Ridding the Scalp of Ringworm

Your five-year-old son has a slightly raised circular rash towards the edge of the scalp. He complains that it is itchy. He could have a case of ringworm.

Ringworm is a fungus. The fungus is a problem for many different age groups. In children, we see the fungus, tinea capitis, in the scalp.

Ringworm of the scalp is related to jock itch (tinea cruris), athlete’s foot (tinea pedis) and ringworm of the body (tinea corporis). It often spreads through skin to skin contact. So yes, it is contagious.

Signs and symptoms of ringworm include

·       One or more round, scaly or inflamed patches where hair has broken off at or near the scalp

·       Patches that slowly get bigger and have small black dots where the hair has broken off

·       Fragile hair that easily get broken or pulled out

·       Painful areas on the scalp

Ringworm is caused by a common fungus. The fungus attacks the outer layer of skin on the scalp and hair. This causes the hair to break. The condition can be spread through multiple ways such as human to human (where the fungus is spread through skin to skin contact), animal to human (where you can contract ringworm from an animal that has the condition), object to human (ringworm can spread through contact with an object that an affected human or animal has recently touched). It can be spread through combs, brushes and hats.

Some studies indicate that there may be a link between the fungus and childhood asthma. But nothing is conclusive. Ringworm may be more common in lower socioeconomic groups. It is more common in males than females.

Some risk factors for the condition include age (ringworm of the scalp is common in toddlers and school-age children), exposure to other children (outbreaks of ringworm are common in child centers and schools), exposure to pets (pets such as dogs and cats may have the infection without showing any signs).

One complication that can be serious is kerion, which is a form of ringworm where there is severe inflammation. Kerion can appear as soft, raised swellings that drain pus and cause thick, yellow crusting on the scalp. With kerion, the hair falls out or can easily be pulled out. The condition may lead to permanent hair loss or scarring.

Ringworm of the scalp is hard to prevent. The fungus that causes it is common and it is contagious even before symptoms show up. Some things you can do to prevent ringworm are educate yourself and others about the condition, be sure to wash your child’s scalp, especially after haircuts, keep your skin clean and dry, avoid infected animals such as pets and don’t share personal items like hairbrushes.

To diagnose ringworm, your doctor may take a sample of hair or skin to be tested in a laboratory. Testing your skin or hair will show if a fungus is present.

Treatment for ringworm of the scalp requires antifungal medication taken by mouth. The first-choice medication is griseofulvin (Gris-Peg). Some alternatives to that medicine are terbinafine, itraconazole (Spoanox, Tolsura) and fluconazole (Diflucan). You would take these medicines if you are allergic to griseofulvin. You would take one of these medications for six weeks until the hair regrows.

You would also use a medicated shampoo to lift the fungus spores from your scalp. It also prevents you from infecting other parts of your body and other people.

The good news is that ringworm is not as prevalent as it was many years ago and can easily be treated with antifungal medicine. Some research indicates that medicines will have shorter treatment spans than before. But warn your child not to share hats with other children at school because ringworm does spread easily as well.