What is this ring-shaped rash on my skin?
A ring-shaped rash like this is classic ringworm, a fungal infection with no worm involved. The ring expands slowly, with a scaly, slightly raised border and a calmer center. It is caught from skin contact, pets, gyms or shared towels.
An antifungal cream, terbinafine or clotrimazole, applied a centimeter beyond the edge twice daily for two to four weeks clears most. Steroid creams alone feed it while hiding it, a common trap.
Rings that resist a proper trial, involve the scalp, or multiply need a doctor; scalp fungus needs oral treatment. Not every ring is fungal, eczema and other conditions mimic it, which is why failed treatment means reassessment, not repetition.
Source: NHS, ringworm
See a doctor promptly if
- A light patch that is numb to light touch, which needs prompt medical assessment
- Rapidly spreading chalk-white patches, or white patches with hearing or eye changes
- Any patch that is also scaly, raised at the edge and spreading in a ring with a clearer center, alongside fever or in someone with a weak immune system
Try the symptom diary10 seconds a day, free, nothing to installSkin follows what you touched, ate and changed. A dated week shows the pattern a photograph cannot.
Answered by the AskDoc Medical Team · Medically reviewed under our Medical Director, MBBS · How we review
For dry or itchy skin
Doctors reach for plain, fragrance-free creams like CeraVe or Cetaphil, not fancy actives. A thicker cream beats lotion, applied within minutes of washing while skin is still damp.
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A spot, rash or mole of your own?
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Health education, not medical advice.