Types of foot fungus: photos and names, features of the treatment of each type

In this article we will consider the main types of foot fungus.

All fungal infections are collectively called mycoses. Experts divide them into two main categories: onychomycosis and dermatomycosis. In the first case, microorganisms penetrate under the nail, in the second the skin is affected. In addition, all types of foot fungus are classified taking into account the causative agent of the disease and the main symptoms.

Main types

First of all, the type of fungus affecting the legs depends on the causative agent of the disease. Pathogenic microorganisms are divided into several groups: dermatophytes, yeasts and molds. They are capable of causing such common injuries as:

• onychomycosis;
• candidiasis;
• epidermophytosis;
• Rubrophytia.

The latter is the generic name of a group of pathologies in which the feet are affected. All diseases are also divided into groups according to clinical manifestations: membrane, moccasin, vesicular.

Below we will consider the types of foot fungus, photos and treatment with alternative methods.

rubrophytia

The second name of this disease is rubromycosis. It is distinguished by overcrowding of blood vessels, dryness and severe peeling. The pathology develops very slowly and almost imperceptibly for a person who has contracted an infection.

Foot fungus in the form of bubbles is very unpleasant.

The first signs are itching and peeling, which become evident already in the later stages of the disease. Nail damage also occurs at this stage. Externally, the disease is manifested by the appearance of blisters, crusts, plaques, pustules, which are localized on the entire surface of the sole. When a large number of plaques and bubbles appear, a person begins to experience painful sensations when walking.

Determining the type of foot fungus (pictured) plays a key role in treatment. Before prescribing therapy for rubrophytosis, it is necessary to conduct microscopy and study the clinical picture. Elimination of lesions is carried out using exfoliating (keratolytic) agents. For the most part, these are ointments and creams, based on salicylic acid. Therapy is generally complex. In parallel with the external agents, antifungal agents are prescribed.

If the disease is severe, you should start taking drugs in the form of pills. Injuries of the nail plates are treated by removing them with emollients.

This type of foot fungus (see photo above) is characterized by a high degree of infectivity. Just touch the things that the carrier of the infection uses. The likelihood of infection increases many times if a person suffers from excessive sweating, has a weakened immune system, and any foot damage.

The causative agent of the disease is the fungus Tr. Mentagrophytesvar. It is able to penetrate the granular layers and the stratum corneum of the skin, spread and cause severe allergic and other reactions:

• pain when walking, burning and itching;
• deformation and yellowing of the nails;
• the appearance of crusts, scales, painful cracks;
• skin erosion (maceration);
• the appearance of pustules, edema;
• rash of vesicles with a dense crust.

The diagnosis of this type of foot fungus consists in studying the external signs and the clinical picture. If the causative agent of the pathology is not obvious, clinical research may be required, such as examining the curettage under a microscope.

The therapy of rubrophytosis in acute form involves the use of drugs based on silver nitrate 0, 25%, calcium 10% and meta-dihydroxybenzene 1%. If allergic reactions occur, antihistamines should be used. The choice of antifungal agent depends entirely on the clinical course of the disease and the individual characteristics of the patient's body.

What other types of foot fungus are there?

Foot candidiasis

This type of fungus occurs in patients much less frequently than epidermophytosis or rubromycosis. Pathology occurs under the influence of a fungus of the genus Candida. Such microorganisms live in the body of each person, however, it is considered conditionally pathogenic. That is, they do not pose a threat in small quantities, but their rapid multiplication can cause unpleasant symptoms and consequences. Uncontrolled reproduction of the fungus begins if there is a decrease in immunity during hypothermia, from overwork or from frequent stress. External factors include:

• wear uncomfortable shoes, especially in summer;
• injuries received at home or at work;
• constant maceration of the skin of the feet (skin exfoliation following prolonged exposure to water).

There are two types of candidiasis of the feet: hyperkeratotic and vesiculo-pustular. The first form of candidiasis is characterized by the thickening of the stratum corneum. On it, rather wide grooves of light brown color begin to appear, constantly peeling off. For the purpose of diagnosis, exfoliation and further study of the particles in which Candida fungi are found is performed.

The viscous-pustular form of candidiasis manifests itself in the form of hyperemia (overcrowding of blood vessels), pronounced swelling, maceration. The affected skin areas are covered with pustules and small flat-shaped blisters. After the extinction of inflammatory processes, peeling develops. The appointment of therapy is possible only after determining the exact diagnosis. The choice of drugs for this type of foot fungus with blisters is carried out on an individual basis. Most often, systemic and local drugs are shown.

onychomycosis

This disease is a type of foot fungus, characterized by a fungal infection of the nail. You can get infected in public showers, saunas, baths, swimming pools. Scales containing a pathogenic microorganism separate fairly easily from the nail plate and can remain on unpainted floors, carpets, mats and benches. High humidity allows them not only to survive, but also promotes active reproduction, and therefore the risk of infection increases significantly.

In the initial stage, the infection enters the epidermis of the feet, causing severe itching. To weaken the unpleasant sensations, the person begins to comb the infected area, but the situation only worsens. The areas of the skin affected by the fungus are covered with small scratches and cracks, microorganisms begin to spread, penetrate under the nail plate, after which they begin to multiply uncontrollably.

Serious diseases such as diabetes or HIV, blood circulation disorders, trauma to the nail greatly increase the risk of infection.

Onychomycosis is classified into 3 types:

1. normotrophic. With this type of onychomycosis, a change in the color of the nail from normal to yellow-brown is observed. The natural shine, shape and thickness of the nail remain unchanged.
2. Hypertrophic. There is a final change in the color of the nail, its luster disappears, the shape changes, thickening develops and partial destruction begins.
3. Onicolitic. The color of the affected nail changes to brown, becomes thinner, begins to crack. Her gradual separation from bed begins. On the open part of the nail bed, uneven layers can be observed.

Therapy of this type of fungus on the palms and feet with topical drugs is ineffective due to the fact that the spores of the fungus are located under the nail. Before starting the treatment, the nail must be removed. This is done with keratolytic drugs, and patches are also used. In some cases, there is the possibility of mechanical removal of the nail - extinct nail particles are cut with a nail file or clippers. It is important to remember that all tools used must be sterile.

The combined use of mechanical removal and keratolytic patches is the most effective way to remove a diseased nail. From keratolytic agents, you can use a ready-made set, which contains a special ointment, files for scraping the nail, a plaster. After the nail plate is removed, you should start taking systemic antifungals.

It is quite difficult to determine the type of foot fungus from the photo.

Interdigital (intertriginous) form

The most common and unpleasant type of pathology is the intertriginous form of fungal infection. It appears quite often in the summer, begins to develop between the third and fourth toes. Over time, the lesion spreads to the areas between the other toes.

At first, a small crack, funnel or sore appears in the crease between the fingers. It is surrounded by diaper rash or slightly greenish scaly skin. Most often, the damage gets wet, sometimes pus oozes from it. The erased type of fungus is characterized by a pronounced or flour-like peeling, as if there was flour on the surface of the finger. A similar impression arises due to the large number of affected scales separating from the skin. There is a slight itch that does not cause severe discomfort.

With an advanced form of the disease, there is delamination of the nails, severe enlargement, multiple cracks, compaction-like corneal corns, pronounced yellowing.

In very rare cases, a weeping-type disease develops - an exudative fungus. Its main difference is that the vesicles are shed on the affected areas - bubbles filled with fluid inside. Therapy must be carried out comprehensively. Antifungal agents are used as topical agents. The advanced form of the disease involves the use of systemic antifungals. The course of treatment should be continued until the complete disappearance of the fungus.

Squamous-hyperkeratotic form

This type of foot fungus (pictured below) is not very common.

Squamous is the process of penetration of pathogenic fungi into the cells of the outer skin. Hyperkeratosis is the formation of the stratum corneum, resulting in thickening of the dermis. In this regard, the scaly-hyperkeratotic form of mycosis has many other names, for example, "moccasin fungus" and "athlete's foot".

The squamous-hyperkeratotic type of mycosis is characterized by the following symptoms:

1. The sole of the foot is covered with a thickened keratinized layer of the dermis, giving the impression that the moccasins are worn on the foot.
2. The swelling of the sole is so strong that it begins to become covered with large and rather thick calluses.
3. Painful cracks appear on the corns.
4. Peeling takes on a mucous type, a pattern on the skin is visible to the naked eye.
5. An unbearable itch appears.
6. Over time, the nails begin to thin, break and crumble.

When dealing with moccasin fungus, first of all, it is very important to get rid of the horny layer of the skin. This is done using foot baths, compresses, salicylic packs, and ichthyol ointments. Salicylic ointment is used in dosages up to 10%. Vaseline-based creams, ointments containing lactic acid are effective. If you cannot cope with this task at home, you should seek help from a podiatric center. With the help of a hardware manicure, the specialist will carefully remove the keratinized dermis.

The subsequent treatment for the type of foot fungus will depend on the type of pathogen. It should only be started after an accurate diagnosis has been made. It is not recommended to treat moccasin mycosis without first removing the stratum corneum of the skin: the active components in the composition of the drug will not be able to penetrate through it and reach the center of the infection. As a result, all efforts will be canceled.

Photos of types of foot fungus cannot fully reflect all the unpleasant symptoms a person experiences.

Dehydrated form

Vesicular fungus or, as it is also called, dehydrated mycosis is the rarest type of disease. Its main manifestation is numerous vesicles combined in conglomerates. Vesicles are vesicles filled with pus or nutrient fluid from within. When the turbidity of the liquid begins, the vesicles burst, the ulcers remain in their place. They begin to merge into a single line, forming pronounced scars on the skin. This is due to drying and peeling of the skin layers.

About 70% of vesicular fungal infections are accompanied by allergic rashes. A variety of bacteria and viruses begin to penetrate the ulcers. As a result, the disease becomes mixed and the identification of the initial pathogen becomes more difficult. Therefore, you should immediately consult a doctor as soon as the primary symptoms appear (pictured) - he can quickly identify the type of foot fungus and begin therapy.

And this should be done immediately. First of all, before using antifungal drugs, the acute process should be eliminated. It is better to entrust this task to a specialist - he will be able to gently pierce the vesicles, treat the remaining ulcers with 2% boric acid and smear with a bright green or methylene blue solution.

Treatment of the disease in its neglected form involves the use of corticosteroid ointments. After the elimination of the inflammatory process, it is recommended to use local antifungal agents. This will suppress the causative agent of the disease.

We continue to consider the names and types of foot fungus.

Form canceled

Mycosis of the erased form is almost invisible, its symptoms are minimal. These include: slight itching, burning, mucous-like peeling, microfractures located in the interdigital areas. If you do not consult a specialist when the first signs of the disease appear, the pathology can turn into a form of onychomycosis, which is much more difficult to treat. In this case, the detached nail will grow back from one month to six.

Treat mycosis of the erased form with local preparations: ointments, creams, foams. They allow you to create a layer on the foot that will protect against other infections. It is not recommended to wash your feet within 24 hours of applying such a drug.

Only in extreme cases can systemic therapy be prescribed. The problem is that such drugs are toxic and negatively affect some internal organs, for example, the liver. Accordingly, if there is an effect from the use of local remedies, then it is better not to take pills.

Treatment of types of foot fungus with alternative methods

Pathology photos presented in the article in large numbers do not cancel a trip to the doctor.

It is quite easy to choose a medicine now. However, many people prefer to treat the fungus with folk remedies. We offer several proven recipes:

• Foot cleaning. The legs are warmed in a basin of hot water, scrubbed thoroughly with laundry soap and treated with a stiff foot brush for five minutes. The foam rinses off. Actions are repeated 4-5 times. Then the feet are dried and smeared with cream.
• Celandine baths. 50 g of herbs are poured with 1. 5 liters of boiling water, heated on fire for 4-5 minutes, cooled. The feet must be kept in a hot broth for 30 minutes. The duration of the course of treatment is 14 days.
• Tea tree oil is a powerful antiseptic. It must be repeatedly rubbed into the affected areas.
• You can get rid of itchiness and cracks with sour cream. He lubricates his legs before going to bed. The duration of therapy is 1 week.
• Sodium bicarbonate. Eliminates burning and itching of the skin. The powder is mixed with water so that a dense mass is obtained. It is applied to the affected areas, wait for it to dry, then rinse.
• Calendula. Flowers (50 gr. ) They are poured with boiling water (1: 2), insisted for 30 minutes, filtered. Feet lubricated by infusion during the night.

Prevention

The simplest preventive measures will significantly reduce the likelihood of infection. Only personal items should be used, nails should be treated with sterile tools. When visiting public places such as bathrooms, saunas, swimming pools, beaches, you should use your shoes. By the way, try to choose it so that it is comfortable and allows the legs to breathe.

You should worry about prevention in advance, so that later on you will not have to face various types of foot fungus. The photo shows far from all the options for the development of the disease.