Fungus on the skin of the feet is one of the most common infections. Fungus on the feet is characterized by its vitality and ease of development. If you rely on statistics, then 20% of the world's population suffers from fungus.
What is a skin fungus?
Fungal diseases are infectious diseases that affect the skin. The most common type of fungus is mycosis. In medicine, this skin disease is divided into several types.
The fungus can adapt to almost any habitat conditions. Fungal spores are able to live long in ordinary clothes or shoes. In most cases, fungal infections are exposed to a person's feet and toenails.
How does mycosis work?
The causative agent of athlete's foot is the fungus Trichophyton rubrum, T. Mentagrophytes and Epidermophyton floccosum. Mycosis can be contracted through contact with infected skin or after using personal hygiene items.
Mycosis is characterized by destruction of the skin in the form of peeling. This is due to the fact that the fungus penetrates deep under the skin, leading to damage to the epidermis.
Yellow or white spots may appear on the nails. If the fungus affects the toes, then small bubbles of liquid form between them, which burst, healing is painful. Fungus on the feet is also accompanied by an unpleasant odor. The symptoms of mycosis can be different, depending on its type. To do this, you need to get to know each of them in more detail.
The main forms of mycosis:
- Interdigital mycosis.
- Squamous-hyperkeratotic form.
- Vesicular form.
- Deleted form.
- Nail fungus.
Interdigital mycosis
The most common localization of interdigital fungi are the intervals between 3, 4 and 5 toes.
The main symptoms of interdigital mycosis:
- The formation of a crack that is covered with a white scaly thick film.
- A small amount of liquid may separate from the crack.
- The appearance of a diaper rash between the toes.
- Slight itching between the fingers.
Initially, the fungus between the toes may be dormant without any symptoms. However, gradually changes begin to be observed - the skin becomes dry and rough, acquires a grayish tinge, cracks appear in rough areas.
In addition, there is the so-called "wet" fungus between the fingers. This form is characterized by the formation of bubbles filled with liquid. These bubbles burst, thus creating the effect of a "wet" fungus. Such a fungus most often forms after wearing tight unventilated shoes, as well as during severe stress.
Squamous-hyperkeratotic form
The squamous-hyperkeratotic form of mycosis is characterized by severe peeling and keratinization of the skin. This form of mycosis is very common, but most often affects people with atopic dermatitis.
The main symptoms of squamous-hyperkeratotic form of mycosis:
- Slight itching.
- The formation of cracks in the skin of the feet.
- Soreness.
- Dry skin.
- Skin peeling.
- Erythema with clear boundaries.
- Yellow scales.
- Onychomycosis - damage to the nail plates.
Vesicular form
The vesicular form of the fungus is the rarest of all. Only 8% of all mycosis patients are exposed to this type of disease. The vesicular form is characterized by the formation of rashes with fluid content inside. When these vesicles rupture, erosions occur that can become infected.
The main symptoms of vesicular fungus:
- Red or pink blisters.
- Inside the formations there is a liquid of transparent color.
- The size of the blisters can reach a maximum of 1 cm in diameter.
- The rash may be accompanied by mild itching.
- Wet blisters.
This form of mycosis is dangerous because there is a high probability of harmful bacteria and infections getting under the skin. To determine the vesicular form of mycosis, it is necessary to undergo special tests and take scraping the skin for analysis, as this disease can be easily confused by external symptoms with eczema or pustular psoriasis.
Deleted form
The erased form of the fungus is almost always the beginning of the development of diseases of the feet - mycoses.
In the deleted form of the fungus there are practically no visible symptoms, but some of them can still be distinguished:
- The skin is slightly peeled between the toes.
- The formation of small cracks between the fingers, which affect only the upper layers of the epidermis.
All these symptoms are not accompanied by itching or soreness, therefore they do not cause any discomfort to the person.
Nail fungus
Toenail fungus is also a very common form of this disease. Such a fungus does not pose a particular threat to human health, but it can cause a lot of discomfort.
Symptoms of nail fungus:
- The appearance of dryness and flaking of the skin on the feet.
- Itching.
- redness.
- Changing the shape of the nail.
- The color of the nails acquires a gray-yellow hue.
- Nail plate cracking.
- The fragility of the nail.
- The formation of a crumbling mass under the nail.
- The formation of gaps under the nail plate.
- Bad smell.
If the fungus on the feet has become severe, then the patient's temperature begins to rise. Foot fungus, like any type of mycosis, can provoke the development of psoriasis or eczema.
What do the fungus on the skin of the feet look like?
Despite the fact that foot fungus is a very common disease at the moment, not everyone knows exactly what it looks like. Many infected people do not even pay much attention when the first signs of a fungal infection appear. As mentioned earlier, there are several types of fungi.
Each species has its own symptoms:
- In the initial stage of infection, redness, slight swelling and cracking of the skin appear.
- In the middle stage of fungal development, peeling of the skin occurs. The foot is covered with spots of white, pink or white.
- If the disease has already passed at the highest stage of its development, then the nail plates of the toes begin to collapse and change their usual color. The skin of the feet begins to peel off in large pieces. Deep and painful cracks appear.
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Symptoms of fungus on the feet
To determine the fungus on the feet, it is necessary to determine the attention to the main symptoms:
- Redness of the affected areas of the skin.
- Skin peeling.
- Formation of bubbles with liquid content.
- Nails change color and shape.
- Brittleness and stratification of the nail plate.
Diagnosis
At the first signs of fungal symptoms you should consult a dermatologist. Sometimes a visual examination is not enough to make an accurate diagnosis.
Some symptoms may indicate the presence of another skin disease. Therefore, a specialist in such cases should take a scraping and do a microscopy. Only after such research can we clearly talk about the presence and form of fungal disease.
Treatment
It is necessary to start treatment of a fungal disease only after a complete diagnosis by a specialist, who must prescribe various drugs to treat this disease. The treatment of foot fungus can consist of several methods.
These methods include:
- systemic therapy.
- local therapy.
- Folk remedies.
It is worth taking a closer look at each of them.
Systemic therapy
Systemic therapy involves the use of various antifungal drugs. Such drugs penetrate the blood and kill the fungal infection. Such agents are able to penetrate the nail platinum, which can remain for several weeks, gradually killing the fungus.
Effective remedies for foot fungus
Terbinafine and itraconazole are considered effective antifungal agents. These systemic drugs can cure the patient in two weeks.
It is important to note that systemic therapy is not prescribed to the following individuals:
- Pregnant women.
- Breastfeeding mothers.
- Persons suffering from liver disease.
- Elderly people with concomitant diseases.
Ointments and creams
Systemic treatment of fungal diseases is recommended to be combined with topical therapy. This method of treatment includes various creams and ointments, which can also have an antifungal effect. However, it is worth paying attention to the fact that if creams and ointments are used without the use of systemic drugs, then treatment may be ineffective.
Local medicines to fight fungal infections are divided into 20 forms. In addition to creams and ointments, various sprays, gels, foams and varnishes are used to treat foot fungus.
When using a topical fungus treatment, it is worth remembering that after applying any product on the skin, the feet should not be washed during the day.
Folk remedies
You can also cure fungus on the skin of the feet with the help of folk remedies. To do this, you need to get to know them in more detail.
Folk remedies for nail fungus:
- At night, a piece of kombucha is applied to the affected nails.
- Attach a sliced Kalanchoe leaf to the nails overnight.
Folk remedies for the treatment of fungus between the toes:
- Wash the skin between the fingers and smear with birch tar.
- Make a decoction of plantain, yarrow, wormwood and chamomile. Make foot baths from the prepared broth.
Folk remedies for the treatment of foot fungus:
- Lubricate the affected areas of the skin with onion juice at night.
- Make a compress for the night from propolis tincture 20%.
Folk remedies for the treatment of foot fungus:
- Take a foot bath with sea salt twice a day.
- Three times a day foot baths are made from a decoction of chamomile, oak bark and calendula.
Prevention
Fungus on the skin of the feet most often causes sweating. Even in the cold season, the cause of fungal disease is well preserved. But high fever can kill the infection, so one method of prevention is boiling. Another method of prevention is the disinfection of shoes with formalin. With this action, the fungus dies after 20 minutes.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is worth noting that the fungal disease of the skin of the feet does not harm human health. The fungus only creates discomfort. However, this infection should not be ignored. If the disease becomes severe, it can lead to pain and the development of other infections.