I HAVE RINGWORM #StopTheStigma

Yes you read the title correctly this is not clickbait! When I facetimed my mom over Thanksgiving Break to check in and catch up, she noticed and made a comment about the rash on my left wrist, saying very bluntly, "Dude. You have ringworm." I laughed it off at first, explaining that it was simply from wearing my Fitbit for too long. But when I paused and reflected, I realized that this 'rash' had persisted for a week - way longer than the typical fitbit-induced red spot ever had. So I googled it - and the images were exactly like what I saw on my own body: 3 red coin-sized circles on my wrist. I was shocked and extremely disgusted at first, freaking out and questioning how I was even infected (was it from my new puppy? the cat who lives on campus I always pet? the mats at my gym? one of my roommates even??) But the more research I did, the more I realized that the severity and 'gross-ness' of ringworm is massively played up.

Ringworm is not even caused by worms! I was under the impression that some nasty parasitic creature was writhing around inside my system. But ringworm (tinea corporis) is actually caused by a fungus! A 2024 review in Clinical Dermatology explains how the fungi thrive in warm, moist environments (like the layer of skin underneath my fitbit!) and literally anyone can get it, no matter how hygienic you are! (I swear I am not gross)

The rash forms because the fungi locks itself into the superficial epidermis, triggering a localized inflammatory response. That's what causes those scary looking red circles. The good news? They are treated simply by applying a topical antifungal cream. I got mine off Amazon and started treatment immediately.

So yes, ringworm is visually alarming and unfortunately inconvenient, but way smaller of a deal than I ever realized. When I told my groupchat I had ringworm, I expected a dramatic reaction and to get some laughs, because who has ever even heard of such a thing! I thought I was having such a crazy, individual experience. But to my surprise, multiple of them have had it themselves! One from her guinea pig, one from his cat, and one girl never really figured out where she got it from! And get this - according to the WHO, anywhere from 20-25 percent of the world's population may have a ringworm infection at any given time! So we should stop the stigma (I say that half-jokingly because I genuinely still find so much humor in my current situation) but seriously, be careful what you touch, don't forget to wipe down your gym equipment, and maybe take off your fitbits/apple watches before bed :)

 

Sources:

 

AL-Khikani, Falah Hasan Obayes. Dermatophytosis a Worldwide Contiguous Fungal Infection: Growing Challenge and Few Solutions. Biomedical and Biotechnology Research Journal (BBRJ) 4(2):p 117-122, Apr–Jun 2020. | DOI: 10.4103/bbrj.bbrj_1_20

 

 

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ringworm-(tinea)