or ringworm on the body, is a common fungal infection. The main symptom of tinea corporis is a ringlike rash. This fungal infection typically affects large body areas, such as the arms and legs.

Despite its name, the condition is not caused by worms. It is caused by a contagious type of fungus that can be transmitted through close contact. It is easily treatable, and most people do not experience any severe symptoms or complications.

This article will cover the signs and symptoms of tinea corporis, its causes, how it is diagnosed and treated, and more.

Tinea Corporis Symptoms

The symptoms of ringworm appear differently depending on the area of the body with the infection.

General symptoms include:

• Patches might appear as raised skin plaques
• A round, flat patch of itchy skin
• Pustules (plus-filled blisters) that might appear in patches
• Patches with well-defined and raised edges
• Overlapping rings
• Hair loss
• Red, scaly, cracked skin

Areas of the body that might be affected by tinea corporis.

• Feet: Tinea pedis (athlete’s foot)
• Groin, inner thighs, or buttocks: Tinea cruris (jock itch)
• Scalp: Tinea capitis
• Beard: Tinea barbae
• Hands: Tinea manuum
• Toenails or fingernails: Tinea unguium or onychomycosis

ringworm that affects other body areas, such as the legs or arms, is tinea corporis.

ringworm might present differently based on skin tone. According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, people with light skin tones will have red or pink patches, while people with darker skin tones will have brown or gray patches.

Causes

Around 40 different species of fungi lead to ringworm. Common fungi that cause tinea corporis include species in the genera of Trichophyton, Microsporum, and Epidermophyton.

The main ways Ringworm spreads

• Skin-to-skin contact with someone who has the infection
• Contact with an infected animal (a pet or livestock)
• Contact with contaminated surfaces (sweaty clothing or a locker room floor)
• Sharing objects with a person who has the infection (bedding, towels, etc.)
• Contaminated soil.

• Diagnosis

• A healthcare provider can diagnose tinea corporis by examining your skin. You might be asked about your symptoms and how long the rash has been on your skin.

  A Wood’s lamp exam might be done to view the affected skin area.6 Some types of fungus will glow under this black light. For example, a wood lamp light on a scalp lesion caused by a Trichophyton tonsurans fungus would not show a light, but an Microsporum canis fungus on the scalp will elicit a green color.

  To confirm a diagnosis of ringworm, the healthcare provider might request additional tests, including.

  • Skin biopsy: This test takes a sample of skin to be sent to a lab to look for the presence of fungus.
  • Fungal culture test: This involves the removal of discharge from a blister and sending the fluid to a lab to look for the presence of a fungus.
  • KOH exam: With this exam, your healthcare provider will scrape off a small area of affected skin to a slide. Once on the slide, potassium hydroxide (KOH) will be added to the skin sample to break apart the skin cells, making the fungus easier to see under a microscope.

  • Treatment

  • 

     

  • Antifungals can treat tinea corporis. They are available in various formulations. Your healthcare provider will treat your ringworm based on how widespread your symptoms are.

    Treatments include antifungal creams and powders, steroid creams, shampoos, and oral medicines, such as:

    • Antifungal creams and powders: Different over-the-counter (OTC) antifungal creams, gels, or powers are available to treat ringworm. Examples of OTC antifungals are Tinactin (tolnaftate), Lotrimin (clotrimazole), and Desenex (miconazole).7
    • Antifungal shampoos: Nizoral A-D (ketoconazole) shampoo can help keep ringworm on the scalp from getting worse. Since it doesn’t stop the infection, you may also need prescribed oral medicine.
    • Oral medicines: If symptoms of tinea corporis get worse and don’t clear after a week or two, a healthcare provider might prescribe oral medicine. They might also prescribe an oral medicine if you have tinea corporis on your scalp or many body areas. Prescription oral antifungals used to treat ringworm include Diflucan (fluconazole), Nizoral (ketoconazole), andLamisil (terbinafine).
    • Steroid creams: A corticosteroid cream can help manage itch and skin inflammation, but it will eliminate tinea corporis .
    • Home remedies: There is little research on home remedies for treating tinea corporis. However, the available research suggests that tea tree oil and apple cider vinegar might have some effects on tinea corporis.
    • 

    • Stop the Spread:-

    • Keeping your skin clear can prevent infection in other body areas and transmission to other people and pets in your household. It will also prevent reinfection once the ringworm has cleared up.

      According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, some self-care methods to manage tinea corporis

      • Treat the affected area for as long as possible. Don’t stop treatment until you have finished the full treatment course to ensure the infection clears and does not return.
      • Wash your hands after touching a body area with tinea corporis .
      • Keep the infected skin areas clean and dry.
      • Avoid wearing clothing, socks, or shoes that make you sweat.
      • When drying wet skin, use a different towel to dry tinea corporis -affected body areas.
      • Treat all tinea corporis areas. For example, if you have tinea corporis  on your feet and hands, treating both body areas can prevent the infection from spreading, allowing the skin to clear from one treatment course.
      • Change your clothing, including socks, every day. Wash clothes before wearing them again, including workout clothes.
      • Shower immediately after working out to wash away sweat and keep skin areas dry.

      To prevent transmitting tinea corporis to others:-

      • Do not share towels and personal care items.
      • Wear shower slippers or waterproof shoes in locker rooms, common shower areas, or pool areas.
      • Disinfect or throw out infected items.
      • If you think your pet has ringworm, take the pet to the veterinarian.
      • If treatment doesn’t clear the rash, tell your healthcare provider. They can prescribe additional treatments to treat the fungal infection better.