One of the most common foot diseases is mycosis of the foot, or as it is also called mycosis. According to medical research statistics, several types of this lesion of the skin and nail plates have been identified.
The main thing is to immediately consult a doctor when a fungus appears so that you have time to protect your body from bacteria and everyone around you.
What do toenail fungus look like?
Many have heard that there is such a disease as mycosis and it appears in almost 80% of the population, but rarely has anyone personally encountered this problem. There are cases when the infected, simply not paying attention to the symptoms, may not start treatment in time, which leads to catastrophic consequences. But in addition to the infected body, the people around him can also suffer.
You can study in more detail the stages of localization of bacteria on a person's leg using a photo, but it should be noted that in addition to visual effects, there are symptoms that will also vary in the degree of infection of the body.
The initial stage of the appearance of fungus on the feet will not be very visible, but a burning sensation, itching and a small area of redness may already indicate that the fungus has begun its active activity.
The next stage is more serious and concerns both the foot and the nail plate. The nail begins to change (yellow, gray, thickens). Also, small white lines and spots can appear on the nails, which is usually a good reason to consult a doctor for a diagnosis.
The last stage is severe peeling of the skin, the nail slowly begins to leave the hole, ulcers and ulcers may appear. All this leads to the complete destruction of the upper layer of the epidermis, internal cracks begin to be exposed.
This is what mycosis of the foot looks like at any stage of development. And as you can see from the photo, the consequences of fungal infection of the nail plates and feet can be sad.
Fungus on the toes
A fungal infection of the skin between the toes is called athlete's foot, and the fungus itself is called Tinea pedis. This fungus is created by contact with an already infected person, or by using someone else's hygiene products.
Symptoms of the disease
- The skin between the fingers becomes very dry and vulnerable, small scales appear;
- The appearance of small purulent blisters with liquid on the skin, and if one of them bursts, an unpleasant sensation appears on the skin;
- The nail plates change, the structure becomes more fragile;
- There may be an unpleasant smell in socks and shoes due to the appearance of fungi; it is quite sharp and specific.
According to the rate of development of fungal bacteria, epidermophytosis can occur in four stages:
Soft At the first signs of peeling on the legs, you should immediately consult a dermatologist. These are the first signs of fungus. Further development of bacteria occurs at the level of the toes, between the toes and in the nails. The following symptoms are reddening of the skin, small cracks on the heels and feet, itching and burning in the place of the greatest localization of the disease.
Squamous-hyperkeratotic The squamous-hyperkeratotic phase of the disease is caused by slight swelling of the skin of the feet, which also provokes heavy skin of the feet and the skin between the toes.
Intense itching and burning spreads over the entire area of the foot, including the nails. The color of the nail plate turns from light yellow to gray, which leads to the destruction of the top layer of the plate itself.
The hyperkeratotic stage of the fungus has these symptoms: a rash all over the skin of the foot, with red to blue blisters, which will then peel off badly and cause pain when walking.
If you do not consult a doctor, the infection cooperates and turns into a serious source of infection. This whole process is accompanied by an unpleasant smell from the feet.
Intertriginous the phase is characterized by the appearance of deep cracks in the heels, accompanied by pain and the appearance of erosive ulcers. The pain increases significantly, which prevents the person from standing normally.Dyshidrotic the stage is characterized by small purulent blisters that develop with extraordinary speed, covering the entire area of the foot and toes in just a few days. Pustules can open on their own, causing red erosions to appear. After the skin dries a little, a small amount of fluid may be released from the wounds.
The main thing is, when the fungus appears on the legs, immediately understand the symptoms and consult a dermatologist at the right time. Symptoms of the fungus and a visual examination should give a clear picture of the process that occurs in the foot. But you should not start self-medication, as this usually leads to ineffective consequences, which causes an even stronger location of the disease.
To prescribe the right course of treatment, the doctor will need to know the stage of development of the fungus and identify the type of pathogen. But before that, the patient must undergo a diagnosis, as a result of which the whole picture of the course of the disease will be clear.
How to treat toenail fungus
It should be remembered that depending on the stage of the disease, treatment will be prescribed, which should be comprehensive.
Before starting treatment with local drugs, it will be necessary to relieve inflammatory processes and keratinization phenomena.
To help remove unwanted fungal bacteria, you need to know the proper procedures:
- For external use, you should use creams, ointments, sprays, solutions, varnishes;
- Mandatory course of taking antifungal drugs;
- For severe burns and itching, you should buy pain relievers to relieve pain symptoms;
- Since the immune system weakens when fighting fungi, you will need to take a course of vitamins and minerals, which will help the body fight the infection with greater force;
- If concomitant infectious diseases occur, the dermatologist will prescribe a course of antibiotic treatment.
To determine specific medications, the dermatologist must know the complete picture of the mycosis course; the age of the infected person, the reaction of the fungus to certain medicines, as well as the degree of infection of the foot areas should be taken into account. through the account.
Most medical reference books can clearly show all the stages of the progression of foot fungus in the form of a picture with a description of the symptoms, so that a person can independently determine them. After a visual examination and comparison with the photos of the course of mycosis, the patient should immediately seek medical help from a specialist.
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