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Home > Skin & Beauty > Fungal Infections > Ringworm of the Body (Tinea Corporis): Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

Ringworm of the Body (Tinea Corporis): Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

November 24, 2022
5 min read
By Sarita Sanke, MD | Dermatology

In this article:

  • Causes of Body Ringworm
  • Signs and Symptoms of Body Ringworm
  • Treatment of Body Ringworm
  • Diagnosing Body Ringworm
  • Risks Factors for Body Ringworm
  • When to See a Doctor
  • Final Word

Ringworm, or tinea, is a common fungal infection that can affect the upper layers of the skin (epidermis). It is highly contagious and can spread from one person to another via physical contact or sharing of personal items, such as sheets, combs, and towels. (1)

ringworm of the body: causes, signs, and treatment

Ringworm causes circular, ring-shaped rashes on the body. The rash can be itchy and irritates the skin.

Contrary to its name, ringworm does not have anything to do with worms. It is caused by certain types of fungi. (2)

Causes of Body Ringworm

Ringworm can be caused by a number of fungi such as:

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  • Trichophyton rubrum
  • Trichophyton tonsurans
  • Microsporum canis
  • Trichophyton equinum

Out of these, Trichophyton rubrum is the most common causative agent for tinea. The fungi spread from one person or animal to another by shedding fungal spores. (3)

Signs and Symptoms of Body Ringworm

signs and symptoms indicative of ringworm of the body

Symptoms of ringworm typically appear 1–2 weeks after exposure to the pathogen. (4) Some of the most common symptoms are:

  • Itching
  • Circular, ring-like rash
  • Redness and irritation
  • Cracked skin

Some of the most common types of ringworm and their associated symptoms are:

  • Body ringworm (tinea corporis): This type of infection can appear on any part of the body: thighs, butt, back, etc. It is characterized by ring-shaped rash and redness. (5)
  • Feet (tinea pedis or “athlete’s foot”): Tinea on the feet can cause redness, itching, and swelling. The skin folds between the toes are most affected. In severe cases, it may lead to lesions or blisters.
  • Scalp (tinea capitis): Ringworm on the scalp causes scaly skin, redness, itching, and hair fall.
  • Groin (tinea cruris or “jock itch”): Jock itch appears as a red, itchy rash on the inside of the thighs.
  • Beard (tinea barbae): Ringworm on the beard area is similar to scalp ringworm. It may cause itching, redness, and hair fall.
  • Hand: Ringworm on the hand appears as a red ring-like rash. It can also cause scaly and cracked skin on the hand.
  • Nails: Ringworm on the nails can cause discoloration, loosening of the nails from the nail bed, and itching.

Treatment of Body Ringworm

Your doctor will usually prescribe one or more of the following medications to treat the rash: (6)

  • Clotrimazole: Clotrimazole is usually used topically in the form of creams, powders, etc. (7)
  • Ketoconazole: Ketoconazole is used in shampoos or creams.
  • Miconazole: Miconazole is also used topically as a cream. (8)
  • Fluconazole (Diflucan): Fluconazole is generally given orally to treat ringworm. (9)
  • Itraconazole (Onmel, Sporanox): Itraconazole can be given intravenously (for severe infections) or orally.
  • Terbinafine: Terbinafine is a common antifungal drug available in the form of gels, sprays, and tablets. (10)

Diagnosing Body Ringworm

diagnosis of ringworm of the body

Your doctor may be able to diagnose a ringworm infection simply by observing the rash.

In some cases, they may ask you to undergo diagnostic testing, such as:

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  • Potassium hydroxide preparation – Some skin scrapings are used in a KOH-containing solution to confirm the diagnosis of ringworm. (6)
  • Fungal culture – A culture test is the most common method to diagnose a skin infection. Some skin swabs may be collected for this. (7)
  • Histopathologic examination with a periodic acid-Schiff stain – The periodic acid-Schiff test (PAS) is usually used to diagnose nail infections. (8)
  • Polymerase chain reaction – PCR tests can give quicker results than culture tests to confirm the presence of a suspected pathogen. (9)
  • Ultraviolet light (Wood’s lamp) – UV light helps diagnose fungal infections caused by fungi belonging to the genus Microsporum. They tend to glow blue green under UV light.

Risks Factors for Body Ringworm

Some risk factors for ringworm are:

risk factors that can make you susceptible to body ringworm
  • A weakened immune system due to AIDS, immune disorders, cancer, etc.
  • Diabetes
  • Sharing personal items with other people (towels, hair brushes, etc.)
  • Sweating excessively
  • Wearing skin-tight clothes too often
  • Obesity

When to See a Doctor

Call your doctor if the rash does not seem to be healing even after a few weeks or you notice any pus discharge.

What you may ask your doctor
  • How long will the treatment last?
  • What precautions do I need to take?
  • What medicines do I need to take?
What your doctor may ask you
  • How long have you had these symptoms?
  • Do you have any pets at home?
  • Is the rash painful?

Final Word

Tinea is a common infection and usually does not pose a serious health risk. However, it is best to seek medical treatment immediately to avoid escalating the condition – especially if you have a compromised immune system or diabetes.

Continue Reading Continue ReadingTinea Corporis: 6 Home Remedies for Ringworm of the Body
References
  1. Leung AK, Lam JM, Leong KF, Hon KL. Tinea corporis: an updated review. Drugs Context. 2020;9:2020-5-6. Published 2020 Jul 20. doi:10.7573/dic.2020-5-6.
  2. Bassyouni RH, El-Sherbiny NA, Abd El Raheem TA, Mohammed BH. Changing in the Epidemiology of Tinea Capitis among School Children in Egypt. Ann Dermatol. 2017;29(1):13-19. doi:10.5021/ad.2017.29.1.13.
  3. Abd Elmegeed AS, Ouf SA, Moussa TA, Eltahlawi SM. Dermatophytes and other associated fungi in patients attending to some hospitals in Egypt. Braz J Microbiol. 2015;46(3):799-805. Published 2015 Jul 1. doi:10.1590/S1517-838246320140615.
  4. Symptoms of ringworm| ringworm. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/fungal/diseases/ringworm/symptoms.html. Published January 14, 2021.
  5. Tinea corporis – statpearls – NCBI bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK544360/.
  6. Kaul S, Yadav S, Dogra S. Treatment of Dermatophytosis in Elderly, Children, and Pregnant Women. Indian Dermatol Online J. 2017;8(5):310-318. doi:10.4103/idoj.IDOJ_169_17.
  7. NHS choices. https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/clotrimazole/.
  8. Yan Z, Liu X, Liu Y, et al. The Efficacy and Safety of Miconazole Nitrate Mucoadhesive Tablets versus Itraconazole Capsules in the Treatment of Oral Candidiasis: An Open-Label, Randomized, Multicenter Trial. PLoS One. 2016;11(12):e0167880. Published 2016 Dec 15. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0167880.
  9. Bell-Syer SE, Khan SM, Torgerson DJ. Oral treatments for fungal infections of the skin of the foot. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012;10(10):CD003584. Published 2012 Oct 17. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD003584.pub2.
  10. NHS choices. https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/terbinafine/.
  11. Levitt JO, Levitt BH, Akhavan A, Yanofsky H. The sensitivity and specificity of potassium hydroxide smear and fungal culture relative to clinical assessment in the evaluation of tinea pedis: a pooled analysis. Dermatol Res Pract. 2010;2010:764843. doi:10.1155/2010/764843.
  12. Guarner J, Brandt ME. Histopathologic diagnosis of fungal infections in the 21st century. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2011;24(2):247-280. doi:10.1128/CMR.00053-10.
  13. Jeelani S, Ahmed QM, Lanker AM, Hassan I, Jeelani N, Fazili T. Histopathological examination of nail clippings using PAS staining (HPE-PAS): gold standard in diagnosis of Onychomycosis. Mycoses. 2015;58(1):27-32. doi:10.1111/myc.12251.
  14. Sahoo AK, Mahajan R. Management of tinea corporis, tinea cruris, and tinea pedis: A comprehensive review. Indian Dermatol Online J. 2016;7(2):77-86. doi:10.4103/2229-5178.178099.
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