However, there are things you can do to relieve symptoms until the medication starts to work. Examples include Grifulvin V or Gris-PEG (griseofulvin), Sporanox (itraconazole), terbinafine, and Diflucan (fluconazole). Terbinafine. Ringworm is an itchy, contagious fungal infection that causes a ring-shaped pattern on your skin. Do not, in general, treat tinea capitis or onychomycosis without first confirming the diagnosis with a potassium hydroxide preparation, culture, or, for onychomycosis, a periodic acidSchiff stain. You can treat most cases of ringworm at home with over-the-counter antifungals. Tinea corporis (ringworm) typically presents as a red, annular, scaly, pruritic patch with central clearing and an active border (Figure 1). But it can strike anyone of any Wash your hands each time you touch your rash and before you touch anyone else. Beard: Ringworm in the beard area requires prescription antifungal medicine and a tailor-made treatment plan. You can use an ultraviolet (UV) shoe sanitizer or ozone cabinet for clothes or shoes. After washing, use a separate towel to dry the infected body part. See your doctor if you dont see any improvement in your symptoms or infection after youve finished your treatment. The shelf life of a bottle of KOH is at least five years. ", J Prosthodont: "Antifungal Activity of Apple Cider Vinegar on Candida Species Involved in Denture Stomatitis. Others need a prescription. Ringworm in Babies and Toddlers | Pampers You can expect permanent results in all but one area. Here is some care advice that should help. Can You Get Athletes Foot on Your Hands? Wash your clothes, bedding, and towels. Once treatment has started, the child may return to school, but for 14 days should not share combs, brushes, helmets, hats, or pillowcases, or participate in sports that involve head-to-head contact, such as wrestling.2,17 Household members should be clinically evaluated but not necessarily tested for tinea capitis.17 Many experts recommend treating all asymptomatic close contacts with a sporicidal shampoo, such as 2.5% selenium sulfide or 2% ketoconazole, for two to four weeks.2 If children do not improve, parents should be asked about adherence to the treatment regimen. Avoid boiling the KOH, but the slide should be hot enough to be uncomfortable to the dorsum of the hand, usually three to four seconds over the flame. Keeping things clean prevents the infection from spreading to other parts of your body as well as to other people and animals in your household. Find out what may be causing the itch and what can bring relief. As much as possible, don'twear clothing or footwear that can cause you to sweat. How Often You Should Wash Your Sheets (and the Gross Reasons Why), How To Treat an Infected Belly Button Piercing, How to Avoid Athletes Foot and Staph Infections in the Locker Room, How You Can Stop Foot and Toenail Fungus In Its Tracks, 6 Sore Throat Remedies That Actually Work. Ringworm: 12 tips for getting the best results from treatment Ringworm that appears on the feet (tinea pedis, or athlete's foot) may need to be managed differently than ringworm that affects the scalp (tinea capitis), for example. . Copyright 2000-2023. Ringworm on the scalp (tinea capitis) usually needs to be treated with prescription antifungal medication taken by mouth for 1 to 3 months. Miconazole (Aloe Vesta Antifungal, Azolen,Baza Antifungal, Carrington Antifungal, Critic Aid Clear, Cruex Prescription Strength, DermaFungal, Desenex, Fungoid Tincture,Micaderm,Micatin, Micro-Guard, Miranel,Mitrazol, Podactin, Remedy Antifungal, Secura Antifungal). Sometimes a healthcare provider will prescribe prescription-strength ketoconazole shampoo to treat stubborn ringworm on the scalp. Find out what can help. Heres how long botox tends to last. Verma S and Heffernan MP. Antifungal medications that treat ringworm on the skin include: Lotrimin cream, Cruex spray powder, Mycelex, Pedesil ( clotrimazole ) Desenex topical powder, Fungoid cream, Micatin cream, Lotrimin AF athlete's foot spray or powder, Lotrimin AF Jock Itch spray powder ( miconazole ) Lamisil ( terbinafine ) Xolegel ( ketoconazole ) ", Mayo Clinic: "Ringworm (body)", Tea tree oil., Phytomedicine: "Antifungal activity of tea tree oil from Melaleuca alternifolia against Trichophyton equinum: an in vivo assay.". People apply miconazole twice per day, and symptoms. Heat the slide with a match or alcohol lamp. This is because of close body contact during matches. WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Note that the options below haven't been tested enough to be recommended. The ringworm may fail to clear if you stop taking it sooner than prescribed. If you have ringworm, your dermatologist will treat it with antifungal medicine. Still, youd surely rather avoid the infection in the first place. Lifestyle and home remedies. Wash towels before using them again. These include ringworm on the skin that doesn't go away after OTC medication, ringworm on the scalp (tinea capitas), or ringworm of the beard (tinea barbae). Children with kerion have a high false-negative culture rate.10 A Wood lamp examination of scalp lesions is often not helpful because the most common cause, T. tonsurans, does not fluoresce. Fungal diseases: ringworm. The spores of T. tonsurans will be contained within the hair shaft, but for the less common Microsporum canis, the spores will coat the outside of the hair shaft. Alternatively, place a coverslip over the dry scrapings and a drop or two of KOH next to the coverslip and allow it to run under the coverslip. Apply enough ketoconazole gel to cover the affected and surrounding skin areas, and rub in gently with your fingertips. Creobic Scabies Treatment Cream Cure Skin Ringworm Parasites Itching The acute form presents with erythema and maceration between the toes, sometimes accompanied by painful vesicles. Many physicians treat tinea capitis without a confirmatory culture or KOH preparation if the presentation is typical (i.e., urban setting and child presents with scaling, alopecia, and adenopathy).2,7,8 The most common mimics include seborrheic dermatitis and alopecia areata (Table 2).2,3 In atypical cases, a KOH preparation can be performed by scraping the black dots (broken hairs) and looking for fungal spores. Clearing scalp ringworm also often requires using an antifungal shampoo. Why does my skin still itch even though the ringworm rash is gone? Ringworm is a fungus infection of the skin. It needs direct skin contact to be passed this way. You, the reader, assume full responsibility for how you choose to use it. There a several forms of ringworm that humans can experience. Place two drops of 10% or 20% KOH on the scrapings, followed by a coverslip. You can buy an antifungal cream from pharmacies over the counter (OTC), or get one on prescription. Usecondoms or another form ofcontraception if youre on it. If after two weeks of treating your ringworm you still have symptoms that bother you, see a healthcare provider. Microsporum infections result from exposure to infected dogs or cats and may produce much more inflammation than Trichophyton infections.4, Tinea capitis must be treated with systemic antifungal agents because topical agents do not penetrate the hair shaft. It works by preventing fungi from growing and . ", Smart Grocery Shopping When You Have Diabetes, Surprising Things You Didn't Know About Dogs and Cats, Smoking Pot Every Day Linked to Heart Risks, Artificial Sweetener Linked to Heart Risks, FDA Authorizes First At-Home Test for COVID and Flu, New Book: Take Control of Your Heart Disease Risk, MINOCA: The Heart Attack You Didnt See Coming, Health News and Information, Delivered to Your Inbox, Understanding Ringworm -- Diagnosis and Treatment, Minor Athlete Infections and Other Annoyances: How to Prevent and Treat Them. For yeast infections: Clotrimazole is available as both 3-day and 7-day treatment courses. A tinea capitis sample for KOH preparation can be taken by scraping the black dots (hairs broken off at the skin line). Thats a huge misconception. Micatin Athlete's Foot, Jock Itch, and Ringworm Antifungal . 3. Here are ways to keep things clean when you have a ringworm infection: National Health Service (U.K.): Ringworm and Other Fungal Infections Treatment., Summit Medical Group Foundation: Ringworm., Cleveland Clinic: How to Cure Ringworm., American Academy of Dermatology Association: "RINGWORM: 12 TIPS FOR GETTING THE BEST RESULTS FROM TREATMENT. You or your child has ringworm on the scalp. It can smooth out deep wrinkles and lines, but the results arent permanent. The Fungal Skin Infections: Types, Treatment, and Prevention, Antifungal Cream: Types, Uses, and Side Effects, How to Treat Athletes Foot With Essential Oils. In most cases, youll have to use the medicines on your skin for 2 to 4 weeks to make sure you kill thefungus that causesringworm. For example, if your child has one or two small areas of patchy, scaly skin, a doctor may prescribe a cream treatment. This applies to clothing, towels, and compresses. Ringworm (Tinea Corporis) Ringworm of the body (tin ee uh COR por is) is an infection of the skin caused by a fungus (a plant which is too small to see). Heres how to spot this common fungal infection and how to wipe it out. If your childs illness or injury is life-threatening, call 911. The fungus that causes ringworm thrives in warm, moist areas, so you want keep the area clean and dry. Most of the time, ringworm treatment involves an over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription cream, ointment, or other topical medication that's applied directly to the rash. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. By Cathy Wong Tinea capitis may progress to kerion, which is characterized by boggy tender plaques and pustules. Vaginal suppositories. American Academy of Dermatology. The diagnosis of onychomycosis should usually be confirmed with a KOH preparation, culture, or PAS stain because the treatment is long and potentially expensive, and the nonfungal mimics are common.27 In one study, less than 50% of dystrophic toenails resulted in positive fungal cultures.28 However, the involvement of multiple toenails, or accompanying tinea pedis, may justify treatment without confirming the diagnosis.29 The most sensitive diagnostic test, and the most expensive, is the PAS stain,30 which can be performed by placing toenail clippings or curettings in 10% formalin and transporting them to the pathology laboratory. Ringworm is not contagious after 2-3 days of treatment. OTC ringworm treatments may help, but some cases require prescription medication. A person viewing it online may make one printout of the material and may use that printout only for his or her personal, non-commercial reference. Treatment length varies depending on the fungal infection. Used about 3-4 times a day for . Do everything you can to prevent the fungus from spreadingto other body parts or to another person or pet. Cultures are usually not necessary to diagnose tinea corporis.2 Skin biopsy with periodic acidSchiff (PAS) stain may rarely be indicated for atypical or persistent lesions. See permissionsforcopyrightquestions and/or permission requests. Copyright 2023 American Academy of Family Physicians. How to Identify and Treat Athletes Foot Bumps, Oxistat cream or lotion (oxiconazole nitrate), Ringworm: diagnosis, treatment, and outcome, Treatment of interdigital tinea pedis with 25% and 50% tea tree oil solution: a randomized, placebo-controlled, blinded study, Efficacy of ajoene in the treatment of tinea pedis: a double-blind and comparative study with terbinafine. Don't prescribe oral antifungal therapy for suspected nail fungus without confirmation of fungal infection. Scalp ringworm is extremely contagious. Scan the slide under low power, and use high power to confirm hyphae in suspicious areas. The child with tinea capitis will generally have cervical and suboccipital lymphadenopathy, and the physician may need to broaden the differential diagnosis if lymphadenopathy is absent.7 However, lymphadenopathy can also occur in nonfungal scalp disease, and the absence of lymphadenopathy in an otherwise typical presentation should not delay aggressive treatment for tinea capitis.9. Ringworm Treatment - Ringworm Cream- Relieves Itching - Cream Provides Effective Relief From Itching Download the drug facts (PDF) > Physicians should confirm suspected onychomycosis and tinea capitis with a potassium hydroxide preparation or culture. Untreated ringworm can cause skin to become cracked and open to bacterial infection, so it's best to treat it. Ringworm: Symptoms, Causes, Treatments - WebMD If you have what feels like razor bumps or acne on the back of your neck or scalp, you may have acne keloidalis nuchae. The scalp should also be cultured to identify the organism and immunocompromise should be considered. Conversely, if a nonfungal lesion is treated with an antifungal cream, the lesion will likely not improve or will worsen. Yes, but not for long. Ringworm Remedies and Treatments There are two types of treatments for ringworm: topical and oral. Miconazole Topical: MedlinePlus Drug Information Dogs and cats can also get (and spread) ringworm. Many fungal infections get better within 7 days of treatment with terbinafine - nail infections can take 3 months or more. Patient information: A handout on this topic is available at https://familydoctor.org/familydoctor/en/diseases-conditions/tinea-infections/treatment.html. Sometimes, the infection spreads to one or more nails. Safe for kids over 2 when used as directed, Stop Athletes Foot before it starts. Cathy Wong is a nutritionist and wellness expert. What you use will depend on the area of the body that needs treatment. J Am Acad Dermatol. Thankfully its not nearly as creepy (or as crawly) as it sounds. Because the scrapings will easily blow off the slide, shield it from drafts or apply KOH preparation to the slide before transport. However, results of the Wood lamp examination can be falsely negative if the patient has bathed recently. Free to everyone, these materials teach young people about common skin conditions, which can prevent misunderstanding and bullying. In addition, results from Gotucream are backed by a solid 30 day money back guarantee. (second edition). More serious cases, and infections . Tinea corporis (ringworm), includes tinea gladiatorum and tinea faciei, Tinea manuum (commonly presents with one-hand, two-feet involvement), Tinea barbae (beard infection in male adolescents and adults), Tinea incognito (altered appearance of dermatophyte infection caused by topical steroids), Pityriasis versicolor (formerly tinea versicolor) caused by, Uncommon fungal skin infections that involve other organs (e.g., blastomycosis, sporotrichosis), Tinea corporis (annular lesions with well-defined, scaly, often reddish margins; commonly pruritic), Gray or silver scale; nail pitting; 70% of affected children have family history of psoriasis, Personal or family history of atopy; less likely to have active border with central clearing; lesions may be lichenified, Target lesions; acute onset; no scale; may have oral lesions, Dusky; erythematous; usually single, nonscaly lesion; most often triggered by sulfa, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or antibiotic use, No scale, vesicles, or pustules; nonpruritic; smooth; commonly on dorsum of hands or feet, Sun-exposed areas; multiple annular lesions; female-to-male ratio 3:1, More confluent scale; less likely to have central clearing, Typically an adolescent with a single lesion on neck, trunk, or proximal extremity; pruritus of herald patch is less common; progression to generalized rash in one to three weeks, Greasy scale on erythematous base with typical distribution involving nasolabial folds, hairline, eyebrows, postauricular folds, chest; annular lesions less common, Tinea cruris (usually occurs in male adolescents and young men; spares scrotum and penis), Involves scrotum; satellite lesions; uniformly red without central clearing, Red-brown; no active border; coral red fluorescence with a Wood lamp examination, Red and sharply demarcated; may have other signs of psoriasis such as nail pitting, Tinea pedis (rare in prepubertal children; erythema, scale, fissures, maceration; itching between toes extending to sole, borders, and occasionally dorsum of foot; may be accompanied by tinea manuum [one-hand, two-feet involvement] or onychomycosis), Distribution may match footwear; usually spares interdigital skin, Tapioca pudding vesicles on lateral aspects of digits; often involves hands, May have atopic history; usually spares interdigital skin, Shiny taut skin involving great toe, ball of foot, and heel; usually spares interdigital skin, Involvement of other sites; gray or silver scale; nail pitting; 70% of affected children have family history of psoriasis, Tinea capitis (one or more patches of alopecia, scale, erythema, pustules, tenderness, pruritus, with cervical and suboccipital lymphadenopathy; most common in children of African heritage), Discrete patches of hair loss with no epidermal changes (i.e., no scale); total loss of hair or fine miniature hair growth; exclamation point hairs; no crusting; no inflammation; possible nail pitting, Personal history or family history of atopy; less often annular; lymphadenopathy uncommon; alopecia less common, Alopecia less likely; hair pluck is painful, Alopecia uncommon; lymphadenopathy uncommon; greasy scale; typical distribution involving nasolabial folds, hairline, eyebrows, postauricular folds, chest, No scale; commonly involves eyelashes and eyebrows; hairs of varying lengths, Onychomycosis (discolored [white, yellow, brown], thickened nail with subungual keratinous debris and possible nail detachment; often starting with great toe but can involve any nail), Other nail dystrophies, most commonly associated with repeated low-grade trauma, psoriasis, or lichen planus, Appearance can be indistinguishable from onychomycosis; may have other manifestations of alternate diagnosis, Do not use nystatin to treat any tinea infection because dermatophytes are resistant to nystatin. At the end of the study, nearly three-quarters of the people who used the 25% solution had a significant improvement in their infection. Disclaimer: this health information is for educational purposes only. Hautarzt. Leah Ansell, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist and an assistant professor of dermatology at Columbia University. This content is owned by the AAFP. There are many topical treatments for tinea versicolor that work well. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Creobic Scabies Treatment Cream Cure Skin Ringworm Parasites Itching Anti Fungus at the best online prices at eBay! Have your dog checked for fungal infection. What can I do to make ringworm heal faster? Good news, says Dr. Vij: "It's generally easy to treat." Look for over-the-counter antifungal creams such as Tinactin ( tolnaftate topical) or Lotramin ( clotrimazole ). Lamisil Cream - Uses, Side Effects, and More - WebMD 2-day shipping. Wear shower shoes. University of Michigan. For a mild case of ringworm, try these self-care tips. Ringworm treatment usually depends on the part of the body that has it. Ringworm Treatment - WebMD But it can take months or years to clear up some fungal nail, blood and lung infections. Griseofulvin (Grifulvin V, Gris-PEG), terbinafine, anditraconazole are the oral medicines doctors prescribe most often for ringworm. Acceptable treatments for tinea capitis, with shorter treatment courses than griseofulvin, include terbinafine (Lamisil) and fluconazole (Diflucan). JOHN W. ELY, MD, MSPH, SANDRA ROSENFELD, MD, AND MARY SEABURY STONE, MD. Topical therapy is usually ineffective except in the treatment of the white superficial form. However, DO NOT treat ringworm with apple cider vinegar. 9.3. If you want to diminish a noticeable scar, know these 10 things before having laser treatment. are famously lax about keeping their hands to themselves) and athletes who No prescription is needed. Ringworm is not caused by a worm. Often it's caught from puppies or kittens that have it. The child with tinea capitis should return for clinical assessment at the completion of therapy or sooner if indicated, but follow-up cultures are usually unnecessary if there is clinical improvement. You may need stronger medicine. . However, if you're interested in an alternative to drugs for treating a ringworm infection, ask your healthcare provider to see if they might be an option. Onychomycosis is a common consideration in adolescents and adults with dystrophic toenails. Fungal diseases. In: Bolognia JL, et al. To use it, soak a cotton ball in undiluted apple cider vinegar and. While taking it, you may experience nausea, vomiting, indigestion, diarrhea, orheadache. 2012;63(11):848-58. doi:10.1007/s00105-012-2379-y. In fact, everyone with whom the infected person lives needs to use an antifungal shampoo. Don't cover ringworm with a bandage or other dressing. OTC Antifungal Creams: Uses, Brands, and Side Effects - GoodRx Skin: An antifungal ointment or cream often clears ringworm on the skin. This medication is also used to treat a skin condition known as pityriasis (. Medications that weaken your immune system and fungal infections. These come as creams, ointments, powders, or sprays and usually work quickly. These products are often found in the foot care aisle and marketed for athletes foot. Australas J Dermatol. Learn how to treat and prevent this common fungal infection. 2. By looking at the sample under a microscope, a doctor can see if it contains any of the fungi that cause ringworm. Here are six simple ways to treat ringworm. 9.4. You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link. says. Ringworm: 12 tips for getting the best results from treatment. Aloe vera Aloe vera contains six. Similarly, in a small study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology in 2000, ajoene was more effective than terbinafine (which is the active ingredient in Lamisil) in treating athlete's foot. Its also available as a spray. To treat ringworm with apple cider vinegar, soak a cotton wool pad in the undiluted vinegar and wipe it on the affected area. Ledezma E, Marcano K, Jorquera A, et al. Read our, Ringworm: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment, Ringworm That Doesnt Respond to OTC Treatment. Involvement of the plantar and lateral aspects of the foot with erythema and hyperkeratosis is referred to as the moccasin pattern of tinea pedis.4, Tinea corporis, tinea cruris, and tinea pedis can often be diagnosed based on appearance, but a KOH preparation or culture should be performed when the appearance is atypical.2, Tinea corporis, tinea cruris, and tinea pedis are generally responsive to topical creams such as terbinafine (Lamisil) and butenafine (Lotrimin Ultra), but oral antifungal agents may be indicated for extensive disease, failed topical treatment, immunocompromised patients, or severe moccasin-type tinea pedis. In addition to the common distal subungual form, which is characterized by thickened, brittle, discolored nails (Figure 5), onychomycosis may present with an uncommon proximal subungual form, which should raise suspicion of immunocompromise, and a white superficial form, which is more common in children than adults24 (Figure 6). A culture, which is more sensitive than the KOH preparation,10,11 can be performed by moistening a cotton applicator or toothbrush with tap water and rubbing it over the involved scalp. Griseofulvin can causebirth defects, so you cant take it if yourepregnant, plan to become pregnant, or arebreastfeeding. Finally, we performed multiple targeted searches in PubMed and reference lists of previously retrieved studies to fill in remaining information gaps, such as the performance characteristics of laboratory tests used to diagnose fungal infections. A second treatment course with the same or a different agent is reasonable if the diagnosis is confirmed. Its important to follow your dermatologists treatment plan and keep all follow-up appointments. Terbinafine is used to treat infections caused by a fungus. yesterday. American Academy of Dermatology. Early disease can be limited to itching and scaling, but the more classic presentation involves one or more scaly patches of alopecia with hairs broken at the skin line (black dots) and crusting. 11 Best Home Remedy For Ringworm (2023 Update) - Pubbelly What are the best over-the-counter medications for ringworm? If you're prescribed a prescription drug to treat ringworm of the scalp, your healthcare provider may suggest you also use an OTC shampoo that contains ketoconazole, such as Nizoral. To clear ringworm, you must treat it everywhere on your body at the same time. MANAGEMENT. Some of the most common types are: ( 3) Ringworm of the the skin on the body (tinea corporis) Ringworm in babies: Pictures, treatment, and natural remedies Natalie tried many acne products without success. Lotrimin Ringworm Cream is an odorless, greaseless . These include clotrimazole (Lotrimin), terbinafine (Lamisil), and miconazole (Desenex). Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by CDC or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website. For more information, seeWebsite Privacy. The sensitivity of the KOH preparation varies widely in different settings, ranging from 12% in a study of 27 Flemish general practitioners to 88% in a Nova Scotia tertiary care center 41 (Table 510,11,29,30,4148 ). The active ingredient in this ringworm fungus treatment is clotrimazole, which relieves the discomfort of ringworm symptoms and is clinically proven to cure most ringworm. Ringworm can be transmitted between dogs and cats and humans. Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. Always shower after you work out to wash away perspiration and dry off thoroughly. Saving Lives, Protecting People, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID), Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases (DFWED), Antimicrobial Resistance: People & Environment, Valley Fever: Timely Diagnosis, Early Assessment, and Proper Management, Mission and Community Service Groups: Be Aware of Valley Fever, Presumed Ocular Histoplasmosis Syndrome (POHS), Emerging antimicrobial-resistant ringworm infections, Medications that Weaken Your Immune System, For Public Health and Healthcare Professionals, About Healthcare-Associated Mold Outbreaks, Antifungal susceptibility testing yeasts using gradient diffusion strips, Identification of filamentous fungi using MALDI-ToF using the Bruker Biotyper, Target Genes, Primer Sets, and Thermocycler Settings for Fungal DNA Amplification, Impact of Fungal Diseases in the United States, Health Equity Priorities for Fungal Diseases, Preventing Deaths from Cryptococcal Meningitis, Think Fungus: Fungal Disease Awareness Week, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Disease, Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Miconazole (Aloe Vesta Antifungal, Azolen, Baza Antifungal, Carrington Antifungal, Critic Aid Clear, Cruex Prescription Strength, DermaFungal, Desenex, Fungoid Tincture, Micaderm, Micatin, Micro-Guard, Miranel, Mitrazol, Podactin, Remedy Antifungal, Secura Antifungal). This medication is used to treat a variety of fungal skin infections such as ringworm, athlete's foot, and jock itch. If you get sweaty, take a shower or bath; use a fresh towel to dry yourself completely. If it doesnt, see a doctor, because you might have a deeper Mosby Elsevier, Spain, 2008:1138-46. Learn more about how steroid creams can make ringworm worse. Tinea infections can be difficult to diagnose and treat. Ringworm can survive on objects for a long time. To find out if you have ringworm on a nail, your dermatologist will clip off a bit of nail and remove some debris from under the nail. That depends on the body part that's affected, the severity of the infection, and the type of medication you're on, among other factors. Michigan Medicine. Sometimes, however, a prescription medication may be necessary to clear up the infection. Ringworm is a fungus infection of the skin. This can make ringworm harder to treat. You can search by location, condition, and procedure to find the dermatologist thats right for you. Prescription antifungal medications used to treat ringworm on the scalp include: Griseofulvin (Grifulvin V, Gris-PEG) Terbinafine The information on this site is intended for healthcare professionals in the United States and is not intended for the general public. However, some preliminary research suggests there may be natural remedies that work for some people. These products are often found in the foot care aisle and marketed for athlete's foot.