Ringworm on Baby’s face, What to do?

One of the biggest challenges for parents is how to differentiate between normal skin rash and ringworm. Commonly ringworm is a pink or red patch of rash under the skin, unlike its name ringworm is not an actual worm, it is a contagious fungal infection called tinea in medical language.

Spotting ringworm also known as tinea versicolor on a baby’s face can be alarming, itchy ringworm rashes could spread to many parts of the baby’s body, which could cause serious trouble for parents, But it is unlikely to cause any long-term serious damage.

Ringworms are very common and easily treatable, all you have to make sure to prevent them from spreading, which can be difficult in the case of infants and toddlers.

Ringworm Causes

Tinea versicolor is a contagious fungal infection, One of the most common ways in which children get infected with ringworm is by pets. In many cases, pets have been spotted as carriers of this fungal infection to babies,

So the first thing you need to do is to isolate the baby from your pets and make sure your pets are clean.

kittens and small rodents are the major carriers of Tinea versicolor.

Children can also pick it up through physical contact from infected friends, or by using contaminated objects like schools toys, playground rides and objects, carpets, bathroom floors, clothing, towels, etc

So make sure to maintain personal hygiene and keep your house, carpet, and baby clothes dry, because fungus often develops in moisture. try to dry your baby’s clothes in sun.

Types of Ringworms

Scalp Ringworm: It is the most common fungal infection in children, so make sure to keep checking your baby’s scalp for any kind of redness or rash

Foot Ringworm: Also known as athlete’s foot, it’s common in teenagers, particularly those who play lots of sports and don’t bother to wash or change their socks.

Jock itch: Its target area is the groin, very common in hot countries, and in young teenagers and men who play lots of sports or sweat a lot due to the nature of their work.

Nail Fungus: This mostly affects only the nails

Understand the symptoms of ringworm

If your baby’s skin has round red or pink rash spots on his/her skin. Ringworm rashes have scaly and raised borders, and the center of the rash sometimes be scally and sometimes smooth.

Ringworm rashes can start with half an inch but if remains untreated they can spread very fast.

Notice your baby’s behavior, the baby might try to itch the affected area.

What to do?

The first thing you need to do is to visit your baby’s pediatrician. If you spot ringworm on the scalp, head to the doctor straight away.

Never try to treat your baby’s ringworm at home first, you might misdiagnose the severity of the infection.

Not all OTC medicines are approved for babies, your doctor will prescribe those that are approved for babies.

In some misdiagnosed cases ringworm patches develop puss under the skin, in such cases, your baby needs immediate pediatric attention.

Why anti-fungal ointments can be dangerous for babies.

First, you must understand ringworm infections are stubborn. You need to regularly apply anti-fungal cream for a minimum of a week till you see the rash becoming normal, but you need additional 2 weeks to completely eliminate the infection from the skin.

For babies, you need to be very careful so the baby doesn’t touch the ointment and put it in the mouth.

Either you need to cover the patch with lint or any cloth which could affect the surrounding skin, or you need to apply something strong which might irritate or burn the baby’s skin.

If your baby’s ringworm infection is mild to normal, then you can try proven home remedies like

Garlic coconut oil paste.

Garlic contains an effective anti-fungal compound called allicin. Allicin is a biocide and a proven killer of bacteria and funguses. Just crush 2 cloves of garlic and mix it with coconut oil Apply it twice on the baby’s skin and keep it covered with gauze as the baby might touch it and spread put it to the mouth or eyes. Wash it after 2 hours. Repeat the process till the rash disappears completely.

Turmeric and coconut oil paste.

Turmeric is one of the safest ways to get rid of any type of fungal infection.  It is an effective anti-fungal that inhibits the growth of bacteria, fungus, and amoebas. To get the best out of turmeric, combine it with a small amount of organic coconut oil and mix until it becomes a paste. Apply it directly on the baby’s skin thrice a day till the rash disappears.

Raw Alovera Gel.

Pure and raw aloe vera gel has been used for centuries to cure any kind of skin infection. Aloe vera not only cures the ringworm rash but also soothes and moisturizes the skin, it helps in balancing the Ph levels of the skin and restoring natural oils.

Marigold Flowers and Coconut oil

Botanical research shows that calendula marigolds contain many active constituents, including various antioxidants and volatile oils. These are responsible for the flowers’ bright color and strong smell and also improve the capability of blood flow and controlling inflammation infections and ringworm.

Mix freshly crushed marigold flower with coconut oil and apply it twice on the baby’s skin, make sure to cover it with gauze.