There are some questions that are fun to answer, and others that though they still need to be answered are not as fun. We recently got one such question from one of our readers:
Is it normal I got a son 14 years old doing jiu jitsu but since he started he caught easily ringworm and he wash with a special soap after each training and the dojo is ultra clean do you know how come?
For starters, from the sound of the question the person asking may not realize that ringworm should be fully treated before you get back on the mat. PSA: if you have ringworm you need to treat it or it will spread. It may spread to other people or it may spread elsewhere on your body. It may also spread to other people and then come right back to you.
Ringworm has less to do with how clean you or your gym is than it does with how soon you wash after you are exposed to it. If I am going to be unable to shower for more than 20 minutes after I roll, I use special wipes and soap on any and all parts of my body that may have come in contact with training partners or the mat.
Another thing that may help with ringworm is consumption of yogurt. Yogurt contains live and active cultures that may help boost your immune system. Various sources on the internet discuss this, I am not entirely convinced but yogurt is an easy and quick source of protein, so if it helps treat ringworm great!
Tea Tree Oil which can be purchased through various outlets is a fantastic way to treat ringworm or potential skin infections. Anytime I see any redness or bumps I apply tea tree oil, and the few times Ive had ringworm the oil greatly reduced the severity of it.
Another product that can help is Selsun Blue, a dandruff shampoo. Dandruff is caused by a similar fungus to ringworm, so if you use Selsun Blue you will be less likely to get ringworm on your scalp.
If you find yourself getting ringworm at all, you should let your coach know. For starters, they may have some ideas of what you can do to prevent ring worm. Secondly if there is an outbreak going on in the gym, they should know about it. Some people may be less than honest, but if the instructor says something in front of the class they may be more likely to come talk to the instructor.
If all else fails, go to a dermatologist. They have some prescription strength medicines that will deal with ringworm better than the store bought stuff. Maybe you need to use an actual systemic medication to get rid of the ringworm. Who knows! But if you or someone you know is getting chronic ringworm, you really should do something about it.
Do you have any home remedies that youve found work? What have been your experiences with ringworm? Hopefully Ive been able to provide some ideas to help our reader with their sons ringworm.
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