Bowen's Disease vs Ringworm
How to tell the difference — key features compared side by side.
Feature
Bowen's Disease
Ringworm
Category
Pre-cancerous
Common
Key feature
Early-stage SCC confined to the top skin layer. A persistent, well-defined red scaly patch - 3-5% progress to invasive cancer.
Fungal infection - not a worm. Creates circular red patches with clearing centers. Contagious but easily treated.
Risk factors
Chronic sun exposure; Fair skin; Age over 60
Direct contact with infected people or animals; Contact sports (wrestling is high-risk); Shared changing rooms, showers, gym equipment
Action needed
A persistent red scaly patch not responding to eczema or fungal treatments
Ring-shaped rash not improving after 2 weeks of OTC antifungal
Bowen's Disease
Bowen's disease is squamous cell carcinoma in situ - malignant cells present but not yet invaded beyond the epidermis. It represents the stage between actinic keratosis and invasive SCC.
Read full guide →Ringworm
Ringworm (tinea corporis) is a fungal infection of the skin caused by dermatophyte fungi. Despite its name, no worm is involved - the name comes from the characteristic ring-shaped rash with a raised, scaly border and clearing center.
Read full guide →Does yours look more like bowen's disease?
Quick self-check
Does this look like bowen's disease? Answer 2 questions.
Is it a single, well-defined scaly patch (not multiple)?
Has it persisted despite treatment attempts?
Still not sure?
Our full ABCDE checker evaluates 5 clinical criteria dermatologists use.
Full ABCDE check →