Ringworm of the Scalp (Tinea Capitis

Since the microorganism that causes the disease is part of the normal microbial flora of the skin, some individuals are more likely to become infected, such as those who sweat profusely or suffer from hyperhysrosis as well as athletes who practice high-contact sports such as wrestling or soccer. Once the characteristic lesions are observed, a series of measures must be taken to start treatment properly and prevent further contagion.

a) Natural Treatments

The locals at the beach towns always have some kind of prevention or cure for the “beach fungus,” and it is common to see women and men applying any product to avoid or heal it. Some of the recommended household cures are to place garlic paste daily on each of the stains for 20 minutes for two weeks. Cold thyme infusion is also used on the skin to improve any fungal infection. Tea tree oil is said to be very useful in these situations as it acts as a powerful, natural anti-fungal and restores the skin to its healthy state. They recommend using it on each of the fungal stains and drying it well, if necessary, with a hair dryer. This procedure is performed for a whole week.

b) Medication

First the skin must be kept dry, and the person infected should avoid contact with people who have these types of lesions. If someone in the family has the mycosis, the surfaces they have come into contact with should be disinfected, and bedding should be changed frequently. Hands should be washed after petting any animal, especially cats and cows. Drug therapy consists of topical antifungal cream whose active ingredient is Clotrimazole. (You can find it over the counter by the names of Lotrimin and Mycelex). This cream should be applied to the site of the lesion twice a day for at least three weeks. It is very important to be consistent with the treatment for the indicated time so that the fungus becomes completely inactive.

Scalp ringworm is a mycosis that belongs to the group of superficial mycoses, the same as Tinea corporis. It occurs as a scalp lesion that causes hair loss in a specific area. The type of damage that occurs has to do with the severity of the disease and the type of fungus it is. Usually a hairless, noninflamed, scaly area is seen. It is also common to see a red ring with a white center (ringworm) that expands when untreated. This infection can occur at any age and the mode of transmission, like its predecessor, is by direct contact with an infected person or animal, or by contamination in moist places.

myself - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0