Symptoms and treatment of athlete's foot

Fungal infection very often affects toes or nails. This disease affects adults and children. In order to prevent the pathology from becoming chronic, you need to know the signs of athlete's foot and what such a disease looks like.

The main signs of the disease

Mycosis of the feet is the most common of all skin diseases. By ignoring basic hygiene rules, you can get infected with the disease. Sometimes it is very difficult to cure the fungus.

In each person, athlete's foot begins and develops in its own way. Here are the most common signs by which athlete's foot can be recognized:

• characteristic cracks appear between the toes;
• The characteristic itching on the feet and between the toes can indicate that a fungus has appeared;
• the skin of the feet is very dry, often peels and becomes rough;
• blisters appear between the fingers, which burst when destroyed;
• the infection may spread to neighboring areas;
• reddish spots appear on the skin, which cause significant discomfort;
• You can also recognize athlete's foot by its unpleasant smell.

When the first symptoms of the disease appear, consult a dermatologist immediately. If you do not do this in advance, it will be much more difficult to treat the fungus.

The signs of the fungus depend on the type of pathogen

This disease is caused by different types of pathogens. The symptoms of foot damage can be different in each case.

1. If yeast develops on the feet, the nail gradually thins and separates from the bed. The skin of the leg is hyperemic (takes on a red hue).
2. With the development of epidermophytes, the nail turns yellow and is covered with spots. The skin on the feet peels off and emits an unpleasant smell. A characteristic symptom of this type of fungus is increased skin dryness.
3. When the fungus appears, the nail plate can suddenly change color. The skin turns red if the pathogen gradually spreads to the entire leg. The person is bothered by itching and the skin may crack. In this case, pain and other unpleasant sensations appear while walking.

Only a doctor can determine the type of pathogen. This cannot be done at home. And if you practice self-medication, you can only harm yourself. Your feet will suffer from this, and the skin fungus will spread more and more.

Signs of some forms of the fungus

Depending on the affected area and the degree of development, several forms of the pathology are distinguished. Each of them has different symptoms. By knowing the early signs of foot disease, you can start treating mycosis in time.

1. Interdigital dermatophytosis is the most common stage of the disease. It becomes more active in spring and summer when the feet sweat the most. Cracks and sores appear between the fingers. You may notice the presence of scales on their skin. The leg looks completely healthy. Often a person feels itching.
2. The deleted form appears the least prominently. Peeling can be seen between the fingers. At this stage of the disease, a sharp unpleasant odor spreads from the feet: it appears due to increased bacterial activity.

The disease can occur in different forms. Let's get acquainted with their signs so that we know how to identify athlete's foot and, if it develops, start treatment. It should be remembered that in the advanced stage of the disease, the nail is completely destroyed. Almost impossible to restore.

Squamous type

This fungus is characterized by intensive peeling of the epidermis. Moreover, the skin areas between the toes and the sides of the feet are the most intensely affected. There are no signs of the inflammatory process. In the image of the first signs of athlete's foot, areas of hyperemia can be noticed. A scaly mushroom looks like this:

• the stratum corneum thickens;
• the skin shines, sometimes becomes thick;
• the pattern of the skin becomes more distinguishable;
• the fungus gradually spreads to the fingers, the entire leg and affects the nails;
• sometimes lamellar scales appear on the epidermis;
• The patient does not feel any other discomfort.

Dyshidrotic type

With this fungus, small fluid-filled blisters appear on the skin. They are usually located on the side of the foot. Then they gradually move to the inside of the fingers. How to recognize dyshidrotic athlete's foot:

• the bubble is usually single, but if there are many of them, they merge into one large bubble;
• if left untreated, the fluid in the blisters gradually darkens;
• If the blister ruptures, an erosion with a crust appears in its place.

With this type of athlete's foot, the risk of bacterial infection is very high. The infection enters the body through open skin lesions.

Intertriginal type

This type of mushroom is the most common. At first, the person does not feel any symptoms. Up to a certain point, the skin of the toes does not change. After that, cracks and layers appear. It does not affect the skin, but it may cause sweating.

Candidiasis of the foot

The typical symptoms of this fungal infection are:

• the lesion is the 3rd or 4th toe;
• the skin is red and swollen;
• Around the lesion is a blister where there is a layer of peeled skin;
• There are pustules and blisters nearby.

If a bacterial infection enters the affected area, it leads to an increase in local temperature. Swelling can be seen on the skin of the legs. In severe cases, a person experiences general hyperthermia.

Signs of a fungal nail infection

A person's toenails may also be affected. The disease can be distinguished based on the following symptoms.

1. A significant change in the color of the nail plate. Depending on the type of pathology the patient has, the nail takes on different shades. Sometimes only a part of the nail plate can change.
2. My nails are crumbling. It occurs only in advanced stages. If the nail is completely infected, it will be destroyed.
3. Changes in the structure of the nail.

There are several types of onychomycosis, a fungal infection of the nails.

1. Atrophic appearance. The nail plate looks very thin. It darkens, sometimes takes on a gray-brown color. The nail gradually separates from its bed. The underlying skin becomes keratinized and loosens.
2. With the normotrophic form of athlete's foot, the plate changes its shade. Spots appear on it - white, yellow, green and even black. It does not affect the structure of the nail.
3. In the hypertrophic form, the plate gradually thickens and becomes porous. The affected area looks very ugly and in some cases causes pain when walking. It collapses and collapses on its side without treatment.

Certain types of onychomycosis

Depending on the degree of spread of the disease, its forms are distinguished.

1. Lateral onychomycosis is the most common. First, a small yellow spot appears on the free edge of the nail. In the future, you will notice how it grows and the nail plate thickens. A person feels discomfort while walking. The spread of an unpleasant odor is noticeable. Lateral onychomycosis is difficult to treat.
2. Superficial onychomycosis is characterized only by damage to the upper layers of the plate. It does not thicken, but becomes chalky over time.
3. The rarest form of the disease is subungual onychomycosis. The skin thickens noticeably in the nail fold. The nail turns white and loses its transparency.

General principles of treatment

Any treatment of pathology begins with diagnosis. Only then can an appropriate remedy be prescribed. Self-medication usually leads to deterioration of the condition of the legs. Let's get acquainted with the most common methods of therapy.

1. At the first signs of fungal infection, special varnishes, plasters, ointments and sprays are used. They should be used for a long time and according to the instructions.
2. If local therapy is ineffective, complex antifungal agents are prescribed. It is used orally.
3. Surgical removal of the affected nail.
4. Laser therapy.
5. In advanced forms of the disease, systemic drugs are prescribed.

By following the rules of hygiene, you can avoid the occurrence of an unpleasant disease. Avoid using other people's personal hygiene products (towels, slippers). When the first signs of the disease appear, consult a doctor immediately.

Types of mycosis

Fungal infections of the feet usually appear between the toes. It is caused by several types of fungi. This problem occurs most often in adults, as children's sweat disarms the fungus.

Mycotic changes can be of different types:

• candidiasis - occurs when the body's resistance decreases, most often in women;
• Epidermophytosis is an exclusively "male" disease that develops due to excessive sweating;
• Rubromycosis is a highly contagious form that can occur even in young children.

Signs and forms of the disease

The signs of a fungal infection can vary depending on the age of the patient, the state of the immune system and the nature of the blood circulation.

In a person with a strong immune system, the fungus can remain on the skin for several months without showing itself. Slight itching and slight redness may occur.

Treatment and Best Remedies

Advanced mycosis is treated with antifungal tablets and antifungal ointments. The latter are used after washing and drying the feet.

Folk remedies are recommended only in the initial stages of the disease, as well as to relieve itching. They must be used with extreme caution, as some depend on cauterizing the skin and can cause burns.

As for traditional medicine, they are used at the patients' own risk. Special care should be taken when using preparations containing vinegar, celandine, or manganese, as they may cause burns.

In parallel with the medicinal treatment, you can also use baths made with oak bark, chamomile or sage. A soda bath effectively reduces itching.

Preventive measures

Although there are effective and inexpensive treatments for athlete's foot on the market, it is best not to let the problem develop. Prevention of fungal infections consists of:

• in daily hygiene;
• wearing individual shoes (especially in public showers, baths and swimming pools);
• regular treatment of the inside of shoes with ammonia;
• daily change of socks;
• strengthening and maintaining immunity.

These are basic, simple measures that anyone can take. But if an infection occurs, in order to prevent relapse, athlete's foot should be treated with drugs for another 14 days after the complete disappearance of all symptoms of mycosis.

Athlete's foot: symptoms and treatment, photo of athlete's foot

Athlete's foot is one of the most common diseases in dermatological practice. It occurs primarily in cultures where shoes are worn most of the time and affects 70% of the adult population.

Most often, athlete's foot is observed in the elderly, as well as in those whose immunity is significantly weakened, for example, diabetes, AIDS, circulatory disorders of the lower extremities and other diseases of this type.

The term "foot fungus or mycosis" often refers to the damage caused by fungal mycelium to the skin of the soles of the feet, nails and interdigital spaces.

Pathogens

Among the many types of fungi, the main causative agents of foot mycosis are:

• Trichophyton rubrum,
• Trichophyton mentagrophytes,
• Epidermophyton floccosum.

Other causes of fungal infection of the foot, which are not so common:

• Trichophyton tonsurans is the causative agent of mycosis in children in America,
• candida,
• Scythalidium hyalinum,
• Scythalidium dimidiatum.

All the causative agents of fungal infections have adapted to parasitize in the stratum corneum of the skin and produce special enzymes that break down keratin. In addition, their membranes (cell walls) contain mannan - special substances that suppress local immunity and contribute to the development of chronic inflammation.

Ways of infection and factors contributing to the development of the disease

Certain types of athlete's foot pathogens are thought to be able to remain viable in scaly skin flakes for up to a year. In order to become infected with the fungus, it is enough for such skin flakes to stick to the legs with the pathogen, and then to be exposed to conditions suitable for reproduction: humidity and heat.

The most common infections of athlete's foot are:

1. In public places: baths, beach beds, swimming pools, saunas, even just beach sand.
2. In the family: shared house shoes, lack of individual doormats, low level of hygiene.
3. Habits: changing shoes, socks, wearing someone else's shoes (for example, the hosts' homemade slippers when visiting).

Factors promoting infection:

1. The reduction of local protective forces due to circulatory disorders (for example, vasculitis, obliterating atherosclerosis of the lower limbs), certain chronic diseases (HIV, other immunodeficiency conditions, diabetes mellitus, etc. ).
2. Prolonged sweating of the feet in athletes during long training sessions, in summer, if they wear closed or poorly ventilated shoes.
3. Cracks and macerations on the skin of the feet.

In general, men get sick more often than women, and the frequency of foot fungal infections increases with age. The risk group for athlete's foot infections is as follows:

• miners,
• military personnel,
• spa inspectors,
• they bathe and sauna regularly,
• athletes.

Types of diseases

According to the location of the pathological focus of the skin on the leg affected by the fungus:

1. Interdigital mycosis (dermatophytosis). It is most often observed in chronic (squamous) or acute (intertriginous) form.
2. Plantar mycosis. It is most often manifested in peeling and keratinization of the skin of the feet.
3. Dyshidrotic dermatophytosis. Bubbles and blisters form on the skin of the feet, which often resemble allergic dermatitis.
4. Deep mycosis. In this case, not only the superficial but also the deep layers of the skin are affected.
5. Onychomycosis. Toenail fungal infection.

Depending on the type of pathogen, the main fungal diseases of the foot are:

1. Athlete's disease caused by Trichophyton mcntagrophytes.
2. Rubrophytosis caused by Trichophyton rubrum.

Rubrophytosis of the foot: main types and symptoms

Rubrophytosis is the most common fungal foot disease. It occurs in nearly 70-90% of cases.

Symptoms

The classic form of rubrophytosis is characterized by redness and moderate thickening of the skin (lichenification). The affected skin has a shiny, increased pattern, a dry surface, and flour-like scales accumulate in the furrows and folds.

Usually, the disease begins with the third or fourth interdigital folds, which are the tightest. The fungus then spreads to other areas between the toes, the soles of the feet, and the back of the feet.

The following forms of rubrophytia are typical:

Common:

• squamous epithelium (the main symptom is peeling of the skin),
• keratinizing form - "corn", the presence of thickenings.
• intertriginal (opreloid),
• dyshidrotic (with the formation of blisters),
• mixed form (diaper rash, blisters).

On the leg

The symptoms of obliterated squamous rubrophyta are the least pronounced, and the patient goes almost unnoticed. Main symptoms:

1. Interdigital spaces: peeling, presence of flour-like scales, superficial small cracks.
2. There are practically no complaints or minor itching may bother you.

In this form, rubrophytosis can last quite a long time. However, the progression of the disease can be observed gradually, which leads to the appearance of hyperkeratotic and mixed forms. They are gradually:

• increased dryness of the skin of the feet,
• skin roughness,
• the appearance of rough calluses on the soles and sides of the feet,
• formation of deep and painful cracks in the heel area.

With rubrophytosis of the feet, 3 main types of skin peeling can be observed:

1. Floury.The natural folds and grooves of the skin seem to have been sprinkled with flour.
2. Ring shaped. Reddened spots with a border of peeling epithelium.
3. LP. In this case, the skin peels off in large plates.

In the interdigital spaces

During intense sweating of the feet, wearing poorly ventilated shoes or improper treatment, the gaps between the toes periodically become wet. The skin swells, erodes, and deep cracks appear. The main complaints of patients at this stage are itching, pain, and burning.

Without timely and effective treatment, the process gradually worsens, which manifests itself in increased pain and itching, which increase with movement. Large blisters appear on the skin of the interdigital spaces of the fingers and on the lateral surfaces of the fingers, which then turn into erosions surrounded by a whitish epidermal border.

On the nails

Nail plates of the toes with rubrophytosis:

• thickened
• crumbling,
• yellowish gray or brown in color,
• etched white spots that later spread to my entire nail.

Sometimes they separate from the nail bed, thicken and take on the appearance of a bird's claw or ingrown nail, causing additional discomfort to patients.

Complications of rubrophytosis

Rubrophytia usually spreads to other parts of the body: hands, smooth skin, hair. The pathogen reaches new skin areas through lymphogenous and contact (e. g. by hand when washing feet).

1. Hands - damage to the palms and nails.
2. Smooth skin - lesions on the face, inguinal-femoral folds, buttocks, legs.

In this case, mycosis manifests itself in the form of round pink-red or pink spots that tend to merge and grow peripherally. Their surface is covered with scales, along the edges there is an inflammatory ridge with small bubbles and crusts.

If rubrophytia has spread to large folds, itching occurs.

Athlete's foot: types and symptoms

Athlete's foot is much less common than rubrophytosis and has the same forms of the disease:

1. Deleted.
2. keratinizing.
3. Diaper rash.
4. With the formation of bubbles.
5. Athlete's nails.

Plaque-like, bluish-red skin thickenings then appear on the lateral surfaces of the legs and soles. There are layers of scales in the center of the rash, the boundaries of the lesions are clear. In the spaces between the fingers, the epidermis acquires a whitish tint.

In the case of athlete's foot, patients are bothered by itching, increased skin dryness and pain.

The opreloid (intertriginous) form of epidermophytosis is characterized by redness, swelling and maceration of the interdigital folds. Cracks are often formed and pain is felt.

When the pathogen affects the arch of the foot, a dyshidrotic form is often observed with the formation of blisters, which after opening look like pink or red wet erosion.

Athlete's foot most often occurs on the big toe (I) and the little toe (V). In the thickness of the nail, closer to the free edge, yellowish spots and stripes are formed, which gradually grow and occupy the entire nail. After that, the nail begins to crumble, sometimes detaches from the nail bed.

Acute epidermophytosis Podvysotskaya

The main symptoms of this form of athlete's foot are:

• swelling of feet and fingers,
• abundance of blisters,
• weeping erosions,
• maceration of interdigital folds,
• enlarged inguinal lymph nodes,
• rise in body temperature,
• headache,
• difficulty walking due to pain,
• general weakness.

Onychomycosis of the toes: symptoms and types

In addition to the causative agents of rubrophytosis and epidermophytosis, onychomycosis can also be caused by yeasts of the genus Candida, as well as some other fungi.

The most characteristic symptoms of onychomycosis, which begin closer to the free edge of the nail:

• discoloration, loss of natural light,
• thickening of the nail plate,
• occurrence of subungual hyperkeratosis,
• destruction of the nail, separation from the nail bed.

In the case of onychomycosis, there are 2 main types of nail damage:

1. Normotrophic: white and yellowish stripes are visible in the thickness of the nail.
2. Atrophic: thinning, destruction of the nail plate, detachment.

Diagnosing fungal infections of the foot

A specialist in the treatment of fungal infections of the feet is a dermatologist, who can involve other specialists in the treatment if necessary.

After talking with the patient, clarifying the complaints and the characteristics of the occurrence and course of the disease, the doctor examines the affected surface and prescribes certain types of additional tests, for example:

1. Microscopic examination of the material with additional potassium hydroxide treatment.
2. Wood's lamp test.
3. Inoculation of suspicious biological substances on special media for the growth of fungi, as well as on media of bacteria.

Treatment

The treatment of fungal infection of the foot must be prescribed by a doctor in order to achieve a complete recovery.

In general, the treatment of athlete's foot is based on the following therapeutic principles:

1. Fighting the infectious agent. In the initial stages of the disease, local drugs are usually prescribed - antifungal ointments, creams, body lotions. In severe cases, systemic antifungal agents should be used.
2. Increasing immunity and improving local blood circulation, treating the underlying disease.
3. Desensitization therapy. Since mycosis of the feet is often accompanied by allergic reactions, accordingly, anti-allergic drugs are prescribed to improve the patient's condition.

Treatment at home

• To effectively treat mycosis of the feet, it is necessary to remember that fungi multiply in a moist environment. By excluding moisture, fungi do not develop, and the chance of healing increases.
• Protect your family members from fungal diseases. It must be explained to them that from now on you can't walk barefoot in the apartment, especially in the bathroom or shower. After bathing or showering, the bath itself, the tray and the floor must be treated with disinfectant.
• Every day, wash your feet with soap and use a napkin to collect all the pieces of skin that have fallen off, so that nothing gets under the nails.
• After washing your feet, be sure to dry the gaps between the toes with toilet paper or a hair dryer, and then apply the antifungal agent prescribed by the doctor. Treatment should be continued for several months, even if the manifestations of mycosis completely disappear.
• Use powder when wearing shoes.
• Wear white cotton socks (clean them daily). Used socks must be boiled for 10 minutes or soaked in disinfectant. Shoes must be disinfected with an antifungal spray.

Prevention of foot mycosis

Timely treatment of diseases that can reduce the body's defenses or impair blood circulation.

Conclusion

Athlete's foot is one of the most common fungal skin infections. In most cases, following simple prevention rules will help to avoid the disease, and timely treatment will begin to completely get rid of mycosis.