One of the most unpleasant skin diseases is mycosis. Depending on the degree of damage, two categories of disease are distinguished: dermatomycosis and onychomycosis. In the first case the skin is affected, in the second case the nails. To successfully get rid of harmful microorganisms, you need to know what athlete's foot looks like and how to fight it.
Main types
Experts in the field of dermatology identify several types of athlete's foot, which differ in the type of effect and the pathogen. The pathogenic microorganisms that cause the development of fungal diseases include:
- moldy;
- Yeast;
- Dermatophytes.
Contact with these parasites leads to the development of a dangerous disease called rubromycosis, which affects the skin of the feet. In addition, the disease can vary in its clinical manifestations and can be membranous, moccasin-like or vesicular.
The development of the fungus leads to excessive saturation of blood vessels, dryness and flaking of the skin. In addition, the process itself proceeds slowly and without significant symptoms. The first itching or burning sensations only appear after a serious foot injury. Soon the process of nail deformation begins, which leads to the formation of bubbles, crusts, plaques and pustules.
If the necessary measures are not taken, the extent of the damage will be enormous and walking will be accompanied by pain. If the patient knows what athlete's foot looks like and how it manifests itself, he can contact a specialist in a timely manner and avoid dangerous consequences.
When it comes to therapeutic treatment, it is important to know the type of disease. The approach to the problem is determined only after a comprehensive examination under the microscope and the creation of a clinical picture. To rid the skin of rashes, various peeling products are used. These include ointments and creams that contain salicylic acid. The complex treatment also includes antifungal drugs.
If the damage is too severe, highly effective compresses and softeners are used. The success of fighting the disease depends on the patient's responsibility and his willingness to start treatment on time.
Infection methods
There are many reasons and factors that determine nail damage caused by fungal diseases. In most cases, this happens directly - when the nail plates come into contact with soil or vegetation, sick people or animals. The indirect paths look like this:
- When a person uses items and personal belongings of a mushroom carrier.
- When a person comes into contact with things intended for the care of a pet.
There are also many predetermining factors that increase the risk of mycosis. These include age-related characteristics, as small children are much more likely to suffer from the disease due to thin skin and a lack of necessary protective functions in the body. 
In addition, a fungal infection affects a patient with a deteriorated immune status. If the immune system is weakened, it cannot fight such phenomena, which leads to destructive processes.
Other factors include:
- Inadequate functioning of the nervous and hormonal systems. This weakens protective mechanisms.
- The development of chronic infectious diseases that negatively affect the immune system increases the likelihood of fungal development.
- Excessive sweating of the feet. This discomfort is a congenital pathology or the result of wearing uncomfortable shoes.
- Changes in the composition of sweat. This process creates a breeding ground for fungal microorganisms, which leads to their activation.
Symptoms of rubrophytosis
A parasite called Tr. mentagrophytesvar is the main cause of the dangerous fungal disease rubrophytosis. Due to its small size, it immediately settles in the stratum corneum or granular layers of the skin and leads to the development of allergies and other unpleasant processes. In most cases, the vital activity of the parasite is accompanied by the following reactions:
- Flatulence with a dense crust.
- The appearance of pustules and swelling.
- Severe skin burns.
- The appearance of scales and crusts on the skin causes pain.
- Yellowing and deformation processes of the nail plates.
In addition, severe itching and the development of pain when walking cannot be ruled out. During the clinical examination, the specialist creates an overall picture and describes the symptoms when examining the scraper.
If the disease progresses rapidly and worsens, the patient may be prescribed 0. 25% silver nitrate, 1% resorcinol and 10% calcium. Antihistamines are used to combat allergic symptoms. In severe cases, highly effective antifungals combat the symptoms of rubrophytosis.
Candidiasis of the foot
Candidiasis of the foot is rare. The causative agent of the disease is dangerous fungi of the genus Candida, which exist peacefully in any organism, but are conditionally dangerous and do not pose a major threat. However, if the number of microorganisms begins to increase, this leads to complaints and serious health consequences. Other factors contribute to this, including a deterioration in the immune system, frequent hypothermia, stressful situations and an unhealthy lifestyle. External factors include:
- Prolonged contact with water leads to massive separation of the layers of skin from each other.
- Accidents at home or at work.
- Using shoes of the wrong size or material.
Manifestations of onychomycosis
If you want to find out what a fungus on the toes looks like, you need to learn about another dangerous type of pathology - onychomycosis. Its development is accompanied by a fungal infection of the nails after water treatments in ordinary swimming pools, showers and saunas. In terms of prevalence, the disease is in no way inferior to mycosis, since scales containing dangerous parasites quickly detach from the nail plates and are then found on fabric surfaces, benches or carpets. When the humidity is high, the parasite not only finds comfortable conditions, but also begins to multiply the colony.
In the early stages, the pathogen attacks the skin of the feet and causes itching. As a result, the patient wants to scratch his foot, but this only aggravates the problem. Soon the skin is covered with tiny cracks and scratches, and pathogens begin to settle under the nail and actively multiply.
The likelihood of encountering pathology increases several times when there are nail injuries, unbalanced blood circulation and the presence of complex diseases, including diabetes and sexually transmitted diseases.
Depending on the form and degree of damage, nail fungus is divided into three groups:
- Normotrophic. With development, the color of the nails becomes yellowish-brown. The thickness and shape of the nail remain the same.
- Hypertrophic. This leads to a final color change, loss of shine and deformation of the nail shape. This type of onychomycosis causes pain and does not allow the patient to move freely. The problem can be made worse by wearing uncomfortable shoes.
- Onycholytic. The pathology leads to a change in the color of the nails, causing them to turn brown. In addition, the panels lose their usual strength and begin to delaminate. Deformed layers appear in exposed areas of the nail bed.
Effective treatment
To treat the disease, the use of local antifungal drugs is practically useless, which is explained by the deep penetration of microorganisms under the nails. Before you start fighting the pathology, you need to locate the fungus. To do this, specialists prescribe keratolytic medications or patches to the patient. Sometimes the problem is solved mechanically, cutting off deformed and dead areas of the nail plate with a file or special pliers. When performing this procedure, you must ensure that the instrument is clean.
The most effective method of combating nail fungus is the combined use of plasters and mechanical nail cleaning. As a keratolytic agent, you can use a set consisting of a plaster, a nail file and a special ointment. Systemic antifungals must be used at the end of nail removal.
home remedies
It is entirely possible to get rid of athlete's foot infections without the help of a specialist. However, self-medication must be treated with special responsibility, as such a process can take a lot of time and effort. It should also be taken into account that different mushrooms react to the effects of medications or folk remedies in their own way. Home remedies, if used incorrectly, can only make the problem worse by helping to detect parasites.
To avoid such a development and successfully destroy the fungal colony, it is necessary to combine proper cleansing of the skin with cleansing the body of pathogenic microorganisms and comprehensive restoration of the epidermal layer. For this purpose, it is advisable to use baths daily and wipe your feet and palms with antiseptics. The most effective folk remedies for baths are:
- boric acid;
- Apple Cider Vinegar;
- Hydrogen peroxide.
To prepare a bath, you need to take 20 grams of one of the above compounds and dilute it in a liter of boiling water. The feet are then placed in the solution for 20-40 minutes. To notice a significant improvement in the condition of your nails, it is enough to carry out such procedures regularly for several weeks.
To relieve the skin of redness, itching and burning, it is recommended to wipe your feet daily with a soda mixture with added salt. A good antibacterial and anti-inflammatory scrub can be a mixture of equal amounts of minerals and essential oils. The selected components are mixed and the affected areas are covered with the finished mixture.
Tar soap is a serious enemy of fungi. It contains birch tar, which has long been considered one of the most powerful antibacterial substances. It should be applied to the affected areas and washed off after 5 minutes. Treatment with this soap lasts two weeks. At the end of the procedure, the skin is treated with zinc cream or ointment.
Hardware solutions
If the problem of nail fungus has noticeably worsened and all folk or official remedies bring practically no results, you can use an innovative solution - hardware treatment. This method is very effective and can be the only salvation in cases where other drugs are powerless.
Among the available techniques, erbium laser treatment is the most common. Cauterizes the mycelium and allows the elimination of the visible symptoms of nail fungus. In addition, the technology allows you to clean the skin around the nails, between the toes and on the feet, restoring its former elasticity and attractiveness.
If you follow the basic rules of skin care for fungal diseases of the feet, it is quite possible to destroy this dangerous pathology. It is important not to postpone treatment for the future and to take appropriate measures immediately if questionable symptoms appear.