What Are the Treatments for Facial Ringworm?

Ringworm is fungal infection on your skin. The infection creates small, round, eventually oozing patches of itchy skin anywhere on your body including your feet, arms and face. Despite the name, there is no worm involved. The ringworm fungus lives in damp environments such as gym showers and inside sports gear such as sneakers, hence the term "athlete's foot." It can also thrive on another human or animal and is considered highly contagious. Infection occurs when your fingers touch a fungal carrier such as an infected animal or a stagnant pool of water at the gym containing the fungus. The fungus then spreads to wherever your fingers touch such as your face or arm.

Over-The-Counter Creams

• For mild cases of facial ringworm, over-the-counter creams that contain antifungal ingredients are effective. Look for products that contain antifungal medications such as terbinafine, clotrimazole or miconazole. Apply the cream to the entire patch of ringworm and 2 cm outside the infection boundaries on your face. Continue applying twice a day for two weeks until the infection is completely gone. During treatment, change your sheets and pillowcases each night to avoid reinfection. Avoid any contact sports or activities until the patches completely heal.

Prescription Strength Antifungal Creams

• If your lesions on your face do not heal after two weeks, see your doctor. She will likely perform a skin scrape to confirm the presence of a fungal infection before prescribing a high-strength antifungal medication such as ketoconazole. She could also prescribe the same brand of medicine you tried before but at a higher concentration of the effective ingredient.

Oral Antifungal Treatments

• For severe cases of ringworm that do not respond to topical medications, your doctor might prescribe an oral antifungal treatment such as griseofulvin or itraconazole. Depending on the scope of the infection, antibiotics may be necessary to treat the bacterial component. Call your doctor immediately if you have a fever and your facial ringworm begins oozing blood as these are indicators of a serious bacterial infection.