What causes ringworm on arms

Ringworm on the arms is a relatively common phenomenon. Since the arms are in a relatively conspicuous position and are often exposed in the summer, ringworm can have a great impact on one's personal image. In addition, ringworm is a highly contagious disease. If the cause is not found and treated in time, it may affect other parts of the skin or the health of others.

1. Causes of ringworm

According to Chinese medicine, this disease is caused by external wind poison, which condenses on the skin and even makes the skin dry; or by external wind-cold attacking the body, causing imbalance of the Ying and Wei systems; or wind-heat invading the pores, causing blood to become dry over a long period of time; or Chong-Ren imbalance, causing Ying and blood deficiency, causing wind and dryness in the blood, etc., which leads to malnutrition of the skin; or by invasion of rheumatism, which remains in the pores; or by long-term residence in wetlands, which causes water immersion, external dampness infiltration and accumulation in the skin; or by sweat-soaked clothes, which soak the skin, and then exposed to the sun, causing summer heat and dampness to soak the pores, resulting in this disease.

Modern medicine believes that this disease is caused by fungi, and there are many types. Most of them are non-pathogenic, and a small number of conditional pathogens can exist in human skin, mucous membranes, intestines and other parts. Under normal circumstances, various bacteria interact with each other, restrict each other, and balance metabolism.

However, long-term use of antibiotics can cause imbalance of the body's flora. When the human skin is damaged and the body's resistance is reduced, pathogenic fungi will multiply in large numbers, invade the skin and subcutaneous tissue, and cause ringworm. The disease is mostly transmitted through contact, such as through clothing, utensils or one's own tinea pedis. Environmental conditions also have an impact. For example, in warm seasons and humid areas, the anal skin may be slightly damaged and prone to disease.

2. Medication

Treatment of dermatophytes mainly uses topical antifungal agents or keratolytics. Patients with tinea capitis, kerion, severe onychomycosis or extensive tinea corporis and those who do not respond to local treatment need to take antifungal drugs such as griseofulvin, fluconazole, itraconazole, terbinafine, etc.

3. Preventive Care

1. Regular inspections should be conducted and a health care system should be established for children in primary schools and kindergartens, as well as in public places such as barber shops, bathhouses and swimming pools. If patients with ringworm disease are found, fungal examinations must be conducted to ensure early diagnosis.

2. Patients who have been diagnosed should be treated immediately and encouraged to persist in treatment. Children entering school or daycare should be strictly examined. If tinea capitis is found, they should be isolated from other children and can only enter daycare or school after being cured and undergoing two mycological examinations (including direct microscopic examination and culture of fungi) with both results being negative.

3. The patient's clothes, bedding, shoes, socks, hats, pillowcases and other items, as well as equipment used in barber shops, bathrooms, swimming pools, etc., should be disinfected regularly. If conditions permit, formaldehyde (formalin) can be used for disinfection (250 ml of formalin per cubic meter of volume, temperature 58-59°C, time 2.5 hours). Hair and scales containing fungi must be burned.

4. The sick animals should be examined and treated appropriately at the same time. The kindergarten must be closed and managed until a diagnosis is confirmed, and the breeding premises should be disinfected regularly. It should be encouraged not to keep dogs, cats and other animals in kindergartens.

5. Cure determination should include clinical examination and mycological examination of lesion materials. In case of doubt, the procedure should be repeated.

6. All hospitals or health care units should gradually establish outpatient clinics for dermatophytosis to provide patients with treatment convenience.

7. All medical schools and medical institutions should conduct research on dermatophytes, especially on effective prevention and treatment methods for tinea capitis and tinea pedis and manuum, and vigorously train health workers and professional nurses for dermatophytes.