What is ringworm?
If you have children or have been around them then you may have heard of ringworm before. Ringworm is a fungal infection that occurs on the top of your skin. And although it use to be believed that this was caused by a worm, (hence the name) for many years there has been evidence that it is not. Instead, science has found that what is ringworm is a simple fungus infection of the skin.
Some symptoms of ringworm are round spots on the skin, but most do not present in this way. Further, even if you have many of these round spots it does not mean that you have ringworm. This is why it is important to see a physician to get it looked at in order to get a proper diagnosis. What your doctor will most likely do besides look at it is take a skin sample to look at under a microscope as well as culture tests so that they can figure out exactly what it is. And unless you get this correct diagnosis then you would not be able to properly treat it.
When looking at what is ringworm you will see that the actual term for it is tinea which means growing worm. And along with the term tinea your doctor will add a term pointing to where it has been found. For example, if you have ringworm on your scalp then it will be called tinea capitis, or if it is on your body then it will be called tinea corporis, and even tinea pedis if it is on your feet.
Causes of ringworm
You will find that the causes of ringworm very. When looking at many different ways to cause fungus growth like yeast, molds, and even fungi, it is important to note that very few of these cause issues with your skin. However, those types that do cause problems to your skin are called dermatophytes, and this means skin fungi. Furthermore, these skin fungi will only stay alive on dead layers of what is called the keratin protein that is found on the top of your skin. Very rarely will you find this skin fungi going any deeper than this top layer, nor can they live on mucous membranes like what is found in your mouth or vagina.
In addition, when searching for answers about what is ringworm it is important to note that there are fungi that will only live on human hair, nails or skin. On the other hand, there are some that are found to live on animals, but sometimes also on human skin. Even further, some fungi are found to only survive in the dirt. And because of these wide spread types it can be difficult to pinpoint exactly where your skin fungus originated.
And finally, the environment that fungus will thrive in is warm and moist areas. These areas can be found in the folds of your skin like those round your groin and between y our toes, as well as under the belly area for those that have large bellies that protrude down. This warmth and moisture is why they are easily contracted in areas like the gym, locker rooms, showers, and swimming pools. However, it is important to note that many people who do have what is called “jock itch” or athlete’s foot did not get it from any of these areas so this idea tends to be greatly exaggerated.