Ringworm Symptoms & Diagnosis

Symptoms

When ringworm appears on the skin, it makes circular, reddish patches with raised borders. Eventually, the patches grow larger, and the centers of the patches turn clear, giving a ring-like appearance.

Symptoms of ringworm on other parts of the body vary, for example:

• Scalp, tinea capitis —begins with small bumps on the head that grow larger and form a circular pattern
  • Hair may become brittle and break, forming scaly, hairless patches.
• Hands, tinea manus —affects the palms and spaces between the fingers
• Feet, tinea pedis or athlete's foot—may cause scaling between the toes, or thickening and scaling on the heels or soles
• Nails, tinea unguium —causes fingernails and toenails to become yellow, thick, and crumbly
• Groin, tinea cruris or jock itch—causes a chafed, reddish, itchy, sometimes painful rash in the groin
• Body, tinea corporis —produces flat, scaly, round spots on the skin
• Face, tinea faciei —produces red, scaly patches on the face

Ringworm symptoms on the body usually appear 4-10 days after exposure. Scalp symptoms will appear in 10-14 days.

Diagnosis

The doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history and examine your skin. Ringworm is often easily diagnosed by appearance. However, symptoms may be similar to other conditions. A sample of the affected area may be taken for testing.