Mycoses are a group of diseases caused by pathogenic fungi.The skin areas that affect these microorganisms are called dermatomycosis.Sometimes they are combined with onychomycosis - nail disease.Knowing how the fungus looks on the legs, you can cure the disease in a timely manner and prevent complications.There are several options for the course of this pathology.
Mechanism of foot infection
There are factors that directly affect the possibility of becoming infected with a fungus.Also, much in this regard depends on the state of the immune system.When the body's defenses are reduced, the likelihood of developing mycoses increases significantly.Immunity can be weakened by chronic infectious diseases and pathologies of the endocrine system.You can become infected with the fungus directly or indirectly.In the first case, this happens through:
- soil layers;
- various plants;
- Contact with an infected person or animal.
An indirect path involves the use of hygiene and other things that the patient actively uses.
Mushrooms of the genus Candida live on the surface of the epidermis.When the composition of the separated sweat glands changes, a nutrient medium for the development of microorganisms is formed.Representatives of the Candida group acquire pathogenic properties.This means that they can easily cause diseases.
Classification of mycoses
With epidermophytosis, skin and nails are affected.You can become infected with this disease in public places: in gyms, saunas.Through which objects the pathogen is most often transmitted:
- towels;
- washcloths;
- oilcloths;
- mats.
Men in adulthood suffer from epidermophytia more often.A favorable factor for the development of the disease is an increase in sweating.
Trichophytosis can be caused by various types of fungus from a group of trichophytons.The disease is considered very contagious.It is transmitted through shoes that an infected subject, washcloths, towels and other bath accessories wears.More often pathology is found in children.Approximately 17% is the prevalence in adolescents.The young men usually suffer.Among men of adulthood, the incidence is even greater.At risk are employees of workshops, baths, showers, athletes, miners.
Candidiasis of the stop, compared to epidermophytia, is less common.Most of the fungi of the genus Candida belongs to the group of conditionally pathogenic.This means that these microorganisms are present on the human epidermis in the norm.They gain pathogenic properties after a decrease in immunity.
For candida fungi to enter the body, it is enough to use objects belonging to the patient.These microorganisms are often present in foods such as meat, milk and fermented milk.The risk of infection increases in the presence of such factors:
- skin injuries due to exposure to chemical components, alkalis and acids;
- maceration, sweating of the skin;
- The presence of the fungus in the air in large quantities.
Symptoms of the disease
By the nature of the course, rubramicosis and epidermophytosis are similar.For this reason, experts combine them into one category - Mikoza Stop.It is distinguished by scaly, dyshidrotic and intertriginosa of its forms.A separate group consists of onychomycosis, which can be:
- atrophic;
- normotrophic;
- hypertrophic.
With dyshidrotic mycosis, the work of the sweat glands is inhibited.The fungus on the fingers with an intertrigonic shape looks like diaper rash.Despite such a division, it often has to be considered conditional, since various variations of the disease are combined.
Squamous and dyshidrotic
At first, the squamous shape of the fungus affects one side.Then she switches to the opposite.Redness areas are formed on the skin, which gradually begin to peel off.Individual patients complain about itching.The area of damage can be large and small, depending on the patient's body.There are people who suffer from this form of mycosis of the feet, but nothing bothers them.
The fungus on the skin of the feet with a dyshidrotic form looks peculiar: bubbles with a diameter of 2 to 8 mm form in large numbers on the arch of the foot.Little by little they begin to merge into larger formations, and then burst.In their place, ulcerative skin lesions form.Sometimes the process moves to the inner and outer side surfaces.The blisters open, and in their place you can see areas of diaper rash with erosions.
The fungus on the legs also manifests itself in itching and soreness.Erosion is in the future dry and heal, and peeling is formed in their place.The fungal infection can be complicated by bacterial.In this case, the liquid located inside the bubbles becomes cloudy.The skin on the feet swells, blushes.A dyshidrotic form is characterized by a long flow.The periods of remission alternate with exacerbations.Usually, the fungus with this form affects only one foot.
Intriginal form
It has become most widespread and arises independently.Less commonly, this form develops against the background of squamous mycosis.The process affects the area between the 4th and 5th fingers of the foot.The key symptom is the appearance of cracks on an epidermis with a whitish rim.The surface layers of the skin are exfoliated.Between the fingers, weakening is formed.The patient complains of burning and itching.In areas of lesions, quite painful to the touch of erosion form.
Intriginal form is chronic in most cases, has a long flow.The condition improves in the cold season and exacerbates in the summer.In patients with this form, the skin is loosened over time.Its protective functions are reduced.This creates a favorable basis for streptococcal infection.On the epidermis, abscesses are formed, which are surrounded by sections of swelling and redness.
Types of onychomycosis
This disease leads to damage to the nails on the fingers.The pathogen at first attacks the free edges of the plate.Here, stripes and stains of a yellow shade are formed.Several forms of onychomycosis are distinguished:
- Hypertrophic.The nail turns yellow and its thickness increases.It crumbles, and the skin underneath peels off and thickens.
- Atrophic.There is an opposite situation, when the nail becomes thin and is destroyed.The skin under it is covered with a keratinized layer.
- Caused by molds.It is formed against the background of other types of diseases of the nail.The plate can be green, yellow, brown, and sometimes even black.Paronichia is formed in the periologe space - purulent inflammation.
In 70% of cases, onychomycosis affects 3, 4 and 5 fingers on the legs.In 30% of cases, 1 and 4 fingers suffer.Quite often, a normotrophic form of the disease is found when yellow spots are present on the nail, but its integrity is not violated.
Treatment of fungus
There are various treatment schemes for the disease that are selected individually by a doctor.
Additional methods of treatment include the intake of immunostimulants and vitamins.They help strengthen immunity.If a bacterial infection has joined, antibiotics are prescribed.Sometimes the occurrence of a fungal infection is favored by the underlying disease.It must be treated in the first place.We are talking about dermatological pathologies and chronic infections.Antihistamines are recommended in the presence of an allergic component.
Traditional medicine
Mycoses do not pose a significant danger to health.But their presence helps to reduce immunity, acts as a focus of inflammation.Only antifungal therapy using specialized drugs helps to get rid of such a problem.In the early stages, the use of folk recipes is allowed, which are complemented by basic therapy.What methods can be practiced:
- Reception of baths;
- processing of affected areas with decoctions of medicinal herbs;
- Ointment application.
For baths, you can take wine vinegar, as it has an antiseptic effect.First you need to wash your legs with warm water and dry them.Then, wine vinegar is poured into the water in a ratio of 1 to 2 and the legs are lowered into it.They hold them there for 5 minutes, after which they put on socks for the night and go to bed.
Another version of the bath involves the use of soda and salt.Take a tablespoon of both ingredients and dissolve in water.After that, lower the legs into the solution, hold no more than 15 minutes.At the end of the procedure, the legs are washed with warm water.
To treat the feet with medicinal decoctions, the verbena officinalis plant and calendula inflorescences can be used.Oak bark and dried blackberries also have a good antiseptic effect.The selected components are mixed in equal quantities.From the resulting mixture take 3 tbsp.l.and pour a glass of water.Place on low heat for 15 minutes.Strain and moisten the affected areas with the resulting decoction.This product can also be used for lotions.
To prepare a healing ointment, they mix in the same amount of pork fat and sifted wood ash.The resulting ointment should be thick and have a homogeneous consistency.It is applied to clean and dry legs twice a day: in the morning and evening.