Posts Tagged ‘scalp ringworm’

Roseola – Causes and Information

Roseola is a mild viral illness of sudden onset and short duration that most commonly affects young children. Roseola is most common in children 6 to 24 months of age. The average age is around 9 months. Less frequently, older children, teens, and adults may be infected.

Roseola was once called the sixth disease because it was the sixth disease young children typically developed and it lasted about six days. There is usually a rash associated with Roseola, but you will not see it at the onset. When the fever disappears, then the rash appears. The rash is mainly located on the neck and body, especially, the abdomen, trunk, and back, but it can also be on the arms and legs.

The rash appears as separate little raised dots (papules) or as a flat or macular rash. The skin is mildly red in color and temporarily blanches with pressure. The rash is not itchy or painful. It is not contagious. The rash lasts two to four days and does not return.

This illness is spread from person to person, most likely by transfer of oral secretions. Roseola is not very contagious. The incubation period between exposure to the virus and onset of symptoms is nine to ten days. Roseola is primarily caused by a virus called human herpes virus 6 (HHV-6) and less commonly by human herpes virus 7 (HHV-7).  The viruses belong to the family of herpes viruses, but they do not cause the cold sores or genital infections that herpes simplex viruses can cause.

Roseola often begins with a sudden high fever usually 103 F to 105 F. The fever may last two to three days, although it can last as long as 8 days. The rapid increase in temperature may be the first sign of Roseola and often occurs before you realize that your child has a fever. The fever ends as suddenly as it occurs.

After the fever ends, a rosy pink rash may appear mostly on the trunk or torso, neck, and arms. The rash is not itchy and may last one to two days. In rare cases, a sore throat, stomach ache, vomiting, and diarrhea may occur.

A child with Roseola may appear fussy or irritable and may have a decreased appetite, but most children behave almost normally. If you wish to treat the fever, acetaminophen products like Tylenol and others can be used to lower a fever. Aspirin should never be used for fever in children or adolescents.

Ringworm Selsun Blue

Ringworm of the scalp is most commonly caused by a fungus. This is one of the most tenacious types of Ringworm infections. Adults can be carriers of Ringworm.  This also true of children, but is not seen as often.  Carriers can pass Ringworm on to others but do not have symptoms of the disease. You may not know it even if it is present.

According to statistics, seven percent of the population of the United States is affected by this type of Ringworm infection. This particular type more easily affects the children in the age group of four years to fifteen years of age than any other age group. People affected with diabetes or cancer, are also more vulnerable to attack from this form of Ringworm.  Scalp Ringworm may often be confused with other skin conditions.

What treatment is best for Scalp Ringworm?  According to some using a medicated shampoo is best to get rid of Ringworm, Selsun Blue is one of those. The selenium sulfide, and zinc pyrithione ingredients found in Selsun Blue, Head & Shoulders and similar shampoos have the capability of eliminating the ringworm spores. There are also shampoos available that contain tea tree oil which is a much lauded home remedy for Ringworm.

Scalp ringworm or ringworm of the beard may look like dandruff with flakes of dead skin on the hair or beard. There may be areas of round or oval patches of baldness. The skin under the hair or beard may be itchy, red, and peeling. The hair becomes brittle with infection and breaks off near the root as fungi invade the hair. The result is patches of baldness. In head area infection cases of Scalp ringworm hair loss is a likely possibility.  The infection can spread gradually and cover quite a large area.

The infection easily spreads through close physical contact or by touching common items.  Person to person, ringworm often spreads through direct skin-to-skin contact with an infected individual. Object to person, ringworm can spread through contact with objects or surfaces that an infected person or animal has touched, such as clothing, towels, bed linens, combs or brushes. Do not share these items.  This often how ringworm infections are spread among family members, in schools and day-care centers and re-infection occurs.  Children can contract ringworm by grooming or petting an animal with ringworm. As seen with humans, animals can carry the infection and exhibit any obvious signs.

Antifungal Creams Ringworm

Dermatophyte infections can greatly affect quality of life, but rarely do they pose serious or life threatening problems.  With the use of an antifungal fungal creams ringworm, which is a dermatophyte infection, can be healed. Treating the fungal infection may be a long drawn out procedure, as different types of ringworm infections need different treatments.  Even with proper treatment instances of reoccurrence are not unheard of.  Discontinuing the medication too early may allow the fungus to continue to grow, which may result in a relapse of the infection. Be sure to use the products exactly as directed and to keep the skin area dry and clean.

Tinea Corporis or Ringworm, the more common term used for a superficial dermatophyte infection characterized by either itchy inflammatory or non-inflammatory lesions on the skin.  Another typical factor found in most antifungal creams is that it contains a second active ingredient to reduce the itching. Ringworm infections can be avoided by keeping the skin clean and dry, changing socks and underwear each day.  Other measures include not sharing clothing or towels and wearing some type of shower shoe or sandal when in public showers or locker rooms.

While there are numerous home remedies for ringworm, antifungal creams are readily available over the counter and easy to use to treat all types of ringworm infections.  Be sure to use the products exactly as directed and to keep the skin area dry and clean. You should always follow the directions given for the specific antifungal cream you choose. Whether or not your condition is not improving within a few days of use, you should continue to use the antifungal product for the length of time recommended before trying something else. If it is obvious that a condition is not improving, a simple solution may be a variation of strength of the active ingredient. Another option is try a different antifungal ingredient. There are different strengths available and they will also have recommendations for length of use.

If you use an antifungal cream to treat ringworm, you should first wash the infected area with soap and water.  Next remove flaky skin and dry thoroughly. If there are large areas of blistered sores, use compresses to soothe and dry out the blisters. Completely cover the site with antifungal cream beyond the edge or border of the fungal infection.  The directions on the package should be followed carefully. Treatment will probably need to be continued for at least two to four weeks.

Tea Tree Oil Ringworm

Tea Tree Oil is a natural antiseptic. It is also a germicide, antibacterial, fungicide. It is used by many people for a wide variety of things.  There is no end to the uses of tea tree oil.  It is used to treat things like athletes foot, cold and flu, oral thrush, cold sores and canker sores, tooth ache and gum infections, ringworm, candida, head lice or louse, cleanser additive, gum problems, mosquito bites, bug repellent, cockroaches, deter flees, mouth ulcers, herpes, cuts, abrasions, after shave, sunburn, anorectic or vaginal yeast infections, unwanted body odors, acne, toe nail infections, and believe it or not, the list goes on.

Tea tree oil (Melaleuca alternifolia) is a multi-purpose herb that goes back to the Aboriginal people of Australia. For thousands of years now they have used theses leaves as an antiseptic and antifungal by crushing the leaves and creating mudpacks.  In 1770, the name tea tree oil was given to the herb by the British explorer Captain James Cook and his crew. The Australian natives kept it relatively secret for years but their government considered tea tree oil a World War II essential ingredient in their armed forces’ first aid kits. Increased use of pharmaceutical antibiotics decreased tea tree oil’s popularity everywhere except in Australia after the war. Tea tree oil started to regain favor in 1960 and today is also grown in California.

As mentioned above tea tree oil can be used to treat fungal infections. Tea tree oil is an excellent antifungal agent and can be used to treat Candida albicans, athlete’s foot, jock itch, ringworm, thrush, and onychomycosis, which are nail infections.  When using a treatment of tea tree oil ringworm will respond favorably by putting a few drops of tea tree oil in a handful of water as a rinse after thoroughly cleaning the area with soap and water, or tea tree oil can be added to a liquid soap or shampoo.  There are also shampoos and soaps available that already contain tea tree oil that can be bought just about anywhere.

For ringworm and nail infections, bath and laundry water can be disinfected by adding a few drops of tea tree essential oil to the tub and washing machine.  Applying a tea tree gel, cream, or essential oil are other ways to use tea tree oil on fungal infections such as ringworm.   Tea tree oil’s natural solvent properties make it a great product for washing cotton diapers; as a deodorizer, or disinfectant; to remove mold; and to treat houseplants for molds, fungus, and parasitic infections.

Cure Ringworm

Depending on who you talk to, there are as many remedies for ringworm as there are types of ringworm infections, more actually.   Over the counter creams and ointments can provide relief for ringworm and oral products can be taken for effective treatment of severe cases of ringworm skin infections.  Do-it-yourself home remedies are also touted as just the thing to cure ringworm.

What is ringworm?  Fungal infections that are on the surface or top layer of the skin are referred to as ringworm.  These are called dermatophytes which mean “skin fungi.”  Skin fungi can only live on the dead layer of keratin protein on top of the skin. The Greeks called it Herpes meaning circular or ring form.  In Roman times the disease was believed to be associated with the larval stage of Tinea, the genus for clothes moth. The two names were eventually combined to the term “ringworm”.

Fungal infections like ringworm, while contagious are not necessarily dangerous to a person or the people around them.  It is rarely serious, but in most cases requires treatment of some kind. Most people who come down with ringworm infections are healthy.  There is sometimes a problem with infection and re-infection within families, communities, and schools.

What happens when ringworm starts to develop is a small area of infected skin tends to spread outwards. It typically develops into a circular, red, inflamed patch of skin. This infection can affect both animals and humans. The appearance of the rash may vary depending on which type of fungus causes the infection.  The fungi can travel around the body in the blood stream which enables them to spread to the warm, moist areas of the body.

Precautions can be taken to avoid ringworm type infections.  Staying away from and avoiding direct skin-to-skin contact with a human infected with ringworm or contact with an animal infected with ringworm is always a good idea.  Sharing another person’s towel or bedding could cause ringworm to spread. Things like playing in the dirt, while very rare, have even been thought to cause the spread of ringworm infections.

To cure ringworm infection is a process.  Trial and error play a big part in coming up with a solution that works best for each individual.  Whichever ringworm remedy you choose to use be consistent.  Follow the directions carefully and continue the treatment for awhile even if symptoms disappear.  This will ensure that the infection is completely gone and lessens the likelihood of reoccurrence.

Tinea Capitis Fungal Infection

A mold-like fungus called Tinea capitis is a fungal infection of the scalp. Tinea capitis fungal infection is widespread in some urban areas, particularly in children of Afro-Caribbean heritage, in North America, Central America, and South America.  It is common in parts of Africa and India. In Southeast Asia, the rate of infection has been reported to have decreased dramatically from fourteen percent to slightly over one percent in the last fifty years.  This said to be because of improved general sanitary conditions and improved personal hygiene practices in these areas. In northern Europe, occurrence of the disease is irregular at best.

In the United Kingdom and North America, T tonsurans is credited for more than ninety percent of cases of Tinea capitis fungal infection. In the non-urban areas, infrequent infections acquired from puppies and kittens are due to M canis, although this accounts for less than ten percent of cases in the United Kingdom. Occasional infection comes from other animal hosts like T verrucosum, from cattle, occur in more rural areas.

Tinea capitis can be persistent and very contagious. Tinea capitis is also called ringworm of the scalp.  Affecting children almost exclusively, this is a skin disorder that is caused by fungal organisms known as dermatophytes.  They cause scalp ringworm by outwardly contaminating certain kinds of tissue found in hair, skin, and nails. Tinea capitis is predominantly a disease of preadolescent children. It accounts for up to 92.5% of dermatophyte infections in children less than ten years of age. The disease is rare in adults, although occasionally, it has been found to affect the elderly. Tinea capitis occurrence is widespread in some urban areas in the United States.

Bald, patchy, areas where the hair has broken off from the scalp is just one of the symptoms of ringworm or Tinea capitis fungal infection.  Others are itching of the scalp, pus-filled lesions or sores on the scalp, round, scaly lesions on the scalp that may be inflamed, and small black dots on the scalp. This fungus is very contagious and easily passed from one person to another.  There is sometimes a problem with infection and re-infection within families, communities, and schools.

Tinea capitis symptoms to watch for are thickened, scaly, and sometimes boggy swellings, or expanded raised red rings. Common symptoms are severe itching of the scalp, dandruff, and bald patches where the fungus has rooted itself in the skin. Tinea capitis often presents identically to dandruff or seborrheic dermatitis.

Tinea Capitis Kerion

Tinea capitis otherwise known as scalp ringworm is a dermatophyte infection of the scalp. With certain dermatophyte infections like Tinea Capitis kerions are occasionally formed.  A kerion is a large, boggy, inflammatory scalp mass caused by a severe inflammatory reaction to the dermatophyte. A kerion may have pustules and crusting and can be mistaken for an abscess. A kerion may also cause scarring and hair loss.

Tinea capitis symptoms and signs vary by the area affected for example the skin, hair, nails etc.  Organism virulence and host susceptibility and hypersensitivity determine severity.  Most often, there is little or no inflammation; asymptomatic or mildly itching lesions with a scaling, slightly raised border fade and recur sporadically. Occasionally, inflammation is more severe and shows up as sudden vesicular or bullous disease. This is normally of the foot. It may also occur as an inflamed boggy lesion of the scalp called a kerion.

Tinea capitis causes the gradual appearance of round patches of dry scale, alopecia, or both. T. tonsurans infection causes what is called black dot ringworm.  With this infection the hair shafts break at the scalp surface.  M. audouinii infection causes patch ringworm.  The hair shafts break above the surface, leaving short stubs with this particular type of infection. Tinea capitis is less likely to appear as drawn out scaling, like dandruff, or in a spreading pustular patte

What is the most probable explanation for the higher occurrence of Tinea Capitis in the African-American population is that the higher prevalence is more likely due to infection and re-infection within families, communities, and schools. Ringworm of the scalp is most commonly caused by the fungus Trichophyton tonsurans.  Trichophyton tonsurans is the most common cause in the US, followed by Microsporum canis and M. audouinii. This fungus is easily passed from one person to another. It is also the cause of more than 90 out of every 100 cases of ringworm of the scalp found in both North and Central America.

Children are far more susceptible to the fungal infection and more likely than adults to develop a tinea capitis infection.  It is not unheard of that even after exposure to fungi causing ringworm adults do not develop an infection.   Adults can be carriers for ringworm, as well as children, but is less likely that the children carry the infection but show no symptoms.  Carriers can pass ringworm on to others but do not have symptoms of the disease.

Tinea Capitis Diagnosis

Tinea capitis symptoms on the scalp may or may not actually lead to a definite tinea capitis diagnosis.  It is sometimes hard to tell the source of the fungus or if it is an actual fungal infection.  This is a skin disorder that affects children almost exclusively. Tinea capitis is easily and frequently mistaken for other infections. Non-fungal conditions that resemble tinea infections include impetigo, Seborrhoeic dermatitis, Psoriasis, Discoid eczema, Lichen simplex, Contact allergic dermatitis and Pityriasis rosea. Suggestions for prevention include things like keeping the area clean.   Using a medicated shampoo, with ingredients like ketoconazole or selenium sulfide, may reduce the spread of infection.  It may be necessary for other family members and pets to be examined and treated.

There are options that can be explored to help with diagnosis.  Some are a skin lesion biopsy with microscopic examination can be done or culture or a Wood’s lamp test to confirm a fungal scalp infection.   The Wood’s lamp examination can be useful in evaluating the scope of infection, identifying areas for sampling and determining treatment response when the Tinea capitis diagnosis is positive. The examination can also be useful for looking at the contacts of an infected person.

Most dermatophytes do not fluoresce during examination but there are exceptions to this rule.  Two of those exceptions are zoophilic dermatophytes. Zoonotic means the disease can be passed from animals to humans.  Cats are more likely to be infected with Tinea capitis of all animals.  The skin changes in cats are very similar to those of affected people, but cats can carry the infection without exhibiting obvious signs just like infected humans.

Fungal organisms known as dermatophytes may cause scalp ringworm by infecting certain kinds of tissue found in hair, skin, and nails. It can be persistent as well  as contagious. Symptoms may consist of itching, scaly, and inflamed balding areas on the scalp. The specific pattern of fungal scalp ringworm depends on the infecting organisms.  Ringworm of the scalp or beard may look like dandruff with flakes of dead skin on the hair or beard. The infection can spread gradually and cover a large area.  Oral antifungal medications are required to treat the infection.  It is estimated that 3-8% of the population is affected by ringworm in the United States alone. Some people can carry the infection and pass it to others in the household. In other countries, statistics show an estimated 9.6% of people are affected to varying degrees, and nearly 40% can be carriers.

Griseofulvin Tinea Capitis

Tinea capitis, or ringworm of the scalp, is the most common dermatophyte infection among children.  This is a problem worldwide but approximately 3 to 8 percent of American children are affected, and up to one third of in-house contacts are asymptomatic carriers, meaning they show no outward signs of the infection. Tinea infections are usually spread by humans but may also be passed to humans from animals. Adolescent and adult infections are uncommon.

The three primary dermatophytes most commonly seen are Trichophyton tonsurans, Microsporum audouinii and Microsporum canis. Anti-fungal medications, taken by mouth, are used to treat the infection. There are several different options that are often used to treat this condition.  Griseofulvin has long been the standard therapy for tinea capitis.  It is currently the only antifungal agent labeled by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for this condition. Griseofulvin is an antibiotic derived from a species of Penicillium.

Griseofulvin acts systemically to inhibit the growth of Trichophyton, Microsporum, and Epidermophyton genera of fungi. With the use of an anti-fungal like griseofulvin Tinea Capitis can be treated effectively.  Fungistatic amounts are deposited in the keratin, which is gradually exfoliated and replaced by non-infected tissue.  Griseofulvin absorption from the gastrointestinal tract varies considerably from one individual to the next. This is mainly because of insolubility of the drug in the upper G.I. tract. The peak serum level found in fasting adults given 0.5 gm occurs at about four hours and ranges between 0.5 and 2.0 mcg/mL.

As previously mentioned some individuals do not absorb at the same rate as others and tend to attain lower blood levels at all times. This may explain why some patients respond better to this type of treatment than others. Better blood levels can probably be attained in most patients if Griseofulvin is taken after ingesting a meal with a high fat content.

Some of the symptoms of tinea capitis or scalp ringworm to watch for are bald patched areas, where hair that has broken off from the scalp, itching of the scalp, pus-filled lesions or sores on the scalp, round, scaly lesions on the scalp that may be inflamed, and small black dots on the scalp. Tinea capitis may be extremely persistent, and it may return after treatment. It has been found that in many cases it goes away on its own as a person reaches puberty.  Good general hygiene is a key factor to prevent and treat tinea infections.

Ringworm Scalp Tinea Capitis

When dealing with skin infections such as ringworm scalp (tinea capitis) and feet (tinea pedis) are the more common areas affected by this type of infection.  Ringworm of the scalp is a very common fungal infection but it can be treated and kept from spreading to others. Fungal organisms known as dermatophytes can cause scalp ringworm by on the surface infecting certain kinds of tissue found in hair, skin, and nails. This forms the crusty, scaly patches related with scalp ringworm. Scalp ringworm (Tinea capitis) is a very widespread and extremely common fungal infection predominately seen in children the world round. Children from four to fourteen years are the most likely to develop tinea capitis symptoms, although it can occasionally appear in adults.

Ringworm of the scalp (tinea capitis) is also one of the more common causes of hair loss. On some occasions it may be quite easy to recognize the infection because of the scalp symptoms which can include a red circular lesion, hair loss, and a scaly border that may be itchy. Scalp ringworm signs and symptoms can often be more subtle though, with no apparent signs of scaling or itching, and broken hairs instead of hair loss which is called black dot tinea capitis. Some of the symptoms of tinea capitis or scalp ringworm to watch for are bald patched areas, where hair that has broken off from the scalp, itching of the scalp, pus-filled lesions or sores on the scalp, round, scaly lesions on the scalp that may be inflamed, and small black dots on the scalp.
Areas that are frequently moist from perspiration, skin folds that stay damp are ripe for a fungal infection attack. The fungi that cause ringworm tend to grow and thrive in warm moist areas of the body.  The feet, the groin and the scalp are good examples of the areas most affected.  You may experience bald patches where hair would normally grow on the scalp.  The fungus lives on the dead tissue of the skin and leaves a lesion.  Ringworm can only live on the dead layer of keratin protein on top of the skin. It has been found that in many cases as a person reaches puberty it goes away on its own.  Good hygiene is a key factor to generally prevent and treat tinea infection of the skin because it may be aggravatingly persistent, and come back again after treatment.