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

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

All fungal infections are collectively called mycosis. 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. Further, absolutely all types of foot fungi are classified taking into account the causative agent of the disease and the main symptoms.

Main types

First of all, the type of fungus that affects the legs depends on the causative agent of the disease. Pathogenic microorganisms are divided into several groups: dermatophytes, yeast and mold. They are able to provoke such common lesions as:

• Onychomycosis;
• Candidiasis;
• Epidermophytosis;
• Rubrophytia.

The latter is the general name for a group of pathologies in which the feet are affected. All diseases are also divided into groups based on clinical manifestations: membrane, moccasin-like, vesicular.

The types of foot fungus, photos and treatment with alternative methods will be considered below.

Rubrophytia

The second name of this disease is rubromycosis. It is distinguished by overcrowding of blood vessels, dryness and severe flaking. 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 flaking, which become noticeable already in the later stages of the disease. Damage to the nails also occurs at this stage. Outwardly, the disease is manifested by the appearance of blisters, crusts, plaques, pustules, which are localized over 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, which are based on salicylic acid. Therapy is usually complex. In parallel with external agents, anti-fungal agents are prescribed.

If the disease is severe, you should start taking drugs in the form of pills. Lesions 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 infectiousness. It is enough to 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 damage to the feet.

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

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

Diagnosis of this type of foot fungus consists in the study of external signs and clinical picture. If the causative agent of the pathology is not obvious, clinical research may be required, for example, examining the scraping under a microscope.

Therapy of rubrophytosis in acute form involves the use of medications 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 from the genus Candida. Such microorganisms live in the body of every person, however, it is considered to be 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 frequent stress. External factors include:

• wearing, in particular in the summer, uncomfortable shoes;
• injuries received at home or at work;
• constant maceration of the skin of the feet (skin exfoliation as a result of prolonged exposure to water).

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

The viscous-pustular form of candidiasis manifests itself in the form of hyperemia (overcrowding of blood vessels), pronounced swelling, maceration. Areas of the affected skin are covered with pustules and small flat-shaped blisters. After the extinction of inflammatory processes, desquamation develops. The appointment of therapy is possible only after determining the exact diagnosis. The choice of medications 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 fungus of the foot, characterized by a fungal infection of the nail. You can get infected in public showers, saunas, baths, swimming pools. Scales containing a pathogenic microorganism are quite easily separated from the nail plate and can remain on floors, carpets, mats, and unpainted benches. High humidity allows them not only to survive, but also promotes active reproduction, and therefore the risk of infection increases significantly.

At the initial stage, the infection enters the epidermis of the feet, causing severe itching. In order to weaken the unpleasant sensations, the person begins to comb the infected area, but the situation is thereby only aggravated. 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.

Severe illnesses such as diabetes or HIV, impaired blood circulation, 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. Natural shine, nail shape and thickness remain unchanged.
2. Hypertrophic. There is a final change in the color of the nail, its shine disappears, the shape changes, thickening develops and partial destruction begins.
3. Onycholytic. The color of the affected nail changes to brown, it becomes thinner, begins to break. Its gradual separation from the bed begins. On the open part of the nail bed, uneven layers may be observed.

Therapy of this type of fungus on the palms and feet with topical medications is ineffective due to the fact that the spores of the fungus are located under the nail. Before starting treatment, the nail should 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: the particles of the nail that have died out are cut off with a nail file or nippers. It is important to remember that all instruments 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, nail files for scraping the nail, a plaster. After the nail plate has been removed, you should start taking systemic antimycotics.

It is rather 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. Appears quite often in summer, begins to develop between the third and fourth toes. Over time, the lesion spreads to areas between the other fingers.

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

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

In very rare cases, a weeping-type disease develops - an exudative fungus. Its main difference is that vesicles are poured out on the affected areas - bubbles filled with liquid inside. Therapy should be carried out in a comprehensive manner. Antifungal agents are used as topical agents. The advanced form of the disease involves the use of systemic antimycotics. The course of treatment should be continued until the fungus disappears completely.

Squamous-hyperkeratotic form

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

Squamosis is the process of penetration of pathogenic fungi into the outer skin cells. Hyperkeratosis is the formation of the stratum corneum, resulting in a thickening of the dermis. In this regard, the squamous-hyperkeratotic form of mycosis has several more 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, resulting in the impression that moccasins are worn on the foot.
2. The coarsening of the sole occurs so strongly that it begins to become covered with wide 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 with the naked eye.
5. Unbearable itching appears.
6. Over time, nails begin to thin, break and crumble.

When treating moccasin fungus, first of all, it is very important to eliminate the stratum corneum of the skin. This is done using soap-soda foot baths, wraps, salicylic compresses, 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.

Subsequent treatment for the type of foot fungus will depend on the type of pathogen. It should be started only 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 focus of infection. As a result, all efforts will be nullified.

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

Dishydratic form

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

About 70% of infections with vesicular fungus are accompanied by allergic rashes. A variety of bacteria and viruses begin to invade the ulcers. As a result, the disease becomes mixed, and the identification of the initial pathogen becomes more difficult. Therefore, you should consult a doctor immediately 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 antimycotic 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 brilliant green solution or methylene blue.

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

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

Erased form

Mycosis of the erased form is almost invisible, its symptoms are minimal. These include: slight itching, burning, peeling of the mucous type, microcracks located in the interdigital zones. If you do not consult a specialist when the first signs of the disease appear, the pathology can turn into the 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 after 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

The photos of pathology 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:

• Cleansing the feet. The legs are warmed up in a basin of hot water, rubbed generously 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 wiped dry 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 should be kept in a warm 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 itching and cracks with sour cream. She lubricates her legs before going to bed. The duration of therapy is 1 week.
• Baking soda. Eliminates burning and itching of the skin. The powder is mixed with water to form a thick mass. It is applied to the affected areas, wait until dry, then rinse off.
• Calendula. Flowers (50 gr. ) Are poured with boiling water (1: 2), insisted for 30 minutes, filtered. Infusion lubricated feet at night.

Prophylaxis

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

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