One of the most common foot diseases is foot fungus, or as it is also called, mycosis. According to medical research statistics, several types of this lesion of the skin and nail plates have been identified.
The main thing is to immediately consult a doctor when a fungus appears in order to have time to protect your body from bacteria and those around you.
What does foot fungus look like?
Many have heard that there is such a disease as mycosis and it manifests itself in almost 80% of the population, but rarely has anyone encountered this problem in person. There are cases when infected people, simply not paying attention to the symptoms, may not start treatment on time, which leads to disastrous consequences. But in addition to the infected body, the people around it can also suffer.
You can study the stages of localization of bacteria on a person's foot in more detail using a photo, but it should be noted that in addition to visual effects, there are symptoms that will also differ indegree of infectivity of the body.
The initial phase of manifestation of foot fungus will not be very noticeable, but a burning sensation, itching and a small area of redness can already indicate that the fungus has begun its active activity.
The next phase is more serious and concerns both the foot and the nail plate. The nail begins to change (yellow, gray, thicken). Additionally, small scratches and white spots may appear on the nails, which is usually a good reason to see a doctor for a diagnosis.
The last phase is severe peeling of the skin, the nail slowly begins to move away from the hole, ulcers and ulcers may appear. All this leads to the complete destruction of the upper layer of the epidermis, internal cracks begin to appear.
This is what foot fungus looks like at each stage of its development. And as you can see in the photo, the consequences of fungal infection of the nail plates and feet can be sad.
Fungus on toes
A fungal infection of the skin between the toes is called athlete's foot, and the fungus itself is called Tinea pedis. This fungus is generated by contact with an already infected person or by the use of hygiene products belonging to someone else.
Symptoms of the disease
- The skin between the fingers becomes very dry and vulnerable, small scales appear;
- The appearance of small purulent blisters with fluid on the skin, and if one of them bursts, an unpleasant sensation appears on the skin;
- The nail plates change, the structure becomes more fragile;
- There may be an unpleasant odor on socks and shoes due to the manifestation of a fungus; it is quite spicy and specific.
Depending on the degree of development of fungal bacteria, epidermophytosis can occur in four phases:
Benign
At the first signs of peeling feet, you should immediately consult a dermatologist. These are the first signs of fungus. Further development of bacteria occurs on the fingers, between the fingers and on the nails. The following symptoms are redness on the skin, small cracks on the heels and feet, itching and burning at the largest localization of the disease.
Scaly-hyperkeratotic
The scaly-hyperkeratotic phase of the disease is caused by mild swelling of the skin on the feet, which also causes severe peeling of the feet and the skin between the toes.
Severe itching and burning spreads over the entire foot area, including the nails. The color of the nail plate changes from light yellow to grayish, which leads to the destruction of the upper layer of the plate itself.
The hyperkeratotic phase of the fungus has the following symptoms: a rash all over the skin of the foot, with red to blue blisters, which will then peel off sharply and cause pain when walking.
If you do not seek medical attention, the infection cooperates and turns into a serious source of infection. This whole process is accompanied by unpleasant foot odor.
Intertriginousthe phase is characterized by the appearance of deep cracks in the heels, accompanied by pain, and by the appearance of erosive ulcers. The pain increases significantly, making it difficult for the person to stand normally on their leg.
Dyshidroticthe phase is characterized by small purulent blisters that grow at lightning speed, covering the entire foot and toe area in just a few days. The pustules may open on their own, causing red erosions to appear. Once the skin is a little dry, a small amount of fluid may leak from the sores.
The main thing is that when fungus appears on the legs, immediately understand the symptoms and consult a dermatologist in a timely manner. Symptoms of the fungus and a visual examination should give an accurate picture of the process occurring on the legs. But you should not start self-medication, as this usually leads to ineffective consequences, which leads to even stronger localization of the disease.
In order to prescribe the appropriate treatment, the doctor will need to know the stage of development of the fungus and identify the type of pathogen. But before that, the patient must undergo diagnosis, as a result of which the entire course of the disease will be clear.
How to treat foot fungus
It should be remembered that depending on the phase of the disease, treatment will be prescribed, which must be comprehensive.
Before starting treatment with local medications, it will be necessary to relieve inflammatory processes and keratinization phenomena.
In order to help you get rid of unwanted fungal bacteria, you need to know the proper procedures:
- For external use, you need to use creams, ointments, sprays, solutions, varnishes;
- Mandatory course in taking antifungal medications;
- In case of severe burning and itching, you should purchase sedatives to relieve pain symptoms;
- Since the immune system is weakened when fighting the fungus, you will need to take a course of vitamins and minerals, which will help the body fight the infection more forcefully;
- If concomitant infectious diseases appear, the dermatologist will prescribe antibiotic treatment.
To determine specific medications, the dermatologist must know the complete course of the mycosis; it must take into account the age of the infected person, the reaction of the fungus to certain medications, as well as the degree of infection of the areas of the foot. into account.
Most medical reference books can clearly show all phases of progression of foot mycosis in the form of a photo with a description of the symptoms, so that a person can determine them independently. After a visual examination and comparison with photos of the progress of the mycosis, the patient should immediately consult a specialist doctor.
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