One of the most common foot diseases is foot fungus, or as it is also called, ringworm. According to medical research statistics, several types of this lesion on 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 everyone around you.
What does foot fungus look like?
Many have heard that there is such a disease as ringworm, which is manifested in almost 80% of the population, but rarely has anyone encountered this problem personally. There are cases where those infected, 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 you can also suffer.
It is possible to study in more detail the stages of localization of bacteria on a person's foot using a photo, but it should be noted that in addition to visual effects, there are symptoms that also differ in the degree of infectiousness of the body.
The initial stage of manifestation of the fungus on the feet will not be very noticeable, but a burning sensation, itching and a small area of redness may 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 (it turns yellow, gray, thickens). Additionally, small white stripes and spots may appear on the nails, which is usually a good reason to see a doctor for a diagnosis.
The last stage is intense peeling of the skin, the nail begins to slowly 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 be exposed.
This is what foot mycosis looks like at each stage of development. And as you can see in the photo, the consequences of fungal infection of nails 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 using another person's hygiene products.
Symptoms of the disease
- The skin between the fingers becomes very dry and vulnerable, small scales appear;
- Appearance of small purulent blisters filled with liquid 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 in socks and shoes due to the manifestation of fungus, it is quite pungent and specific.
According to the degree of development of fungal bacteria, epidermophytosis can occur in four phases:
Light
At the first signs of peeling on the feet, you should immediately consult a dermatologist. These are the first signs of fungus. Further growth of bacteria occurs at the level of the fingers, between the fingers and in the nails. The following symptoms are redness of the skin, small cracks in the heels and feet, itching and burning in the area where the disease is most located.
Squamous hyperkeratotic
The scaly-hyperkeratotic phase of the disease is caused by mild swelling of the skin of the feet, which also causes intense peeling of the feet and the skin between the toes.
Intense 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 presents the following symptoms: a rash over the entire skin of the foot, with red to blue blisters, which subsequently peel severely and cause pain when walking.
If you do not consult a doctor, the infection cooperates and turns into a serious source of infection. This entire process is accompanied by an unpleasant odor from the feet.
IntertriginousThe phase is characterized by the appearance of deep cracks in the heels, accompanied by pain, and the appearance of erosive ulcers. The pain increases significantly, which prevents the person from standing normally.
DyshidroticThe phase is characterized by small purulent blisters that develop at a tremendous speed, covering the entire area of the foot and toes in just a few days. Pustules can open automatically, causing red erosions to appear. After the skin dries a little, a small amount of liquid may be released from the wounds.
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 provide a definitive picture of the process occurring in the legs. But you should not start self-medication, as this often leads to ineffective consequences, which gives rise to an even stronger localization of the disease.
To prescribe the correct 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 a diagnosis, as a result of which the entire picture of the course of the disease will become clear.
How to treat foot fungus
It must be remembered that depending on the stage of the disease, a treatment will be prescribed that must be comprehensive.
Before starting treatment with local medications, it will be necessary to alleviate inflammatory processes and keratinization phenomena.
To help get rid of unwanted fungal bacteria, you must know the correct procedures:
- For external use, creams, ointments, sprays, solutions, varnishes should be used;
- Mandatory course on the use of antifungals;
- For severe burning and itching, you should purchase sedatives to alleviate pain symptoms;
- As the immune system is weakened when fighting the fungus, it will be necessary to take a treatment with vitamins and minerals, which will help the body fight the infection more strongly;
- If concomitant infectious diseases occur, the dermatologist will prescribe antibiotic treatment.
To determine specific medications, the dermatologist must know the complete picture of the course of mycosis; 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 must be taken into account.
Most medical reference books can clearly show all stages of the progression of foot fungus in the form of a photo with a description of the symptoms, so that a person can independently determine them. After visual examination and comparison with photos of the course of mycosis, the patient should immediately seek medical attention from a specialist.
Photograph
