Fungal diseases are a fairly widespread phenomenon. But not everyone understands exactly how to deal with these problems. Often people buy remedies "recommended by a neighbor" at the pharmacy or try to get by with traditional medicine. Some people with this therapeutic approach suffer from their problem for years.
But to effectively and quickly defeat the fungus, you need a specialist consultation and correctly selected drug treatment. After carrying out the necessary tests, the specialist will be able to prescribe a medication that will help overcome the hated problem. Often, the destruction of the fungus requires procedural local treatment, during which the affected tissue is cleaned and the source of infection is neutralized. The most important thing to know is that independent treatment methods are not effective. Let's see exactly how to choose the right treatment.
This article is not an instruction for choosing a drug yourself, it only allows you to better understand the basis on which the attending dermatologist makes decisions. All situations are individual and it is easy to ignore contraindications and important nuances of the course of the disease, which the doctor will certainly notice and take into account when choosing antifungal treatment and the duration of treatment.
What is a fungus or mycosis?
Mycosis, commonly known as fungus, is a series of highly contagious infectious diseases.
- Pathogenic: parasitic fungi of different types (pathogenic and opportunistic).
- Area concerned: skin, nails, hair, mucous membranes.
- Relapses: very likely.
Where to catch it: Public places such as baths, showers, gyms, swimming pools, beaches and more.
How infection occurs: through contact with the mucous membrane, microcracks in the skin.
The disease is very contagious. It is almost impossible to fully recover from it on your own. Mycoses are more dangerous for people with reduced immunity, when their general condition is worse than normal. Help from a doctor and the right choice of antifungal drugs can solve the problem.
You can become infected from another person's cat or through contact with objects on which fungal infections have left spores. But not all types of fungal infections are pathogenic. There are also species that are normally constantly present in the body and in some cases are even useful (e. g. Candida). But if fungal growth has intensified, treatment may be necessary.
Causes of mycosis
A healthy person with good immunity usually does not suffer from pathogenic fungi. If everything is fine with the immune system, then it can easily cope with such a load and fungal development does not occur.
Drop in immunity
If your immune system is weakened, your risk of contracting the disease increases. If you have recently undergone antibiotic treatment, your immunity is still reduced and you should exercise caution.
People with immunodeficiency, cancer patients and those undergoing cytostatic therapy are constantly at risk.
Insufficiently hygienic use of public places
- If a person visits a swimming pool or a public bath, it is always necessary to have with him a personal towel and flip-flops.
- The same should be done when visiting the gym.
- It is recommended to try on shoes in store wearing socks only.
- We must ensure that salon professionals do not forget to sterilize the instruments.
- You cannot use other people's toiletries.
- It is not recommended to wear tight shoes or synthetic underwear.
- If the skin is damaged, do not forget about antiseptics, as infection occurs through damaged areas.
Chronic diseases
They themselves can reduce immunity and negatively affect the body's resistance. Skin diseases are particularly prone to problems such as fungal diseases: cracks, calluses. In certain diseases, the skin becomes dry and fragile (for diabetic patients, varicose veins). All dermatological diseases put a person at risk.
Personal characteristics
Certain personal characteristics can create conditions conducive to fungal diseases. For example, hyperhidrosis or sweating of the palms and soles. There are other individual characteristics that create a favorable environment for various types of pathogenic fungi.
Types of mushrooms
There is no classification describing pathogenic fungi. Diseases are generally classified according to their symptoms and how widespread they are. Diseases such as nail fungus, skin fungus and foot fungus are classified as superficial fungus. The prevalence of mycoses can vary:
- karatomycosis – when the microorganism is present only in the stratum corneum of the skin;
- dermatomycosis – if the fungal infection has managed to penetrate the epidermis, hair follicles and dermis;
- candidiasis – damage to the mucous membranes.
There are also systemic mycoses, characterized by damage not only to the external integument, but also to internal organs.
Types of Pathogens:
- Yeasts are normally part of the microflora.
- Molds are pathogenic.
- Dodmiphorae are pathogenic.
To accurately determine the cause of the infection, and then prescribe effective treatment based on special means, it is necessary to carry out diagnosis. If the integumentary tissue is affected, a smear or scraping is performed. When the problem involves internal organs, the type of pathogen can be determined by microscopic examination based on a blood test. Some types of infectious lesions have the same clinical signs and the exact cause can only be determined by analysis.
How to identify a fungal disease - symptoms
Despite the fact that each type of infection has its own characteristics, which manifest themselves at different stages of the disease, superficial mycosis also has common signs of the disease:
- change in skin color – redness or loss of color;
- the appearance of constant areas of flaking or oozing;
- itching;
- crusts.
For scalp damage:
- a sign of fungus is often dandruff;
- fragility and hair loss.
On the face:
- the appearance of lesions in the crease of the upper eyelid.
At the feet :
- cracks;
- burning;
- bubbles;
- an unpleasant odor is more common;
- roughness of the skin;
- thickening of the skin;
- ulcers (if there are also bacterial infectious diseases).
On the nails:
- small white dots on the plate;
- the affected nail has white stripes;
- change color to black, yellow, brown;
- change in structure (it becomes layered);
- nails become thicker or thinner;
- nail plates move away from the bed;
- inflamed nail folds;
- changes in the shape or relief of the nail.
At first, the infection develops unnoticed, and many people notice nail fungus only at a late stage of disease progression, and not when the condition of the skin and nails can be corrected relatively easily and quickly. If there are the first signs of pathological changes, it is recommended to immediately consult a specialist.
Medicines for the treatment of fungus
Medicines for the treatment of fungi are called antimycotics, from the words "anti" and mycosis", but more often they are simply called antifungals. These drugs are divided into two types based on their effects:
- drugs for the treatment of fungi that destroy spores - fungicides;
- those that do not suppress the development and do not prevent the growth of a fungal infection, but do not destroy it, are fungistatics.
The type of treatment that the doctor decides to prescribe is influenced by various factors, including the patient's body characteristics.
The potency of a particular medication varies depending on the following factors:
- dosage of active substance;
- spectrum of action of the active substance.
Most often, the fungus is treated using local medications such as antifungal ointments. Oral medications (antifungal tablets) are used if the fungus cannot be cured by external use or when the disease is systemic in nature and has a long course. When the situation is very difficult, even injections can be used to cure the fungus.
Release Forms
Topical antifungals are produced in different forms:
- ointments;
- creams;
- Sprays;
- solutions;
- antifungal varnish (for nail lesions).
If the lesion is only external in nature, local treatment is sufficient. A feature of these drugs is that they have practically no side effects, unlike drugs for internal use. Complex therapy using systemic antimycotics is prescribed for a more complex course of the disease, in case of relapses of the disease. Therapy courses are then possible. It is not always possible to correctly determine treatment methods based on clinical manifestations, so testing is necessary. Sometimes fungal diseases intensify the course of allergic diseases from which the patient may suffer. In this case, absorbents may be prescribed.
One of the most commonly used substances in antifungal treatment is fluconazole. It is used for external and internal injuries. The substance is found in various medicines. Available in tablets, capsules, injections and other forms. To prevent fungus, antiseptic agents are used for the skin of the feet, palms and nails. Prevention also means taking vitamins on time to support the immune system.