Types of fungus on the feet and methods of treating them

Infection with athlete's foot occurs through contact with a sick person or animal, as well as through soil, water or plants.It is important to recognize and treat the disease in a timely manner.

There are different types of athlete's foot, and only a doctor can correctly determine the type through a series of tests.Then the specialist will prescribe a course that will allow you to quickly cope with the disease.

Intertriginous (interdigital) form

This form of the disease is considered the most common.It is usually activated in summer.The development of the disease begins with lesions of the skin of the feet between the third and fourth and fourth and fifth toes, and then gradually spreads to all folds.The main symptoms of this fungus are:

• the appearance of cracks in the skin;
• the presence of a white border, indicating the peeling of the upper layer of skin;
• the appearance of weeping wounds;
• burning and itching;
• Formation of erosions at the crack site;
• Loosening of the skin as the disease progresses and disruption of its protective functions.

The interdigital form in most cases occurs against the background of the squamous form.This disease is treated with ointments.At the initial stage, you can abandon the use of tablets.

An experienced specialist will explain to you what fungi are and select an effective therapy for your feet.Antifungal medications relieve the disease in one to three weeks.The main thing is not to forget to lubricate your feet with the prescribed medication twice a day.

This form of the disease is chronic.It is not easy to detect in the early stages.Therefore, patients often consult a doctor if the disease is present in all finger folds.In this case, treatment may take longer.

Squamous cell carcinoma-hyperkeratotic form

This disease most often affects one foot and spreads to the other in the absence of proper treatment.The skin undergoes radical changes in this form of the disease.The keratinized cells completely cover the foot.The skin of the feet begins to become rough and then crack.Hyperketarosis also causes cracks in the heels.The appearance of erosions is accompanied by burning and itching.The patient feels pain.

The main symptoms of the squamous hyperkeratic form are:

• skin redness;
• itching and peeling;
• proliferation of keratinized cells;
• the appearance of rough calluses, including on the heels.

This disease can also affect the nail plate.Over time it loses transparency and changes color and shape.In advanced stages, the nail often begins to crumble.Treating the disease is not easy at this stage.In this case, the doctor may prescribe a course of pills in addition to topical remedies.Combination preparations are mainly used for treatment.The duration of the course is determined by a specialist.The choice of medication depends on the type of athlete's foot to which the patient has been exposed.

Dyshidrotic form

This form is also called vesicular.It is extremely rare.The disease is accompanied by the appearance of blisters or blisters of small diameter.At first they are solitary creatures, but gradually they grow and burst out.Afterwards, ulcers form.This disease is not easy to treat.To make matters worse, viruses and bacteria easily enter the human body through cracks and erosions.Diseases such as eczema, lymphadenitis and others with similar symptoms often develop parallel to the fungus.

You should consult a specialist if you have the following symptoms:

• Pain and itching in the affected area of the feet;
• the appearance of erosions and cracks;
• severe peeling of the skin of the feet;
• the appearance of blisters or blisters on the skin.

Without proper treatment, this disease often takes a bacterial form.In this case, the transparent contents of the vesicles become purulent and cloudy.The patient develops severe headaches and an increase in body temperature.Treatment of this disease requires complex therapy.The doctor prescribes topical antifungal medications and tablets.

Deleted form

This type of disease is not immediately recognized.The fact is that the symptoms of the form are erased and practically do not bother the patient.An eradicated fungal species is accompanied by a flour-like peeling of the skin.It appears that the foot is covered with fine flour.Small cracks appear between the toes that are almost invisible to the eye.The person feels mild itching.There is no redness.

It is difficult to treat this form of the disease.Since the patient seeks qualified help only if the deleted form develops into onychomycosis.Valuable time is lost and recovery can take a long time.

Onychomycosis

In this case we mean a disease accompanied by a fungal infection of the nail plates.There are different variants of this form of the disease:

• damage caused by mold;
• hypertrophic form;
• atrophic.

In the first case, the disease develops against the background of other nail lesions.Often the nail plate changes color and becomes black, green or brown.The nail bed becomes inflamed.

With the hypertrophic form of the disease, the plate turns yellow and thickens.The nail breaks easily and reveals thickened and flaky skin.

In atrophic onychomycosis, the skin under the nail becomes rough and the nail plate becomes thinner.If treatment is not started on time, the disease can completely destroy the plate and nail bed.

Rubrophytia

This disease is also called rubromycosis.It is characterized by dryness and flaking of the skin and blood vessels.The disease develops gradually and has practically no symptoms.Therefore, the wearer does not notice it immediately.Burning and itching only appear in later stages.At this stage the symptoms are as follows:

• the appearance of blisters and blisters;
• plaques that spread over the entire sole;
• Pain when walking, which occurs as the number of blisters increases.

A specialist can prescribe treatment only after conducting a series of examinations and studying the clinical picture.Through the microscopy carried out we can determine what types of fungi there are and how the feet are infected.The treatment is carried out with peeling agents (keratolytics).The specialist will prescribe an ointment or cream containing salicylic acid.The course also includes the use of antifungal medications.In advanced cases, tablets are used in addition to therapy.If it is necessary to eliminate damage to the nail plates, special formulations are prescribed.

Candidiasis of the feet

This disease is quite rare.Fungi of the genus Candida, which contribute to the development of the disease, are found in the body of every person and are considered conditionally pathogenic.If they actively multiply, unpleasant consequences are possible.The development of pathogenic fungi is often accompanied by a decrease in immunity, which develops against the background of regular stress and overload on the body.Occupational or domestic injuries or frequent wearing of closed shoes in summer can contribute to the development of the disease.

Symptoms of candidiasis:

• hyperemia (overflow of blood vessels);
• separation of the skin layers from each other;
• itching and peeling;
• the appearance of small flat blisters on the foot;
• pronounced swelling.

Medications are prescribed individually depending on the stage of the disease.As a rule, this is a complex therapy that includes local and systemic drugs.

It is important to take preventative measures to prevent the development of any of the fungal forms.They are very simple:

1. Do not use someone else's shoes.
2. Only perform pedicures and manicures with sterile instruments.
3. Choose comfortable shoes that allow your skin to “breathe.”

By adhering to these simple rules, preventing the disease will not be difficult.