When most people think of fungus, they think of a mushroom growing in the wild or something being controlled in a laboratory. Both are completely true and typical. However, most people don’t realize, or choose to ignore, that fungus is present all around us, even living on and inside of our bodies. Scary stuff when you think about it, but the fact is we all live with fungus every single day. It is on the surfaces we touch, the floors we walk on, even in the air we breathe.

According to Merck Manual, most fungi spores that we come into contact with on a daily basis are not harmful and will not cause infections. With a few exceptions, fungal infections are not spread from person to person and are not a serious health risk in a normal immune system. So then why the concern? In a typical person with a healthy immune system fungal infections can cause moderate to severe itchy, painful rashes, blisters and lesions. Nothing life threatening, but sure to cause a great deal of discomfort, considering some of these infections can last for weeks or months. In a person with a compromised immune system, such as the elderly, organ transplant patients, or persons with HIV/AIDS, fungal infections can lead to far more serious complications. Fungal infections can spread to the bloodstream and attack the organs in the body from the inside out, putting a person with a weakened immune system at serious and even life-threatening risk.

Web MD classifies two main groupings of fungal infections. The first is called Tinea, commonly referred to as ringworm and the second is called Candida. Tinea, or ringworm, is a dermatophyte. Simply put, ringworm is a fungal infection that affects the skin, hair or nails. Ringworm includes such things as athlete’s foot, jock itch, scalp infections and nail infections, as well as skin infections on the arms, legs and body. Candida, on the other hand, is a yeast infection. Yeast infections can affect many parts of the body, including the vagina, mouth (aka thrush), folds in the skin and nail beds. Ringworm and yeast infections are both nothing to be overly concerned about from a health standpoint for the majority of the population. Again, unless you have a compromised immune system, these fungal infections should be nothing more than unsightly and uncomfortable. Both ringworm and yeast infections can be treated at home with over-the-counter topical medications. If the infection is extreme or prolonged, your doctor may prescribe a topical or oral medication.

So what are the most common fungal infections you’re likely to encounter at some point? Let’s break them down.