Dermatological diseases nowadays constitute a significant percentage of the diseases that an increasing number of people face every day.The rapid spread of diseases associated with violation of the integrity of the skin and functions of the epithelial tissue is caused not only by the ever-increasing number of pathogens in the external environment, but also by our way of life, daily routine and bad habits, which are the impetus for the development of various pathologies.
What is a fungus and why does it occur?
Fungal skin diseases rank second in frequency after purulent lesions of the epidermis, called pyoderma.Fungal infections have specific pathogens: fungal microorganisms, which determine the development of fungal skin lesions only in one pathogenic form or condition.
Since fungi are part of our environment and usually do not manifest their presence in any way, they are opportunistic microorganisms that acquire pathological form due to a change in environmental conditions suitable for reproduction and in case of weakening of the human body's immune defenses.
Foot fungus is characterized by two types of diseases: dermatomycosis, which directly affects the skin of the heel, toes, metatarsals or soles, and onychomycosis, which affects the nail folds, nails and underlying epidermis.The causative agents of onychomycosis are capable of increasing the area of infection, spreading to nearby integumentary tissues.
Foot fungus can be transmitted directly, for example, by walking barefoot on soil populated by fungal microorganisms, through infected plants or during close contact with a person or animal suffering from mycosis.The indirect route of infection with fungal diseases includes the development of a fungal infection due to the use of personal hygiene items belonging to a person affected by fungus, through his clothes and bedding, as well as during the use of patient care items.
The different degrees of susceptibility to pathogens of fungal diseases in each person are due to many factors that can influence the tendency to develop infectious diseases and the nature of the disease.
Children under 10-12 years old are considered the most vulnerable age group.Most often, dermatologists diagnose infectious diseases caused by pathogenic fungal microorganisms in children, since their outer skin is still quite thin, which allows fungi to more easily feed on keratin, a skin-specific protein that is a component of epithelial tissue.
In children, immune defense mechanisms are still developing and are not able to protect the body from the penetration of pathogenic microflora, as well as the developed immune system protects it, so the children's body is constantly at risk of infection with various disorders and pathologies.
Athletes belong to that group of people who often find themselves in conditions of constant proliferation of fungi on the skin of the feet.Changing rooms and showers, often used by athletes before and after training, are an ideal environment for the intensive activity of fungal microorganisms, since the increase in air temperature and the increase in humidity concentration are optimal conditions for the activation of the pathogenic form of the fungus.
That is why excessive sweating of the feet often precedes the development of a fungal infection on the skin of the feet, which may be due to the constant wearing of tight, uncomfortable shoes that do not allow air flow.Constant sweating of the feet can be determined by the specific composition of the genetic material and can also be one of the external symptoms of diseases or pathologies present in the body.
Another stimulus for the development of a fungal disease on the skin of the legs can be a change in the usual composition of the secretion of sweat glands (water, uric acid, ammonia, amino acids and fatty acids) to one that is more toxic for our body and more suitable for the activation of the fungus.Pathological changes in the composition of sweat have a particularly favorable effect on the development of infectious diseases caused by fungi of the genus Candida or yeast-like fungi.
Violations in the normal functioning of the nervous and endocrine systems, as well as the gastrointestinal tract, are fraught with a decrease in basal metabolism in the body, which negatively affects the activity of organs of other systems and the course of immune defense mechanisms.Since a weakened body cannot fully respond to the constant attacks of microbes and pathogenic microflora, preventing their penetration into the body, a person becomes more susceptible to the negative influence of environmental factors, as a result of which he is susceptible to bacterial and fungal infections.
Specific parasitism of fungi on the skin of the legs and in the body is manifested by various symptoms depending on the stage of the disease.
A weak or erased form of a fungal infection is the first stage of the development of the disease and is distinguished by rather weakly expressed characteristic signs.A person who has an erased form of a fungal disease often feels a burning sensation in the area of infection, there are small cracks on the surface of the skin, and the epidermis itself becomes pathologically dry.
Although the initial stage of the infection is treated better, if the symptoms of infection with fungal microorganisms are ignored, the disease will develop into more severe forms, and with negligent and irresponsible treatment, the disease will return again, since fungal diseases are characterized by frequent relapses.
The squamous-keratotic form of the fungal disease develops after a mild form of fungal infection, if the disease was not removed at an early stage.During the squamous-keratotic phase of the disease, fungal microorganisms form a white coating and hard crust on the surface of the skin;the area of infection gradually increases and can reach significant dimensions, for example from the interdigital folds to the metatarsal.
The intertriginous form of fungal foot disease is classified by dermatologists as a severe stage of the infection.In the intertriginous form of the disease, swelling occurs in the folds between the toes, accompanied by redness of the superficial layers of the skin.The edema is often raw and prone to erosion.The infected area of the skin is characterized by significant detachment of the epidermis and the appearance of deep cracks that facilitate the penetration of fungal cells into the body.The boundaries of parasitism expand and the fungus spreads through the bloodstream to other organs and systems.
The dyshidrotic form of fungal infection of the skin of the legs is the most serious stage in the development of the pathology.For the dyshidrotic form of the disease, the most aggressive methods of treatment are used, including pulse therapy, which involves taking loading doses of potent drugs in a short period of time.It is characterized by the presence of blisters with liquid inside on the entire surface of the foot, which can burst and form deep erosions on the skin, accompanied by pain, severe itching and multiple inflammatory processes.
Treatment of fungal infections of the feet is carried out in three ways: using external treatment, internal treatment and combined therapy.
External impact on the source of infection with antifungal creams, ointments, gels, paints, powders, tonics and sprays is used in the early stages of the disease, when the parasitism of the fungus has not become more widespread.
The internal effect on pathogenic fungal microorganisms is carried out using fungicidal drugs, which can negatively affect the activity of other organs and systems of the body, therefore such drugs often have many contraindications.They are used in case of fungal parasitism inside the body, which occurs in the later stages of the development of the disease.
Combined therapy gives the most noticeable effect, but in the initial stages of a fungal infection external use will be enough, since the use of antifungals internally can create additional complications and stress on the body.
The most effective drugs for eliminating mild forms of fungal diseases are drugs based on terbinafine, which promote the accumulation of squalene in the skin, which destroys the mechanism of the pathological effects of fungal microorganisms.Terbinafine is a substance included in various antifungal drugs, which allows it to eliminate fungal diseases caused by various pathogens.
For systemic treatment, which the attending physician prescribes in case of ineffectiveness of local drugs, drugs with active ingredients such as itraconazole and ketaconazole are used.This course of treatment is longer and is not recommended for pregnant and breastfeeding women, children under 3 years of age, people with liver disease and impaired kidney function.
To prevent the secondary development of the disease after treatment, you need to carefully take care of disinfecting your hygiene items, personal belongings and wardrobe items, since the fungus during the reproductive period is capable of leaving mycelium and other waste products on the things of an infected person.
A special spray is suitable for antifungal treatment of shoes.The antiseptic drug is aimed at removing the products of fungal cell proliferation from the belongings of a person suffering from mycosis.With a 0.1% solution, rinse the inside of the shoes and leave overnight.The spray also disinfects shoes well, it is a hypoallergenic product that leaves no marks or odors, and is suitable for shoes of any material.
To effectively eliminate a fungal infection and prevent its occurrence, you need to carefully follow all preventive measures and monitor your health.Any disease, including fungal diseases, is always easier to prevent than to cure.