How does ringworm manifest at an early stage in humans?

Varieties and atypical forms

This disease, depending on the health of the body and the type of carrier, can occur in several forms.

Ringworm occurs:

• Chronic - typical for women who have completed the process of puberty. In fact, it is a form of complication of superficial lichen hidden in childhood. The hormonal fluctuations that occur in the female body at the time of maturation undermine the immune system, which gives ringworm the opportunity to develop stronger.
• Superficial - white spots with a red border are almost harmless to humans, because the upper layer of the dermis is affected.
• Purulent - true to the name, diseased skin secretes pus. The parasite affects not only the surface of the dermis, but also the body as a whole, initially penetrating into the depths of the follicles, and then settling in the lymph nodes. This form is characterized by high temperature.
• Deep form - settles mainly on the skin of the legs, pseudomyceliums are formed in dense nodes at a depth of 3-4 cm.
• Plantar form - callus-like formations appear on the foot, they peel and hurt when walking.
• Nail - in appearance it is ordinary onychomycosis, with characteristic colored spots and separation of the nails.
• Abortive is the mildest form, manifested by pale pink rashes.
• Papular - the skin begins to actively loosen in places where centimeter-long bumps appear. One of the most unpleasant, from a cosmetic point of view, forms.

Pubertal boys do not suffer from the chronic form; in them the parasite dies on its own.

In addition to the form, the type of parasite that caused it plays an important role in choosing treatment tactics:

• Microsporia is a disease transmitted between people, of a zoonotic and anthropophilic type.
• Anthropophilic trichophytosis is an infectious disease with a fungal pathogen that is transmitted only between people.
• Zoonotic trichophytosis is similar to anthropophilic in nature, but is transmitted to humans from cattle, cats and other animals.

It is important to understand that ringworm is a common name that combines two different diseases (Microsporia and Trichophytosis) caused by different pathogens. The localization and clinical picture of both diseases are very similar, so historically they were considered a single disease, and later they were separated, thanks to in-depth medical research.

How to quickly cure ringworm in humans

When treating ringworm in humans, the basis of therapy is the fight against the fungus that causes dermatomycosis. Treatment is prescribed only by a dermatologist; it combines local treatment with ointments for lichen - antifungal creams, sprays, shampoos with oral antifungal drugs.

1. Ringworm of smooth skin responds better to treatment with Terbinafine and tolnaftate.
2. For local treatment, the doctor may recommend various ointments, creams, shampoos containing Clotrimazole, Ketoconazole, Mycoseptin, Terbinafine, Mycoconazole. (Local antifungal agents - creams, sprays, gels).
3. To treat lichen in the morning, a 5% iodine solution is usually used. In the evening, as a rule, sulfur-salicylic or sulfur-tar ointment is prescribed; treatment with pure salicylic acid 3% is also possible.
4. A doctor can write out a prescription for the production of Vidal's milk in the prescription department of a pharmacy - alcohol, camphor, salicylic acid, sulfur lotion, boric acid, glycerin. Or Lassar pastes - petroleum jelly, starch, salicylic acid, zinc oxide.

For systemic treatment of dermatomycosis, Griseofulvin is used; it is a natural antimycotic that has a narrow spectrum of action, namely, it is active against dermatomycete fungi, Trichophyton, Microsporum, Epydermophyton, Achorionum.

1. Treatment of ringworm of both the skin and hair is necessarily accompanied by oral administration of griseofulvin. It should be taken for 15-25 days, and a bacterioscopic scraping should be taken once a week to detect fungus. As soon as the fungus is not detected, the intake of griseofulvin is continued every other day, at the same dose that the doctor calculated, for another 14 days, so that there is no relapse of the disease.
2. If the feet are affected by the fungus, it is recommended that they be treated with Ketoconazole or Clotrimazole orally, and selenium sulfide applied externally.

For the treatment of chronic ringworm, in addition to antifungal agents, both local and oral (Griseofulvin), vitamin therapy, immunomodulators, and drugs that strengthen blood vessels and improve microcirculation are also indicated.

It is very important to observe hygiene measures, since fungal spores disperse around the patient, and after 1-3 months a relapse of the disease may occur, and the risk of contracting ringworm to other relatives is very high.

Remember the following recommendations from experts:

• the underwear of a patient with ringworm should be washed separately, and before washing it should be soaked in a disinfectant solution or boiled;
• All linen and clothes of the patient must be ironed after washing;
• every day in the patient’s room and in general in all places where he happens to be, it is necessary to carry out wet cleaning with any disinfectant;
• absolutely all items used by the patient must be treated with a disinfectant every day;
• During the illness, carpets, soft toys, textiles and all things that are difficult to clean are removed from the room where the patient is.

Can ringworm go away without treatment?

The possibility of ridding the body of ringworm on its own exists, but it is negligible. Science knows of several cases where the disease resolved without any medical intervention, however, these are isolated phenomena. Most often, the infection, having caused inflammation once, begins to spread further. If the disease developed in childhood and was not treated, it will persist until adulthood.

What should I do if I get ringworm during pregnancy?

Do not panic if the infection develops during gestation, since these mycotic organisms are not able to have a pronounced effect on either the child or the woman. If infected, you should consult a doctor and undergo the treatment recommended by him. During pregnancy, oral medications are not prescribed to get rid of the infection; it will be enough to use ointments prescribed by the doctor.

Symptoms

Depending on the condition of the body, the depth of location of the fungal colony and which part of the body it has “chosen”, the clinical picture of the disease may vary, so the localization is as follows:

• torso,
• Feet,
• legs,
• hands,
• nails,
• groin and armpits,
• palms,
• face,
• skin under hair.

Therefore, the full name of the disease always sounds like this: Superficial ringworm of the trunk or Purulent ringworm of the scalp, etc.

In addition to general symptoms by type, there are also specific clinical signs that arise depending on the pathogen that caused the disease:

• Trichophytosis - the place of development of trichophytosis can be both smooth skin and areas under the hair. Initially, the lesions look like red-pink spots up to 2 cm in diameter. It all starts with one island, its surface slightly swollen, protruding above the level of the rest of the dermis. Even before a large number of lesions form, the first one becomes covered with flaky white scales that fall off when touched. The lesions systematically appear throughout the body, but at the same time they are located separately and do not merge into the general pathology, as with tinea versicolor. At the next stage, one of the colonies becomes the main one - its size is significantly larger than the other foci, and its edges look like a torn flower. At the last stage of development of the disease, if left untreated, the lesions turn into rings with a dense crust in the middle, and the hair breaks off completely in these areas. The favorite places for trichophytosis are the torso, neck, face and forearms, but sometimes there are exceptions and the parasite breeds on the scalp.
• Infiltrative-suppurative trichophytosis - this subspecies of the fungus is classified as a separate group, because the pathogen is zoophilic. This disease is most widespread in rural areas; it is sometimes called an occupational disease of a veterinarian-animal breeder. Unlike its counterpart described above, the inflammatory process begins immediately after infection and develops extremely quickly, up to suppuration in the affected areas. The bestial pathogen immediately affects all areas of the epidermis, simultaneously developing on smooth skin and areas of hair growth on the head, while it is very fond of mustaches, beards, and eyebrows. Having reached the stage of suppuration, the lesions acquire a blue-purple color, their surface is covered with tubercles that form scabs, erosions and scales. When pressing on the skin, pus is clearly released from the mouths of the follicles; under such conditions, the hair falls out along with the follicles. A kind of “honeycomb” forms on the head, which softens only with proper treatment.
• Microsporia - during the first 4-7 days of infection, the parasite remains in the incubation period, so it does not manifest itself in any way. Afterwards, the clinic appears depending on the location of the development of the lesion: Scalp - a round lesion with a diameter of 3 cm suddenly appears. It is covered with gray scales, after which the hair in the affected area breaks off (a fracture occurs at a height of 5 mm). In subsequent stages, the lesion and remaining hair are covered with a noticeable white coating.
• Smooth skin - spots have a diameter of up to 2 cm and are light pink in color. When the colony stabilizes, it will begin to grow, with the center of the circles becoming lighter and the border highlighted by papules. If the fungus is not treated, then double, triple, etc. will begin to appear inside the lesion. inner circles.

A person who has had infiltrative-suppurative trichophytosis, in addition to scars for life, acquires complete immunity to the pathogen, so relapse is impossible.

Stages of disease development

Ringworm in humans (the photo shows the effect of the fungus on different areas of the skin) goes through 4 stages of development:

1. Incubation period. Fungal spores enter and are gradually activated without reproducing. There are no symptoms at this stage.
2. Beginning of symptoms. As a result of the start of the pathogen’s multiplication, an inflammatory process begins to appear on the skin, accompanied by redness of the affected area and swelling. Next, round or oval spots from pink to red are formed, which protrude above the main layer of the epidermis. A clear, convex edge gradually forms on the affected area. Hair on the scalp breaks and falls off. The roots where the hair fell off are covered with a white-gray coating. The spots gradually spread throughout the body. Itching and burning appear.
3. Peak of the disease. The spots grow in size, the edges acquire a color from burgundy to lilac. Inside the lesion, the skin peels off and has a gray-yellow tint. Secondary circles may appear inside the spots. And also, due to infection, purulent papules may form. There is an increase in temperature and enlargement of lymph nodes. The itching and burning become unbearable. The affected area is painful to the touch.
4. Recovery. The spots stop spreading across the skin. Purulent formations are opened with the subsequent formation of crusts in their place. The swelling goes down. After removal of the cortical formations, the skin gradually returns to normal. The itching goes away after the crusts are removed.

Depending on the treatment, the peak of the disease can last up to several months and gradually become chronic. Medications and folk remedies are allowed to be used after examination and identification of the type of pathogen. Self-medication is dangerous due to the development of complications.

Photo of ringworm: what it looks like

An animal suffering from ringworm suffers greatly, but you need to worry not only about its health, but also about your own. If your pet has minimal prerequisites for the disease, urgently take him to the hospital, and after that, immediately go for an examination to a dermatologist with the whole family.

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A classic example of developing microsporia in the scalp area. The photo shows a characteristic gray coating that densely covers the affected area.

The stage of formation of the main colony in trichophytosis. In the photo you can see how much larger the main hearth is than its ordinary counterparts.

A rare form of ringworm that affects the nails. This happens really rarely, this onychomycosis develops very quickly, and the course of treatment will be 6-12 months, which makes it very difficult to follow all the doctor’s recommendations and makes this form the most difficult to remove from all varieties of ringworm.

Diagnosis of trichophytosis

A dermatologist performs diagnostic tests and further treats ringworm. First of all, the specialist examines the patient using a Wood's lamp .

Before the procedure, the patient's scalp is cleaned of crusts and scales, and then the lesions are examined under ultraviolet light.

The appearance of a green glow indicates the presence of a fungal infection, however, if the infection occurred recently and the lesions are fresh, there may be no glow.

After the initial examination and collection of anamnesis to confirm the preliminary diagnosis, the doctor will order other tests to identify pathogenic microorganisms. Additional research is carried out:

• microscopy - used to confirm mycotic etiology. To do this, the doctor collects infected hair and takes fragments of the epidermis for analysis;
• cultural study - carried out to identify the strain of the fungus by placing the collected biological material in a special environment suitable for the proliferation of fungal agents.

If, after research, the diagnosis is confirmed, the attending physician selects the optimal treatment that will help quickly get rid of the unpleasant manifestations of the disease.

Diagnostics

The accurate diagnostic technique consists of two main stages and several additional ones.

Main stages:

• Examination - the doctor visually examines the lesions, collects anamnesis and biological material (scraping, hair roots).
• Bacterioscopic examination is a substantive study of the remains of the pathogen and its reaction to inoculation in a nutrient medium.

Auxiliary methods:

• Voodoo lamp - used for suspected microsporia; the second name for this method is fluorescent diagnostics.
• Differentiation - it is very important for doctors to distinguish ringworm from alopecia, favus, eczema or psoriasis, and in the case of deep ringworm from ostiofolliculitis and cellulitis.

How is lichen diagnosed?

The diagnosis of microsporia is made based on clinical manifestations. The simplest diagnostic method is examination using a Wood's ultraviolet lamp. When examined using this device, the doctor sees a greenish, slightly luminescent glow on the hair. This is how the fungus glows, that is, its microspores.

The diagnosis of microsporia is made only after laboratory testing. The doctor takes a scraping from the skin or affected hair and evaluates this biological material under a microscope. In this way, the disease is differentiated from lichen giber, eczema, alopecia, psoriasis.

Methodology for treating ringworm

Treatment for ringworm is aimed at exterminating the fungus that led to dermatomycosis (sometimes to onychomycosis). Self-medication in this case is very dangerous, because it is impossible to classify the parasitic fungus without laboratory tests, and improper treatment can, at a minimum, disrupt the antagonistic balance and stimulate the growth of the disease. Typically, a dermatologist chooses complex therapy, consisting of both external agents and oral medications. The duration of treatment and dosage of medications used depends on: the type of parasite, the form of the disease and the stage at which the patient consulted a dermatologist.

The specialist doctor for ringworm is a mycologist, but it is extremely difficult to find one, especially in small towns. Therefore, it is better to simply go to a dermatologist working in a skin and venereal disease clinic - such a solution will provide you with high-quality treatment and eliminate the need to look for a rare and expensive specialist.

Ointments

This form factor differs from other external products in that it remains on the surface of the skin for a long time, due to which the active substances are better absorbed. The treatment regimen with ointments for ringworm is always combined with iodine. Typically, the ointment involves application in the evening (before bedtime), and in the morning the lesions are lubricated with iodine.

Recommended ointments:

• Ciclopirox,
• Salicylic acid,
• Mycosporus,
• Lamisil,
• Sernaya,
• Clotrimazole,
• Sulfur-tar,
• Bifonazole.

Before applying external products, it is advisable to take care of cleansing the skin. This can be done with potassium permanganate or furatsilin.

In cases where conventional ointments have little effect on the fungus, the doctor may prescribe hormonal external agents: Travocort or Mycozolon.

Gels and solutions

This treatment option is used when there is a thick stratum corneum caused by the parasite, as well as when it comes to treating the scalp, because they do not stain the hair.

The most popular:

• Mikogel-KMP,
• exifin,
• Yoddicerin,
• Vokadin,
• Nitrofungin.

Pills

This technique is used exclusively in cases where diffuse rashes appear on the skin or there is deep damage to the follicles and internal organs of the patient. Oral medications not only fight the parasite itself, some of them accumulate in the body and prevent relapses.

The most popular tablets:

• Griseofulvin,
• Orungal,
• Lamisil.

All complex drugs have side effects, so using them without a doctor’s prescription is strictly prohibited.

Shampoos

These cosmetics for ringworm are used to achieve a certain effect depending on the type of disease and its stage, as follows:

• Sulsen - disrupts the antagonistic balance in a direction unfavorable for the fungus;
• Nizoral, Dermazol, Ketoconazole - act directly on the parasite itself;
• Tar shampoo - used for drying the scalp and general disinfection, in order to avoid associated diseases.

Diet

To prevent your immune system from suffering from an unbalanced diet, if you have ringworm, you need to follow general recommendations: control fats and carbohydrates, don’t forget about fiber, eat fresh foods, and be sure to take the vitamins your body needs.

Forbidden foods are of much greater interest, because their consumption can greatly contribute to the disease:

• alcohol,
• sweets,
• nutritional supplements,
• spicy dishes,
• mushrooms,
• beans,
• lard and fat.

At the same time, you can drink tea, coffee and cocoa, within reasonable limits.

ethnoscience

The thing you definitely shouldn’t do when you have ringworm is treat it yourself. It is almost impossible to determine the pathogen and form at home, so traditional medicine is used as an addition to medical treatment.

Popular among the people are:

• Apple cider vinegar - wipe the affected areas 5-7 times a day with undiluted 5% apple cider vinegar. If there is severe burning and additional irritation, treatment is stopped.
• Olive Oil and Sulfur – Add olive oil slowly to the hot sulfur. The resulting thick paste is used to smear the areas of lichen.
• Herbal mixture - celandine, horsetail, tripartite string are mixed in proportions 2:1:4, after which 2 tbsp. The resulting mixture is steamed in a glass of boiling water for 1 hour. The tincture is rubbed into the infected skin after taking a shower.
• Cabbage compresses with sour cream - a fresh, clean cabbage leaf is applied to the lichen lesion for an hour, after which the area is smeared with sour cream and secured with a bandage.
• Ointment from burdock root, hop cones and calendula - the ingredients are mixed in a ratio of 2:2:1 (in grams) and a strong decoction is boiled from them, after which the resulting liquid is mixed with petroleum jelly in a ratio of 1:2. The ointment is applied twice a day to areas with lichen and is not washed off.

Recommendations

In addition to food preferences, for a speedy recovery, eliminating the possibility of infecting others and preventing relapses, the patient needs:

1. Wear daily replaced knitted underwear and the same cap.
2. Wash clothes separately from others, boil them and iron them at high temperatures.
3. Follow the doctor's recommendations when taking a shower: cover the necessary areas with cling film, use special shampoos.
4. Try not to touch things that are difficult to clean - pillows, carpets, etc. Change your bed linen every day, and buy thick pillowcases for pillows.
5. Carry out wet cleaning of the house daily.
6. Separate your own hygiene products from the same products that the rest of the family uses.

Features of treatment for lichen on the head

Treat lichen on the head of an adult with whatever the doctor prescribed. Complex therapy is required. To quickly cure ringworm, it is necessary to use treatment both in tablets (Griseofulvin, Lamisil) and special shampoos. Without antifungal tablets, it is impossible to remove the fungus. To reduce the negative impact on the liver, the drugs Karsil, Geparsil, and Galstena are used.

As a way to treat lichen on a person’s head, special detergents for the scalp are used:

• Nizoral;
• Sebozol;
• Dermazol.

Shampoos are used every day. Once a day, the affected area is wiped with iodine. After this, antifungal ointments and creams are applied. If necessary, use antifungal solutions (Nitrofungin).

To cure a person’s ringworm at home, it is necessary to shave the hair on the affected area, and sometimes, as part of the therapy, remove it along with the follicles. To do this, use a 5% griseofulvin patch or a 4% epilin patch. Every 10-20 days it is necessary to stick it to the affected area, then remove it along with the hair.

During the treatment of ringworm on the head, take vitamins B and C and follow a diet. You should avoid spicy foods, foods with dyes and flavors. It is healthy to consume vegetables, fruits, meat, and dairy products.

Photo of ringworm on the head

Ringworm on the skin looks like a circular red formation with bubbles. If a formation is detected on the skin, you can compare in the photo what ringworm looks like. But it is important to take into account that only a doctor can make a residual diagnosis, so it is necessary to immediately contact for examination.

When ringworm is diagnosed, the appearance does not change, except for the affected areas. Round hairless lesions up to 10 cm in size form on the scalp.

Prevention

In addition to general hygiene measures, there are specific rules of behavior when a patient infected with ringworm appears in the house:

• daily external examination of all family members;
• constant disinfection of common areas;
• daily shower;
• wash your hands with tar soap after any visit to public places;
• regular examination of pets;
• contacting a specialist should occur no later than 24 hours after detection of suspicious symptoms.

Possible complications and consequences

The most terrible complication after ringworm is that the hair may not grow back, and the scars from the disease may remain for life. This problem especially often occurs if treatment was started late or the doctor’s recommendations were violated. There is no danger to health, but the aesthetic appearance of a person who has received such consequences leaves much to be desired.

South Korean plastic surgery can completely solve the problem of unregenerated hair and scars, but it is quite expensive.

How does the disease progress (and what are the consequences)?

Ringworm uses the structural protein of hair to grow and reproduce. It eats the keratin that makes up the hair and destroys the structure of the hair shaft. For this reason, the patient develops bald spots that have selective localization.

The spots do not exceed a few centimeters in diameter and have a round shape. The appearance and shape may vary depending on the pathogen. The first signs of the disease are itching, peeling and redness of the skin.

If a patient notices any changes in his condition or the condition of his own child, even before they become pronounced, he should be examined for the likelihood of infection.

If a person works, studies or is in a group, then there is every reason to believe that a mass infection has occurred.

Timely cured ringworm does not pose any threat to the health or appearance of a person. Permanent baldness occurs only in cases where the patient has neglected his own condition and foci of the disease began to cause wounds on the upper layers of the skin.

In such cases, scars form that cannot be removed, and the hair in these places stops growing.

The course of the disease of ringworm and its cure should further be divided according to the type of pathogen, because in each case there are special nuances characteristic only of one or another type of fungus.

Each pathology occurs according to the following scheme:

• incubation period;
• the initial stage, turning into an acute form;
• outcome of the disease;
• consequences (not always observed).

For each type of pathogen, this scheme occurs differently, so they should be considered independently of each other.

Contagiousness

The main way to become infected is through household contact, that is, a person needs to come into contact with a sick person (animal or person) or things he has touched. Moreover, both trichophytosis and microsporia are transmitted in this way; accordingly, active children under the age of 15 are most at risk; they easily come into contact with animals and other children. Ringworm is a persistent, highly contagious disease; it can be caught even in a hairdresser, if the hairdresser does not properly care for the tool. Sometimes healthy people can also be carriers; the parasite simply sleeps on their integument without developing due to the high immunity of the carrier.

The following have a particularly beneficial effect on the possibility of infection:

• maceration - softening of the integument during prolonged bathing;
• violation of the mechanical integrity of the external integument in any manifestation;
• diseases that weaken the immune system;
• stress, overwork, sleep disturbances.

Features in children

There are several features characteristic only of this group of patients:

• at a young age, ringworm, regardless of its form and pathogen, can settle on any part of the body, the scalp is especially often affected;
• Most often, suppurative and infiltrative forms develop in children;
• Regardless of the type, ringworm in children causes inflammation of the lymphatic system;
• Very often, ringworm in a child is accompanied by fever.

Pregnancy and lactation

The fetus cannot become infected with ringworm during gestation, but the disease brings significant discomfort to the mother in labor.

There are several features for treatment during this period:

• It is prohibited to be treated with complex and hormonal drugs, even if they are external agents;
• underwear should be changed twice a day to avoid vaginal infections;
• Taking your child to bed with you is strictly prohibited;
• When feeding, you should never let it come into contact with the affected areas of the body; cover them with a sheet or oilcloth.

It is also impossible to simply ignore the process during this period: firstly, by the time the child is born, the whole house will be infected, and secondly, the disease is fraught with a chronic form and corresponding consequences. The main thing is not to self-medicate and contact the appropriate doctor.

Clinical picture of skin disease

Dermatophytosis can develop in different forms. There are the following types of ringworm:

• surface. In this case, the head and other parts of the body are affected;
• chronic. The disease is characterized by periods of remission and relapse;
• nail;
• deep. This type of lichen occurs when the skin or hair has been affected by fungi transmitted to humans from animals.

If ringworm in its superficial form was not cured in childhood, it becomes chronic and progresses slowly until puberty.

Characteristic symptoms of this disease

1. Thinning hair on the head of a round shape.
2. Peeling of the skin in areas of localized baldness.
3. The formation of gray or white scales on the hair that look like dandruff.
4. The appearance of severe itching in certain areas of the skin.
5. The appearance of light pink flaky spots that gradually increase in size.

With deep lichen, signs of the disease are the formation of large plaques, the diameter of which can reach 6-8 cm, having a bright red color. Externally, they look like a tumor and rise significantly above the surface of the skin. They arise as a collection of many inflamed hair follicles. The process is characterized by suppuration and causes severe pain.

The peculiarity of deep ringworm is an increase in the size of the lymph nodes, an increase in body temperature, and the appearance of a rash on the skin.

Video about lichen

Trichophytosis is not dandruff, but a serious illness, popularly called ringworm. This video will tell you how to differentiate these two problems and why you should definitely see a dermatologist.

Microsporia is the second type of pathogen that leads to ringworm: what you need to know and how to protect yourself. This video will help you understand the main causes of the disease; it also clearly explains the route of infection.

Can shingles be transmitted to another person?

One of the ways ringworm is transmitted is through stray cats and dogs, especially through puppies and kittens. Elements of infected fur fall on the skin, and infection occurs.

Through direct contact or through personal objects (loofah, hat, comb), a healthy person can become infected from an infected person.

During the period when ringworm begins, the disease can be detected by examination with a fluorescent lamp. The hairline emits a characteristic greenish tint. As soon as the first signs are detected, you need to contact a dermatologist who will prescribe effective remedies to cure ringworm.

It is necessary to treat lichen in a person, for how long, how long is necessary to reduce the blisters and cleanse the skin of the crust. During treatment, infection of other people does not occur.

Interesting! When spores fall on the soil, the fungus continues to live for up to 3 months, after which they lose activity.