Fungal diseases are a fairly widespread phenomenon. But not everyone understands how exactly such problems should be treated. Often people buy remedies at the pharmacy that were "recommended by a neighbor" or try to cope with traditional medicine. Some people with this approach to treatment suffer for years with their problem.
But in order to effectively and quickly defeat the fungus, you need specialist consultation and properly selected drug therapy. After completing the necessary tests, the specialist will be able to prescribe a drug that will help overcome the hated problem. Often, the destruction of the fungus requires procedural local treatment, in which the affected tissue is cleaned and the source of infection is neutralized. The most important thing to know is that independent treatment methods are not effective. Let's figure out exactly how to choose the right treatment.
This article is not an instruction for choosing a medicine on your own, it only allows you to better understand the basis on which the attending dermatologist makes decisions. All situations are individual, and it is easy to ignore contraindications and important nuances of the course of the disease, which the physician will definitely notice and take into account when choosing antifungal therapy and the duration of treatment.
What is a fungus or mycosis?
Mycosis, which is popularly called fungus, is a range of highly contagious infectious diseases.
- Pathogen: parasitic fungi of various types (pathogenic and opportunistic).
- Affected area: skin, nails, hair, mucous membranes.
- Relapses: very likely.
Where you can catch it: public places such as baths, showers, gyms, swimming pools, beaches and more.
How does infection occur: through contact with the mucous membrane, microcracks in the skin.
The disease is highly contagious. It is almost impossible to completely recover from it on your own. Mycoses are most dangerous for people with reduced immunity, when their general condition is worse than normal. A doctor's help and the right choice of antifungal drugs can solve the problem.
You can become infected from another person’s cat, or through contact with objects on which fungal infections have left spores. But not all types of fungal infections are pathogenic. There are also species that are normally constantly present in the body, and in some cases they are even useful (for example, Candida). But if the fungal growth has intensified, it may require a course of treatment.
Causes of mycosis
A healthy person with good immunity usually does not suffer from pathogenic fungi. If everything is fine with the immune system, then it can easily cope with such a load, and fungal development does not occur.
Fall of immunity
If your immune system is weakened, your risk of contracting the disease increases. If you have recently undergone antibiotic therapy, then your immunity is always reduced and caution should be exercised.
People who have immunodeficiency conditions, cancer patients and patients undergoing cytostatic therapy are constantly at risk.
Insufficiently hygienic use of public places
- If a person visits a swimming pool or public bathhouse, then it is always necessary to have a personal towel and flip-flops with him.
- The same should be done when visiting the gym.
- It is recommended to try on shoes in a store wearing socks only.
- It is necessary to ensure that professionals in salons do not forget to sterilize instruments.
- You cannot use other people's toiletries.
- It is not recommended to wear tight shoes or synthetic underwear.
- If the skin is damaged, you should not forget about antiseptics, since infection occurs through damaged areas.
Chronic diseases
They themselves can reduce immunity and negatively affect the body’s resistance. Skin diseases are especially prone to such problems as fungal diseases: cracks, calluses. With some diseases, the skin becomes dry and fragile (for patients with diabetes, varicose veins). All dermatological diseases place a person at risk.
Personal characteristics
There may be personal characteristics that create suitable conditions for fungal diseases. For example, hyperhidrosis, or sweating of the palms and soles. There are other individual characteristics that create a good environment for various types of pathogenic fungi.
Types of fungi
There is no classification that describes pathogenic fungi. Diseases are usually classified according to symptoms and extent of spread. Diseases such as nail fungus, skin fungus and foot fungus are classified as superficial mycoses. The prevalence of mycosis may vary:
- karatomycosis - when the microorganism is present only in the stratum corneum of the skin;
- dermatomycosis - if the fungal infection managed to penetrate the epidermis, hair follicles and dermis;
- candidiasis – damage to the mucous membranes.
There are also systemic mycoses, which are characterized by damage not only to the external integument, but also to internal organs.
Types of pathogens:
- Yeasts are normally part of the microflora.
- Molds are pathogenic.
- Dodmiphorae are pathogenic.
To accurately determine the cause of infection, and then prescribe effective treatment based on special means, it is necessary to perform a diagnosis. If the integumentary tissue is affected, a smear or scraping is taken. When the problem is with internal organs, the type of pathogen can be determined by microscopic examination based on a blood test. Some types of lesions from infections have the same clinical signs, and the exact cause can only be determined by analysis.
How to identify a fungal disease - symptoms
Despite the fact that each type of infection has its own characteristics, which manifest themselves at different stages of the disease, superficial mycoses also have common signs of the disease:
- change in skin color - redness or loss of color;
- the appearance of constant peeling or weeping areas;
- itching;
- crusts.
For scalp damage:
- a sign of fungus is often dandruff;
- fragility and hair loss.
On the face:
- the appearance of damage in the fold of the upper eyelid.
On the feet:
- cracks;
- burning;
- bubbles;
- an unpleasant odor is more common;
- roughening of the skin;
- thickening of the skin;
- ulcers (if there are also bacterial infectious diseases).
On nails:
- small white dots on the plate;
- the affected nail has white stripes;
- change in color to black, yellow, brown;
- change in structure (it becomes layered);
- nails become thicker or thinner;
- the nail plates move away from the bed;
- inflamed nail folds;
- changes in the shape or relief of the nail.
At first, the infection develops unnoticed, and many people notice nail fungus only at an advanced stage of disease progression, and not when the condition of the skin and nails can be relatively easily and quickly corrected. If there are the first signs of pathological changes, it is recommended to immediately consult a specialist.
Drugs for the treatment of fungus
Medicines for the treatment of fungus are called antimycotics, from the words "anti" and mycosis, " but more often they are simply called antifungals. Such drugs are divided into two types based on their effects:
- drugs for the treatment of fungus that destroy spores - fungicides;
- those that do not suppress the development and prevent the growth of a fungal infection, but do not destroy it, are fungistatics.
The type of treatment the doctor decides to prescribe is influenced by various factors, including the characteristics of the patient’s body.
The potency of a particular drug varies depending on the following factors:
- dosage of the active substance;
- spectrum of action of the active substance.
Most often, fungus is treated using local medications such as antifungal ointments. Oral medications (antifungal tablets) are used if the fungus cannot be cured by external use, or when the disease is systemic in nature and has a long course. When the situation is very difficult, even injections can be used to cure the fungus.
Release forms
Topical antifungals are produced in different forms:
- ointments;
- creams;
- sprays;
- solutions;
- antifungal varnish (for nail lesions).
If the lesion is only external in nature, then local therapy is sufficient. A characteristic feature of such drugs is that they have almost no side effects, unlike drugs for internal use. Complex therapy with the use of systemic antimycotics is prescribed for a more complex course of the disease, if there are relapses of the disease. Then courses of therapy are possible. It is not always possible to correctly determine treatment methods based on clinical manifestations, so tests are required. Sometimes fungal diseases intensify the course of allergic diseases that the patient may suffer from. In this case, sorbents may be prescribed.
One of the most common substances for antifungal therapy is fluconazole. It is used for both external and internal lesions. The substance is found in various drugs. Available in tablets, capsules, injections and other forms. To prevent fungi, antiseptic agents are used for the skin of the feet, palms, and nails. Prevention also means taking vitamins in a timely manner to support the immune system.