‘OK im scared’: Woman goes to the gym. Then she starts going bald for this strange reason
If you go to the gym, this one is for you. While the gym may be your happy place, always make sure to wipe down your equipment. Here's why it's important and what happened to this gym goer as a result of dirty equipment.
An alarming PSA
As someone who goes to the gym pretty much every day, Hillary Nguyen (@xhillarynguyen) was shocked to learn about the dangers of dirty equipment the hard way. Turns out, dirty gym equipment gave her ring worm.
"PSA to all my gym girlies, if you're not wiping down every single piece of equipment before you use it you're gonna want to start," Nguyen says.
She continues, "Three months ago I discovered that I had scalp wing worm and it literally made go bald."
She then shows pictures of their scalp three months ago with a circle bald patch near the front of their head.
"That same day I went to the doctor's and they did a black light test on me and that's how they discovered that it was ringworm. She asked me if I go to the gym and I said basically every day, so that was most likely why," Nguyen says.
The video has 40,000 likes and 491,300 views as of Saturday.
The Daily Dot has previously reported on other reasons why people are wary of the gym, like this woman who says a man was harassing her.
Can the gym really give you ringworm?
The answer is yes. According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association (AADA), people who go to the gym are vulnerable to a host of different skin infections including ringworm. However, it is treatable. Nguyen explains that after three months of treatment her scalp has improved and details the journey in another video.
Unfortunately, gyms are ideal environments for bacteria to grow and get passed on between people. Bacteria and fungi thrive in warm humid environments like gym equipment and showers. This is why it's important to follow proper sanitation procedures at the gym.
Tips for healthy gym time
There are many ways you can avoid getting an infection when working out in shared spaces. According to the same article by AADA, wiping down equipment before and after you use it is one place to start. This ensures you're safe and that the person after you is also covered.
Another tip is to wear loose and moisture-absorbing clothing. This will keep your skin dry and help prevent you from absorbing any germs. Of course, they also recommend washing your gym clothes after use.
In addition to sanitizing your clothes, it's a good measure to sanitize yourself by showering as soon as possible after working out and washing your hands as well.
Viewers weigh in
Nguyen's PSA has done wonders with several people saying they had no idea and being grateful to Nguyen for sharing. Others share similar experiences with ringworms.
"I got ringworm from the gym on the inside in my elbow (probably from a bar). I thought it was a itchy bug or spider bite for a long time until it got bad," one commenter wrote.
"Well new fear re-unlocked. I do wipe all equipment but this was like not an active conscious though about ringworm avoidance til now," another said.
"I sanitize my phone with alcohol wipes and wash my hands right after the gym. I’m so scared to catch something!!! No one wipes stuff down at my gym," someone else commented.
"I got ringworm from the mats at my gym a while back it sucked! def bring wipes and disinfectant if you can ik some gyms don’t keep up with it like they should," another weighed in.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Nguyen for comment via TikTok message and email.
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