Skin Problems & Treatments Health Center

To prevent ringworm:

• Don't share clothing, sports gear, towels, or sheets. If you think you have been exposed to ringworm, wash your clothes in hot water with special anti-fungus soap.
• Wear slippers or sandals in locker rooms and public bathing areas.
• Shower and shampoo well after any sport that includes skin-to-skin contact.
• Wear loose-fitting cotton clothing. Change your socks and underwear at least once a day.
• Keep your skin clean and dry. Always dry yourself completely after showers or baths, drying your feet last.
• If you have athlete's foot, put your socks on before your underwear so that fungi do not spread from your feet to your groin.
• Take your pet to the vet if it has patches of missing hair, which could be a sign of a fungal infection.

If you or someone in your family has symptoms, it is important to treat ringworm right away to keep other family members from getting it.

Frequently Asked Questions