Fungal skin lesions are very common these days. The medical name for this disease is mycosis. Its causative agent is cutaneous fungus - specific microorganisms of various species. As a rule, fungal infection is most often found on the skin of the legs, namely the feet. The disease is contagious.
Fungal skin lesions can occur due to various reasons. Firstly, it can be cracked skin of the legs, especially interdigital skin. Cracks occur on very dry skin in people with excessive sweating of the legs. Secondly, the fungus can occur with frostbite, vascular disease, varicose veins, with constant load on the legs, as well as with low immunity and diseases of the endocrine glands.
How does fungal skin damage occur? First of all, the disease can be transmitted from a person already suffering from this ailment, from contact through personal items. You can get infected through shoes, socks, as well as in public places - this is a swimming pool, various steam rooms and saunas, a manicure room, a gym. In these places, increased humidity, namely humidity and temperature, is a favorable environment for the development of fungus. The skin of the legs is very vulnerable to this disease, because it contains a large amount of keratin. Getting on the skin of the legs, the fungus immediately acts - it begins to grow rapidly. First, nails are affected, and then the skin itself . Nails become dull, their usual shine disappears, and the color changes to yellow or black. Nails are constantly breaking. The deformation of the plate occurs - either it thickens, or, conversely, it becomes very thin. There is pain, because due to the thickening there is pressure on the skin. The skin around the nail can become inflamed.
When the nail is affected, the fungus spreads to the skin itself. At the beginning of the disease, cracks form in the interdigital space, peeling begins, and very severe itching occurs. Sweat under the influence of the fungus acquires a sharp and unpleasant odor. It is very difficult for a person to endure periods of exacerbation, when a rash appears in the form of red spots, vesicles and large foci of erosion.
Only dermatologists can diagnose fungal skin lesions and prescribe the correct treatment. The first step is scraping - a skin sample to determine the type of fungus. Next, antifungal drugs are prescribed, the optimal course of treatment is selected. Self-medication will not help here, since the therapy prescribed by the doctor takes into account all the features of the ongoing disease. You can, of course, try some broad-spectrum antifungal drug. But, nevertheless, you should not postpone the visit to a specialist until tomorrow, since the fungus spreads more and more every day, bringing torment and discomfort. It is always easier to stop the disease at the initial stage of its development than to treat an already chronic disease.
The fungus of the foot is dangerous because it is very difficult to stop the process of its development. If you underwent a course of treatment, but did not heal the disease, if at least a tiny accumulation of microorganisms remains, the fungus will erupt again with the same strength. If treatment is not started on time, then other areas of the skin will also become infected.
You must remember about preventive measures to combat the fungus. Avoid trying on someone else's shoes, especially do not do this on your bare foot. Wash your feet regularly with soap and then dry them, especially between your toes. Treat shoes that you went to all day with some deodorant. Take good care of your health, take the necessary preventive measures, and the fungus will never visit you.