What are the signs and symptoms of ringworm?
Ringworm is an infection caused by fungus. You can get ringworm anywhere on your skin.
On most areas of the skin, it causes ring-shaped patches. What you see, however, changes when ringworm grows on the feet (bottoms and sides), palms, nails, groin, beard area, or scalp.
Skin with ringworm infection
- Roundish, flat patches that have a raised, scaly border
- On light-colored skin, the patches tend to be red or pink
- On skin of color, the patches are usually brown or gray
- Patches can grow slowly, increasing in size and appearing on more areas of the body
- The center of a patch tends to clear first
- The patches can be intensely itchy
Feet with ringworm infection (athlete’s foot)
- Itching, burning, and stinging on your soles and between your toes
- Dry, scaly skin that usually begins between the toes and can spread to the bottom of the feet, sides, or both
- Peeling skin​
- Blisters, painful cracking skin, bleeding, and thick patches of red and scaly skin
- Skin between the toes turns white, becoming soft and mushy
- Foul odor
- Rash on one or both hands because touching the infected foot can spread the infection to your hands
