Ringworm (Tinea)

Itchy ring-shaped skin fungus (athlete's foot). Dermatophytes digesting keratin; annular plaques with central clearing, hyphae on KOH.

Key facts

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Dermatophytes digest keratin with secreted keratinases and feed only on the dead, outermost layer of skin — they never invade living tissue, which is why the infection is so superficial. The classic ring shape comes from the fungus growing outward at the edges while the immune response clears the older center behind it, so the 'active' infection is always the advancing rim.

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