During our life we often encounter various diseases.Some of them are dangerous and require immediate treatment.And there are those that apparently do not cause much harm to health, and sometimes we live with them for years without taking any measures against the disease.These diseases include athlete's foot and nail fungus.
In fact, they cannot be called deadly.However, it is necessary to fight them, because, firstly, they slowly "undermine" the immune system, destroying the body's defense system, and secondly, they do not look aesthetically pleasing, which gives rise to entire complexes in the infected person.How to recognize athlete's foot?Let's take a look at the main symptoms of athlete's foot.
Athlete's foot: how it can manifest itself
The first signs of a fungus that has "settled" on the feet can sometimes go unnoticed for a long time, especially if a person has a fairly strong immune system, and the body tries to cope with the invading "stranger" on its own for a certain period of time.Symptoms of athlete's foot include:
- redness, itching;
- blisters or blisters on the legs;
- cracked heels that take a long time to heal.
Most often, the first symptoms appear as follows: the skin between the toes begins to itch, pimples appear, and the skin turns red.The person experiences severe itching, which worsens at night.No cream or herbal bath will help to cope with the problem.I am worried about severe peeling of the skin.
Sometimes the mushroom "attacks" from their heels.In this case, heel cracks cannot be cured with folk or medicinal remedies.If you experience this problem, know that these are signs of a fungal infection and not just the result of scratching or a mild inflammation, such as rubbing your feet with uncomfortable shoes.
Nail fungus requires mandatory treatment.Not only does the carrier of the disease run the risk of contracting an additional infection, which can easily penetrate through damaged skin, in addition, he becomes a carrier of the disease.It is not uncommon for the symptoms of athlete's foot to be observed in literally every family member living together.
The signs of athlete's foot should not be ignored.However, it is not always possible to recognize the disease on its own, especially if the itching and other unpleasant manifestations are just beginning.Therefore, if suspicious symptoms appear, consult a dermatologist.Know how to identify athlete's foot and what methods to use to combat it.
How to recognize it and what to do
So, we know what the manifestations of athlete's foot are, and now we carefully examine ourselves, especially after frequent visits to pools or saunas.
There is another type of disease that, unfortunately, does not immediately attract the attention of the victim.It's a toenail fungus.
It happens that athlete's foot spreads to the nail plate, and the skin and nail must be treated at the same time.But it happens that a person only notices damage to the nail, while the skin remains clean.How does nail fungus start?
After you decide to give yourself a foot bath, you may notice a slight change in the color of the nail plate.Most often, only 1 nail is affected at first - it is located on the thumb.My nails look yellow and dull.In general, the color of the nail is pinkish, the plate is quite thin, but there is no increased fragility or fragility.When the fungus "visits" the nail:
- turns yellow (usually from the edges);
- thickens significantly;
- There are strange stains on the plate.
Carefully examine the adjacent fingers: are there similar changes?How does the fungus first appear?If the skin of the feet does not have an accompanying disease, it can remain only an aesthetic defect for a long time: no itching, no pain, no discomfort.In such cases, the person does not pay attention to the symptoms, he thinks that he has simply damaged the nail, for example by wearing shoes that are too narrow.How do you know if it's a fungus?
You will not be able to determine the disease with 100% accuracy.Moreover, even a doctor does not need a visual examination to make a diagnosis.If the fungal nature of the disease is suspected, the patient is referred for tests.The nail plate is scraped off - this is the only way to detect the presence of the pathogenic fungus.
The signs of athlete's foot are a gradual worsening of the situation: without treatment, the affected nail starts to change more and more.The yellowness covers larger and larger areas.Then you can see:
- inflammation of the skin near the nail;
- further color change - to greenish, gray and even black;
- increased fragility and fragility.
Despite the fact that the nail will be very thick and difficult to cut with nail clippers, it will crumble.Small pieces can break off.
If you continue to pretend that nothing is happening, the fungus can "move" to neighboring fingers.In addition, the appearance of sharp edges due to occasional pieces of the nail breaking off leads to a complication called "ingrown nail".The sharp wind cuts into and gradually grows into the lateral folds of skin, causing one to suffer while walking.The skin becomes red and inflamed.
Over time, toenails become thicker and change color.A person experiences significant discomfort, as he cannot visit the pool in the summer and wear open shoes.
How can you get infected?
If you find suspicious signs in yourself, remember if you have recently been in a sauna or bath.The fungus "loves" a warm, humid environment - it is very comfortable for its reproduction.
Maybe you tried on your shoes in a store without "marks", or not so long ago a friend gave you a pair of sandals that you were wearing, but then bought new ones?Or do you often exchange slippers at home with members of your household?
Any of these cases can trigger an infection.A microscopic crack or wound is enough for fungal spores to penetrate the skin or nail.At the same time, the person who "gave" the disease cannot even guess that he is the carrier: if his immune system is strong, the fungus will not bother him.
If you think you have yeast infection, see your dermatologist first.You should not self-medicate: first of all, there are different pathogens that are sensitive to different drugs.Secondly, maybe this is not a fungus at all, but another disease.In both cases, self-medication either does not bring results, or "drives the disease deeper", and then it will be difficult to cope with it.
This is especially true for nail fungus.Sometimes dystrophic changes in the nail plate, which can occur as a result of wearing tight shoes that cause nail deformation, can be confused with the fungus.Another cause of changes not related to fungal infection is venous disease, which causes the blood supply to deteriorate.As a result, the nail becomes brittle, its color changes, and the person, believing that it is infected, begins intensive treatment with gels and varnishes.Of course, such "treatment" will be ineffective.
What to do if you suspect a fungus
If suspicious symptoms appear, do not rush to the pharmacy for medicine, but go to the doctor and have an examination.Until the causes are discovered, special care should be taken not to become a source of infection for others: refuse to visit the pool or sauna, and do not wear someone else's shoes.
If a pathogenic fungus is diagnosed, treatment should be carried out.If the skin is affected, it lasts about a month or two;if there are problems with the nail plates, it can take up to a year.If the disease is advanced enough, it may be necessary to take antifungal drugs orally along with external agents.
Pay attention to yourself: every disease is most easily cured in the initial stage.This also applies to fungal infections.Be healthy!