Fungus on the feet: initial stages, photo, causes, treatment

If you detect athlete's foot in the initial stages and start treatment in a timely manner, there is a high probability of rapid healing with a minimal amount of antifungal drugs, which most often pose a threat to health (especially for the liver) with prolonged use.Unfortunately, not always and not everyone manages to react in time to the first signs of a fungal infection, as the symptoms in the early stages are very similar to harmless skin phenomena.You know the feeling when you spot a yellow spot on the nail plate of your toe and the first thoughts that come to your mind are: Nothing, I'll cut it off, a healthy, clean nail will grow, or I'll meet somewhere, this will soon be over.Or there is a slight peeling in the interdigital folds, which is 90% due to dry skin and needs to be treated with moisturizers.But behind all these “harmless” symptoms is usually the well-known and hated athlete’s foot.

Provoking factors and sources of infection

Pregnancy can lead to the development of fungal diseases, since during this period a woman may experience a sharp decrease in immunity and hormonal imbalance.

Athlete's foot, like many other diseases, cannot occur on its own;A favorable environment is required for its occurrence and progression.There are a number of factors and concomitant diseases that provoke the appearance of this disease:

• a sharp decline in immunity;
• lack or violation of personal hygiene;
• increased sweating;
• diabetes mellitus;
• Obesity;
• flat feet;
• vascular diseases of the lower extremities;
• constant abrasions and wounds;
• surgical procedures etc.

We have listed the most common causes of athlete's foot, but poor diet or long-term use of antibiotics can also lead to the development of mycoses.

The most common way to get infected is to wear the shoes of a sick person or to use public showers.In recent years there has also been a rapid increase in the spread of mycoses through manicure devices.Other sources of infection are:

1. personal hygiene products for a sick person (loofah, pumice stone);
2. Things belonging to an infected person (socks, stockings, shoes, slippers, pants);
3. Flooring (especially wood) in bathrooms, showers, gyms.

The pathogens of athlete's foot are very resistant to the environment and are characterized by the fact that they can remain latent on wood, towels and socks for a long time.The time of exacerbation is spring and autumn.

How do you recognize athlete's foot in the early stages?

Here, experienced dermatologists recommend paying attention not only to external signs, but also to internal ones.Have you noticed that everyone goes to bathhouses, swimming pools or sunbathing on the beach, but the fungus only affects certain people?The thing is that its development requires a favorable environment - reduced body resistance.This condition may occur with comorbidities or recent medical treatments that included the use of antibiotics or hormonal drugs.

Now let's talk about the manifestation of fungus on the skin of the feet.The main symptoms include:

• Cracks in the interdigital folds;
• flaking between fingers;
• Hardening of the skin on the heels;
• the skin on the feet and fingers peels off;
• deformation of the nail plates (thickening or thinning);
• Change in nail color (yellow, brown, black);
• redness and swelling of the feet;
• the appearance of red spots on the thighs and inside of the legs;
• scales on the entire surface of the foot;
• Itching of varying intensity (depending on the location and pathogen);
• foul smell (most commonly observed in people suffering from excessive sweating).

In the case of deep mycoses, blisters, crusts and cracks can form, which are accompanied by severe itching and pain.In some cases, the lesions are located in such places that it is impossible to stand on the leg due to severe pain.This can cause temporary disability and mobility problems.

Varieties and classification

As you already know, mycoses can be caused by different pathogens, so the localization of the lesions may vary.Most commonly, athlete's foot can be caused by:

1. dermatomycoses;
2. Candido mycoses;
3. deep mycoses.

All foot mycoses are now considered independent diseases caused by different pathogens and localized in different areas of the legs, but they are all united under one name: athlete's foot.The most common of them:

1. Rubrofitiya stops.Accounts for around 60% of all foot mycoses.It is highly contagious and widespread in certain populations.The initial stage of rubromicosis of the feet is characterized by lesions between the toes and wrinkles on the toes.The sole and the inside of the foot are then included in the process.Damage to the nail plastics caused by rubrofitii is observed in every third patient.Very often associated with fungi on the hands, especially in generalized rubromycosis.
2. Epidermomycoses.These include two separate diseases: epidermophysis of the feet and epidermophysis of the groin-thigh folds.In both cases, the lesions are located on the legs.Epidermophytosis of the feet is characterized by lesions of the folds between the toes, soles and back of the feet.Less commonly, the process spreads to the nails (usually the 5th and 1st toes).The lesions are covered with scales and crusts.There is itching of varying intensity.In acute cases, general malaise and headaches may occur.Inguinal epidermophytes appear as large scaly patches on the groin, inner legs, thighs, and perianal area.The lesions can reach the size of a large dinner plate and are accompanied by mild itching, peeling, and swelling.
3. Onychomycosis.The prevalence of nail fungal infections is steadily increasing every year.Only now (according to statistics from mid-2016) 10-18% of Russians are diagnosed with onychomycosis of nails of varying severity.Environmental and social factors play a major role in their development.People with problems with the vascular, immune and hormonal systems are also at risk.Men are 1.3 times more likely to become ill than women.Onychomycosis is very rare in children, with the highest prevalence occurring in people aged 50 to 70 years.
4. Candidiasis.Rarely, but nevertheless, damage to the feet caused by Candida fungi occurs.In individual cases, Candida balanoposthitis can spread from the genitals to the perianal area and the groin-thigh folds.Yeast-like fungi are somewhat more common on the nails.In the early stages there is pain in the nail fold and pus can be released when pressed.Over time, its color acquires a brownish-brown hue.

There is also smooth skin rubrofitia, but lesions with it are rarely found on the legs.But rubromikozu in the groin area is characterized by damage to the inside of the leg with red spots.

Treatment and prevention

Diagnosis of a fungus on the legs includes examining the clinical picture, taking smears of the lesions, conducting a microscopic examination (finding mycelial threads) and a bacterial culture to determine the fungal culture.Under no circumstances should you treat the lesions before seeing a doctor!The differential diagnosis is for eczema, skin rashes and contact dermatitis.

Treatment of epidermophytes and rubrophytes in the groin is carried out with external medications (most often clotrimazole).The prognosis is positive, the duration of treatment rarely exceeds one month.As a preventive measure, it is recommended to treat the lesions with solutions containing alcohol;If itching occurs, antihistamines may be prescribed.

The situation is more complicated with mycoses of the feet and onychomycoses, as they are very difficult to treat even in the initial stages and are prone to relapses.A combination of external and systemic medications, strict adherence to dosage, personal hygiene and disinfection rules are considered the most effective.The combination of Diflucan in capsules and terbinafine in ointment form has proven effective (treatment of lesions twice a day for a month).When treating athlete's foot, much emphasis is placed on treating shoes and socks, which can lead to a relapse.It is recommended to boil socks or wash them at 90 degrees;Insoles and shoes inside must be treated with a chlorhexidine solution.

And most importantly, remember that today athlete's foot, detected in the initial stages, can be successfully treated with the help of modern drugs, but treatment of advanced onychomycosis and mycosis of the feet can take months and even years.