The athlete’s foot: causes and treatments
Hello, dear readers. In this article we will talk about such a serious disease, like athlete’s foot. Over the last two decades this disease has become an epidemic.
With each passing day it is becoming more common. If not treated, can develop serious complications, to fight that long and costly.
Want to know about athlete’s foot and more? Then read carefully.
Causes: what triggers stop fungal growth?
Mycosis caused by fungi «Trichophyton rubrum» or «Trichophyton mentagrophytes». For normal vital activity of these microorganisms requires specific conditions:
- humidity;
- stable temperature;
- the nutrient medium.
All of this is from the dermis of our feet, especially if we are active, walk a lot, not enough to have good hygiene.
The perfect place for these fungi are boots trench soldiers.
They have everything: physical impurity, eye-catching sweat profusely, the injured epidermis. Poor quality, uncomfortable shoes is the main reason for the development of athlete’s foot in 50% of cases.
Even if you carefully follow the hygiene and quality wear comfortable shoes, you should not be confident that the athlete does not threaten you. Why? The fact that fungi are everywhere around us.
They are on public transport, in swimming pools and public beaches, baths and saunas, the shops (especially Shoe). Just go to public places barefoot and all contamination occurred. Later on you will depend, will develop the disease or not.
Symptoms: manifested as athlete’s foot?
There are three most common forms of the above disease. Each has particular symptoms by which it can be recognized. Below you see the list of these clinical forms:
- Worn — vicious, virtually invisible
Pay attention to the foot. They dry and peel? What do you think, is this normal? No, it’s not as dry and peeling are the first signs of athlete’s foot erased. In addition, when this disease between the toes appear corroded areas of the epidermis, very similar to diaper rash.
- Squamous giperkineticeski — «lokasenna stop»
This is the most neglected and difficult option fungal. Not see it fail.
The epidermis thickens, acquires an unnatural grayish color, covered with cracks, which become clogged with dead skin flakes, giving them a white color.
All this is accompanied by lesions of the nails, which become yellow and quite unsightly. Deformation of nail plates creates discomfort. In the end ill it becomes difficult to wear shoes and socks.
- Wet — vesicular or skin
On the epidermis jump Valderice with a thick crust. Valderice gradually ripen, and then burst and turn into long not healing wounds. To diagnose such a type of fungal infection is difficult because similar symptoms have other diseases: eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis.
Complications of athlete’s foot: why is the disease treated?
If you ignore the above deterioration that can be seen on the photo, then to fungal infestation can join bacterial or viral. Fungi affect the integrity of the epidermis.
Consequently, its throughput increases. The affected skin can no longer defend itself against bacteria and viruses themselves. She needed help — the right antifungal treatment.
Treatment of mycosis traditional ways
Antifungal therapy may be mono — or combination. The first is the use of funds: external or internal.
Combination therapy consists of various techniques which together provide a quick and noticeable result.
Of course, it is better to be treated in combination. While oral medication (antifungals) should be combined with external (ointments, etc.) and cosmetic procedures (laser or pedicure).
Which drug to choose for monotherapy against Mycobacterium? Very good reviews are often found on Terbinafine — fungicide for local application. It eliminates almost all skin parasites.
Treatment in almost all cases looks like this: feet are washed and thoroughly dried; then apply the medication; the procedure is repeated daily at bedtime for one to two weeks.
Antifungals are applied twice a day. Including the popular:
- Mecasermin;
- Akalin;
- Batrafen;
- Travogen;
- Mikozolon.
Treatment «mocasines foot» is more complex and expensive. Before using the medication it is necessary to remove coarse dermis. This is not as easy as it seems. It is better to go to a dermatologist or beautician who will prescribe a special procedure.
Folk antifungal therapy
Alternative medicine offers to treat stop athlete’s foot folk remedies. Below you see the list of the most effective tools which are easy to use at home:
Preventive measures
Having dealt with the treatment of athlete’s foot, I propose to review the main measures of prevention: don’t walk barefoot in public places; hygiene; once a month to treat shoes with antifungal agent; not to put shoes on the bare feet; to treat the fungus needs all family members, not just ill.
That’s about it. I hope the article was interesting and answered all your questions. Read information you could share with friends on social networks, as well as mycosis is a common disease. Subscribe to site updates and receive notifications of new publications. All the best to you!
The author: Elena Smirnova (dermatologist)