Mycoses occupy the second most common place among infectious skin diseases, after coccal pyoderma, and foot mycoses occupy the first place not only among all mycoses, but also among any foot pathologies.They are caused by a wide group of pathogenic fungi.In recent years, there has been an increase in cases of mycoses, 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 who suffer from cutaneous mycoses consider them to be an aesthetic or temporary problem and do not even ask themselves how to treat fungus on their body's skin, trying only to disguise the external manifestations of the infection under clothes, shoes or foundation.But one should not hope that the fungus will disappear on its own: in the absence of adequate 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 other people, especially his family.The insidiousness of the fungus is also manifested in the fact that it easily reappears if therapy is not completed successfully.
In this article we will tell you how and how to treat fungus on the skin and what symptoms indicate its presence.
Causes of the development of fungal diseases
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 location of the infection, which distinguishes:
- Keratomycosis only affects the superficial stratum corneum of the epidermis and the hair cuticle.
- Dermatomycosis - deeply affects the skin and its appendages - nails and hair, but does not affect the subcutaneous tissue (larger group, which includes onychomycosis and foot mycosis).
- Candidiasis - in addition to the above, it can affect 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 yeasts and yeast-like fungi).
- Pseudomycosis – affects only the stratum corneum, without affecting nails and hair (caused by the bacterium Corynebacterium minutissimum, which was previously confused with fungi).
The most common types of cutaneous mycoses are dermatophytosis – dermatomycoses caused by fungi of three genera: Trichophyton, Epidermophyton and Microsporum.The vast majority of all lesions of the skin and its appendages in 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 get infected with a fungus?Several factors can contribute to this:
- visit public baths and saunas, swimming pools and water parks, public beaches, gyms, solariums and manicure/pedicure rooms, massage parlors, as in these places the risk of feet or hands coming into contact with contaminated surfaces is especially high;
- trying on someone else's shoes or wearing shared shoes;
- insufficient foot hygiene, especially with excessive sweating;
- wearing closed shoes for a long time, which does not allow the foot to “breathe”;
- live with a person who already suffers from skin fungus;
- Injuring your skin or nails with shoes that are too tight - the fungus more easily penetrates the body through damaged areas.
A significant factor is the increased humidity and temperature to which the feet are constantly exposed.It is under these conditions that the fungus develops most actively, so fungal infections are often found 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 primary location 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.
For your information
According to data from the Ministry of Health for 2010, mycoses of the feet (including onychomycosis) and hands are recorded in more than 220 thousand people.
However, mycoses do not just affect the skin of the feet;the disease can occur almost anywhere, including the face.Large folds are often affected, especially inguinal-femoral folds, legs and buttocks.
Skin mycoses have specific symptoms that are quite easy to notice, they are:
- Peeling and dryness are one of the first manifestations of the infection.Individual scales first appear on the affected area, caused by rejection of the upper layer of the epidermis.With deeper penetration of the fungus, active peeling occurs, which only intensifies over time.
- The white or red spots are round and have well-defined edges.It is very important not to miss this symptom in the initial phase of the disease, as at this time the spot may be single and small in size.Subsequently, new spots appear, which gradually merge.
- Skin thickening.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 hair loss.
- Itching and burning are one of the most common symptoms of skin fungus.It may be present constantly or appear only periodically.It's important to understand here that itching and burning can be signs of other skin conditions, 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 several traditional medicines are used, the second is pharmacological.
So-called home methods include the use of baths with infusions of medicinal herbs, treatment of skin fungus with iodine, soda solution or vinegar... The effectiveness of this treatment of skin fungus has not been clinically proven.If it can help, it is only in the initial stages of the development of the disease, because most folk remedies cannot penetrate 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 consult a doctor for diagnosis and prescription of appropriate therapy.
A significant effect is achieved by systemic treatment of fungus on the skin of the body with medications in the form of capsules or tablets.Modern products contain substances that can prevent the growth of new spores, block cell division at the DNA/RNA level and destroy the fungus' cell membranes.However, systemic antimycotics (also known as fungicidal and fungistatic medications with systemic action) have many side effects and contraindications;they cannot be taken together with certain medications - diabetics, antihistamines, contraceptives.Restrictions on the use of tablets are, for example, blood diseases, kidney or liver pathologies.Furthermore, it is recommended to follow a strict hypoallergenic diet during the treatment period.All this restricts the possibilities of 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 prevent its development and spread to other areas of the skin.Local therapy with these medications makes it possible to create high concentrations of the active substance on the skin, on the surface of the nail and in its cavities, which remain for weeks after the end of treatment.It is important that when using 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 antifungals have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects, soften the skin, eliminate itching and redness, are easy to apply to the affected surface, and sprays and solutions are convenient for treating even 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 on 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 make the situation worse.
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 allylamine class.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 the main pathogens of mycosis and can be prescribed for trichophytosis, epidermophytosis, microsporia, candidiasis and cutaneous aspergillosis, pityriasis versicolor, sporotrichosis.The cream has an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effect, reduces the likelihood of secondary bacterial infections and helps eliminate symptoms of inflammation, especially itching.
The cream penetrates deeply 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 medicine 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 has not yet been studied.Use the cream with caution in children.
Directions for use: if the skin is affected, simply apply the cream once a day to the affected surface and surrounding areas after cleaning and drying them.The duration of treatment is two to eight weeks (for candidiasis - four weeks).
To prevent relapses, it is recommended to continue therapy for another two weeks after the clinical symptoms disappear.
The cream in aluminum tubes (30 g) is available without a prescription.You can also order the product online.