DD - Ringworm

[jen3kids]

DD works at a vet's office and has 3 spots of ringworm.  We didn't recognize it right away because from the pictures she sent on Monday (I was away when she first noticed it), it looked like a scratched flea bite - dd is a notorious scratcher, but when she sent new pictures on Saturday, I sent her to the pharmacy to get some Lotrimin AF.  She has been using it since then and keeping them covered with a bandaid.  They are not improving and she might even have a new one developing right next to the others.  They are on the inside of her forearm, so it's difficult to let them dry out in the open air unless she sits awkwardly.    Under the bandaid, they get wet looking and a white sludgy coating.  It washes off in the shower and she then she airs them out for a bit, but they continue to be incredibly itchy.  She washes her towels and pjs and clothes and bedding each night. 

 

She is open to trying tea tree oil or something else.   Does it need to be diluted or use straight? Where can I buy tea tree oil locally (Target, Wegmans, Trader Joes, etc) - brand names would be appreciated.

What about bleach?  Straight or diluted? 

What can I do with the living areas and our pets?  I can steam clean the couches, but the cats???  They wouldn't appreciate it!

Thanks for your help.  Dd has had so many medical issues (and some continue) and she seems to be turning a corner with some of them.  I feel so badly for her - one thing after another...

Jen

[itsheresomewhere]

I would her go to a doctor and make sure it is ringworm.  There are quite a few things that can look like ringworm but aren’t.  She could need a different medication. 
 

My dog currently is dealing with a type of infection that presented like ringworm.  Our vet cultured it after not improving and it was something completely different.  
 

 

Edited September 10, 2020 by itsheresomewhere

[Junie]

I agree with going to a doctor.

[jen3kids]

36 minutes ago, itsheresomewhere said:

I would her go to a doctor and make sure it is ringworm.  There are quite a few things that can look like ringworm but aren’t.  She could need a different medication. 
 

My dog currently is dealing with a type of infection that presented like ringworm.  Our vet cultured it after not improving and it was something completely different.  
 

 

 

29 minutes ago, Junie said:

I agree with going to a doctor.

 

We did send a picture to her dr and she believes it is ringworm, but will see her if it doesn't improve.   Dd did look at it under a black light at the vet's office and it glowed, like ringworm does.  I suppose there are other things that do as well.  

[CinV]

Wrestling mom here, which means skin checks constantly. We use straight bleach dabbed on the spots with a cotton ball. Works quickly and has never let us down.

[jen3kids]

31 minutes ago, CinV said:

Wrestling mom here, which means skin checks constantly. We use straight bleach dabbed on the spots with a cotton ball. Works quickly and has never let us down.

 My oldest wrestled and my youngest did martial arts, so we have dealt with ringworm before, but only ever used anti-fungal to treat it, and it always worked quickly.  The fact that she has to put bandaids on them makes me think they aren't getting a chance to dry out properly (if that's even a thing!).  

I did find an unopened bar of anti-fungal soap in the bathroom closet.  My younger son never had any issues with ringworm after he started using it - could have been coincidence, but maybe not.  Dd is going to wash her arms with it in the morning and then try the bleach when she gets home from work - just in case she has an adverse reaction to it.  With her luck in the the 'weird things that happen to me' category, it's a strong possibility! 

 

[itsheresomewhere]

1 hour ago, jen3kids said:

 

 

We did send a picture to her dr and she believes it is ringworm, but will see her if it doesn't improve.   Dd did look at it under a black light at the vet's office and it glowed, like ringworm does.  I suppose there are other things that do as well.  

In person makes a world of difference than a picture.  I would get an in person appointment.  Even on here recently, someone had a mis-diagnosis if ringworm from a telemed appointment.

Edited September 10, 2020 by itsheresomewhere

[RootAnn]

And I'd make the appointment with a dermatologist!

[I've never heard of ringworm turning wet & sludgy whencovered in a bandaid but we usually catch it before it gets crusty.]

[Pawz4me]

I've only had it twice and treated it with OTC Lotrimin. Both times it took a lot longer than three days to start improving, and about two week to be gone. But the wet and sludgy sounds weird.

As far as a dermatologists--Around here getting an appointment with one for a potentially serious issue is at least a four month wait. For something like ringworm you'd probably be looking at closer to a year for an appointment.

Edited September 10, 2020 by Pawz4me

[CinV]

8 hours ago, jen3kids said:

 My oldest wrestled and my youngest did martial arts, so we have dealt with ringworm before, but only ever used anti-fungal to treat it, and it always worked quickly.  The fact that she has to put bandaids on them makes me think they aren't getting a chance to dry out properly (if that's even a thing!).  

I did find an unopened bar of anti-fungal soap in the bathroom closet.  My younger son never had any issues with ringworm after he started using it - could have been coincidence, but maybe not.  Dd is going to wash her arms with it in the morning and then try the bleach when she gets home from work - just in case she has an adverse reaction to it.  With her luck in the the 'weird things that happen to me' category, it's a strong possibility! 

 

The Selsun Blue 3 in 1 shampoo/bodywash is what my son uses after wrestling, although Defense soaps are popular, too. They use tea tree oil, but the smell is really strong.

I agree that having to keep them covered with bandaids is prolonging the healing. 

[jen3kids]

4 hours ago, CinV said:

The Selsun Blue 3 in 1 shampoo/bodywash is what my son uses after wrestling, although Defense soaps are popular, too. They use tea tree oil, but the smell is really strong.

I agree that having to keep them covered with bandaids is prolonging the healing. 

 

5 minutes ago, Æthelthryth the Texan said:

I was going to suggest washing with Selsun blue and then putting iodine on the spots. I wouldn’t cover them with bandaids. If she needs to cover I would wear long sleeves instead so they can dry out. 

 

I picked up a bottle of tea tree oil today; she changed her mind about trying the bleach.  She did wash with the Defense soap this morning.  

I will go back to the store and pick up some Selsun Blue 3 in 1 and a couple of loose long sleeve shirts - she hates wearing long sleeves, especially in this humidity, but hopefully it will be cooler next week.  She obviously wants these to go away (and I would love to stop washing sheets and pjs and towels!), so she'll wear them.   If they haven't improved by Monday, she'll make an appointment with either her dr or the dermatologist.   Thankfully, we are usually able to get into either of them pretty quickly (or, at least were, before COVID).

 

[popmom]

We have had success using apple cider vinegar on ringworm. Ringworm can be very stubborn. Any skin fungal/yeast type infection is very stubborn in my experience, and OTC meds do nothing--except in the case of my skin yeast infections in which the OTC meds just made it spread. You need a prescription cream. If you do decide to try ACV, just know that it will look worse before it looks better. And you have to use it diligently at least 3 times a day. Some people can't tolerate it. I have used ACV to treat yeast infections under my "girls" ;).I used to be very prone to them. The one good thing about using the ACV is that it helped with the itching immediately. 

Air and sunlight are good. 🙂

Edited September 11, 2020 by popmom

[Suzanne in ABQ]

For ringworm, I've only used the Lotrimin AF, and it worked well, but only if used consistently as directed (every four hours?) for several days. It was obviously ringworm, given the ring shape of the rash and the way it was spreading, ring getting larger. It didn't ooze at all, but I never covered it, so maybe that makes a difference. Perhaps its the Lotrimin that is making a white film under the bandaid?

I once used the Lotrimin on something that wasn't a fungal infection (it was a contact allergy to detergent), and it burned like the dickens immediately. 

[ktgrok]

So when my kids have had it I used the ketaconazole shampoo for dogs. For people you need a prescription, but for dogs it is over the counter. Or you can get wipes that would work (for dogs). I sometimes rotated antifungal creams (and often used the vet ones...but my boss was willing to prescribe it for "my dog" when it happened) as some strains of ringworm have a bit of resistance to some antifungals. 

These are the wipes I would use if it was someone in my house. They have chlorhexidine and ketoconazole. Both help with fungus and the chlorhexidine will kill bacteria too. https://amzn.to/2F9pQjT

And no bandaid. 

Edited to add the wipes, lol

Edited September 11, 2020 by Ktgrok

[katilac]

Never cover ringworm with a bandaid or bandage! You want it dry.

[jen3kids]

15 hours ago, Ktgrok said:

So when my kids have had it I used the ketaconazole shampoo for dogs. For people you need a prescription, but for dogs it is over the counter. Or you can get wipes that would work (for dogs). I sometimes rotated antifungal creams (and often used the vet ones...but my boss was willing to prescribe it for "my dog" when it happened) as some strains of ringworm have a bit of resistance to some antifungals. 

These are the wipes I would use if it was someone in my house. They have chlorhexidine and ketoconazole. Both help with fungus and the chlorhexidine will kill bacteria too. https://amzn.to/2F9pQjT

And no bandaid. 

Edited to add the wipes, lol

Thank you.  I will get some of those wipes.  They might even work on our one cat's chin acne!

[jen3kids]

2 hours ago, Æthelthryth the Texan said:

Probably irrelevant but I wanted to clarify- on the iodine you want tincture of iodine, not povidone iodine for fungal treatments. It will stain the skin, but they have clear now if that's an issue. But it really works well to knock out lots of infections- it's old school, but it's better and more straightforward than a lot of the OTC topicals, and far less messy. Twice a day, two weeks, I would be really surprised if that didn't do it. 

Thank you for clarifying that.  I was wondering if you meant the 'old school' iodine, or if there was a new one

 

35 minutes ago, katilac said:

Never cover ringworm with a bandaid or bandage! You want it dry.

Yep, but it has to be covered for work.  It looked a lot better last night after work - we've switched to a loose gauze wrap, which will let it breath more.  

[ktgrok]

1 hour ago, jen3kids said:

Thank you.  I will get some of those wipes.  They might even work on our one cat's chin acne!

I actually bought mine to use on a dog's chin acne!

[jen3kids]

So, the ringworm was gone, and now it's back!    Is it just coincidence that she picked it up again from work, or can this nasty fungus live on surfaces in her room for weeks?   She washed her bedding daily, kept it covered at work/aired it out at home, took our cats to get them checked (negative).  It had been gone for at least a couple of weeks, maybe 3.  She feels she needs to wipe everything in her room with bleach wipes!   

She used a combination of Lotrimin AF and Ultra, tea tree oil, and Defense anti-fungal soap to get rid of it the first time.    

[RootAnn]

Ringworm spores can live on surfaces for a long time. Dd#2's non-profit has an easier-to-clean "ringworm room" for foster kittens but if the cats were in another harder-to-clean room first, it is difficult to know if it will ever be completely ringworm free in that space (carpet!). 

Is it in the same spot? If so, she probably didn't keep up with the treatment long enough. I've seen 30 days be recommended as the minimum length of treatment. You keep applying Lotrimin AF even after you can't see the spot anymore. 

[ktgrok]

We always treated cats for weeks and weeks before stopping, so it may not have been all the way gone. 

Or yes, it can live on surfaces. 

[jen3kids]

14 hours ago, RootAnn said:

Ringworm spores can live on surfaces for a long time. Dd#2's non-profit has an easier-to-clean "ringworm room" for foster kittens but if the cats were in another harder-to-clean room first, it is difficult to know if it will ever be completely ringworm free in that space (carpet!). 

Is it in the same spot? If so, she probably didn't keep up with the treatment long enough. I've seen 30 days be recommended as the minimum length of treatment. You keep applying Lotrimin AF even after you can't see the spot anymore. 

 

10 hours ago, ktgrok said:

We always treated cats for weeks and weeks before stopping, so it may not have been all the way gone. 

Or yes, it can live on surfaces. 

 

Ugh!  Thank you.  I will pass on the message.  Yes, they are in the same area, but not exactly the same spots.  Thankfully she caught these spots early.