Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
Suggest Treatment For Ring Of Irritated Skin On Arm
Question: Symptoms: Ring of irritated skin on arm, center is clear but scaly
Can it be ringworm if the skin irritation has not spread to other location despite having touched the irritated area? I went to a walk in clinic for a skin irritation and was give a prescription for clotrimazole/betamethasone cream which is for ringworm. I'm not sure if it's actually ring worm or a form of the rosacea I also have on my face. I suppose it could be ringworm but it's only one patch and has not spread from that spot.
Can it be ringworm if the skin irritation has not spread to other location despite having touched the irritated area? I went to a walk in clinic for a skin irritation and was give a prescription for clotrimazole/betamethasone cream which is for ringworm. I'm not sure if it's actually ring worm or a form of the rosacea I also have on my face. I suppose it could be ringworm but it's only one patch and has not spread from that spot.
Brief Answer:
Ringworm; Apply topical antifungal cream. May add oral fluconazole too.
Detailed Answer:
Hello. Thank you for writing to us.
I have taken note of your query and i have also reviewed the image.
I can see a ring shaped lesion with irregular red margin and central clear area.
This looks very much like a ringworm/ Tinea corporis.
Ringworm is usually scaly and it itches too.
The patch of ringworm extends at the periphery and this is evident as gradual enlargement of the ring shaped lesion.
This is the usual way it grows/ extends and appears as a annular or round, scaly patch with red, raised margins with central clearing.
Ringworm does not spread by simple touchingan existing lesion.
In fact the fungus causing ringworm is ubiquitous and even though present normally on skin, it may form patches of ringworm only at places.
I suggest you to continue with the topical antifungal cream. Use it twice daily for next 2 weeks.
If I was the treating doctor I would have also added an Oral antifungal e.g weekly Fluconazole tablet for 4 weeks.
An OTC oral antihistamine e.g cetrizine 10 mg once daily will provide symptomatic relief from itching.
Regards
Ringworm; Apply topical antifungal cream. May add oral fluconazole too.
Detailed Answer:
Hello. Thank you for writing to us.
I have taken note of your query and i have also reviewed the image.
I can see a ring shaped lesion with irregular red margin and central clear area.
This looks very much like a ringworm/ Tinea corporis.
Ringworm is usually scaly and it itches too.
The patch of ringworm extends at the periphery and this is evident as gradual enlargement of the ring shaped lesion.
This is the usual way it grows/ extends and appears as a annular or round, scaly patch with red, raised margins with central clearing.
Ringworm does not spread by simple touchingan existing lesion.
In fact the fungus causing ringworm is ubiquitous and even though present normally on skin, it may form patches of ringworm only at places.
I suggest you to continue with the topical antifungal cream. Use it twice daily for next 2 weeks.
If I was the treating doctor I would have also added an Oral antifungal e.g weekly Fluconazole tablet for 4 weeks.
An OTC oral antihistamine e.g cetrizine 10 mg once daily will provide symptomatic relief from itching.
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you for the information. I was confused because the other sites I read online including WebMD indicated that ringworm is "highly contagious" and that it can spread easily. Is this not actually correct or only correct in certain circumstances?
Brief Answer:
Direct contact is not the only factor responsible for fungus to establish
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
The fungus is ubiquitous i.e is present widely in the atmosphere.
Simply touching the ringworm patch is not the only factor for the fungus to establish itself.
The dryness of the skin's outer layer normally discourages colonization by fungus, and the shedding of epidermal cells keeps the fungus from establishing residence.
However, the skin's mechanisms of protection may fail because of trauma, irritation, or maceration and this may allow the fungus to establish itself.
Furthermore, occlusion of the skin e.g in body folds can interfere with the skin's barrier function by increasing local temperature and hydration e.g ringworm is more common in body folds like groin folds, axilla, submammary folds etc because body folds trap moisture and warmth and thus are conducive to fungal growth.
Therefore, other factors too are important whether the fungus would establish itself in the epidermis or not...
Body's immunity also plays a role whether a fungus would establish or not...
Immunocompromised patients e.g HIV patients and patients on Oral steroids and patients who are diabetic are more prone to fungal infection as compared to others.
Regards
Direct contact is not the only factor responsible for fungus to establish
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
The fungus is ubiquitous i.e is present widely in the atmosphere.
Simply touching the ringworm patch is not the only factor for the fungus to establish itself.
The dryness of the skin's outer layer normally discourages colonization by fungus, and the shedding of epidermal cells keeps the fungus from establishing residence.
However, the skin's mechanisms of protection may fail because of trauma, irritation, or maceration and this may allow the fungus to establish itself.
Furthermore, occlusion of the skin e.g in body folds can interfere with the skin's barrier function by increasing local temperature and hydration e.g ringworm is more common in body folds like groin folds, axilla, submammary folds etc because body folds trap moisture and warmth and thus are conducive to fungal growth.
Therefore, other factors too are important whether the fungus would establish itself in the epidermis or not...
Body's immunity also plays a role whether a fungus would establish or not...
Immunocompromised patients e.g HIV patients and patients on Oral steroids and patients who are diabetic are more prone to fungal infection as compared to others.
Regards
Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
