If you have itchy and red, scaly ring-shaped patches of skin, you may be suffering from a ringworm infection.

When left untreated, ringworm can keep coming back and cause continued discomfort. If the above symptoms sound like something you’re currently experiencing, read on to find out how you can treat ringworm and prevent it from coming back.

How Do People Get Ringworm?

Caused by the same fungus that provokes athlete’s foot infections (tinea curis) it commonly affects warm and moist areas of the body, like the groin. You may even find that you have ringworm on the scalp. To learn more about ringworm, read our detailed guide on ringworm.

Because it is caused by the same fungus as athlete’s foot, those who already have the foot infection often spread it to other parts of the body, like the groin, through putting on clothing or by touching their skin frequently without washing their hands.

Dogs and cats are also common carriers of the fungus. If you have pets inside your home they could be the cause of your recurring ringworm infections. Pay attention to your furry four-legged friends and make sure that they see a vet if they start to lose patches of their hair, since this is one of the main ringworm symptoms in animals.

Is Ringworm Contagious?

Ringworm rashes are highly contagious, meaning they spread easily from person to person. If you come into close contact with someone who has a ringworm infection, it’s likely you’ll develop the fungal skin rash too.

Given that one of the main causes of ringworm is direct skin-to-skin contact between individuals, ringworm infections are particularly common among wrestlers. If you’re a wrestler you should take extra hygiene precautions to ensure you don’t contract the fungal infection.

Ringworm can also spread to people from objects that have come into contact with the skin of an infected individual, such as towels, clothing, and bedsheets.

Ringworm Prevention Tips

If you continue to suffer from uncomfortable and sometimes embarrassing ringworm infections, you may be doing certain things that increase the chance of getting ringworm. This is why ringworm prevention is so important.

Here we’re sharing some of our top ringworm prevention tips to keep you free from the fungal skin infection by avoiding common ringworm causes.

• Remember to wash your hands after petting dogs or cats. That way if they do already have a ringworm infection, you’ll prevent the spread of the fungus to your own skin. 

• Always wear clean gym clothes. It can be tempting to throw on the same pair of sweatpants or t-shirt that you wore to the gym yesterday. However, these sweaty used clothes provide the perfect ground for ringworm fungus to thrive.

• Don’t leave sweaty gym clothes sitting in your gym bag. When you return from the gym, always make sure to unpack your bag straight away. Leaving festering dirty gym clothes in your bag creates the optimum hot and humid conditions for the fungus to reproduce. For more prevention tips, check out our guide to avoiding ringworm at the gym.

• Never share personal items like towels and clothing. If you have a ringworm infection and you lend your towel to someone else, they may contract the fungal infection. On the other hand, if you borrow some gym clothing from someone else, you may catch ringworm if they have an athlete’s foot or ringworm infection themselves.

• Wash bedding and towels frequently. Washing towels and bedding regularly will ensure you limit the spread of ringworm to yourself and others. Forgetting to wash these fabrics may mean the fungus lives on them for a period of time and spreads to someone else.

What Cures Ringworm Fast?

If you suspect you have a ringworm rash, it’s important to start treatment as soon as you start to experience ringworm symptoms. By beginning an effective ringworm treatment plan, it’ll be much easier to eliminate the infection, prevent it from coming back, and limit the spread to others around you, and other parts of your body.

To treat ringworm quickly and effectively, it’s best to use a terbinafine-based antifungal cream for ringworm — such as Silka Ⓡ Ringworm Cream.

The specially formulated cream contains terbinafine as the active ingredient, which is known to stop further growth of fungal cells by modifying the cell walls’ permeability.

By following package instructions and applying the cream on a regular basis for the full treatment period, you’ll find that the cream treats most ringworm infections in just 7 days.

However, if you find that after treatment the ringworm infection still isn’t improving, it’s best to see your doctor. If you are not sure if your rash is caused by a ringworm infection, or if you have a weakened immune system or preexisting conditions, you should seek medical attention before starting treatment.

Take Care!