Interdigital mycosis is a fungal infection of the skin between the fingers, caused by opportunistic organisms and anthropophilic fungi.
Causes of mycoses
The cause of any mycosis is contact with an infected person, wearing his shoes or sharing hygiene items with him. The likelihood of infection increases in people whose immunity is weakened - due to chronic illnesses, taking certain medications or due to a vitamin deficiency.
At risk are patients with:
- dysfunction of the endocrine system;
- Diabetes mellitus and its complications (especially diabetic foot);
- Allergic dermatitis;
- varicose veins;
- Obesity;
- increased sweating;
- immune disorders;
- hormonal disorders;
- Metabolic disorders in the body, etc.
The skin of the feet is extremely susceptible to fungus after a well-groomed pedicure. And wearing shoes that are too tight can make the situation much worse.
Symptoms
In the early stages, interdigital mycosis manifests itself as mild itching of the skin between the toes. Later, peeling of the skin, redness and the appearance of cracks are added to this symptom.
If you do nothing and consult a specialist, the problem will gradually worsen - burning, diaper rash and swelling will appear in the area between the fingers. Small bubbles can form in the interdigital folds that tend to fuse. When such bubbles burst, weeping erosions remain in their place and become covered with crusts. This condition is dangerous due to infection - the wounds can fester.
It is important to note that with a long course of interdigital mycosis, the forms of the disease can merge into each other or develop in parallel.
Interdigital mycosis can also occur in an eradicated form - in this case, the patient periodically experiences unpleasant symptoms of the disease (usually during and after water treatments and with excessive sweating of the feet).
Diagnosis of a fungus between the toes
As practice shows, a fungal infection is diagnosed in about every third case of skin changes between the toes.
When prescribing treatment for mycosis, the podiatrist takes into account many factors: the presence or absence of concomitant pathologies in the patient, the clinical picture of the disease, its form and degree.
Diagnosis of a specific pathogen is the key to effective treatment and successful recovery. To determine which fungus needs to be treated, the podiatrist may prescribe laboratory tests and a bacterial culture to the patient.
How do you treat interdigital fungus?
Complex therapy is carried out for interdigital mycoses. It contains:
- topical antifungals (creams, lotions, ointments, etc. );
- It is also possible to take oral antifungals.
The course of treatment is determined individually for the patient. Traditional medicine (compresses, baths, lotions made from medicinal plants, etc. ) can be used as an aid, but only after consulting a specialist.
If mycosis develops against the background of internal diseases, local therapy is combined with treatment of the underlying pathology.
Possible contraindications and complications
Interdigital mycosis requires referral to a specialist and complex therapy. Without timely treatment, it quickly spreads to the entire foot and affects the nails.
In addition, in patients with mycosis, the body's susceptibility to viral diseases and the risk of bacterial infections and allergic reactions increase.
It is important to strictly follow the podiatrist's recommendations and comprehensive treatment. Pathogens can become resistant to the drugs used, which, in combination with repeated infections, makes it much more difficult to eliminate the infection - even with positive dynamics, the course of treatment cannot be interrupted.
Tips and recommendations from a podiatrist
To avoid a fungal infection, the rules of personal hygiene must be strictly observed - this primarily applies to personal hygiene items and shoes.
- Do not wear someone else's shoes and only use individual bath towels.
- Do not go barefoot in a bathhouse, sauna or swimming pool - this is an ideal environment for the growth of mushrooms, as it is always warm and with high humidity.
- If you notice excessive sweating of the skin of your feet, you should consult a podiatrist about using medications for hyperhidrosis.
- Avoid shoes that are too tight and avoid synthetic socks and stockings that do not allow the skin to "breathe. "
To care for the skin of the feet, podiatrists recommend giving preference to hardware methods - a trimmed pedicure is now considered outdated and unsafe. The processing of trimming pedicure tools is very difficult to control - the risk of infection increases significantly. With a hardware pedicure, the likelihood of infection is eliminated.