Ringworm Treatments for Wrestlers

Ringworm is a fungal infection of the skin characterized by reddish circles and bumps on the skin. Ringworm can be spread by skin-to-skin contact and from objects that have touched ringworm, and the fungus tends to thrive in moist environments. As a result, ringworm is a common condition among wrestlers, since there is constant skin contact, and mats can become dirty and are often covered with sweat.

  1. Basic Treatment

    • When you are infected with ringworm, it is important for you to take a few basic steps to treat the fungus to ensure it doesn't spread. Keeping the infected area very dry and cleaning the body toughly every day is important. Washing objects that may come in contact with the infected area, such as sheets and clothing, is also important. For wrestlers, covering the infected area with gauze or tape can help limit spreading it to other wrestlers.

    Topical Creams

    • The primary way to treat ringworm for wrestlers is to use anti-fungal topical creams. There are many brands of over-the-counter fungus creams that can be effective in eliminating ringworm such as Lamisil, Monistat-Derm and Mentax. Creams can take several weeks to effectively stop the spread and eliminate ringworm. In some cases over-the-counter creams may not be effective -- prescription strength ointment will more likely kill the infection.

    Oral Treatments

    • Ringworm can also be treated with a variety of oral anti-fungal medications. Oral treatments are especially useful for ringworm infection that cover large areas of the skin, since treating large areas with cream takes time, and it can be difficult to remember to apply the cream to every effected area. Some common oral medications include Lamisil, Sporanox and Diflucan.

    Prevention

    • Ringworm in wrestling is a common problem, but ringworm outbreaks can be prevented in many cases. Washing mats weekly, or even more frequently will reduce the changes that fungus remains alive on the mats. Washing mats after a meet or tournament with other schools is especially important, since infected wrestlers from other teams can spread ringworm to your team if they wrestle on your mats. Coaches should make certain that the doctor or trainer checks each wrestler for skin conditions during weigh-ins to prevent those with ringworm from participating or at least force them to appropriately cover the ringworm to prevent it from spreading.