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Prevention
By Mayo Clinic staffRingworm is difficult to prevent. The fungus that causes ringworm is common and contagious even before symptoms appear. However, you can help reduce your risk of ringworm by taking these steps:
- Educate yourself and others. Be aware of the risk of ringworm from infected persons or pets. Tell your children about ringworm, what to watch for and how to avoid the infection.
- Keep clean. Wash your hands often to avoid the spread of infection. Keep common or shared areas clean, especially in schools, child care centers, gyms and locker rooms.
- Stay cool and dry. Don't wear thick clothing for long periods of time in warm, humid weather. Avoid excessive sweating.
- Avoid infected animals. The infection often looks like a patch of skin where fur is missing. In some cases, though, you may not notice any signs of the disease. Ask your veterinarian to check your pets and domesticated animals for ringworm.
- Don't share personal items. Don't let others use your clothing, towels, hairbrushes or other personal items. Refrain from borrowing these items from others as well.
References
- Berger TG. Dermatologic disorders. In: McPhee SJ, et al. CURRENT Medical Diagnosis and Treatment. 49th ed. New York, N.Y. The McGraw-Hill Companies. 2010. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=955&searchStr=tinea+corporis. Accessed July 31, 2010.
- Ringworm and animals. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/diseases/ringworm.htm. Accessed July 31, 2010.
- Goldstein AO, et al. Dermatophyte (tinea) infections. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 31, 2010.
- Habif TP. Tinea. In: Clinical Dermatology: A Color Guide to Diagnosis and Therapy. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa. Elsevier. 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/book.do?method=display&type=bookPage&decorator=header&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7234-3541-9..00022-5--s0890&displayedEid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7234-3541-9..00022-5--s0915&uniq=212344290&isbn=978-0-7234-3541-9&sid=1032534496#lpState=open&lpTab=contentsTab&content=4-u1.0-B978-0-7234-3541-9..00022-5--s0355%3Bfrom%3Dcontent%3Bisbn%3D978-0-7234-3541-9%3Btype%3DbookPage. Accessed July 29, 2010.
- Wolff K, et al. Fungal infections of the skin and hair. In: Fitzpatrick's Color Atlas and Synopsis of Clinical Dermatology. 6th ed. New York, N.Y. The McGraw-Hill Companies. 2009. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=5194241&searchStr=tinea+corporis#5194241. Accessed July 31, 2010.
- Dermatophytoses. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manuals for Healthcare Professionals. https://merck.com/mmpe/sec10/ch120/ch120c.html. Accessed July 29, 2010.
- Options for treatment of fungal infections. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manuals for Healthcare Professionals. https://merck.com/media/mmpe/pdf/Table_120-1.pdf. Accessed July 31, 2010.
- Habif TP. Treatment of fungal infections. In: Clinical Dermatology: A Color Guide to Diagnosis and Therapy. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa. Elsevier. 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/book.do?method=display&type=bookPage&decorator=header&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7234-3541-9..00022-5--s0890&displayedEid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7234-3541-9..00022-5--s0915&uniq=212344290&isbn=978-0-7234-3541-9&sid=1032534496#lpState=open&lpTab=contentsTab&content=4-u1.0-B978-0-7234-3541-9..00022-5--s0570%3Bfrom%3Dtoc%3Btype%3DbookPage%3Bisbn%3D978-0-7234-3541-9. Accessed July 31, 2010.
- Dr. Lawrence Gibson (expert opinion), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. July 31, 2010.
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