Pinworm vs Ringworm: Is Ringworm a Worm?

Pinworm and ringworm sound alike, but ringworm is not a worm at all: pinworm is a tiny white worm that lives in the intestine and causes itching around the anus, while ringworm is a common fungal infection of the skin, scalp or nails that causes an itchy, ring-shaped rash. They spread in different ways, are tested in different ways and need different kinds of medicine, so it helps to know which one you are dealing with before you buy or ask for anything.

This page explains what each one is, how to tell them apart, where roundworm and hookworm fit in, and who to see. It is general education, not a diagnosis or medical advice.

Is ringworm a worm?

No. The CDC says plainly that ringworm is caused by fungi, not a worm. It is a common fungal infection of the scalp, skin or nails, and it gets its name from the ring-shaped, itchy rash it causes on the skin. The most common fungi behind it are called Trichophyton, Microsporum and Epidermophyton.

The medical name for ringworm is tinea, followed by the Latin name for the part of the body it affects. The CDC notes that athlete's foot, jock itch and most fungal nail infections are all forms of ringworm, even though people rarely call them that.

Is ringworm a parasite?

Not in the way worms are. MedlinePlus explains that ringworm happens when a type of fungus grows and multiplies on the skin, and that it thrives in warm, moist areas. Pinworm, roundworm and hookworm are parasitic worms that live inside the body. Ringworm is a fungus living on the outer layers of the skin, hair or nails.

That difference matters for medicine. Anti-worm medicines are not antibiotics either; see is ivermectin an antibiotic?. Anti-worm medicines such as mebendazole and ivermectin are not antifungals, and their prescribing information does not include ringworm.

What pinworm is

The CDC describes pinworms as small, thin, white parasitic roundworms, on average about the size of a staple. Pinworm is the most common worm infection in the United States, and it mainly affects school-aged and preschool children, the people who live with them or care for them, and people in institutional settings.

Female pinworms leave the intestine at night and lay their eggs on the skin around the anus. That causes the main symptom: itching around the anus, often worse at night, which can disturb sleep. People catch pinworm by swallowing the eggs, usually from fingers, bedding, clothes or other items they touched. Our guide to pinworm treatment for adults covers how adults catch it and what the household can do.

Pinworm vs ringworm: the main differences

What it is

• Pinworm: a parasitic worm that lives in the intestine
• Ringworm: a fungus that grows on the skin, scalp or nails

The main sign

• Pinworm: itching around the anus, usually worse at night. Some people have no symptoms.
• Ringworm: on the skin, the CDC describes an itchy, ring-shaped rash that can be scaly, slightly raised, and clear or bumpy in the middle. It typically looks red on lighter skin and gray or brown on darker skin.

Where on the body

• Pinworm: around the anus, and occasionally the vaginal area
• Ringworm: almost anywhere. The CDC lists the body, the feet (athlete's foot), the groin and inner thighs (jock itch), the scalp, the beard area and the nails. On the scalp it can cause a scaly, itchy bald patch, and it is more common on the scalp in children than in adults. Infected nails can become thick, discolored, cracked or fragile.

How it spreads

• Pinworm: by swallowing the microscopic eggs after touching the skin around the anus, or contaminated bedding, clothes or surfaces
• Ringworm: by skin-to-skin contact with an infected person or animal, by sharing towels, bedsheets or sports gear, and from surfaces such as locker room or public shower floors

Pets

• Pinworm: the CDC says you can't catch pinworm from your pets or give it to them
• Ringworm: people can catch it from infected animals, so the CDC advises washing your hands after touching pets

How it is confirmed

• Pinworm: usually a tape test, where clear tape is pressed to the skin around the anus first thing in the morning and checked for eggs. See our pinworm tape test guide.
• Ringworm: the CDC says a healthcare provider may take a small skin scraping or nail sample for testing

The kind of medicine used

• Pinworm: anti-worm medicine. Two are labeled for pinworm in the United States: pyrantel pamoate, sold over the counter, and mebendazole, which needs a prescription.
• Ringworm: antifungal medicine. The CDC says the right choice depends on where the infection is and how serious it is; some forms can be treated with non-prescription antifungal products, while others need a prescription.

Where roundworm and hookworm fit in

People also search for "roundworm vs ringworm" and "hookworm vs ringworm." Roundworm and hookworm, like pinworm, are real parasitic worms that live in the intestine. The human roundworm is caught by swallowing eggs from soil, food or water contaminated with human stool; see roundworm in humans.

Hookworm larvae get into the body through bare skin, most often the feet, and can cause an itchy rash where they entered before the worms settle in the intestine; see hookworm in humans. Ringworm of the feet, or athlete's foot, is different: the CDC describes red, swollen, peeling, itchy skin, usually between the toes, caused by a fungus. If you are not sure what a rash on your feet is, a clinician can look at it and test it.

When to see a clinician

If you think it is ringworm: the CDC advises seeing a healthcare provider for testing if you have a rash, a nail problem or other signs of ringworm, because its symptoms look like those of other skin and nail conditions. That can be your primary care provider, a dermatologist or a podiatrist, and a pharmacist can also help you decide where to start. The CDC also warns not to use steroid creams on a rash that could be ringworm, because steroids can make ringworm worse. Get It Prescribed does not treat ringworm or other skin infections.

If you think it is pinworm: itching around the anus has many other causes too, so it helps to confirm it first. Our guide to itchy anus at night: pinworms or not? explains the common causes and how to tell them apart.

See a clinician in person for a rash that is spreading, very painful, oozing or crusted, a scalp patch in a child, any rash with a fever, or severe belly pain.

If it turns out to be pinworm

If you and a provider decide a prescription is appropriate, Get It Prescribed connects adults with an independent licensed provider online. The service is available in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, and some states require a live phone or video visit. The cost is a one-time $50 provider consultation fee, plus $3.50 per capsule for mebendazole if a prescription is issued, with the quantity decided by the provider. No prescription is guaranteed, and the provider may recommend an in-person visit or testing instead. We don't publish doses or schedules on this site. See how it works for each step.

The mebendazole dispensed through Get It Prescribed is a 222 mg capsule prepared by a licensed compounding pharmacy. It is a compounded preparation. It is not FDA-approved, it has not been reviewed by the FDA for safety, effectiveness or quality, and it is not a generic of or substitute for the brand-name mebendazole chewable tablet.

This article is general education, not medical advice. It does not replace an evaluation by a licensed clinician who knows your history.

Related questions

Is ringworm a worm?

No. Despite the name, ringworm is a common fungal infection of the skin, scalp or nails. The CDC says it is caused by fungi, not a worm, and that the name comes from the ring-shaped, itchy rash it causes.

Is ringworm a parasite?

Not in the way worms are. Ringworm is a fungus that grows on the outer layers of the skin, hair or nails. Pinworm, roundworm and hookworm are parasitic worms that live inside the body, in the intestine.

What is the difference between pinworm and ringworm?

Pinworm is a tiny white worm that lives in the intestine and causes itching around the anus, especially at night. Ringworm is a fungal infection that causes an itchy, ring-shaped rash on the skin, or patches on the scalp or changes in the nails. They spread differently, are tested differently and need different kinds of medicine.

Can worm medicine treat ringworm?

Anti-worm medicines such as mebendazole and ivermectin are not antifungals, and their prescribing information does not include ringworm. The CDC says ringworm is treated with antifungal medicine, some sold without a prescription and some by prescription, depending on where it is and how serious it is. Ask a pharmacist or clinician.

Is ringworm contagious like pinworm?

Both spread from person to person, but in different ways. Pinworm spreads when its microscopic eggs are swallowed after touching contaminated skin, bedding or surfaces. Ringworm spreads through skin-to-skin contact with an infected person or animal, shared towels or bedding, and surfaces such as locker room floors.

Sources

• CDC: Ringworm Basics — ringworm is caused by fungi, not a worm; how it spreads, testing, steroid-cream warning and treatment overview.
• CDC: Symptoms of Ringworm — how ringworm looks on the skin, feet, groin, scalp, beard and nails.
• MedlinePlus: Ringworm (Medical Encyclopedia) — ringworm is a fungal skin infection, how it spreads, including from pets.
• MedlinePlus: Tinea Infections — overview of ringworm, athlete's foot and jock itch.
• CDC: About Pinworm Infection — what pinworms are, symptoms, who gets them and how they spread.
• CDC: Preventing Pinworm Infection — hygiene steps, and that people can't catch pinworm from pets.
• MedlinePlus: Pinworms — consumer overview of pinworm infection.
• DailyMed: mebendazole chewable tablet prescribing information — labeled uses, which are intestinal worm infections.
• FDA: Compounding and the FDA — Questions and Answers — what compounded preparations are and how they are regulated.