What are ringworms?
A. Actually, ringworms aren’t worms, and the noun isn’t used as a plural. Ringworm (known in the medical literature as Tinea captis) is a fungal infection of the skin, related to athlete’s foot, that causes a characteristic round rash. It usually starts as a pimple and grows outward. It can make the skin scaly and the hair brittle, brittle enough to break off leaving a temporary bald spot. There are many strains of ringworm, and the species causing infections in the United States (T. tonsurans) is the most likely to leave a bald spot. The ringworm fungus gets it start on dead skin. Simply exfoliating with a gentle cleanser and warm water every day cuts down on ringworm infection.
