Advice Request: Avoiding Ringworm in Hair!

[Crumpet]

I adopted two kittens about 5 weeks ago who ended up having ringworm (its a fungus/skin infection not a parasite). They're on the mend now (yeah!) but ringworm can be passed to humans. Its not a dangerous skin infection for either humans or cats -- just irritating.

Given my hair obsession, I am a bit paranoid of getting it on my scalp since it can cause hair loss in the infected area. The hair will grow back, but the whole experience wouldn't be any fun for a Long Hair. I've grown more paranoid as I have two small red marks elsewhere on my body that may/may not be ringworm that I am treating just to be on the safe side. My doctor hasn't been too helpful about the hair issue and just says 'wash your hands, keep things clean, and if there's an infection treat it with cream -- come and see me if its still there in three weeks'. I've followed these instructions and the cats are in quarantine (as their vet instructed) but I'm still worried about getting a scalp infection.

Does anyone have any ideas about how I can keep this from happening?

[Wildcat Diva]

I have no idea if this would be a deterrent, but what about some anti-fungal in your hair care?

Using a mister bottle with water and tea tree essential oil on your scalp?

Adding neem oil to some shampoo or conditioner or using as a spray as described above?

[Gertrude]

Try not to worry too much. If you don't have a compromised immune system you are very unlikely to contract ringworm. In the unlikely event you get it it will be a round spot on your arm, nowhere near your head. Unlike your kittens you are not furry. A bit of cream from the doctor will put treat your ringworm very, very quickly.

I volunteered for many years in a rescue shelter in the cat section. Only the veterinarian on site ever got ringworm and that repeatedly. On the arm as above and he was soon mended but he still wasn't too happy treating cats with it. Why he was susceptible and the rest of us not was never obvious.

One poor friend of mine scratched herself completely bloody after thinking she got scabies ( mite related) from her rescue puppy. She didn't but it took a long time to heal.

[Arete]

Wash your hands after handling the kittens. If their ring worm is bad, have a separate set of clothes you use when you handle them so you don't inadvertently spread the fungus around. Don't touch your scalp and you should be fine.
I've gotten ring worm several times in my life. It's a hazard of working with animals (I train horses). However, I've never gotten ring worm from an animal I knew was infected as I washed my hands, and made sure not to touch my face, arms, etc., until I did and washed my clothes. Most cases were from contact with an animal that I/we weren't aware of had it (as in it's early stages it can be hard to spot under all that hair), or I picked it up from the environment most likely.
Even if you do get it, it's very easy to treat most cases with over the counter anti-fungal, just make sure you keep applying it for a week or so after it looks like it gone as the fungus can still be on your skin even if the rash isn't visible.

[Anje]

No guarantee it would work, but I think I'd switch to a ketoconazole shampoo for a few weeks, till the whole episode is over. It's sold for dandruff, but the ketoconazole is an antifungal, so it might work preventatively. As a bonus, it's similar to miconazole, which is used for ringworm and seems to make many people's hair grow faster.

[Crumpet]

Thanks for the help everyone. And thanks especially to Anje for the shampoo suggestion. I just discovered a 'true' ringworm spot on the back of my leg, so I'm confident that the other 2-3 spots on my stomach are ringworm. Ugh. I knew I was a more likely candidate to get it since I had it once as a kid.

I'm using miconazole now on those spots, but I'm worried about it getting to my scalp and not catching it due to hair covering the marks. I'll try the shampoo. Thanks Anje (and everyone else!).

[kelseyxface]

I'm fairly sure I've read that coconut oil helps treat ringworm. If not coconut oil definitely some type of DIY hair treatment helps prevent it, I do remember stumbling upon the ringworm info while looking up hair stuff. I'll go see if I can dig it up...

[kelseyxface]

http://www.thefitindian.com/top-10-natural-remedies-to-treat-ringworm-at-home/
http://www.rapidhomeremedies.com/remedies-for-ringworm.html

Yes! basically everything we already use in our hair is great to treat ring worm! ACV, EO, coconut oil, EVOO, etc. So honestly, give your self some extra nice hair TLC until the ring worm is out of your home. ^.^ good luck!

[ARG]

Its been years, but when I had chinchillas, one of the things we would do to keep ringworm from spreading to the other healthy chins was some athletes foot powder in their dust bath. I'm not sure if that would work here, and like I said, it was years ago. But maybe a dry "shampoo" of that would help.

[Wildcat Diva]

If you do get it on your scalp, as my three boys did years ago after snuggling with a new puppy, I would head straight to the dermatologist. Creams designed to treat it on your feet arms and legs are not to be used on the face and scalp, where it is more stubborn to treat. Our dermaologist provided a prescription cream I applied every four hours until we zapped them away.

[Crumpet]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I really appreciate the experience and creative solutions. I'll give them a go and hopefully not have to worry about my hair. I'm keeping a close eye on things right now and bleaching the heck out of my apartment. Hopefully the kittens and I will all be in good shape in a few weeks!