Throughout our lives, we often encounter many different diseases.Some of them are dangerous and require immediate treatment.And there are diseases that don't seem to cause much harm to our health, sometimes we have to live with them for many years without taking any measures to get better.These diseases include athlete's foot and toenail fungus.
Indeed, they cannot be called lethal.However, it is necessary to fight with them, because, firstly, they slowly "weaken" the immune system, destroying the body's defense system, secondly, they do not look aesthetically pleasing, leading to a whole host of complications in the infected person.How to recognize foot fungus?Let's look at the main signs of foot fungus.
Athlete's foot: how it can manifest
The first signs of a fungus that has "settled" on the feet can sometimes go unnoticed for a long time, especially if a person has a fairly strong immune system and the body tries to cope with the "stranger" invader on its own for a certain period of time.Signs of foot fungus include:
- skin redness, itching;
- vesicles or vesicles on the feet;
- Cracked heels that take a long time to heal.
Usually, the first symptoms appear as follows: the skin between the toes begins to itch, pimples appear, and the skin turns red.The patient has severe itching, worse at night.No amount of creams or herbal baths will help solve the problem.I'm worried about severe skin peeling.
Sometimes the fungus "attacks" from the heel.In this case, cracks in the heels cannot be cured with folk remedies or pharmaceuticals.If you experience this problem, know that these are signs of a fungal infection and not just the result of scratching or mild inflammation, such as after rubbing your feet with uncomfortable shoes.
Toenail fungus requires mandatory treatment.The carrier is not only at risk of contracting an additional infection that can easily penetrate through damaged skin, but also of becoming a carrier of the disease.It is not uncommon for symptoms of athlete's foot to be observed in all family members living together.
Signs of foot fungus should not be ignored.However, you cannot always recognize the disease yourself, especially when itching and other unpleasant symptoms first begin.Therefore, if suspicious symptoms appear, you should consult a dermatologist.He knows how to identify foot fungus and what methods to use to fight it.
How to recognize and what to do
So, we know what the symptoms of foot fungus are and now we will thoroughly examine ourselves, especially after frequent visits to the pool or sauna.
There is another type of disease, which, unfortunately, does not immediately attract the attention of the victim.This is a type of nail fungus.
Sometimes foot fungus spreads to the nail plate and both the skin and nails must be treated at the same time.But it happens that a person observes damage only to the nails, while the skin remains clean.How does nail fungus start?
When you decide to soak your feet, you may notice that the color of the nail plate changes slightly.Usually, only 1 nail is affected at first - the nail located on the thumb.Nails look yellow and dull.Usually, the color of the nail is slightly pink, the nail plate is quite thin but does not increase brittleness or brittleness.If fungus "visits" you, your nails:
- turn yellow (usually from the edges);
- significantly thickened;
- There are strange spots on the plate.
Carefully examine the neighboring fingers: are there any similar changes there?How did mushrooms first appear?If there is no concomitant disease in the skin of the feet, the only cosmetic defect that may exist in the long run is: no itching, no pain, no discomfort.In this case, the person does not pay attention to the symptoms, thinking that he has simply damaged his nails by wearing shoes that are too tight.How do you know if it's a fungus?
You will not be able to identify the disease yourself with 100% accuracy.Furthermore, even a doctor does 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.
A sign of foot fungus is a worsening of the condition: without treatment, the affected nail will begin to change more and more.Yellow covers increasingly large areas.You can then see:
- dermatitis near the nails;
- further color change - to green, gray, even black;
- Increases crispiness and crunchiness.
Even though the nail becomes very thick and difficult to cut with nail scissors, it still crumbles.Small pieces may break off.
If you continue to pretend like nothing is happening, the fungus can "move" to neighboring fingers.In addition, the appearance of sharp edges due to periodic shedding of nail fragments leads to a complication called “ingrown nails”.The sharp edge cuts in and gradually develops a wound on the skin on the side, causing pain when walking.The skin becomes red and inflamed.
Over time, toenails become thicker and change color.A person feels significant discomfort due to the inability to go to the pool and wear open-toed shoes in the summer.
How can you get infected?
If you notice suspicious signs about yourself, remember to see if you have recently been to a sauna or bathhouse.The fungus "loves" a warm, humid environment - it is very favorable for it to reproduce there.
Perhaps you tried on shoes in a store without the “brand” or not long ago a friend gave you a pair of sandals she had been wearing but then bought new ones?Or do you often exchange slippers at home with family members?
Any of these can cause infection.A microscopic crack or wound is enough for fungal spores to enter the skin or nails.At the same time, the person who "transmitted" the disease to you may not even suspect that he is a carrier: if he has a strong immune system, then this fungus will not bother him.
If you think you have a fungal infection, the first thing you should do is see a dermatologist.You should not self-medicate: first, there are different pathogens that are sensitive to different drugs.Second, perhaps it is not a fungus but another disease.In both cases, self-medication may not bring results or "push" the disease deeper and then it will be difficult to cope.
This is especially true for nail fungus.Sometimes dystrophic changes in the nail plate, which can appear due to wearing tight shoes, causing nail deformation, can be confused with fungus.Another reason for changes unrelated to fungal infection is venous disease, which causes impaired blood supply.As a result, the nails become fragile, the color changes, and a person, believing that he has developed an infection, begins intensive treatment with gels and varnishes.Of course, such "treatment" will not be effective.
What to do if you suspect fungus
If suspicious symptoms appear, you should not run to the pharmacy to buy medicine, but see a doctor and get tested.Until the cause is determined, special care should be taken not to become a source of infection for others: refuse to go to the pool or sauna, do not wear other people's shoes.
If the fungus is diagnosed, you will have to undergo a course of treatment.If the skin is affected it will take about a month or two;If there are problems with the nail plate, it can take up to a year.If the disease has progressed far enough, internal antifungal medications may be required along with external agents.
Pay attention to yourself: any disease is easiest to cure in the early stages.This also applies to fungal infections.Be healthy!