Mycoses occupy the second most common place among infectious skin diseases after coccal pyoderma, and mycoses of the feet take first place not only among all mycoses, but also among any pathologies of the foot.They are caused by a wide group of pathogenic fungi.In recent years, there has been an increase in cases of mycoses, which is largely due to endogenous factors - an increase in the incidence of diabetes mellitus and circulatory pathologies in the distal parts of the upper and lower extremities.
Some patients suffering from skin mycoses consider them an aesthetic or temporary problem and do not even ask themselves how to treat body skin fungus, trying only to disguise the external manifestations of the infection under clothes, shoes or foundation.But you should not expect that the fungus will go away on its own: in the absence of proper therapy, mycoses can quickly spread and affect all new tissues and areas of the body, and in addition, a person suffering from the disease poses a serious threat to others, especially to their household.The insidiousness of the fungus is also manifested in the fact that it easily recurs if the therapy has not been brought to a victorious end.
We will tell you in this article how and how to treat skin fungus and what symptoms indicate its presence.
Causes of fungal disease development
Fungal infections are different, but the main causative agents of the disease are dermatophytes, yeast-like fungi and molds.There is a system that takes into account the depth of penetration and localization of the infection, which distinguishes:
- Keratomycosis affects only the superficial stratum corneum of the epidermis and the cuticle of the hair.
- Dermatomycosis - deeply affects the skin and its appendages - nails and hair, but does not affect the subcutaneous tissue (the largest group, which includes onychomycosis and mycosis of the feet).
- Candidiasis - in addition to the above, can affect the mucous membranes and internal organs (caused by yeast-like fungi of the genus Candida).
- Deep mycoses are systemic mycoses that can infect the subcutaneous tissue, lymph nodes, ENT organs, lungs, gastrointestinal tract, brain and central nervous system as a whole (caused by yeast and yeast-like fungi).
- Pseudomycosis - affects only the stratum corneum, without affecting the nails and hair (caused by the bacterium Corynebacterium minutissimum, which was previously confused with fungi).
The most common types of skin mycoses are dermatophytosis - dermatomycosis caused by fungi from three genera: Trichophyton, Epidermophyton and Microsporum.The vast majority of all lesions of the skin and its appendages within the epidermis are due to trichophytosis, epidermophytosis and microsporia, and most often the disease affects the skin of the feet and nails.How can you become infected with a fungus?A number of factors may contribute to this:
- visiting public baths and saunas, swimming pools and water parks, public beaches, gyms, solariums and manicure/pedicure rooms, massage parlors, since in these places the risk of contact of feet or hands with contaminated surfaces is especially high;
- trying on someone else's shoes or using shared shoes;
- insufficient foot hygiene, especially with excessive sweating;
- wearing closed shoes for a long time, which does not allow the foot to “breathe”;
- living with a person who already suffers from skin fungus;
- Injuring the skin or nails with too tight shoes - the fungus more easily penetrates the body through damaged areas.
A significant factor is the increased humidity and temperature at which the feet are constantly exposed.It is in such conditions that the fungus develops most actively, so fungal infections are often found either in regions with a subtropical climate, or where people are forced to wear warm shoes for a long time - in regions with a cold climate.The site of primary localization of the fungus in mycosis of the skin of the feet is usually the interdigital folds, but as the disease progresses, the lesion extends beyond them.
FYI
According to the Ministry of Health for 2010, mycoses of the feet (including onychomycosis) and hands are registered in more than 220 thousand people.
However, mycoses affect not only the skin of the feet; the disease can occur in almost any location, including the face.Large folds are often affected, especially the inguinal-femoral folds, legs and buttocks.
Mycoses of the skin have specific symptoms that are quite easy to notice, these are:
- Peeling and dryness are one of the first manifestations of infection.Individual scales first appear on the affected area, caused by the rejection of the upper layer of the epidermis.With deeper penetration of the fungus, active peeling occurs, which only intensifies over time.
- Spots of white or red color are round in shape with clearly defined edges.It is very important not to miss this symptom at the initial stage of the disease, since at this time the spot can be single and small in size.Later, new spots appear, which gradually merge with each other.
- Thickening of the skin.The affected areas become dense, rough and rough, and often change color: the skin turns from pinkish or white to yellowish or grayish.
- The appearance of small rashes, blisters filled with liquid.
- Partial loss of hair.
- Itching and burning are one of the most common symptoms of skin fungus.It may be present constantly, or it may only appear periodically.It is important to understand here that itching and burning can be a sign of other skin diseases, such as allergies.
Do not ignore the appearance of cracks and calluses on your feet.Although they themselves are not symptoms of a fungal disease, through them the fungal infection enters the body much faster.
How to cure skin fungus
Conventionally, two approaches to combating skin fungus can be distinguished.One of them is non-medicinal, in which various traditional medicines are used, the second is pharmacological.
The so-called home methods include the use of baths with infusions of medicinal herbs, treatment of skin fungus with iodine, a solution of soda or vinegar... The effectiveness of such treatment of skin fungus has not been clinically proven.If it can help, it is only at the very early stages of the development of the disease, because most folk remedies cannot penetrate into the deep layers of the epidermis, where the fungal colony is usually located.Therefore, with any mycosis, you should not waste time and aggravate the situation, but instead you need to consult a doctor for diagnosis and prescribing adequate therapy.
A significant effect is achieved by systemic treatment of skin fungus on the body using medications in the form of capsules or tablets.Modern products contain substances that can stop the growth of new spores, block cell division at the DNA/RNA level, and destroy the cell membranes of the fungus.However, systemic antimycotics (also known as fungicidal and fungistatic drugs of systemic action) have many side effects and contraindications; they cannot be taken together with certain medications - diabetic, antihistamines, contraceptives.Restrictions on the use of tablet forms are, for example, blood diseases, kidney or liver pathologies.In addition, it is recommended to follow a strict hypoallergenic diet during the treatment period.All this narrows the possibilities for systemic therapy.
Creams, sprays and solutions are an effective (clinically proven) method of local treatment of skin fungus and onychomycosis, which does not have many contraindications.It has a high cure rate, is used at any stage of fungal infection, and can be used in conjunction with systemic therapy to reduce the dosage of oral medications.
The antimycotic components in gels, ointments and solutions are mainly allylamines, azoles or pyrimidines, which inhibit the vital activity of the fungus, deprive it of nutrition, and stop its development and spread to other areas of the skin.Local therapy with these drugs makes it possible to create high concentrations of the active substance in the skin, on the surface of the nail and in its cavities, which remain for weeks after completion of treatment.It is important that during the use of external agents, the active substance almost does not enter the systemic bloodstream, and therefore does not have a negative effect on the body as a whole.
Many topical antifungal drugs have an anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effect, soften the skin, eliminate itching and redness, they are easy to apply to the affected surface, and sprays and solutions are convenient to treat even the hairy parts of the body in case of damage.The duration of treatment with external agents and the frequency of their application are determined by the attending physician.
Ringworm is easier to prevent than to treat, but if signs of skin fungus are noticed on the body, treatment should be started immediately.It is important not to start the process and take appropriate measures in time, but you need to start by contacting a specialist.It is the doctor who will tell you how to quickly cure skin fungus.Attempts at artisanal treatment in this case can only worsen the situation.
Cream against skin fungus
As a medicine for the treatment of fungal skin infections, you can choose a cream based on naftifine (1%), which is part of the class of allylamines.The mechanism of action of the drug is based on the ability of the active substance to slow down the synthesis of ergosterol, the building material that makes up the cell wall and membrane of the fungus.As a result, the mycelium loses its ability to grow, which gradually leads to the death of the entire colony.
The drug is active against all major pathogens of mycosis and can be prescribed for trichophytosis, epidermophytosis, microsporia, candidiasis and aspergillosis of the skin, pityriasis versicolor, sporotrichosis.The cream has an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effect, reduces the likelihood of secondary bacterial infections and helps eliminate the symptoms of inflammation, in particular itching.
The cream penetrates deep into the skin and creates a stable concentration of the antifungal agent in its different layers.After application to the skin, less than 6% of naftifine enters the systemic circulation.
Indications for use of the drug are:
- fungal infections of skin folds and smooth skin;
- interdigital mycoses;
- onychomycosis (nail fungus);
- cutaneous candidiasis;
- pityriasis versicolor;
- ringworm (with or without itching).
The cream has few contraindications.These include individual intolerance to the components, as well as pregnancy and breastfeeding, since the safety and effectiveness of the drug in this category of patients have not yet been studied.Use the cream with caution in children.
Directions for use: if the skin is affected, it is enough to apply the cream once a day to the affected surface and adjacent areas after cleansing and drying them.The duration of treatment is from two to eight weeks (for candidiasis - four weeks).
In order to prevent relapses, it is recommended to continue therapy for another two weeks after the disappearance of clinical symptoms.
The cream in aluminum tubes (30 g) is available without a prescription.You can also order the product via the Internet.