Boutique fitness is booming. So are ringworm concerns

A Lululemon matching set, hair tie, grip socks and … Lysol wipes?

"Pilates girls" and college students alike are shelling out upwards of $400 a month for an unlimited membership to Solidcore, a boutique fitness company known for high-intensity reformer workouts.

But some Solidcore devotees have taken to Reddit and TikTok to share why they've started packing their gym bags with disinfecting wipes before heading into the studio, and it's all due to the pesky infection commonly known as ringworm, or its counterpart "athlete's foot."

Solidcore falls into the same growing fitness category as other Lagree studios like SLT and Pilates-inspired studios like BodyRok, and dermatologists say that even if one company is getting slack right now, ringworm is not a problem unique to any one brand. Gyms have long been a breeding ground for fungal infections, according to experts, but there are steps athletes can take to lower the risk.

Multiple clients have shared on Reddit that they've been infected with ringworm after visiting Solidcore's studios. In the r/Solidcore subreddit, one expressed frustration with the fitness studio's lack of communication after suspecting their ringworm infection came from the Downtown Brooklyn location.

Solidcore did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

"It really bothers me that I only ever hear about the ringworm outbreaks from Reddit," they wrote, adding that disclosing the outbreaks might "pressure clients to do a better job of maintaining gym hygiene."

"It's gross the amount of people l've seen walk out without even touching their wipes," the post added.

But clients say they are expected to clean their own machine after each class, and there's a tight turnaround time between sessions that start as early as 5 a.m. and go until 10 at night. This is common practice across various boutique fitness studios, but many commenters criticized that for the high fees, companies should do more to prevent the spread of germs and infections like ringworm. Other Reddit users identifying as Solidcore coaches have commented that machines are "deep cleaned every night" by professional cleaning crews.

Here's what experts want gym-goers to know about ringworm.

What is ringworm?

Don't let the name fool you – ringworm has nothing to do with worms.

Rather, the name comes from an itchy, ringlike rash caused by a fungal infection. Signs may include rings that start small and expand outward, with a clear or scaly area in the center.

It can spread from direct, skin-to-skin contact with an infected person, from touching an animal with ringworm, from contact with highly infected soil, or from contact with objects that an infected person has recently touched – such as gym equipment.

"Gyms provide an ideal environment for fungi because they're warm, humid and have many shared surfaces," said Dr. Anthony Rossi, a double board-certified dermatologist. Common sources can include shared yoga or exercise mats, locker room floors, weight benches, towels, shared sports equipment or shower areas, Rossi said.

Conversations online can stir up anxiety around potential outbreaks, but Dr. Dina Strachan, a board-certified dermatologist at Aglow Dermatology in Manhattan, said she hasn't heard of any major outbreaks in New York.

"It's itchy, it's uncomfortable, it can spread … but that's always a risk at the gym," Strachan says.

For most healthy individuals, ringworm is "more of a nuisance than a serious medical problem," Rossi says. But he and Strachan caution that people with weakened immune systems or diabetes should seek medical evaluation, as more serious bacterial infections and sepsis are rare but can occur.

Left untreated, ringworm can spread to other parts of the body or to other individuals. When the infection appears on feet, it is called "athlete's foot." The good news: several nonprescription (over-the-counter) antifungal medications are available. For more widespread ringworm, your health care provider can prescribe oral antifungal medication.

'The studios are so gross,' but clients say they 'don't have a choice'

In the r/Solidcore subreddit, a college student and member of the Rice Village studio in Houston, Texas, posted in late June that she had noticed a red circle on her forearm, in the same spot where it touches the reformer during a plank.

She asked that USA TODAY withhold her name both to protect the anonymous nature of Reddit and because she is an active Solidcore member, but she shared that it's difficult not to want to quit the workout.

"The studios are so gross, and it sucks because it's literally the only workout in that category, so you don't have a choice," she says. "There's unfortunately nothing like it. It's super effective."

She said her symptoms subsided after using an over-the-counter fungal cream, and that she's already returned to her workout classes.

But concerns over cleanliness are common across fitness studios; in r/barrysbootcamp, users have posted about a lack of gym etiquette among fellow athletes when it comes to wiping up sweat.

Part of the frustration stems from the high cost of the workout. For the price point, some members argue that there should be dedicated staff cleaning up between sessions. Even with a student discount, the student from Rice University told USA TODAY she pays around $300 a month for her membership. She says she doesn't mind cleaning her own machine, but often notices people running out of class without doing the same.

"We all just put that bungee cord around our bare foot, and (people) did not even touch that with a wipe, and now the next class is going to do that same thing. That's so gross," she says.

How to prevent ringworm

Preventing ringworm is straightforward, though not foolproof.

It comes down to "protecting your skin barrier and minimizing exposure," Rossi says. He recommends wiping down equipment before and after use, using your own towel and avoiding sharing towels, clothing or personal items, wearing flip-flops in locker rooms and communal showers and avoiding lounging in sweaty workout gear after a session; it also helps to wash your gym attire after every use.

Sock requirements vary across specific studios; some companies such as SLT and Club Pilates require them for safety and hygiene; others, like Solidcore and New York Pilates, do not. However, opting for wearing socks on the reformer can reduce exposure to fungi on the machine.

The bottom line? "Good hygiene, early recognition and appropriate antifungal treatment make ringworm a very manageable condition," Rossi said.

"There's no reason for people to be fearful," he said, "but taking simple preventive measures is worthwhile."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Boutique fitness is booming. So are ringworm concerns

Reporting by Alyssa Goldberg, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect

This story was originally published July 14, 2026 at 11:05 AM.