Fungus On Legs

Fungus on feet

What it is?

Toenail fungus is a very common disease in which the feet and nails are infected by parasitic fungi. In Russia, fungal nail diseases occur in every fifth person, in Moscow - in every fourth. The penetration of fungi into the skin is facilitated by:

1. Cracks, abrasions in the interdigital folds caused by sweating or dry skin, abrasion, poor drying after water procedures, narrowness of the interdigital folds, flat feet, etc.

2. Vascular diseases, frostbite of the extremities, standing work, varicose veins, decreased immunity, endocrine diseases, stress.

3. Workers in mining enterprises, metallurgical and chemical industries, athletes, and military personnel are more likely to get the fungus.

Why does this happen?

The disease can be transmitted through close contact with a sick person or through objects that he used. Baths, swimming pools and other common areas with high humidity can be “dangerous” from the point of view of infection. There, ideal “greenhouse” conditions have been created for the fungus: heat and moisture. In addition, nail plates, almost entirely consisting of keratin, provide an excellent breeding ground for fungi. Once in the nail plate, the fungus grows and multiplies very slowly. It gradually dissolves the nail, taking its place, and spreads to the surrounding skin.

What's happening?

When the skin of the feet is affected by the fungus, cracks and peeling first form in the interdigital folds. Later, the skin begins to turn red and itchy.

The effects of fungal infection on nails are as follows:

1. Color: white, yellow, brown, black. The nail is dull and opaque.

2. Surface: uneven, rough. The nail is crumbling.

3. Thickness: Thickening or thinning/flaking.

4. Shape: nail deformation.

5. Nail fold: unchanged or inflamed.

Significant deformation of the nails and their thickening creates certain difficulties when cutting them. Additionally, the pressure of a thick, deformed nail on the underlying tissue (nail bed), as well as the pressure of shoes on the nail, can cause pain in most cases.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis and treatment of fungal diseases is carried out by a dermatologist. The dermatologist will first send you for a scraping to determine the type of fungus and prescribe the necessary treatment.

Moreover, certain medications are prescribed based on the general condition of the patient, the presence or absence of other diseases. Therefore, self-medication is ineffective here.

The main danger of fungal infection of the feet is that the disease will progress all the time. If the fungus is not treated, then, starting on one nail, it will spread to others, then to nearby areas of the skin, fingernails. In rare cases, even damage to internal organs occurs.

In addition, the causative agents of this disease, being very strong allergens, can rearrange the body’s sensitivity and thereby cause various kinds of allergic reactions.

Treatment

It must be remembered that self-medication for fungal nail infections can lead to worsening of the disease; treatment must be done under the supervision of a dermatologist.

Many patients prefer to use widely advertised varnishes and ointments to cure fungal nail infections. However, we must remember that antifungal varnishes help only in the first stages of the disease and do not affect the entire thickness of the nail; in many cases, it is necessary to take medications (tablets) orally.

In addition, some of the creams only act on the skin and do not penetrate the nail. These products are intended mainly for prevention.

Many patients do not go to doctors for fear of complete removal of the nail plate. This will not happen, since the removal method has not been used for more than three years. Nowadays, powerful antifungal drugs have appeared that, when used correctly, completely eliminate the fungus.

Prevention

IN