Ringworm is a highly contagious fungal infection that affects most areas of the skin. Spread through direct skin-to-skin contact, ringworm also spreads to people through contact with an infected animal. Dogs and cats, as well as common farm animals, such as cows, horses and goats, can transmit ringworm to humans.
Step 1
Examine the skin of your feet. Ringworm thrives in the moist area between the toes and on the bottom of the foot.
Step 2
Look for areas of cracked skin that are flaky and peeling. Ringworm rashes may cause skin to crack and ooze.
Step 3
Examine your toenails. When ringworm infects the nails, nails may thicken, darken and crumble.
Step 4
Check the skin of your hands. Athlete's foot, though not as common on the hands as on the feet, can appear on your hands. Look for areas of red, cracked skin that are flaky and peeling.
Step 5
Stand in front of a full-length mirror to look over your skin. While you may be able to see the rash without the mirror, you may need to examine your back as well. To do this, turn your back toward the mirror and adjust a hand mirror so that you can have a full view. Look for inflamed, red patches of skin. The outer rim of ringworm is often distinct and the patches are usually round. The rash may look scaly and may ooze. Look for expanding circular patches that emanate from the original site.
Step 6
Put on a pair of disposable gloves. You many need to part your hair and this will help keep the fungus from spreading to other areas of your body. Angle the hand mirror so that you can examine your scalp and the front, top and back of your head. Look for patchy areas where hair has fallen out. These often appear as circular in shape and more than one patch is common. Dispose of the gloves when you finish examining your head.
Step 7
Remove the clothes on the lower half of your body. Put on another pair of disposable gloves. Examine the areas of skin around the creases of the upper thigh. Look for red, scaly patches. Jock itch, most common in men and adolescent boys, may affect the area around the anus, though the scrotum and penis are usually not affected. Throw the gloves away when you are finished.
Things You'll Need
- Full-length mirror
- Hand mirror
- 2 pairs of disposable gloves
