what happens if you let ring worms go untreated?

cirque · 08-01-2008, 11:56 AM

I had a ring worm show up in a very random spot... I left it alone thinking over time it would go away. Well another started to develop elsewhere on my body. I left that one alone as well. Now I have signs of 4 ring worms in total and have also acquired new skin problems that I have never had before.

What happens if you leave ring worms alone and let them go untreated?

I really dont want my skin to become a problem, because it never has been in the past.

Any insight?

AuntieLeela · 08-01-2008, 07:06 PM

Ringworm is a yeast infection called tinea versicolor. If left untreated it will spread, sweat makes it worse and it's often more noticeable in the summer because the spots don't tan.

This Medline Plus page: [url]http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001465.htm[/url] suggests an OTC dandruff shampoo applied to the skin for 10 min a day will work, you can try it but it didn't work for me. I ended up having to go to the dermatologist and get a Rx antifungal cream. There's antifungal pills too, but they tend to have wacky side effects.

cirque · 08-01-2008, 07:18 PM

side effects like what?

the cream wont benefit me, I work in heat and it just rubbed off with sweat, I have tried it already.

CoastieGirl7287 · 08-02-2008, 04:40 AM

just use an antifungal cream(i think my mom got lotramin or something) at night or what not. problem solved...always worked for me when i was a kid

AuntieLeela · 08-02-2008, 12:59 PM

There's alot of medications you can't take along with an antifungal (tylenol, stomach meds, some antibiotics - it's a long list), you can't drink on an antifungal (because you'll get sicker than you ever dreamed possible) and they can cause liver damage. Along with the regular list o' side effects most people never have anyway: headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, etc.

Ketoconazole (Brand name Nizoral) comes in pill form, cream or OTC shampoo. [url]http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/medmaster/a682816.html[/url]

Fluconazole (Brand name Diflucan)
[url]http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/medmaster/a690002.html[/url]

You don't have to take the pills forever so if you don't mind not drinking for a week or two and you're not on a bunch of other meds already, including OTC drugs like tylenol, the pills may work out just fine for you.