Redness, peeling of the skin of the feet, the appearance of cracks between the toes, the ulcers on the legs, the change in the condition of the nails: loss of shine, the usual pink hue, the thickening of the plates - these and other signs show the development of a fungal infection. Every fifth resident of the earth is ill with mycosis. Therefore, you need to know how the fungus of the feet looks and behaves, what causes its appearance and how to treat this unpleasant disease.
Reasons
In most cases, mycosis infection comes from person to person directly or through surrounding objects. The favorable conditions for the reproduction of fungi are fever, humidity. Disputes can also maintain viability in the dried state after poor quality processing of manicure tools.
The main causes of the disease include:
- Lack of regular leg care.
- Accommodation with a person suffering from a sponge.
- Use of foreign shoes, socks.
- Stop injury.
- Visit to common parts "mushrooms" (beaches, baths, pools).
- Insufficient processing of pedicure accessories.
- Wearing tight shoes made of synthetic materials.
- Professional harm (work in high temperature and humidity conditions).
- Shoe shooting in a store without a sock or squad.
Fungal diseases in humans develop faster against the background of functioning characteristics, as well as changes leading to the suppression of immunity, impaired local blood, changes in the condition of the skin. The causes of the body are the following:
- Endocrine pathology (diabetes, obesity);
- pregnancy;
- immunodeficiency conditions;
- increased sweating;
- leg diseases;
- vascular disorders;
- Chronic skin diseases (eczema, psoriasis);
- Long -term administration of drugs that suppress immunity (corticosteroids, cytostatics).
Types of pathogenic mushrooms
Mushrooms on the human body feed on protein - keratin, elastin, collagen, dividing them with enzymes: keratinase. The location of mycosis depends on the activity of keratinase and the ability to absorb different types of keratin.
The mycoses of the legs cause the following types of mushrooms:
- Trichophyton Rubrum-type fungi-sailophytes inhabiting a keratinized layer of skin. Causes cutting of lichen, damage to the epidermis, nails in 80 % of cases.
- Trichophyton Mentagraphytes causes the stopping of epidermophyte.
- Trichophyton Interdigitale. The fungus causes dermatophytosis, onychomycosis.
- Candida mushrooms affect the skin and plaques of nails with a strong reduction in immunity, affecting the skin and plaques for the nails with a severe reduction in immunity.
Fungal skin lesions
From mycosis of the legs, the skin lesion during psoriasis (sometimes called a dry fungus) - red plaques with peeling and tendency to fusion, rising above the surface. Such elements are often found on the knees, legs. This disease is not associated with a fungal infection.
The manifestations of the fungus of the foot are conditionally divided into four main shapes. The Convention is in a combination of clinical signs and the ability to transition from one to another.
In intergizive form, the skin suffers in interdigital spaces. The fungus of the skin of the feet is manifested in the form of itching, burning, it is accompanied by an unpleasant odor. Often the infection affects the foot from intervals between 3 and 4, 4 and 5 fingers. The skin turns red, impregnated with moisture, wounds, crying areas appear between the fingers. These signs develop independently or against the background of an existing squamous form.
Note! For a typical intergid lesion, the attachment of a secondary bacterial infection that exacerbates the disease. Bacterial, mycotic eczema develops with the formation of a rash not only on the foot, the inflammatory elements appear on the ankle, descending.
The sophisticated plates-hyperkeratotic form looks like common, massive calluses on the sole with cracks. Initially, mycosis of the skin of the feet can attract attention with dryness, peel off the skin of the feet, limited rough corn on the heels. People consider similar symptoms to be an individual characteristic and do not turn to a dermatologist. Skin lesions can accompany itching, burning. If you look at the photos of the fungus of your feet with this shape of mycosis, you can notice deep cracks in the background of bold (and, as it was, wearing the moccasins) on the skin of the feet. Such manifestations are painful. The filling shape is characterized by the participation of nails with their destruction, lagging behind the nails.
The manifestations of the brew (vesicular) form of the fungus of the legs are rare. The main symptom of the disease is the formation of bubbles with a thick sheath and transparent content. They are localized by the only side of the foot, toes as single or drainage formations. Then the bubbles are opened with the formation of erosion with purulent crusts around the edges. Complications of vesicular lesion include:
- Toxic allergic reactions. They develop for 4-6 days, often localized symmetrically: swollen reddish papules can be found on the foot, lower legs, forearm, face, mucous membranes.
- Connection of secondary bacterial or viral infection with the development of eczema.
The wiped shape of the fungus on the legs is characterized by minimal lesions, so it is not easy to recognize it. The main signs: the appearance of bowel peeling, the formation of micro -cracks between the fingers, the discomfort, the burning. The long course is involved in the nails.
Nail fungus
Onychomycosis occurs as a result of the skin fungus of the toes, the legs, in the absence of attention to the problem and adequate treatment.
The first symptoms and signs of onychomycosis may also go unnoticed. You need to contact the nail sponge and contact a dermatologist to:
- change in nail color;
- the appearance of yellow or greyish spots;
- loss of shine;
- appearance of the surface of the irregularities;
- strips in the structure of the nail;
- Increased British.
There are different classifications of onychomycosis. By the appearance of the nails, they are divided into:
- Normotrophic. The fungal infection changes the color of the nails to the yellowish-gray, the thickness and shape remain the same.
- Hypertrophic. This type of fungus is characterized by gross changes: nails turn yellow, thicken. If you look at the photos depicting this type of onychomycosis, you may notice a characteristic correct shape of the plates. Transverse studies, loosening and loosening in the free edge are visible. Such a change in nails leads to their cultivation. Walking becomes painful.
- Onycholithic. Nail plates turn thinner, change color, exfoliate from nails.
According to the location and the degree of nail damage, the following types of onychomycosis are distinguished: distal; lateral; mixed, proximal; Total; surface.
Candidiasis
The damage to the Candida mushrooms must be taken into account. These conditionally pathogenic fungi cause deep (affecting internal organs) and superficial mycoses (dermatomycosis, onychomycosis). Under normal conditions, human immunity suppresses the reproduction of this fungus and no massive infection occurs. Therefore, Candida activity manifests itself with significant disorders in the body of the body and requires a thorough examination to determine the cause of the immunodeficiency. The first signs of infection are difficult to distinguish from injury, frost.
Damage to the fungus of the legs develops as follows:
- On the toes there is an inflammation of the nail rollers with redness, swelling, cracking on the skin, the appearance of discomfort in any movement. A purulent whitish shade is formed under the nails.
- Inflammatory changes in the skin disappear, the disease becomes chronic. The skin around the nails thickens, stops growing. The infection affects nail plates.
- The toenails begin to thicken to sprinkle. Their color turns brown, brown. Disruption of blood supply leads to rejection.
Diagnostics
The diagnosis of leg fungus includes:
- Conversation with the patient (complaints, accompanying diseases, working conditions, clarification of the possibility of infection).
- Checking.
- Laboratory test methods (skin scraping, microscopy nails, special crop sowing with determination of drug sensitivity, IG G to Aspergille, candidates).
Treatment
The fungus of the legs requires immediate treatment that the dermatologist (or the mycologist) will prescribe. You can perform outpatient tasks.
How and how to treat the fungus on the legs depends on a number of conditions:
- localization of the pathological process;
- degree, severity of the lesion;
- the presence of concomitant diseases;
- patient age;
- In cases of women's therapy - the fact of pregnancy, lactation.
Treatment of leg fungus takes a long time and its main purpose is to disappear clinical and laboratory signs of infection. The incomplete course of therapy leads to a relapse of the disease.
Drug therapy
Treatment with drugs is performed with the help of antifungal drugs that not only destroy mycosis but also help to eliminate inflammation and eliminate secondary infection.
They are divided into:
- Local. Apply to the lesion (ointment, gel, cream, spray, varnish, solution).
- System - make oral (tablets, capsules, decisions).
At the initial stage of fungal infection, drug therapy is limited to the appointment of local agents. With general mycosis, with a severe course, a connection of systemic antifungal is required.
Treatment with folk remedies.
There are many recommendations on how to get rid of fungi on the feet of folk and home remedies. Most implies external use and some inwards. However, you should not drink and apply suspicious compositions to your feet in the hope of bringing neglected mycosis. Such folk methods can harm health.
Note! The most common and effective homemade remedy for fungi are legs for the feet with salt, soda, essential oils. These therapeutic procedures prepare legs and nails for medication.
Surgical treatment
With massive fungal damage, nail plates will need to be removed. This method is safe and there are practically no contraindications. Alternative to surgical manipulation - the use of pastes and ointments for nail softening, followed by removal.
Laser treatment
The use of an onychomycosis laser is based on the heating and destruction of the spores of the fungus with a directional beam. This technique allows you to quickly cure onychomycosis, safe and applicable in patients who are contraindicated in systemic treatment.
Dermatomycosis
Local antifungal agents are used to begin the treatment of fungi. If there is no improvement in the condition after a 2-week course of treatment, an antifungal agent is required. In the case of severe damage, the skin fungus requires the prescription of the systemic drugs. Therapy continues until the infection is completely eliminated.
Onychomycosis
Local medicines are prescribed to eliminate the initial manifestations of nail fungus. Mycosis with a lesion over 2/3 of the nail area, including the area of growth, the distribution of other plates - an indication for the administration of systemic drugs. Onychomycosis with mass nail destruction begins to be treated with surgical removal of the affected nail tissues. This method provides access to the focus of the infection.
Important!
The treatment of onychomycosis is performed before growing healthy nails and can last up to 12 months.
The appearance of fungi on the legs can be caused by various causes. A careful attitude towards your health will help you recognize the disease on time and start treatment.