Why do black people get ringworm?
Why do black people get ringworm?
It is not known why this type of ringworm primarily affects African-Americans, but doctors suspect genetic factors and/or certain hair-care practices may play a role, Dr. Halder said. Tight braiding may expose the scalp to the fungus, and hair greases can act like a glue that sticks the fungus to the scalp, he said.
Do African Americans get ringworm?
Ringworm is very contagious and is frequently transmitted between young children. According to recent statistics, African-American and Hispanic children are most commonly affected.
How do you treat ringworm on black skin?
In many cases, your doctor may recommend an over-the-counter (OTC) medicine you can get at the drugstore. If the ringworm is on your skin, an OTC antifungal cream, lotion, or powder may work just fine. Some of the most popular ones are clotrimazole (Lotrimin, Mycelex) and miconazole.
Why do I get ringworm so often?
People who use public showers or locker rooms, athletes (particularly those who are involved in contact sports such as wrestling),2–4 people who wear tight shoes and have excessive sweating, and people who have close contact with animals may also be more likely to come in contact with the fungi that cause ringworm.
Can you buy medicine to make ringworm go away?
Ringworm is a common fungal infection. It’s not caused by worms. You can usually buy medicine from a pharmacy to make it go away. The main symptom of ringworm is a red or silver rash. The rash may be scaly, dry, swollen or itchy.
What kind of rash can you get from ringworm?
Ringworm can appear anywhere on the body, including the scalp (tinea capitis) and groin (jock itch). The rash is usually ring-shaped, unless it’s on your face, neck or scalp. Sometimes the rash grows, spreads or there’s more than one rash. Ringworm on the face or scalp may also cause patchy hair loss. A table of possible causes of symptoms.
How did the ringworm of the body get its name?
Ringworm of the body (tinea corporis) is a rash caused by a fungal infection. It’s usually a red, itchy, circular rash with clearer skin in the middle. Ringworm gets its name because of its appearance.
How many people get ringworm in the world?
Globally, up to 20% of the population may be infected by ringworm at any given time. Infections of the groin are more common in males, while infections of the scalp and body occur equally in both sexes.
How old do you have to be to get ringworm?
Scalp ringworm (tinea capitis). Scalp ringworm is highly contagious, especially among children. It happens mainly in children between the ages of 2 to 10. It rarely happens in adults. Symptoms of scalp ringworm may include: Ringworm of the scalp can also develop into a kerion, a large, tender lesion over the area of the initial ringworm.
Ringworm of the body (tinea corporis) is a rash caused by a fungal infection. It’s usually a red, itchy, circular rash with clearer skin in the middle. Ringworm gets its name because of its appearance.
What are the signs and symptoms of ringworm?
The symptoms of body ringworm may include: The middle of the lesion may become less red as the lesion grows The symptoms of ringworm may resemble other skin conditions. Always talk with your healthcare provider for a diagnosis. How is ringworm and other tinea infection diagnosed?
How is ringworm treated in the United States?
The lesions of ringworm are unique, and usually allow for a diagnosis simply on physical exam. In addition, your healthcare provider may order a culture or skin scraping of the lesion to confirm the diagnosis. Ringworm may be hard to cure. Specific treatment will be discussed with you by your healthcare provider based on: