Throughout our lives, we often face various diseases.Some of them are dangerous and require immediate treatment.And some do not seem to cause much harm to health, and we sometimes live with them for years without taking any steps to get rid of the disease.These diseases include foot skin fungus and toenail fungus.
Indeed, they cannot be called death.However, it is necessary to fight them, because, first, they slowly "weaken" the immune system, destroying the body's defense system, and second, they do not look aesthetically pleasing, which creates a whole complex in infected people.How to recognize foot fungus?Let's look at the main signs of athlete's foot.
Foot skin fungus: how it can manifest
The first signs of fungus that has "settled" on the feet can sometimes go unnoticed for a long time, especially if a person has a strong enough immune system, and the body tries to overcome the attacking "foreigner" itself for a certain period of time.Symptoms of athlete's foot include:
- skin redness, itching;
- blisters or blisters on the feet;
- cracked heels that take a long time to heal.
Often, the first symptoms show themselves as follows: the skin between the toes begins to itch, pimples appear, and the skin becomes red.The person has severe itching, worse at night.No cream or bath with medicinal herbs helps to overcome this problem.I am worried about severe skin peeling.
Sometimes the fungus "attacks" from the heel.In this case, cracks on the heel cannot be cured using folk remedies or pharmaceutical drugs.If you have this problem, know that these are signs of a fungal infection, and not just the result of scratching or a little inflammation after, for example, rubbing your feet with uncomfortable shoes.
Toenail fungus requires mandatory treatment.Not only does the disease carrier run the risk of getting additional infections, which can easily penetrate through damaged skin, in addition, he becomes a disease carrier.It is not unusual for the symptoms of athlete's foot to be observed in literally all members of the family living together.
The signs of athlete's foot should not be ignored.However, it is not always possible to recognize the disease itself, especially when itching and other unpleasant manifestations have just begun.Therefore, if suspicious symptoms appear, you should consult a dermatologist.He knows how to identify foot fungus and what methods to use to combat it.
How to recognize and what to do
So, we know what the manifestations of foot fungus are, and now we will examine ourselves carefully, especially after frequent visits to the swimming pool or sauna.
There is another type of disease, which, unfortunately, does not immediately attract the attention of the victim.This is nail fungus.
Sometimes athlete's foot spreads to the nail plate, and both the skin and nail need to be treated at once.But it happens that one only sees damage to the nails, while the skin remains clean.How does nail fungus start?
Once you decide to take a foot bath, you may notice a slight change in the color of the nail plate.Often, at first only 1 nail is affected - the one located on the thumb.Nails look yellow and dull.Usually, the color of the nail is pink, the plate is quite thin, but there is no increase in fragility or fragility.If fungus "visits" you, nails:
- become yellow (usually from the edges);
- significantly thickened;
- There are strange spots on the plate.
Carefully examine the neighbor's fingers: are there similar changes there?How does fungus appear in the first place?If there is no concomitant disease on the skin of the feet, it can remain for a long time only a cosmetic defect: no itching or pain, no discomfort.In this case, the person does not pay attention to the symptoms, thinking that he only damaged the nail by wearing, for example, too narrow shoes.How do you know if it is fungus?
You will not be able to determine the disease with 100% accuracy on your own.Moreover, even doctors do not need a visual examination to make a diagnosis.If he suspects the fungal nature of the disease, he will refer the patient for testing.The nail plate will be scraped - this is the only way to detect the presence of pathogenic fungi.
Signs of toenail fungus are a gradual deterioration of the condition: without treatment, the affected nail begins to change more and more.Yellowness covers an increasingly wide area.Then you might see:
- inflammation of the skin near the nail;
- further color changes - to greenish, gray, even black;
- increased brittleness and fragility.
Even if the nail becomes very thick and difficult to cut with nail clippers, it will crumble.Small pieces may break.
If you continue to pretend that nothing happened, the fungus can "move" to the neighbor's finger.In addition, the appearance of sharp edges due to periodic pieces breaking off from the nail leads to a complication called "ingrown nail".The sharp edge cuts and gradually grows into a roll of skin on the side, causing a person to suffer while walking.The skin becomes red and inflamed.
Over time, toenails become thicker and discolored.A person experiences significant discomfort due to the inability to visit the swimming pool and wear open shoes in the summer.
How can you get infected?
If you find suspicious signs in yourself, remember if you have recently been to a sauna or bathhouse.Fungi "love" a warm, moist environment - it's very easy to breed there.
Maybe you tried on shoes in a store without a "mark" or not long ago a friend gave you his sandals, which he wore, but then bought a new one?Or do you often exchange slippers at home with your housemates?
Any of these cases can trigger an infection.Microscopic cracks or wounds are enough for fungal spores to penetrate the skin or nails.At the same time, the person who "gave" you the disease may not suspect that he is the carrier: if he has a strong immune system, the fungus will not bother him.
If you think you have a fungal infection, the first thing you should do is visit a dermatologist.You cannot self-medicate: firstly, there are different pathogens that are sensitive to different drugs.Second, maybe it's not a fungus at all, but another disease.In both cases, the drugs themselves may either not produce results, or "drive" the disease deeper, and then it will be difficult to overcome it.
This is especially true for nail fungus.Sometimes dystrophic changes in the nail plate, which can appear as a result of wearing tight shoes that cause nail deformation, can be confused with fungus.Another reason for changes not related to fungal infection is venous disease, which causes a deterioration in blood supply.As a result, the nails become brittle, the color changes and the person, believing that he has been infected, begins intensive treatment with gels and varnishes.Naturally, such "treatment" will be ineffective.
What to do if fungus is suspected
If suspicious symptoms appear, you should not go to the pharmacy to get medicine, but see a doctor and get a test.Until the reason is established, it is necessary to be careful not to become a source of infection for others: refuse to visit the swimming pool or sauna, and do not wear other people's shoes.
If a pathogenic fungus is diagnosed, you need to undergo a course of treatment.If the skin is affected, it will take about a month or two;if there is a problem with the nail plate, it can take up to a year.If the disease has progressed far enough, it may be necessary to take antifungal drugs internally along with external agents.
Take care of yourself: any disease is easiest to cure in the early stages.This also applies to fungal infections.So healthy!