From Blindsided on another thread.

"do you guys get lots of ring worm?"

Well, anyone had ringworm? Raise your hand.

The key to preventing ringworm is to make sure that the mats are cleaned regularly and that students are taking care of hygeine and not recyling their training clothes before washing.

That being said, I have had ringworm twice since 1997. Caught from others. It sucks. No training for at least a week and regular Lamisil/Lotrimin Anti-fungal until it's gone.

Had a horrible case of it as a child. Chalk it up to poverty. Was all over...inside and out.

Thanks for reminding me! I see that in the MA environment, one gets it from mats. Guess I will stick to the wooden floor dojo.

WTF. I always train in gi pants and a t-shirt, so I have not had any ringworm.

*shiver*

Thanks for the nightmares.

Keep yourself clean. Make sure they clean the mats and don't roll with anyone who has a rash.

You'll be fine.

In eight years, I have spent a total of two weeks off the mat from RW. The only way to completely avoid it it is to not train. Either that or wrap yourself in a full body condom.

Had it once.

I attended a seminar once where after the second day, there was so much accumulated sweat on the mats that they were as slippery as ICE! Then I discovered that no one had mopped them after the FIRST day.

That was nasty enough. After a few days back home, I noticed a small red place on the inside of my knee. Itched like hell and I began treating it immediately. Fortunately it was a very small spot but I wouldn't allow myself back on the mats until it was gone.

Naturally you have to stay on top of your OWN hygene. It's that of OTHERS that you can't control. Wearing gi pants and a long sleeve shirt/gi top is one way of reducing your chances of getting it. I don't tend to follow my own advise often in that regard...


-John

Toss in a case of folliculitis and a couple of carbuncles and you got the four horsemen of the hygiene apocalipse

A veritable petri dish smorgasbord of fungal skin ailments.

Yum.

A ring worm walks into a bar, pulls up a stool, and orders a beer. The Bartender says " It's not happening buddy we don't serve your kind in here". The ringworm replies "oh come on....I'm a fungi. "