Ringworm is an infection caused by a fungus. It causes a rash that can appear on many different parts of the body. It is called ringworm because it sometimes looks like a ring.
Ringworm usually causes an itchy rash. It often makes a pattern in the shape of a ring, but not always. The rash may be peeling, cracking, scaling, and red. It can affect the face, groin, hands, and other parts of the body.
Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and examine your skin and the rash. The doctor may diagnose ringworm based on this exam. He or she may look at a scraping from the rash under a microscope to check for the ringworm fungus.
Most cases of ringworm can be treated with skin creams or ointments that kill fungi. These are called topical antifungals. You can get many of them without a prescription.
You may need to take antifungal pills if ringworm doesn't go away after you've tried topical antifungals or if the infection is widespread.
Your rash may start to heal soon after you start treatment. But use the medicine exactly as the label or your doctor says. This helps keep the infection from coming back. You will probably need to continue treatment for 2 to 4 weeks or longer.
In most cases, you can treat ringworm of the skin with antifungal creams or ointments. Many are available over-the-counter.
If your rash does not clear after you have tried different topical antifungals, or if the infection is widespread, you may need prescription antifungal pills.
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