What is tinea?
Tinea is a fungus that can grow on your skin, hair or nails. As it grows, it spreads out in a circle, leaving normal-appearing skin in the middle. This makes it look like a ring. At the edge of the ring, the skin is lifted up by the irritation and looks red and scaly. To some people, the infection looks like a “worm” is under the skin. Because of the way it looks, tinea infection is often called “ringworm.” There really isn’t a worm under the skin, though. How did I get tinea? One of every five persons gets a fungus infection at some time. You can get a fungus infection by touching a person who has one. Some kinds of fungus live on damp surfaces, like the floors in public showers or locker rooms. You can easily pick up a fungus there. You can even catch a fungus infection from one of your pets. Dogs and cats, as well as farm animals, can be infected with a fungus. Often this infection looks like a patch of skin where fur is missing. What areas of the body are affected by tinea infectio
