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Psoriasis and ringworm can look alike, especially in the early stages. Both may cause a discolored, itchy rash with flaking or scaly skin. Telling them apart can be tricky.
Psoriasis is a chronic condition caused by an overactive immune system. It leads to skin inflammation and the rapid buildup of skin cells, creating thick, scaly patches. Ringworm, on the other hand, is a contagious fungal infection. It’s caused by moldlike parasites that live on the outer layer of the skin or scalp.
While a dermatologist can usually tell the difference, understanding how psoriasis and ringworm vary in their symptoms, causes, and treatments can help you talk with your doctor and get the right diagnosis.
Ringworm gets its name from the ringlike shape of its rash. It typically appears as a round patch of discolored skin — red, purple, gray, or brown, depending on your skin tone — with clearer skin in the center. The edges of the ring are often raised and scaly, and the rash may itch and grow over time. Some people may see several rings, which can overlap or appear separately.
Psoriasis usually appears as dry, cracked, and discolored patches of skin (called plaques), often covered with silvery, gray, or clear scales. These plaques can itch, burn, or bleed. They may stay separate or join together to cover a larger area — similar to how ringworm rashes can expand.
Psoriasis looks different from person to person. Some people have just a few small patches with mild flaking, while others have widespread, thick, scaly plaques on multiple areas of the body. The condition can go through phases, flaring at times and improving at others.
Some types of psoriasis, like inverse, plaque, and guttate psoriasis, may look more like ringworm than others. One MyPsoriasisTeam member shared, “It looks like I have ringworm all over my midbody.”
About half of the people living with psoriasis develop it on their scalp, according to the National Psoriasis Foundation. Scalp psoriasis can affect not just the scalp, but also the hairline, forehead, back of the neck, and skin around the ears. It causes raised, discolored, scaly plaques that may itch. Flaking and thick scales are common, and the condition can look like severe dandruff.
Ringworm can also appear on the scalp, but it affects both the skin and the hair shafts. Scalp ringworm (also called tinea capitis) is most common in toddlers and school-aged children. It usually causes itchy, scaly patches of hair loss. These bald spots may have silvery or gray scales and small black dots where hair has broken off.
Swollen lymph nodes — small, bean-shaped glands that help your body fight infection — may appear near the affected area.
Psoriasis and ringworm may both cause skin rashes, but there are key differences. Psoriasis is an autoimmune condition, meaning the immune system is overactive and attacks the body’s own skin. Symptoms often come and go in cycles — flaring up, then easing during periods of remission.
In addition to skin plaques, psoriasis can affect the nails, causing them to become thick, pitted, or ridged. Up to 1 in 3 people with psoriasis develop psoriatic arthritis, which can cause joint pain, swelling, or stiffness.
Psoriasis can appear anywhere on the body. Ringworm, by contrast, is most common on the arms, legs, trunk, neck, and buttocks. It typically causes a round or ring-shaped rash, while psoriasis plaques can vary in shape and size.
Just as the symptoms of psoriasis and ringworm differ, so too do their respective causes and associated risks. Understanding these can help manage symptoms — and in the case of ringworm, prevent the spread of a highly contagious disease.
Although researchers aren’t sure exactly what causes psoriasis, it likely develops in response to a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Psoriasis isn’t contagious, meaning it’s not possible to “catch” psoriasis.
As an autoimmune disease, psoriasis occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own healthy tissues (in this case, the skin). The body responds by producing new skin cells at a highly accelerated rate. The skin doesn’t shed quickly enough to keep up, resulting in thick, scaly skin patches.
People with psoriasis may experience periodic flare-ups throughout their lives. Common triggers that are thought to worsen psoriasis flare-ups include:
Ringworm of the body (tinea corporis) is related to the infections athlete’s foot (tinea pedis), jock itch (tinea cruris), and ringworm of the scalp. Although its name may suggest otherwise, ringworm is caused by infection from a certain group of fungi known as dermatophytes. No worm is involved in the infection.
Ringworm is contagious and may spread in several different ways, including:
In rare cases, ringworm may also be spread through contact with infected soil. The spores that cause ringworm can remain contagious for up to 18 months.
If you’re noticing new or worsening skin symptoms, it’s important to see a dermatologist or doctor to get the right diagnosis and treatment.
Psoriasis is typically diagnosed through a physical exam. Your doctor will likely check your skin, scalp, and nails, and ask about any symptoms and family history of psoriasis or autoimmune conditions. In some cases, they may take a biopsy, which entails removing a small piece of skin to examine under a microscope for signs of psoriasis.
Ringworm is often diagnosed based on how it looks. Its round, ringlike shape is usually a clear giveaway. But if your doctor isn’t sure, they may also take a skin sample — either a biopsy or a skin scraping — to check for signs of fungal infection under a microscope. A scraping test can often be done quickly, even during a regular office visit.
Because early ringworm rashes can look similar to psoriasis, it’s possible to be misdiagnosed — especially if the ring-shaped pattern hasn’t fully developed yet. Some people are diagnosed with psoriasis only after antifungal treatments for ringworm don’t work. Psoriasis can also be mistaken for other health conditions, like eczema or allergic skin reactions.
In some cases, a person may have both psoriasis and ringworm at the same time. One MyPsoriasisTeam member shared, “It was more complicated to treat once you have both conditions.”
When both occur in the same area — especially in skin folds — it can be harder for doctors to tell which patches are caused by psoriasis and which by a fungal infection, like ringworm. This overlap is common with inverse psoriasis, which often develops in warm, moist areas where fungi also thrive.
Several MyPsoriasisTeam members have shared that getting the right diagnosis wasn’t easy. Because psoriasis and ringworm can look so similar, even healthcare providers may misdiagnose one as the other.
One member asked if others had experienced the same confusion, writing, “They’re saying it’s not psoriasis. When I was five, I was told that it was ringworm, and then when I was 17, I was told it’s psoriasis.”
Another member said they were also misdiagnosed at first. It wasn’t until their doctor performed a biopsy that they received a confirmed diagnosis of psoriasis.
Ringworm is usually easy to treat with over-the-counter antifungal creams. If symptoms don’t improve, a doctor may prescribe stronger antifungal creams or oral antifungal medication.
Psoriasis, on the other hand, often requires a more personalized and long-term treatment plan. You and your doctor may need to try a few different options to find what works best for your skin.
Some people manage psoriasis with topical treatments like corticosteroid creams, vitamin D-based lotions, salicylic acid, or topical retinoids (vitamin A derivatives). For others, light therapy — also called phototherapy — may help. This treatment uses controlled doses of UVB light to reduce inflammation and slow the growth of skin cells.
If these options aren’t enough, your doctor may recommend oral medications like methotrexate or injectable treatments, including biologics or corticosteroids. These treatments work by targeting the immune system to help control inflammation and prevent flare-ups.
Using antifungal cream on psoriasis is not recommended. These creams are made to treat fungal infections like ringworm — not autoimmune conditions like psoriasis. If you use them on psoriasis, they may irritate your skin and potentially worsen your flare-up.
The best way to find relief is to talk with a dermatologist, who can help confirm your diagnosis and guide you to treatments that are right for your skin.
If you’re diagnosed with both psoriasis and ringworm, it’s important to treat the ringworm first before using any steroid treatments. Steroids can weaken your body’s immune response, which may make the fungal infection worse and allow it to spread more quickly.
Once the ringworm is fully treated and cleared, you and your doctor can safely focus on managing psoriasis with the appropriate therapies.
On MyPsoriasisTeam, people share their experiences with psoriasis, get advice, and find support from others who understand.
Have you had ringworm at the same time as psoriasis? Let others know in the comments below.
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After a biopsy I have been diagnosed with psoriasiform spongiotic dermatitis after almost 2 years of being misdiagnosed with anything like tinea (ringworm) to GA (granuloma annulare) I also been… read more
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