Health chiefs are calling on people to know how to spot the signs of the ancient infection after a rise in cases
Health officials are alerting the public to recognise signs of an ancient fungal infection following a startling spike in cases. A jump in the number of reports of ringworm has been associated with the trend for skin fade haircuts.
Hartlepool Council issued a message on x, formerly Twitter, stating: “Environmental health officials in Hartlepool have issued an alert following a rise in cases of ringworm associated with a popular type of haircut.” They continued, “They say people should be aware of how to spot the signs of ringworm, a fungal infection of the skin that typically results in a red, itchy, scaly, circular rash.
“The rise in cases locally has been connected to increasingly popular skin fade haircuts.” They advised anyone suspecting they might have contracted ringworm to seek advice and treatment at their local pharmacy.
Poor hygiene practices among hairdressers and barbers, particularly using unclean clippers, have been blamed for the increase in infections. Calling on the government for regulation for the industry, Mike Taylor, who runs a barbering academy in Poole, Dorset, told the BBC that 70-80% of his customers now opt for skin fades.
He explained: “To get that effect you’ve got to use the foil clipper, but the problem is it takes in hair and it needs to be thoroughly cleaned.”, reports Teesside Live. He warned that proper cleaning and disinfecting of the equipment, which could take five to 10 minutes after each haircut, might not always be carried out.
Ringworm, known since the second century BC, gets its name from its circular patches of peeled, inflamed skin. However it took centuries before it gained significant medical attention.
It was in the 1830s that it was identified as highly contagious, predominantly affecting children, especially those in impoverished conditions or living in crowded institutions like orphanages and boarding schools. It gained the nickname “scald-head ” stemming from ‘scaled’ and ‘scabby’, not burns.
Eventually recognized as a fungal infection with treatments evolving over time. The NHS now states that it can typically be treated with over-the-counter medication.
It says: “Ringworm is a common fungal infection. It’s not caused by worms. You can usually buy medicine from a pharmacy to treat it.”
Symptoms to look out for
It is estimated that between 10 and 20% of people will have ringworm in their lives. It is caused by fungi spores on the skin and usually treated easily with anti-fungal medication.
According to the NHS: “The main symptom of ringworm is a rash. It may look red or darker than the surrounding skin, depending on your skin tone. The rash may be scaly, dry, swollen or itchy.
“Ringworm can appear anywhere on the body, including the scalp (tinea capitis) and groin (jock itch).” It adds:
- The rash is usually ring-shaped, but it may look different on your face, neck or scalp
- The colour of the ringworm rash may be less noticeable on brown and black skin
- Sometimes the rash grows, spreads, or there’s more than 1 rash. Ringworm on the face or scalp may also cause patchy hair loss
What to do if you think you have it
Talk to a pharmacist first if you think you might have ringworm. They will look at the rash and suggest the best antifungal medicine. This might be tablets, cream, gel or spray depending on where the rash is.
It adds: “You may need to use an antifungal medicine every day for up to four weeks. It’s important to use it for the right amount of time, even if the rash has gone away.”
Most cases will be dealt with at home without seeing a doctor. A pharmacist will tell you if they think you should see a GP.
