Fungus on the feet: what it looks like, types of pathology and degree of damage, treatment methods

One of the most unpleasant skin diseases is mycosis. Depending on the degree of damage, two categories of diseases are distinguished: dermatomycosis and onychomycosis. In the first case, the skin is affected, and in the second, the nails. To successfully get rid of harmful microorganisms, you need to know what foot fungus looks like and how to fight it.

The main types

Experts in the field of dermatology identify several types of foot fungus, which differ from each other in terms of the nature of the impact and the causative agent. As for the pathogenic microorganisms that cause the development of fungal diseases, these can be:

• moldy;
• yeast;
• dermatophytes.

Exposure to these parasites leads to the development of a dangerous condition called rubromycosis, which involves the skin of the feet. In addition, the disease can vary in clinical manifestations and can be similar to membrane, moccasin or vesicular.

The development of fungi causes excessive saturation of blood vessels, dryness and inflammation of the skin. In addition, the process itself is slow and without significant symptoms. The first sensations of itching or burning are felt only after a serious injury to the leg. Soon the process of nail deformation begins, resulting in blisters, crusts, plaques and pustules.

If the necessary measures are not taken, the degree of damage will be colossal and the process of walking will be accompanied by pain. Knowing what the toenail fungus looks like and how it manifests itself, the patient can seek help from a specialist in time and avoid dangerous consequences.

When it comes to therapeutic treatment, it is important to know the types of the disease. The method of approaching the problem is determined only after a comprehensive examination under a microscope and drawing up a clinical picture. Various exfoliating products are used to clear the skin of rashes. These include ointments and creams containing salicylic acid. Complex treatment also includes antifungal drugs.

If the degree of damage is very severe, very effective compresses and emollients are used. The success of fighting the disease depends on the responsibility of the patient and his willingness to start treatment on time.

Methods of infection

There are many reasons and factors that determine nail damage from fungal diseases. In most cases, this happens directly - when the nail plates come into contact with the ground or vegetation, sick people or animals. As for indirect routes, they look like this:

1. If a person uses objects and personal belongings of a fungus carrier.
2. If a person comes into contact with things intended to care for a pet.

There are also many predetermining factors that increase the risk of developing mycosis. These include age-related characteristics, as young children are much more likely to suffer from the disease due to their extremely thin skin and lack of necessary protective functions in the body.

In addition, a fungal infection attacks a patient with a weakened immune status. If the immune system is weakened, it cannot fight such manifestations, which leads to destructive processes.

Other factors include:

1. Insufficient functioning of the nervous and endocrine system. Due to this, the defense mechanisms are weakened.
2. The development of chronic infectious diseases that negatively affect the immune system, increasing the possibility of the development of fungi.
3. Excessive sweating of the feet. This discomfort is a congenital pathology or the result of wearing uncomfortable shoes.
4. Changes in sweat composition. This process creates a breeding ground for fungal microorganisms, which leads to their activation.

Symptoms of rubrophytosis

A parasite called Tr. Mentagrophytesvar is the main cause of the dangerous fungal disease rubrophytosis. Due to its small size, it is immediately placed in the stratum corneum or in the granular layers of the skin, causing the development of allergies and other unpleasant processes. In most cases, the vital activity of the parasite is accompanied by the following reactions:

1. Swelling with a dense crust.
2. The appearance of pustules and swelling.
3. Severe skin corrosion.
4. The appearance of scales and crusts on the skin, causing pain.
5. The processes of yellowing and deformation of nail plates.

In addition, severe itching and the development of pain while walking cannot be excluded. During the clinical examination, the specialist draws a general picture and describes the symptoms during the examination of the itch.

If the disease progresses rapidly and worsens, the patient can be prescribed 0. 25% silver nitrate, 1% resorcinol and 10% calcium. Antihistamines are used to combat allergic manifestations. In severe cases, highly effective antifungal medications fight the symptoms of rubrophytosis.

Candidiasis of the foot

Candidiasis of the foot is rare. The causative agent of the disease are dangerous fungi of the genus Candida, which exist peacefully in any organism, but are conditionally dangerous and do not pose a great threat. But if the number of microorganisms starts to increase, it leads to discomfort and serious health consequences. Other factors contribute to this, including a deterioration of the immune system, frequent hypothermia, stressful situations and an unhealthy lifestyle. As for external factors, these include:

1. Prolonged exposure to water causes massive separation of skin layers from each other.
2. Accidents at home or at work.
3. Using shoes of the wrong size or material.

Manifestations of onychomycosis

When trying to understand what the fungus looks like on the toes, you should learn about another dangerous type of pathology - onychomycosis. Its development is associated with fungal nail infection after water procedures in ordinary pools, showers and saunas. In terms of prevalence, the disease is not inferior to mycosis, as scales with dangerous parasites are quickly separated from the nail plates and then found on fabric surfaces, benches or carpets. If there is high humidity in the environment, the parasite is not only in comfortable conditions, but also begins to work for the reproduction of the colony.

In the early stages, the pathogen affects the skin of the legs, causing an itchy sensation. As a result, the patient wants to scratch his leg, but this only makes the problem worse. Soon the skin is covered with small cracks and scratches, and pathogens begin to settle under the nail and multiply actively.

The possibility of facing a pathology increases many times with nail damage, unbalanced blood circulation and the presence of complex diseases, including diabetes and sexually transmitted diseases.

Depending on the form and degree of damage, nail fungus is divided into three groups:

1. Normotrophic. As it develops, the nail color becomes yellow-brown. The thickness and shape of the nail remain the same.
2. Hypertrophic. This causes a final change in color, loss of shine and deformation of the nail shape. This type of onychomycosis causes pain and does not allow the patient to move freely. The problem can be aggravated by wearing uncomfortable shoes.
3. Onycholithic. The pathology leads to a change in the shade of the nails, making them turn brown. In addition, the plates lose their usual strength and begin to distort. The deformed layers appear in the exposed areas of the nail bed.

Effective treatment

To treat the disease, the use of local antifungal drugs is practically useless, which is explained by the deep penetration of microorganisms under the nails. Before starting to fight the pathology, it is necessary to locate the fungus. To do this, specialists prescribe keratolytic drugs or patches to the patient. Sometimes the problem is solved mechanically, by cutting the deformed and dead areas of the nail plate with a file or special suction. When performing this procedure, you must ensure that the instrument is clean.

The most effective way to fight nail fungus is the combined use of patches and mechanical nail cleaning. As a keratolytic agent, you can use a set consisting of a piece of earth, a nail file and a special ointment. At the end of the nail removal procedure, it is necessary to use systemic antifungal drugs.

Folk remedies

It is quite possible to get rid of fungal infections of the feet without the help of a specialist. However, self-medication should be treated with special responsibility, realizing that such a process can take a lot of time and effort. It is also necessary to take into account that different mushrooms react in their own way to the action of any medication or folk remedy. Home remedies, if used incorrectly, can only make the problem worse by helping to detect parasites.

In order to avoid such a development of events and to successfully destroy the fungal colony, it is necessary to combine the proper cleaning of the skin with the cleansing of the body from pathogenic microorganisms and the complete restoration of the epidermal layer. For these purposes, it is advisable to use bathrooms and wipe the feet and palms with antiseptics every day. The most effective folk remedies for baths are:

• boric acid;
• Apple cider vinegar;
• hydrogen peroxide.

To prepare a bath, you need to take 20 grams of one of the above ingredients and dilute it in a liter of boiled water. After that, the feet are placed in the solution for 20-40 minutes. To notice a significant improvement in the condition of your nails, it is enough to carry out such procedures regularly for several weeks.

To clear the skin of redness, itching and burns, it is recommended to wipe the feet every day with a mixture of soda with added salt. A good antibacterial and anti-inflammatory scrub can be a mixture of equal amounts of minerals and essential oils. The selected components are mixed and the affected areas are covered with the finished mixture.

Tar soap is a serious enemy of fungi. It contains birch tar, which has long been considered one of the most powerful antibacterial substances. It should be applied to the affected areas and washed off after 5 minutes. The course of treatment with this soap lasts two weeks. At the end of the procedure, the skin is treated with zinc cream or ointment.

Hardware solutions

If the problem of nail fungus has worsened significantly, and any popular or official medicine practically does not give results, you can use an innovative solution - hardware treatment. This method is very effective and can be the only salvation in cases where other drugs are powerless.

Among the techniques available, laser treatment with an erbium laser is the most common. It cauterizes the mycelium and allows you to get rid of the visible symptoms of nail fungus. In addition, the technology allows you to clean the skin around the nails, between the toes and feet, restoring its former elasticity and attractiveness.

If you follow the basic rules of skin care for fungal diseases of the feet, it is quite possible to destroy this dangerous pathology. It is important not to delay treatment for the future and to take appropriate measures immediately if suspicious symptoms appear.