 [ Symptoms ] a friend contracted ringworm and i touched his skin but not the infected area what are the chances of contracting it  a friend of mine from a youth group i go to recently contracted ringworm on his arm he was with the group tonight and had the area covered with a huge bandage yet he would peel the bandage off just enough for people to see the ring and then immediately put it back on i never touched the infected area but i did come into skin to skin contact with him during a couple games and activities i washed my hands face and other possible areas of contact with soap but will i get ringworm [ Disease ] in case you did not know it ringworm is not caused by a worm at all ringworm is actually a skin fungus just like athlete is foot or jock itch you can get ringworm in a variety of ways from sharing a towel with someone who is infected to touching damp surfaces that carry the fungus the fungus that causes ringworm thrives in warm damp environments which is why it is frequently acquired in places like public pool common areas to your question you could catch ringworm from your friend even if you did not touch the lesion the reason is because the fungus could be infecting other areas of your friend is skin but not showing the characteristic ring mark yet if you have thoroughly washed and dried the skin areas that came in contact with your friend you are probably not going to get ringworm however be careful not to share any sports gear or towels with your friend and be sure to wear flip flops or other foot protection if you all are bathing in a common shower area or something like that by the way ringworm will not clear up on its own it needs to be treated with an anti fungal preparation your friend can try using an over the counter cream for athlete is foot the generic name is miconazole but if that does not help or if the ringworm starts spreading your friend should seek medical attention in rare instances ringworm is best treated with a prescription medication hope this helps