Foot fungus is a skin disease that manifests itself with active reproduction in the epidermis of certain types of fungi. Today, both elderly people with a weakened immune system and children are susceptible to this disease. Signs of a fungus on the legs depend on the type of pathogen of the infectious process and the volume of the affected foot and nail plate, and at different stages have certain differences, which indicates the progression of the infection. You should know how to recognize a fungus on your feet, which will allow you to start treatment in a timely manner and stop its further development.
Symptoms of the disease
The main place for the development of the fungus on the legs most often becomes the area between the toes. This pathology is accompanied by the appearance of symptoms such as burning, severe itching and redness of the epidermis. In addition, a person can observe bursting and flaky skin, as well as the formation of blisters on the legs and increased dryness of the dermis.
The same symptoms of a fungus on the legs can occur on the sole, and are accompanied by excessive keratinization of the skin. The insidiousness of such a disease lies in the fact that during its course, the formation of a hard-to-treat fungus on the legs is possible, and the wounds themselves are in a state of superinfection.
How to recognize the fungus on the legs, and what symptoms can signal the onset of the development of the disease? The first signs of the disease are the appearance of small scales, that is, various types of peeling, ranging from small pityriasis to large lamellar. There are different types of fungus that provoke the development of the disease, but all of them are characterized by the same signs:
- At the initial stage of its development, the pathology proceeds without the appearance of pronounced symptoms. First of all, the interdigital folds are affected and most often between the third and fourth fingers.
- As the fungal disease progresses, the sides of the feet are affected, gradually spreading to the ankle.
- With a fungal infection of the feet, the skin noticeably thickens, cracks and begins to shine.
- The skin becomes too dry and begins to itch a lot. In addition, the epidermis becomes very red, and its affected areas become inflamed.
- Patients begin to complain of pain and burning in the feet.
- With the transition of the disease to a neglected form, blisters begin to appear on the skin. When they are opened, the affected areas of the skin get very wet and soften.
There are several forms of foot fungus, and each of them is accompanied by the development of certain symptoms.
Forms of pathology
Experts identify the following types of fungus that can affect the skin on the legs:
- interdigital;
- hyperkeratotic (moccasin);
- dyhydrotic.
The most common form of interdigital fungus on the feet is interdigital, which is characterized by the appearance of certain signs:
- most often, the area of \u200b\u200bthe fourth and fifth toes becomes the place of localization of this form of fungus.
- as the disease progresses, the skin acquires characteristic scalyness and may crack severely;
- between 3, 4 and 5 a weeping crack or funnel is formed, which is surrounded by scales of shriveled skin of white or green color.
Interdigital fungal skin lesions can be either dry or wet. In the event that a wet interdigital fungus is detected, the skin looks swollen. With a dry lesion of the epidermis, its peeling and shedding are noted.
The first sign of a moccasin-like foot fungus is pain, the manifestation of which is observed in the foot. As the pathology progresses, a gradual thickening of the skin on the sole is observed, which causes the formation of cracks.
This form of fungal disease of the legs is considered the most difficult and neglected, but it is easy to recognize. A fungal disease can manifest itself in the defeat of the nail plates, in which case they acquire a characteristic thickening, are subject to crumbling, and may even fall out altogether.
The vesicular form of the fungus is characterized by the formation of blisters, inside of which there is a clear liquid. Gradually, such blisters mature, become cloudy and open, which causes the formation of erosions of various sizes. The main localization of the bubbles becomes the area closer to the toes on the sole, but it is possible for them to rash all over the moccasin.
The vesicular form of a fungal disease is considered quite rare, but much easier to treat. This is due to the fact that vesicles become the place of localization of the pathogen, that is, it does not penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin. When a viral or fungal infection is attached to a vesicular fungal disease, serious skin lesions are observed, and treatment becomes difficult.
Specialists distinguish an erased form of the fungus on the legs, in which all symptoms are blurred. Diagnosing such a pathology is quite problematic, since the affected skin looks like a simple untidy legs. In a patient with such a fungus of the feet, the symptoms are yellowing of the nails and peeling of the feet, but they are so mild that the patient does not pay attention to them.
The erased form of the fungus proceeds in waves, that is, in the hot season it becomes aggravated, and in winter it almost completely disappears. With any weakening of the immune system, a sharp exacerbation of the disease is observed, which creates difficulties in the treatment of foot fungus.
How to recognize onychomycosis?
Signs of nail fungus can vary significantly at different stages, signaling the progression of the infection. How does toenail fungus start, and what signs should I look out for?
- At the first stage, there are no characteristic symptoms of the lesion and barely noticeable stripes and spots appear on the nail. In the event that you ignore the first signs of the disease and start the fungus, then accumulation of pus in the area of the periungual plates is possible. The result of such a pathological process is gangrene or amputation of the lower extremities.
- With the second degree of fungal disease, the natural shine on the nails disappears. Gradually, the nail changes color and white and brown stripes form on it. Deformation of the upper part of the nail and its side sections is possible. The advanced stage of bacterial nail damage is characterized by their increased fragility, delamination and inflammation of the cuticle. The pathology continues its progression and spreads to other nails and feet.
- In the third stage of onychomycosis, the nail turns yellow or dirty brown. In addition, it becomes too loose, thickens and lags behind the nail bed. Often, when wearing shoes, severe pain begins, and the itching of the skin becomes simply unbearable.
There are several types of fungal infections of the toenails, each of which causes the appearance of certain symptoms.
- Hypertrophic onychomycosis is accompanied by a thickening of the nail and its staining in yellow. The nail crumbles well and a thickened epidermis is visible under it.
- Atrophic onychomycosis causes thinning of the nail and its destruction, and keratinized skin is visible under it.
- Onychomycosis, when affected by moldy fungi, often develops not as an independent disease, but against the background of other pathologies.
The nail can be stained yellow, brown, green or black. Often a complication develops in the form of inflammation of the periungual bed with the release of pus.
Prevention of pathology
With the normal functioning of the immune system, nail fungus is unlikely to begin its development after infection, since the body can cope with it on its own. In the event that a fungal infection still affects the feet and nails, then it is necessary to undergo effective treatment. The sooner the fight against such a pathology begins, the higher the patient's chances for a full recovery.
The fight against foot fungus is considered a rather laborious process, so it is easier to prevent the development of the disease. To do this, the following preventive measures must be observed:
- keep feet dry;
- do not wear other people's shoes;
- choose socks to be made of cotton fabric;
- Don't run barefoot on the beach.
When the first signs of a fungus on the legs appear, you should contact a specialist. It is important to identify the pathology at the very beginning of its development and prevent further progression, which will help to avoid many complications. In order to understand how to determine the fungus on the legs, you need to consult a dermatologist.