Ringworm is a fungal disease that affects both humans and animals. It is a contagious skin disorder that is also easy to identify. It is characterized by circular shaped lesions bordered by red rashes. In addition, the lesions have a fresh looking wound in the middle. The condition appears on many parts of the body including the scalp, hands, neck, and face. Ringworm develops on the skin of both adults and children. Therefore, knowing how to get rid of ringworm is very important regardless of whether you have the infection or not.

When you come into contact with the skin of an infected person or pet, you can also develop the ringworm. This skin ailment requires careful handling just like the warts do. It is even possible to spread it to the healthy parts of your body. The beginning of the healing process is learning how to handle the illness in order to protect other people you meet as well as your healthy skin. While ringworm is one of the conditions that can disappear without medical treatment, you should not live with it.

There are two main methods you can use to eliminate ringworm and they include the following.

Use over-the-counter cures - Since the ringworm disorder is caused by a fungus, you need to look for anti-fungal medications. There are many options which should be prescribed by your doctor. Do not simply buy any anti fungal medication. Ask the pharmacist to show you the drug that has the strongest killing effect on fungus. Some anti-fungal creams and gels are meant for other fungal disorders and will not be useful in the treatment of ringworm. The best creams contain clotrimazole and miconazole substances meant for slaying the fungus. Other common cures used at home include iodine, black walnut extract, and calamine lotion.

See a doctor - Although many people prefer to treat their infection at home, seeing a doctor is necessary. It is extremely difficult to eliminate a disease without proper diagnosis. Fungal infections are caused by different types of dermatophytes. If you see a doctor, he or she will try to determine the exact fungus that has caused your ailment. You will also find out how you can heal the condition without infecting other people. What is more, the doctor will give you the most appropriate oral drugs. Even if the circular rings are so obvious, your doctor would still perform a lab test using the scraps collected from the inflamed skin patches. The laboratory test helps the physician to give you the correct tablets. As a word of caution, you should always use prescribed medicines according to the doctor's instructions.

What to do when you are trying to heal the condition

As mentioned above ringworm is a very contagious condition. It can spread quickly and severely if handled carelessly. You need to take extra care of the other people and yourself. How can you do this?

a) Use a bandage to cover some exposed inflammations. This can help you resist touching and spreading the fungal disorder to the rest of your body or to other people.
b) Always wash your body before using any anti fungal creams and gels. As soon as you touch the ringworm, wash your hands with water and soap.
c) Do not touch other people's skin after treating your infected body parts with bare hands.
d) Buy separate accessories for personal grooming, such as towels, combs, basins, soaps and other commonly shared items.
e) Even if the condition causes itch you should avoid scratching
f) If you acquired the problem from cats or dogs, you must take them to the nearest veterinary doctor.

For more information, please read this article on ringworm, and on how to get rid of ringworm

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