders to keep your feet dry.
Itching can be a common problem. Itches can be localized or generalized. There are many causes of itching to include: infection (jock itch, vaginal itch), disease (hyperthyroidism, liver or kidney), reactions to drugs, and skin infestations (pubic or body lice). Treatment for itching varies depending on the cause of the itch.
Jock itch is an itchy red rash that appears in the groin area. The rash may be caused by a bacterial or fungal infection. People with diabetes and those who are obese are more susceptible to developing jock itch. Antifungal shampoos, creams, and pills may be needed to treat fungal jock itch. Bacterial jock itch may be treated with antibacterial soaps and topical and oral antibiotics.
There are many causes of scalp hair loss. This featured article covers the common ones such as patchy hair loss (alopecia areata, trichotillomania, and tinea capitis), telogen effluvium, and androgenetic alopecia (male-pattern baldness, female-pattern baldness).
Fungal nails (onychomycosis) may be caused by many species of fungi but the most common is Trichophyton rubrum. Distal subungal onychomycosis starts as a discolored area at the nail's corner and slowly spread toward the cuticle. In proximal subungal onychomycosis, the infection starts at the cuticle and spreads toward the nail tip. Yeast onychomycosis is caused by Candida and may be the most common cause of fungal fingernail.
Children's health is focused on the well-being of children from conception through adolescence. There are many aspects of children's health, including growth and development, illnesses, injuries, behavior, mental illness, family health and community health.
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