One of the most common foot diseases is foot fungus or as it is also called mycosis. According to the statistical data of medical research, several types of this lesion of the skin and nail plate have been identified.
The main thing is to immediately consult a doctor when the fungus appears so that you 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 mycosis, and it manifests itself in almost 80% of the population, but rarely has anyone personally encountered this problem. There are cases when the infected, simply not paying attention to the symptoms, do not start treatment in time, which leads to catastrophic consequences. But besides the infected body, the people around it can also suffer.
You can 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 will also differ according to the degree of infectivity of the body.
The initial stage of the manifestation of 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 to work actively.
The next stage is more serious and concerns both the feet and the nail plate. The nail starts to change (yellows, turns gray, thickens). Also, small white streaks and spots may appear on the nails, which is usually a good reason to see a doctor for a diagnosis.
The last stage is severe peeling of the skin, the nail slowly begins to move away from the hole, ulcers and sores 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 in every stage of development. And as you can see from the photo, the consequences of a fungal infection of the nail plates and feet can be sad.
Toe fungus
A fungal infection of the skin between the toes is called athlete's foot, and the fungus itself is Tinea pedis. This fungus is caused by contact with an already infected person or by using other people's hygiene products.
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;
- On socks and shoes there can be an unpleasant smell due to the appearance of fungi, it is quite sharp and specific.
According to the degree of development of fungal bacteria, epidermophytosis can occur in four stages:
Mild At the first signs of peeling on the feet, consult a dermatologist immediately. These are the first signs of fungus. Further development of bacteria occurs at the level of 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 in the place of greater localization of the disease.
Squamous-hyperkeratotic The squamous-hyperkeratotic phase of the disease is caused by mild swelling of the skin of the feet, which also causes severe peeling of the feet and the skin between the toes.
Severe itching and burning have spread to the entire area of the feet, including the nails. The color of the nail plate changes from light yellow to grayish, which implies the destruction of the top layer of the plate itself.
The hyperkeratotic stage of the fungus has the following symptoms: a rash all over the skin of the feet, with red to blue blisters, which will then peel off profusely and cause pain when walking.
If you do not consult a doctor, the infection cooperates and turns into a serious source of infection. This whole process is accompanied by an unpleasant smell from the feet.
Intertriginous the phase is characterized by the appearance of deep cracks on the heels, accompanied by pain and the appearance of erosive ulcers. The pain intensifies significantly, which prevents the person from standing normally on the leg.Dyshidrotic the stage is characterized by small purulent blisters that develop at an enormous speed, covering the entire area of the feet and toes in just a few days. The pustules may open on their own, causing red erosions to appear. After the skin dries a little, a small amount of fluid may be released from the wounds.
The main thing is, when the fungus appears on the legs, immediately understand the symptoms and consult a dermatologist in time. Symptoms of the fungus and a visual examination should give a definitive picture of the process taking place on the feet. But you should not start self-medication, because this usually leads to ineffective consequences, which leads to an even stronger location of the disease.
In order to prescribe the correct course of 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, due to which the whole picture of the course of the disease will be clear.
How to treat foot fungus
It should be kept in mind that depending on the stage of the disease, treatment will be prescribed, which must be comprehensive.
Before starting the treatment with local drugs, it will be necessary to alleviate the inflammatory processes and phenomena of keratinization.
In order to get rid of unwanted fungal bacteria, you should know the correct procedures:
- For external use, you should use creams, ointments, sprays, solutions, varnishes;
- Mandatory course of taking antifungal drugs;
- In severe burning and itching, you should buy sedatives to relieve pain symptoms;
- Since the immune system is weakened in the fight against the fungus, you will need to take a course of vitamins and minerals that will help the body to fight the infection more strongly;
- If accompanying infectious diseases occur, the dermatologist will prescribe antibiotic therapy.
In order to determine certain drugs, the dermatologist must know the complete picture of the course of mycosis; it is necessary to take the age of the infected person, the reaction of the fungus to certain drugs, as well as the degree of infection of the foot area. into account.
Most medical manuals can clearly show all stages of the development of foot fungus in the form of a photo with a description of the symptoms, so that a person can determine them independently. After a visual inspection and comparison with the photos of the course of mycosis, the patient should immediately seek medical help from a specialist.
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