Fungus on the skin of the feet is one of the most common infections. The fungi on the legs are known for their vigor and ease of development. If you rely on statistics, 20% of the world's population suffers from this fungus.
What is skin fungus?
Fungal diseases are infectious diseases that affect the skin. The most common type of fungus is fungal disease. Medically, this skin disease is divided into several types.
This fungus can adapt to almost any habitat condition. Fungal spores can survive for a long time in ordinary clothes or shoes. In most cases, fungal infections are exposed on the feet and nails on a person's legs.
How does mycosis work?
The causative agents of foot mycosis are the fungi Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Epidermophyton floccosum. Fungal diseases can be contracted through contact with infected skin or through the use of any personal hygiene product.
Fungal disease is characterized by the destruction of the skin in the form of peeling. This is because the fungus penetrates deep under the skin, causing damage to the epidermis.
Yellow or white spots may appear on the nails. If the fungus infects the toes, small bubbles with fluid form between them, these bubbles burst, and healing can be painful. Foot fungus is also accompanied by an unpleasant odor. Symptoms of fungal disease can vary, depending on the type. To do this, you need to familiarize yourself with each of them in more detail.
Main forms of fungal diseases:
- Interdigital fungal disease.
- Squamous form of hyperkeratosis.
- Blister.
- Erase form.
- Nail fungus.
interdigital fungal disease
The most common localization of interdigital fungus is the space between the 3, 4 and 5 toes.
The main symptoms of interdigital mycosis:
- The formation of cracks, covered with a thick white flaky film.
- A small amount of fluid may be released from the fracture.
- Diaper rash between toes.
- Slight itching between fingers.
Initially, the fungus between the toes may be dormant with no symptoms. Gradually, however, changes began to be observed - the skin became dry and rough, appearing grey, and cracks appeared in the rough areas.
In addition, there is a so-called "wet" fungus between the fingers. This form is characterized by the formation of liquid-filled bubbles. These bubbles burst, creating the effect of a "wet" fungus. This fungus most commonly forms after wearing tight shoes and during periods of severe stress.
scaly hyperkeratotic form
The scaly hyperkeratotic form of mycosis is characterized by severe peeling and keratinization of the skin. This form of mycosis is common, however, it most commonly affects people with atopic dermatitis.
The main symptoms of hyperkeratosis scaly mycosis:
- Weak itching.
- Cracks form in the skin of the feet.
- pain.
- Dry skin.
- Skin flaking.
- Clearly demarcated erythema.
- Yellow scales.
- Onychomycosis - damage to the nail plate.
blister
The vesicular form of the fungus is the rarest. Only 8% of people with mycosis have been exposed to such diseases. The blister form is characterized by the formation of a rash that contains fluid inside. When these vesicles rupture, erosions develop and can become infected.
The main symptoms of blister fungus:
- Red or pink blisters form.
- Inside the formation there is a clear colored liquid.
- The blisters can be up to 1 cm in diameter.
- The rash may be accompanied by mild itching.
- Wet blisters.
This form of fungal disease is dangerous because harmful bacteria and infections are likely to get under the skin. To identify the vesicular form of mycosis, special studies and analysis of skin scrapes are necessary, as this disease can easily be confused by external symptoms with eczema or pustular psoriasis.
erase form
The erasing form of the fungus is almost always the beginning of the development of a foot disease - mycosis.
With the erasing form of the fungus, there are few obvious symptoms, however, some of them can still be distinguished:
- Slight peeling of the skin between the toes.
- Small cracks form between the fingers, affecting only the upper layers of the epidermis.
All these symptoms are not accompanied by itching or soreness, so they do not cause any discomfort to the person.
nail fungus
Toenail fungus is also a very common form of the disease. This fungus poses no particular threat to human health, but it can cause a lot of discomfort.
Nail Fungus Symptoms:
- The appearance of dry and peeling skin on the feet.
- itching.
- redness.
- Change the shape of the nails.
- Nails are grayish-yellow in color.
- Cracked nail plate.
- Brittleness of the nails.
- Forms a shaky substance under the nail.
- Create voids under the nail plate.
- stink.
If the foot fungus becomes severe, the patient's body temperature will start to rise. As with any type of fungal disease, foot fungus can trigger the development of psoriasis or eczema.
What does skin fungus on the feet look like?
Although foot fungus is currently a very common disease, not everyone knows exactly what it looks like. When the first signs of a fungal infection appear, many infected people don't even take it seriously. As mentioned earlier, there are several types of fungi.
Each type has its own symptoms:
- In the early stages of infection, the skin will appear red, slightly swollen, and cracked.
- During the middle stage of fungal development, skin peeling occurs. The feet are covered with white, pink or white spots.
- If the disease has advanced to its highest degree, the nail plate on the toe begins to collapse and change its usual color. The skin on the feet started to peel off in large chunks. Deep and painful cracks appeared.
a photo
Symptoms of tinea pedis
To identify the fungus on the legs, it is necessary to determine the focus on the basic symptoms:
- Redness of the affected skin area.
- Skin flaking.
- Forms blisters containing liquid.
- Nails change color and shape.
- Nail plates are fragile and delaminated.
diagnosis
At the first manifestation of fungal symptoms, you should consult a dermatologist. Sometimes, in order to establish an accurate diagnosis, visual inspection is not enough.
Some symptoms may indicate another skin condition. Therefore, in this case, a specialist should scrape and do a microscopic examination. Only after such research can we speak clearly about the existence and form of mycosis.
treat
Treatment of the fungal disease can only be started after the diagnosis has been made by the specialist, who must prescribe various medications to treat the disease. Treatment for leg fungus can include several methods.
These methods include:
- Systemic treatment.
- topical treatment.
- Folk remedies.
It's worth taking a closer look at each of them.
systemic therapy
Systemic treatment refers to the use of various antifungal drugs. These drugs penetrate the blood and kill fungal infections. Such funds are able to seep into the nail platinum, which stays for weeks, gradually killing the fungus.
Effective Remedies for Foot Fungus
Terbinafine and itraconazole are considered effective antifungal agents. These systemic drugs can cure patients within two weeks.
It is important to note that systemic therapy is not suitable for individuals who:
- pregnant woman.
- breastfeeding mom.
- People with liver disease.
- Elderly people with complications.
Ointments and Creams
Systemic treatment of mycosis is recommended in combination with topical therapy. This treatment includes various creams and ointments, which also have antifungal properties. However, it is worth noting that the treatment may not be effective if creams and ointments are used without systemic medications.
Topical medicines to fight fungal infections come in 20 forms. In addition to creams and ointments, various sprays, gels, foams, and varnishes are used to treat foot fungus.
When using topical treatments for fungi, it is worth remembering that the legs do not need to be washed during the day after any treatment of the skin.
folk remedies
You can also cure fungus on the skin of your feet with the help of folk remedies. For this, you need to familiarize yourself with them in more detail.
Folk remedies for onychomycosis:
- At night, apply a tablet of kombucha to the affected nail.
- Stick the cut kalanchoe leaves on your nails overnight.
Folk remedies for fungus between the toes:
- Wash and grease the skin between your fingers with birch tar.
- Fry the plantain, yarrow, wormwood, and chamomile into a soup. Soak your feet in the prepared broth.
Folk remedies for tinea pedis:
- Lubricate the affected skin area with onion juice at night.
- Apply at night with a 20% propolis tincture.
Folk remedies for tinea pedis:
- Take a sea salt foot bath twice a day.
- Take a foot bath with a chamomile, oak bark and calendula decoction 3 times a day.
prevention
The fungus on the skin of the legs most often causes sweating. The pathogens of fungal diseases are well preserved even in the cold season. But heat can kill the infection, so one way to prevent it is to boil it. Another preventative method is to sanitize shoes with formalin. With this action, the fungus will die after 20 minutes.
in conclusion
In conclusion, it is worth noting that mycosis of the skin of the legs does not endanger human health. Fungi just cause discomfort. However, this infection should not be ignored. If the disease becomes severe, it can lead to the development of pain and other infections.