Ringworm is a common, highly contagious fungal infection and more easily managed than the name might suggest. Scientifically known as tinea corporis, this skin infection thrives in warm, moist environments but can occur in all climates. The good news? With the right treatments and hygiene practices, you can get rid of ringworm effectively and prevent its return.

Ringworm can be quite difficult at times, but with proper treatment options and hygiene practices, it becomes pretty manageable. Whether mild or persistent, acting fast with a proper treatment will surely help you get rid of the infection and make it not come back.

If you are unsure, see your healthcare provider to discuss stronger treatment options to ensure a speedy recovery. Keeping proactive will help you maintain this pesky fungal infection at bay and keep enjoying healthy, ringworm-free skin.

Ringworm is caused by fungi that normally live in our nails, skin, and hair. These fungi are generally benign but multiply when the environment is warm and humid.

You can get ringworm through:

• Direct skin-to-skin contact with an infected person.
• Pets, especially cats and dogs, and livestock like cows are common carriers.
• Shared towels, combs, clothes, or even contaminated surfaces can harbor the fungi.
• Walking barefoot or handling infected soil can lead to an infection.

Who Is at Risk?

Although anyone can get ringworm, some factors increase the susceptibility:

- Weakened immune system because of autoimmune diseases or diabetes.

- Warm, humid climates or activities that cause excessive sweating.

- Living in close contact with other people, such as shared housing, locker rooms, or military settings.

- Wearing tight clothing or not drying off well after bathing.

- Playing contact sports, such as wrestling or football.

Treatment of Ringworm

Ringworm treatment involves a combination of antifungal medication and good hygiene. Here's a step-by-step guide to manage the infection properly:

1. Topical Antifungal Creams, Lotions, or Powders

Most ringworm infections can be treated at home using OTC antifungal creams, lotions, or powders.

- Wipe the affected area clean and apply a thin layer of the medication. Extend application slightly beyond the rash to prevent spread.

- Apply twice daily for 2–4 weeks, or as directed, even after symptoms improve to ensure the fungus is eradicated.

2. Let the Rash Breathe

While it would seem intuitive to cover the rash, bandages can retain moisture and delay healing. Instead, use loose-fitting, light, breathable clothing to keep the area dry and prevent the spread.

3. Bathe bedding and clothes daily

Fungal spores can linger on bedding and clothing, prolonging the infection and risking reinfection. Wash your sheets, towels, and clothes daily using hot water and detergent. For added protection, include borax or bleach in the wash, which kills fungal spores.

4. Change Wet Socks and Underwear

Ringworm thrives on moist environments, and so you can say sweaty socks and underwear are a culprit in the prolongation of an infection. Keep these places dry and change clothes as frequently as possible if you happen to sweat during the day.

5. Utilize Antifungal Shampoo for Scalp Infection

If ringworm starts appearing on your scalp where you experience hair loss, dandruff, or boils, an antifungal shampoo will help you to get rid of this. These shampoos contain the following:

• Ketoconazole
• Selenium sulfide
• Pyrithione zinc

Follow the product's instructions and use regularly until the infection clears.

6. Consider Prescription Antifungals

If OTC treatments aren't effective after two weeks, see a healthcare provider. Prescription-strength topical creams or oral antifungal medications may be needed, especially for severe or widespread infections.

Hygienic Practices for Speedy Recovery

Cleanliness plays a vital role in treating and preventing ringworm:

- Clean frequently touched surfaces and personal belongings.

- Bathe your pet bedding if your pet is infected.

- Do not share personal items such as towels, combs, or clothing.

- For athlete's foot, disinfect or replace shoes to remove fungal spores.

Preventing Future Ringworm Infections

Prevention is the best way to prevent recurring infections:

- Keep yourself clean and dry your skin completely after bathing, especially in areas that sweat easily.

- Avoid walking barefoot in public showers or locker rooms.

- Treat infected pets promptly and wash your hands after handling animals.

- Wear breathable fabrics to minimize sweat buildup.

When we think of human papillomavirus (HPV), the first association that comes to mind is cervical cancer. That link is well established. But what most people don’t realise is that HPV has now quietly become the leading cause of a completely different and rapidly rising cancer—oropharyngeal cancer—particularly in men. These cancers, which fall under the broader umbrella of head and neck cancers, often strike parts like the tonsils and the base of the tongue.

On World Head and Neck Cancer Day, experts are ringing the alarm bells: it’s time we start talking about HPV in men with the same urgency that we do for women.

More Men, More Risk

According to a 2023 study published in The Lancet Oncology, HPV-related oropharyngeal cancers are now five times more common in men than women. “This isn’t just a medical statistic; it’s a warning signal,” says Dr. Akash Tiwari, Consultant, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgical Oncology. “We’re seeing a sharp increase in these cases, particularly in high-income countries, and the common link is persistent high-risk HPV infection.”

What’s making men so vulnerable? For starters, transmission. Oral HPV is most commonly passed during intimate skin-to-skin contact, especially through oral sex. Although most HPV infections clear up on their own, some high-risk strains like HPV-16 can hang around silently in the tissues of the throat and, over time, turn cancerous.

Why Men Struggle to Fight It Off

“Biologically, men are more likely to contract oral HPV and less likely to clear the infection,” explains Dr. Aarzoo Saliya, Consultant ENT, Head and Neck Onco Surgeon. “It may come down to immune differences, sexual behaviour patterns, or even lack of awareness.”

Unlike many infections that cause noticeable symptoms, oral HPV is sneaky. It often produces no signs, which means people can be completely unaware they’re carrying it or, worse, passing it on. And when symptoms do show up, they’re usually vague, making early diagnosis tough.

Symptoms You Should Watch For

HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer doesn’t always scream for attention. But if you’ve had any of these signs persistently, it might be time to get checked:

• A constant sore throat that just won’t quit
• Difficulty swallowing
• A lump or swelling in the neck
• Changes in your voice
• Unexplained ear pain

“These aren’t symptoms people usually rush to a doctor for,” says Dr. Tiwari. “But in the context of HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer, they’re red flags.” Unlike traditional tobacco- or alcohol-related oral cancers, HPV-related cases often don’t present with obvious visible lesions, which adds to the challenge.

Prevention Starts Early

The good news is that we can prevent it. The same HPV vaccine that’s widely recommended for cervical cancer prevention in girls works just as well to prevent the strains of HPV that cause oropharyngeal cancer.

“The most effective way to reduce risk is through timely vaccination,” says Dr. Saliya. “Ideally, the vaccine should be given before someone becomes sexually active; that’s why it’s recommended at ages 11 or 12 but can still be taken up to age 26 if missed earlier.”

Yet, in many places, the uptake of the HPV vaccine among boys remains painfully low, mostly because the risk in men hasn’t received the same attention.

Changing the Conversation Around HPV

There’s also a major need to shift public perception. “HPV isn’t just a ‘women’s issue’, and it certainly isn’t just about cervical cancer,” Dr. Tiwari stresses. “It’s a sexually transmitted virus that can affect everyone, and the consequences for men are becoming increasingly clear.”

That means raising awareness around safe sexual practices, routine screenings for those at risk, and greater openness about male HPV-related health risks. Men, particularly young adults, need to be part of the vaccination narrative.

Know the Risks, Take Action

On a day that spotlights head and neck cancers globally, the message is simple but urgent: HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer in men is real, rising, and largely preventable. Ignoring it isn’t just unwise; it’s dangerous. Whether you’re a parent considering the HPV vaccine for your son, a man experiencing persistent symptoms, or someone simply unaware of how far-reaching HPV’s impact can be, now’s the time to pay attention. Early action, education and vaccination can quite literally save lives.

Weight loss drugs have become wildly popular in the recent years. However, even though they are popularly known as weight loss drugs they are actually used for a separate purpose, weight loss is just a side effect of the medication.

Medications like Ozempic and Zepbound, which are primarily used to treat type 2 diabetes and help with weight loss, are showing exciting new potential. They might also be helpful for a wider range of health conditions, from sleep apnea to chronic kidney disease.

Diabetes and Weight Loss Medicines

A recent study published in the JAMA Network Open suggests that these kinds of medications, known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, could offer important protection beyond their usual uses. For people who have both obesity and type 2 diabetes, these drugs might lower their risk of death and reduce the chances of developing two serious brain problems: dementia and a common type of stroke.

The findings suggest that GLP-1 drugs could do more than just control blood sugar, help with weight loss, and support heart health; they might also directly protect the brain and its blood vessels.

What the Research Discovered

Scientists had already hinted that GLP-1 drugs might help protect against dementia and stroke. However, there hadn't been many big studies specifically looking at how these drugs affect brain health, especially in people with a high risk, like those who have both type 2 diabetes and obesity.

To help answer these questions, researchers looked at seven years of health information from over 60,000 people. All of these individuals had both type 2 diabetes and obesity. Some of them were taking older diabetes medications, while others were prescribed GLP-1 drugs, like those found in popular medications.

After carefully checking the connections between the medicines and various brain conditions, the scientists found some significant things. People taking a GLP-1 drug had:

• A 37% lower chance of developing dementia.
• A 19% lower chance of having an ischemic stroke, which is the most common kind of stroke, caused by a blocked blood vessel in the brain.
• A 30% lower chance of dying from any cause.

The protection against dementia seemed even stronger for women over 60 and for those with a specific body mass index (BMI) range. An expert noted that people in this group have a particularly good chance to improve their brain health. It's important to know that these GLP-1 drugs did not seem to lower the risk of Parkinson's disease or another type of stroke called hemorrhagic stroke, which happens when there's bleeding in the brain.

Important Things to Consider

This study adds to the growing evidence that GLP-1 receptor agonists are very helpful tools, not just for losing weight and managing diabetes, but possibly for brain health and thinking abilities too.

However, it's really important to understand that this kind of study only shows a link, not that the drug directly causes the protection. It's possible that other things, like people's daily habits, could have played a role in the results, not just the medication itself.

Also, the researchers didn't collect detailed information like blood markers, genetic data, or brain scans. Having this kind of information could give much deeper insights into what's actually happening inside the body. The main researcher emphasized that these findings should be looked at carefully and need to be confirmed by more strict studies before doctors start making official recommendations based on them.

Scientists are investigating whether vitamin D frequently touted for its use in maintaining bone health, could also prevent serious COVID-19 complications. A new study published in the peer-reviewed journal PLOS One illuminates this potential, finding that individuals with vitamin D deficiency were 36% more likely to need hospitalization from COVID-19.

The findings point toward a connection between immune resilience and vitamin D levels, even though the data stops short of proving that supplementation can directly reduce the severity of COVID-19. Still, it’s a significant insight in the ongoing effort to identify who remains vulnerable as the world learns to live with the virus.

“We found people with low vitamin D weren’t necessarily more likely to catch COVID-19,” said lead researcher Kerri Beckmann, a senior research fellow at the University of South Australia. “But if they did get infected, their odds of serious illness and hospitalization were notably higher.”

The study tapped into the vast UK Biobank dataset, analyzing health information from over 150,000 participants. Researchers stratified the data by vitamin D levels and tracked COVID-19 outcomes, including infection rates and hospitalization.

Low levels of vitamin D were not associated with a higher risk of acquiring COVID-19. When infected, however, those lacking vitamin D were much more likely to develop severe illness necessitating hospitalization.

It’s an important distinction. While vitamin D won’t necessarily prevent you from contracting COVID, having adequate levels may improve how your body handles the virus similar to how a vaccine booster might reduce the severity of symptoms.

“Vitamin D plays a key role in regulating the immune system, so it’s plausible that low levels may influence how the body responds to infections,” Beckmann explained.

How Common is Vitamin D Deficiency?

Surprisingly prevalent. Based on a 2022 study appearing in Frontiers in Nutrition, approximately 22% of Americans are deficient in vitamin D. The rate is even greater among some groups, including individuals with darker skin tone, those who reside in the northern latitudes, and those who have restricted sun exposure because of lifestyle or chronic disease.

Vitamin D is sometimes referred to as the "sunshine vitamin" because our bodies produce it by exposing our skin to sunlight. But diet and supplements can also contribute to keeping levels healthy.

Benefits of Vitamin D

The worth of Vitamin D reaches far beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. It's needed for:

Bone health: Vitamin D allows your body to absorb calcium. Without sufficient levels of it, bones become brittle and cause issues such as osteoporosis in adults and rickets in children.

Immune modulation: It assists in modulating innate and adaptive immune reactions — two pillars of your body's defense against disease-causing organisms.

Inflammation regulation: Low blood levels have been associated with higher inflammation, which can lead to worse COVID respiratory outcomes.

And although scientists are hesitant to overhype the value of supplements, it's obvious that having healthy vitamin D levels is part of a larger picture of immune support.

Should You Start Taking Vitamin D Supplements?

Not so fast. Experts, including those involved in the study, stress that while the findings are compelling, they do not confirm that vitamin D supplements alone can prevent hospitalization from COVID-19.

“This is an area worth exploring further, but it’s too early to say supplementation is a silver bullet,” Beckmann noted. “Many people with poor overall health also have low vitamin D levels, which complicates the picture.”

That said, for people at risk of deficiency — including older adults, people with limited sun exposure, and those with darker skin — checking vitamin D levels with a healthcare provider could be a smart step, especially if they’re concerned about COVID outcomes.

How to Boost Your Vitamin D?

There are three main sources of vitamin D:

Sunlight: Just 10 to 30 minutes of mid-day sunlight several times a week may be enough for many people, depending on skin tone, geography, and season.

Diet: Not many foods provide vitamin D naturally. The richest sources from food are fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, mackerel, and trout; egg yolks; mushrooms; and fortified foods such as milk or cereal.

Supplements: If your doctor finds a deficiency, they may suggest a daily supplement. Most adults require 600 IU (15 mcg) daily, while people over 70 need 800 IU (20 mcg).

Be careful with the dosage — too much vitamin D can be toxic and cause such complications as kidney damage.

Where Do We Go From Here?

While COVID-19 is no longer the emergency it once was, the virus still circulates and continues to cause complications — especially among vulnerable populations. Knowing that vitamin D levels may influence how someone fares with an infection opens the door to more targeted prevention efforts.

That might include screening for deficiency in high-risk groups, public health messaging around safe sun exposure, or considering fortified foods in communities with higher rates of deficiency but more research is needed. Clinical trials will be crucial in determining whether vitamin D supplementation could become a recommended part of COVID-19 care protocols. For now, maintaining healthy levels is simply good preventive medicine.

The latest study doesn't claim that vitamin D is a cure for COVID-19. But it adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that micronutrient deficiencies can shape how our bodies respond to viral infections.

In a post-pandemic world where we're learning to coexist with SARS-CoV-2, this kind of insight is valuable — not just for COVID, but for broader public health. As Beckmann summed it up: “COVID may not be the threat it once was, but understanding who is still at risk, and why, will help us stay a step ahead.”