Interdigital mycosis is a fungal infection of the skin in the spaces between the fingers, the causative agent of which are opportunistic organisms and anthropophilic fungi.
Causes of mycoses
The cause of any mycosis is contact with an infected person, wearing their shoes or sharing personal hygiene items with them. The likelihood of infection increases in those whose immunity is reduced, due to chronic diseases, taking certain medications or a vitamin deficiency.
Patients with:
- alterations in the functioning of the endocrine system;
- diabetes mellitus and its complications (in particular, diabetic foot);
- Allergic dermatitis;
- varicose veins;
- obesity;
- increased sweating;
- immunological disorders;
- hormonal disorders;
- metabolic disorders in the body, etc.
The skin on your feet after a trim pedicure is extremely vulnerable to fungus. And wearing shoes that are too tight can significantly aggravate the situation.
Symptoms
Interdigital mycosis in the initial stages is manifested by slight 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 not take action and consult a specialist, the problem gradually worsens: burning, diaper rash, and swelling of the area between the fingers appear. Small bubbles may begin to form that are prone to merging in the interdigital folds. When these bubbles burst, the weeping erosions remain in place and become covered with scabs. This condition is dangerous due to infection: the wounds can fester.
It is important to note that with a prolonged course of interdigital mycosis, the forms of the disease can transform into each other or develop in parallel.
Interdigital mycosis can also occur in an erased form; In this case, the patient periodically experiences unpleasant symptoms of the disease (usually during and after water procedures and with excessive sweating of the feet).
Diagnosis of fungus between the toes.
As practice shows, about every third case of skin lesions between the toes is diagnosed with a fungal infection.
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 combated, the podiatrist can prescribe laboratory tests and bacterial culture to the patient.
How to treat interdigital fungus?
For interdigital mycoses, complex therapy is carried out. Includes:
- topical antifungal medications (creams, lotions, ointments, etc. );
- It is also possible to take oral antifungal agents.
The course of treatment is determined individually for the patient. Traditional medicine (compresses, baths, lotions from medicinal plants, etc. ) can be used as auxiliary methods, but only after consulting with a specialist.
If mycosis develops against the background of internal diseases, local therapy is combined with the 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 increases and the risk of bacterial infection and allergic reactions increases.
It is important to strictly follow the podiatrist's recommendations and follow a complete treatment. Pathogens can become resistant to the medications used and, combined with repeated infections, this makes it much more difficult to get rid of the infection; even if there is positive dynamics, the course of treatment cannot be interrupted.
Advice and recommendations from a podiatrist.
To avoid fungal infection, it is necessary to strictly observe the rules of personal hygiene; First of all, this applies to personal hygiene items and shoes.
- Do not wear other people's shoes and only use individual bath towels.
- Do not walk barefoot in a bathhouse, sauna, or pool; This is an ideal environment for fungal growth, since it is always hot and very humid.
- If you experience excessive sweating on the skin of your feet, you should consult a podiatrist about using anti-hyperhidrosis medications.
- Avoid wearing shoes that are too tight and avoid synthetic socks and stockings, which do not allow the skin to "breathe. "
To care for the skin of the feet, podiatrists recommend giving preference to hardware methods; Today, the undercut pedicure is considered outdated and unsafe. It is very difficult to control how pedicure instruments are processed; the risk of infection increases significantly. With a hardware pedicure, the likelihood of infection is excluded.