The gym I train at is not very clean, to be diplomatic about it. Mats are cleaned rarely. Instructor heard ringworm isn't transmitted from mat to person so he has basically stopped cleaning the mats. It's unreal.
I decided to get some defense soap to protect myself as best as I could but I ended up rolling with a kid who had ringworm and didn't find out until after we were done. He covered up a spot with a band-aid and I didn't ask about it. Another guy told me he had ringworm after we rolled for about fifteen minutes.
I assume I got it from him. I rolled with him Tuesday night and the worm showed up this morning. Could it take that long for it to break out? I rolled every day last week after that day so it could be something else, I guess, but doesn't seem likely.
On a good note, I used the defense soap oil to treat the worm and it killed it basically the same day. The stuff seems to work really well. Normally I use bleach but this seems more effective, quicker and less toxic to my skin.
jemmmett - I ended up rolling with a kid who had ringworm and didn't find out until after we were done. He covered up a spot with a band-aid and I didn't ask about it.
That's gross.
I rolled with him Tuesday night and the worm showed up this morning. Could it take that long for it to break out?
Yes.
On a good note, I used the defense soap oil to treat the worm and it killed it basically the same day.
Defense soap and similar products are pretty good at preventing infections, but I am skeptical at best that it 'killed' the tinea infection in a day. It usually takes a prescription anti-fungal from one to two weeks to kill a mild infection.
I would be worried that the fungus is still very much alive, without any outward sign. Perhaps you should see a doctor so you don't unknowningly spread it further? (not that it seems to matter at your gym)
I do hope it really is gone though, rignworm sucks.
dude tell him he will be liable for bigger problems like mrsa and staph
PubMed: Wrestling mats and ringworm
Prob true, but disease transmission is poorly understood and this is just a small study (cited above).
Skin to skin contact is the usual source, but we don't know if mats are part of the vector even though they are not obviously culturable. Maybe it only lives for a few minutes, maybe their methods of sampling aren't ideal.
Seems stupid not to do what you can, keep everything as clean as possible even if only to avoid litigation or losing students due to unsanitary conditions. Also, other infections are possible. Hep B lives on surfaces even dried out for extended periods, as does staph and strep.
screw that, you need to have a talk with the instructor. If I went to a academy that was staph heavy and they did nothing to stop it (no cleaning the mats or sending fools home who have it but come to train anyways) then I would be switching academies asap.
worm may still be there even if you don't see it, at least for another week. treat it with anti fungal cream for maybe even up to 2 weeks just to be safe.
If you read the original study you'll see they are not at all sure and their recommendation is to be as clean as possible, showers and cleaning mats, despite being unable to cuture.
Print this out and get him to read it. Note the discussion and recommendations on the second page.
Reprint
(pdf)
If it were me, I'd make a trip to the local pharmacy and pick up a bottle of bevels lotion(sp?). After I spoke to the instructor in private to ask if I needed to clean the mats personally. Even if, and that's a big if, ringworm isn't spread from mats to people, staff is.
I shower before and after every practice with defense soap. I stand out of the water stream for a minute or more. I wash my gi immediately after every practice. I cover up nicks and cuts with new skin.
If training at another academy were an option, I wouldn't be here. Talking to my instructor is as constructive as talking to a wall. It's just a shitty situation. I clean the mats when I can but I don't have time to do it every day.
I use and sell defense soap and athletic body care products at my school. I clean my mat after every class. Once the worm shows up it is hard to get rid of it. It got so bad I started doing skin checks. I had to get it under control or lose even more money.
Guys, this ran rampant when i wrestled in hs. Ask your pharmacist if they've heard of bevels lotion. Over and done with in under a week, usually will clear it up in 3 days.
stay off the mats if you have it. It's inconsiderate and dangerous to continue to train if you aware that you have it.
It is not a "worm" but a "fungus".
I always train with a rash top and long compression tights under the gi, fuck getting someone elses grubbiness
you should start wearing long sleeve rash guards all the time. If you're doing gi class, wear it under your gi. If you've been getting it in your legs wear the aoki pants. From what a doctor told me, the most important thing is to shower right away. You also have to tell your training partners to take a few days off from training or at least cover it with duct tape and a rash guard.
Yeah, don't give up on talking to "the wall." Rally troops with other students who give a shit. Offer to maintain the mats for a discount or out of goodwill if that's the kind of guys you are. If he continues to be hard-headed, hey, a single class action suit will put most gyms out of business & make way for the next guy.
i own a gym & we get ringworm on occasion. but, we clean the mats every night, use a commercial mat cleaner mixed in a garden sprayer to spray the showers 1-2x week. it still pops up occasionally. keep it under control as best you can. -rally the troops!!!-if the owner wont mop, then you do it. have the owner buy a mop bucket & a few mops, gallons of bleach & you guys do it every night.-its for YOUR health. it only takes 5 minues--i think it was Walt Bayless' gym in utah got shut down by their health dept. because of unsanitary conditions, not cleaning, too much funk....
Jemmmett,
Try not to shower before practice. When you do that you are stripping away your normal skin flora. Your body will protect itself if your flora is strong. Then shower after practice.
Gestation period for ringworm can be anywhere for 24 hours to 10 days. I have seen lots of studies on this and they seem to be all over the place.
Our oil contains jojoba oil which is a penetrating oil. This will pull the tea tree and eucalyptus down into the skin. After the the worm has flattened out take a band aid and cake it with our healing salve. This will help clear it up the rest of the way.
Guy
Defense Soap
Dirty bastids...
Some mats are harder to keep clean as well... Our Zebra/Swain are pretty easy being non pourus. Those jigsaw mats are like sponges.
I clean after most every class and shower with Defense Soap or Nizoral as soon as possible after. Nizoral dries the shit out of my skin though...
FJJ828,
Nizoral is good for the ringworm but it wont protect you from Herpes, Staph, or MRSA.
Guy