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Body ringworm
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Tinea
corporis is more commonly known as ringworm. It is a fungal infection of the skin. The rash is generally ring shaped and has a scaly border. Treatment is usually with anti-fungus creams or with oral anti-fungus pills.
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- Dry, red, elevated scaly skin bumps
- A rash is present. The rash can be either ring shaped with a scaly border and a clear center, or it may just be a scaly patch. It is usually reddish in color.
- Often the rash is itchy.
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- Ringworm is due to a fungal infection of the skin. It usually occurs on areas of the body not covered by clothing, such as the arms and face.
- Direct contact with infected person, scales or hairs
- Sometimes, it can be spread to humans from an infected cat.
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- Examination -- the doctor usually easily recognizes the typical appearance of the rash.
- The doctor may also scrape the rash and look at a sample of it under the microscope.
- Sometimes a culture of the rash may be needed to make the diagnosis.
- Rarely will a biopsy needed.
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- Treatment with any one of the numerous anti-fungus creams.
- Usually, such treatment needs to be continued for 1 to 2 weeks after the rash has cleared. Sometimes, over-the-counter anti-fungus creams are enough. Other times, you may need a prescription-strength cream.
- Creams usually do not work on fungal infections of the nails. These need to be treated with oral anti-fungus medicines.
- For ringworm that does not respond to creams, an oral anti-fungal medicine such as griseofulvin (250-500 mg twice a day for 2-4 weeks), itraconazole 200 mg once a day for one week), or terbinafine (250 mg once a day for 4 weeks) needs to be used.
- Treatment is usually successful within 4 weeks.
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- General measures used to prevent
fungal infections are important. Keep the skin
dry. Moist skin encourages fungal infections.
- Dry all areas of the skin after a
bath or after heavy sweating.
- Wear loose fitting clothing.
- Use talcum or other drying powders
to keep dry the areas that perspire.
- People using steroid creams, taking steroid pills, or those with diabetes have a higher chance of developing fungal infections and need to be especially careful.
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