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Ringworm

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What is Ringworm?

Despite its name, Ringworm is not caused by worms. A fungus, known as Tinea, causes Ringworm. It typically takes the appearance of a ring-like circular red blister or circular patch of scaly skin once it has matured. It can also infect nails, causing the nail to turn yellow and brittle, or on the scalp, causing red, itchy patches with symptoms similar to dandruff.

Ringworm is most common on children, but it is extremely infectious and spreads through contact. The infection can affect Adults, and even pets. It is important to be vigilant if anyone that you know has the infection.

The infection can spread in many ways. The most obvious is through direct contact, especially by touching the an infected body part. However, it can also spread indirectly, such as wearing a hat or using a comb that a person with a scalp infection has, or using a towel that an infected person used.

What to do if you or a loved one has Ringworm?

If you or someone that you know has Ringworm, follow this advice. The most important thing to do is to make sure that they avoid touching other people as much as possible. Make sure that they do not share any clothes or personal belongings with other people. This is because Ringworm can survive on clothing and personal items for a long time.

In addition, avoid scratching the infection. It may be itchy, but once you scratch it, the ringworm will get on the nails, and will infect anything that the hand touches. Even worse, the hand itself can become infected, as well. If the itching gets unbearable, grind up some Oatmeal and sprinkle it into a bath as it fills up, and wash with a glycerin soap. Oatmeal naturally soothes itchy skin, and can alleviate itching, while Glycerin soap cleans the irritated skin without leaving behind a filmy residue that can further irritate the skin.

Luckily, many anti-fungal ingredients, including the Tolnaftate in our Hongosan line of products, can fight Ringworm. So, don’t despair, and begin treating the infection early to ensure a speedy recovery.

Just remember one thing. Even after the infection disappears from the surface, it is not really gone. You may not be able to see it, but it is dormant, waiting under the surface to recover. Keep using the treatment for 3 to 4 extra weeks to finish it off. You need to make sure that it is really gone.

After the infection is gone, put on rubber gloves. Throw away objects that the infected individual touched. This includes any old clothes, plush toys, bedding, or towels, because they are a prime breeding ground for fungus. It would also be a good idea to discard any make-up or personal grooming products that they used. This is because the fungus can survive on frequently used items, using body dander shed by the host to survive. You don’t want to risk re-infection just for some items with sentimental value.

With this information, you are set to defend yourself and your family from the scourge of Ringworm.