What to do if ringworm grows on arms

Some people grow tinea on their arms. We call tinea corporis a part of the body. Tinea corporis is a superficial skin fungal infection caused by pathogenic fungi parasitizing on the smooth skin of the human body. Patients will experience mild inflammatory reactions, including blisters, papules, or erythema, and desquamation will gradually occur. So what are the causes and clinical manifestations of tinea on the arms, and how to treat it?

1. Causes

In my country, this disease is mainly caused by Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Trichophyton philoprolifera, Microsporum ferrugineum, and Microsporum canis. The disease can be caused by direct or indirect contact between the patient and the patient's contaminated bathtub, bath towel, etc. It can also spread from the patient's existing tinea manuum, tinea pedis, tinea cruris, tinea onychomycosis, tinea capitis, etc. The incidence of the disease is closely related to the body's resistance. Patients with diabetes, wasting disease, etc. are more likely to suffer from tinea corporis.

2. Clinical manifestations

Because there are many types of pathogenic fungi that cause tinea corporis, each patient's physique and resistance are different, and there are differences in hygiene habits and other factors, the clinical symptoms of tinea corporis are varied.

When pathogenic fungi invade the stratum corneum on the surface of the human body, they can cause a very mild inflammatory reaction, resulting in lesions such as erythema, papules, and blisters, followed by desquamation, which is often ring-shaped, so it is commonly known as tinea roundella or ringworm. At first, the lesions are scattered separately, but as they gradually expand, they may merge and overlap with each other, and sometimes even spread throughout the body, especially in patients with immunodeficiency diseases or who use immunosuppressants, corticosteroids, anti-tumor drugs, etc. The skin lesions can be extensive. Due to the body's defense ability, the center of the annular lesion can heal itself and desquamate, and the edges can be raised into a ring shape. There may also be active erythema, papules and blisters or desquamation, while the center is flat and desquamated or has pigmentation. Children's tinea corporis may appear in several circles, overlapping each other to form a wreath shape, which is a very special appearance.

Tinea manuum, tinea pedis, and onychomycosis are mainly caused by Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, etc. Tinea corporis caused by Trichophyton rubrum is often more prolonged and widespread, and is more common in the waist, abdomen, arms, trunk, etc., and is often accompanied by itching; tinea corporis caused by Trichophyton mentagrophytes tends to invade the cheeks and lower legs, often in annular or irregular shapes, and the inflammation is generally more obvious. Pustules or deep lesions may occur due to scratching, and local annular raised nodules may occur. The same fungus that causes tinea cruris, Epidermophyton floccosum, can sometimes cause tinea corporis. In addition to causing tinea capitis, Microsporum ferrugoides, Microsporum gypseum, Microsporum canis, Trichophyton rubrum, etc. can sometimes cause tinea corporis. The tinea corporis caused by the first three types of Microsporum often occurs on the forehead, cheeks, neck, upper limbs and trunk, and is often ring-shaped or multi-ring-shaped; the lesions caused by Microsporum gypseum are more scattered, with significant inflammation, and are often flushed; the initial lesions of tinea corporis caused by Trichophyton rubrum are often small, light red papules, which gradually expand and spread in an irregular shape, forming a map-like appearance.

Treatment

In principle, the treatment of various types of tinea corporis is mainly based on topical medications. Compound salicylic acid tincture, compound benzoic acid ointment, compound resorcinol paint, 1% econazole cream or clotrimazole cream, 20% hibiscus bark tincture, 2% miconazole cream, bifonazole, ketoconazole, terbinafine, etc.

For the treatment of systemic tinea corporis, especially those caused by Trichophyton rubrum, in addition to external medications, a short course of griseofulvin can be taken orally at the same dosage as for tinea capitis. If necessary, a short course of oral administration of itraconazole, terbinafine, fluconazole, terbinafine, etc. can also be used.