Ringworm Scalp Tinea Capitis
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.
Ringworm Selsun Blue
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.
Tinea Capitis Kerion
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.
