Ringworm of the feet is the most common fungal skin infection today. There are three main types of ringworm of the foot, or foot fungus, as it is also called. And each type is located in different parts of the foot and looks different.
<1_img_blockxx>How can you get a foot fungus?
Ringworm of the feet is caused by a fungus that grows on or in the top layer of the skin. The fungus grows best in warm, humid places. For example - in the area between your toes. Foot fungus spreads very easily. Just touching the fingers or toes of an infected person is likely to get sick too. But most of the time, fungal infection occurs when people walk barefoot on contaminated surfaces near swimming pools or in the same pool, gym and other similar objects. The fungus can remain on your shoes, especially if your shoes are too narrow and air cannot circulate around your feet.
If you touch an object on which there is a fungus, you can also become a distributor of it and infect others. Also, even if you infect other people, that doesn't mean you will definitely be infected yourself. Doctors don't know why this happens, but each person's predisposition to foot yeast infection is different. And if you've ever had ringworm, there's a high chance you'll get infected again.
2. Fungus symptoms
Symptoms of ringworm of the feet can be burning and itchy skin between the toes. The skin may peel and crack. Other foot fungus symptoms may differ depending on the type of athlete's foot diagnosed.
The first type is an infection that most commonly causes symptoms between the fourth and fifth toes. The skin becomes scaly, scaly and cracks. In some cases, a bacterial infection can join the ringworm and the skin condition gets worse.
The second type of fungus is a disease that can start with mild pain in the leg region. Then the skin on the heel or sole of the foot becomes thick and may crack. As the fungus on the feet progresses, it also affects the nails. With nail fungus, it can thicken, break or even fall out. Fungal infections on the nails and skin of the feet should be treated differently, as a rule.
Vesicular infection is the third type of athlete's foot. Typically, this type of foot fungus starts with fluid-filled blisters under the skin. Blisters usually form on the sole of the foot, but can be found elsewhere on the foot. A concomitant bacterial infection can also develop with this type of foot fungus.
3. Diagnosis of ringworm
To diagnose a foot fungus, the doctor, as a rule, only needs to examine the patient and study his medical history (symptoms, previous illnesses). If the fungus on your feet is unusual or doesn't respond to treatment, your doctor may take a sample of your skin or nail for a fungus test.
Not all foot skin problems are ringworm or foot fungus. If you suspect you have a fungus but have never had it before, it makes sense to see a good dermatologist.
4. Treatment of the disease
To treat foot fungus, special lotions, creams or sprays are usually sufficient. In severe cases, your doctor may prescribe pills or topical remedies to treat nail fungus. You need to treat the fungus as much as the doctor says. It will be a guarantee that it was really possible to completely cure the fungus. In addition to the general treatment of ringworm of the feet, it is imperative that the feet are clean and dry. The fungus needs warm, moist places to grow.
To prevent ringworm and the resurgence of foot fungus, you should wear your own special shoes when going to the gym, swimming pool and similar places. To keep your feet dry, you can use talcum powder or special products. Sandals or shoes that are not too tight provide adequate air circulation and moisture absorption.