Fungus on the skin of the feet is one of the most common infections. The fungus on the legs is distinguished by its vitality and ease of development. If you rely on statistics, 20% of the world's population suffers from the 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 for a long time in ordinary clothes or shoes. In most cases, fungal infections are exposed to the feet and nails on a person's legs.
How does mycosis proceed?
The causative agent of mycosis of the feet is the fungus Trichophyton rubrum, T. Mentagrophytes and Epidermophyton floccosum. Mycosis can be contracted through contact with infected skin or after the use of personal hygiene items.
Mycosis is characterized by the destruction of the skin in the form of peeling. This is due to the fact that the fungus penetrates deep under the skin, causing damage to the epidermis.
Yellow or white spots may appear on the nails. If the fungus hits the toes, small bubbles with liquid form between them, which burst, healing is painful. Foot fungus is also accompanied by an unpleasant odor. Symptoms of mycosis can be different, depending on the type. To do this, you need to familiarize yourself with each of them in more detail.
The main forms of mycosis:
- Interdigital mycosis.
- Squamous-hyperkeratotic form.
- Vesicular form.
- Form canceled.
- Nail fungus.
Interdigital mycosis
The most common localization of the interdigital fungus is the intervals between 3, 4 and 5 fingers.
The main symptoms of interdigital mycosis:
- The formation of a crack, which is covered with a thick white, crumbly film.
- A small amount of liquid can be released from the crack.
- The appearance of diaper rash between the toes.
- Mild itching between the toes.
Initially, the fungus between the toes can be dormant without any symptoms. However, changes gradually begin to be observed: the skin becomes dry and rough, acquires a grayish tint, cracks appear in rough places.
In addition, there is a 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" mushroom. Such a fungus most often forms after wearing tight non-ventilated shoes, as well as during periods of 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, however, it most often affects people with atopic dermatitis.
The main symptoms of the squamous-hyperkeratotic form of mycosis:
- Weak itching.
- The formation of cracks in the skin of the feet.
- Ache.
- Dryness of the skin.
- Skin peeling.
- Erythema with clear boundaries.
- Yellow scales.
- Onychomycosis: damage to the nails.
Vesicular form
The vesicular form of the fungus is the rarest of all. Only 8% of all patients with mycosis are exposed to this type of disease. The vesicular form is characterized by the formation of rashes with liquid contents inside. When these blisters burst, erosions appear that can become infected.
The main symptoms of the vesicular fungus:
- Formation of 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 a mild itch.
- Wet blisters.
This form of mycosis is dangerous, as 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 studies and do a skin scraping for analysis, since this disease can easily be confused by external symptoms with eczema or pustular psoriasis.
Form canceled
The erased form of the fungus is almost always the beginning of the development of foot diseases - mycoses.
With the erased form of the fungus, there are practically no visible symptoms, however, some of them can still be distinguished:
- The skin is slightly peeling between the toes.
- The formation of small cracks 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 a 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 peeling of the skin of the feet.
- Itching.
- Redness.
- Change the shape of the nail.
- Nail color acquires a grayish-yellow tint.
- Rupture of the nail plate.
- Fragility of the nail.
- The formation of a crumbling mass under the nail.
- The formation of voids under the nail plate.
- Bad smell.
If the foot fungus has become severe, the patient's temperature begins to rise. Foot fungus, like any type of mycosis, can cause psoriasis or eczema to develop.
What does skin fungus look like on the feet?
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 don't even attach much importance when the first signs of a fungal infection appear. As mentioned above, there are several types of mushrooms.
Each type has its own symptoms:
- In the initial stage of the infection, redness, slight swelling and cracking appear on the skin.
- At the intermediate stage of the development of the fungus, peeling of the skin appears. The foot is covered with white, pink or white spots.
- If the disease has already passed to the highest stage of its development, the nails on the toes begin to collapse and change their usual color. The skin on the feet begins to peel off in large pieces. Deep, painful cracks appear.
A photo
Foot fungus symptoms
To determine the fungus on the legs, it is necessary to determine the focus on the basic symptoms:
- Redness of the affected areas of the skin.
- Skin peeling.
- Formation of bubbles with liquid content.
- The nails change color and shape.
- Fragility and delamination of the nail plate.
Diagnostics
At the first manifestations of the symptoms of the fungus, you should consult a dermatologist. Sometimes, a visual examination is not enough to establish an accurate diagnosis.
Some symptoms may indicate the presence of another skin condition. Therefore, a specialist in such cases should make a scraping and perform a microscopy. Only after such studies can we clearly speak about the presence and form of a fungal disease.
Treatment
It is necessary to start treating a fungal disease only after a complete diagnosis by a specialist, who must prescribe various drugs for the treatment of this disease. Treatment of the fungus on the legs 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 refers to the use of various antifungal drugs. Such drugs enter the bloodstream and kill the fungal infection. Such funds are able to penetrate the platinum of the nail, 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 for the following individuals:
- Pregnant women.
- Breastfeeding mothers.
- People suffering from liver disease.
- Elderly with comorbidities.
Ointments and creams
It is recommended to combine systemic treatment of fungal diseases with local 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 you use creams and ointments without the use of systemic drugs, the treatment may be ineffective.
Local drugs for fighting fungal infections are divided into 20 forms. In addition to creams and ointments, various sprays, gels, foams and paints are also used for the treatment of foot fungus.
When using local treatment of the fungus, it is worth remembering that after applying any remedy to the skin, it is not necessary to wash the legs during the day.
Folk remedies
You can also cure foot skin fungus with the help of folk remedies. To do this, you need to get acquainted with them in more detail.
Folk remedies for the treatment of nail fungus:
- At night, a piece of kombucha is applied to the affected nails.
- Attach a clipped Kalanchoe leaf to the nails overnight.
Folk remedies for the treatment of fungus between the toes:
- Wash the skin between your fingers and grease it 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 overnight.
- Make a compress for the night from 20% propolis tincture.
Folk remedies for the treatment of foot fungus:
- Take a sea salt foot bath twice a day.
- Three times a day, take foot baths from a decoction of chamomile, oak bark and calendula.
Prevention
Leg skin fungus very often causes sweating. Even in the cold season, the causative agent of a fungal disease is well preserved. But the high temperature can kill the infection, so one of the prevention methods is boiling. Another method of prevention is the disinfection of shoes with formalin. With this action, the mushroom dies after 20 minutes.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is worth noting that a fungal disease of the skin of the legs does not harm human health. The fungus only creates discomfort. However, this infection shouldn't be ignored. If the disease becomes severe, it can lead to pain and the development of other infections.