One of the infectious skin lesions is mycosis. What is mycosis, any dermatologist can correctly explain. It is caused by conditionally pathogenic organisms and anthropophilic fungi.
Problem description
One of the main reasons for the development of mycosis is the activity of fungi. Their spores enter the layers of subcutaneous tissue and skin, can settle on the mucous membranes, in the respiratory tract, and lungs.
The severity of the course of the disease will depend on the type of fungi and their localization. It is worth noting that any infections in which the body's defenses are reduced can contribute to the development of a disease called mycosis. What is a fungal infection and what happens at this moment with the body, every person should know. After all, not only the skin can be affected, but also hair, nails, the mucous membrane of the eyes, the esophagus, and the genitals.
In most cases, fungal infections are characterized by a chronic course. In 95% of cases, they are secondary forms that have developed against the background of other diseases.
Types of lesions
Specialists distinguish between several forms of fungal infections. They depend on the affected area. So,Mycosis is isolated separately:
- scalp;
- torso skin;
- hand skin;
- facial skin;
- stop;
- nails;
- internal organs.
Currently, experts identify more than 500 fungi that provoke the onset of the disease. At the same time, over the past decade, the number of patients who have learned what mycosis is has doubled. According to studies, the number of people suffering from various types of fungal infections in Russia is about 30-40%. The most common fungal infections of the nails, feet and hands. People with lesions of the scalp and smooth skin are somewhat less likely to seek help.
Causes of disease
In most cases, infection with fungal infections occurs through contact with sick people. But other ways of transmission of the disease are possible. For example, mycosis of the hair can begin when infected from animals. In some cases, fungi are part of the normal microflora, but with a decrease in immunity, they begin to multiply excessively. So, for example, urogenital candidiasis (known as thrush) begins.
Experts say that the main reason for such a wide spread of the disease is people's poor awareness of the ways of infection, the first symptoms of the disease and preventive measures. Because of this, people turn to specialists already at a time when mycosis passes into a chronic form. What is mycosis, every dermatologist knows.
The most common infection occurs:
- in close contact witha sick person;
- communicating with sick animals;
- frequent visits to public baths, saunas, swimming pools;
- using other people's personal care products.
Provoking factors
It is often not enough to know about the main routes of infection. It is also necessary to understand who is at risk and in which cases the likelihood of infection is highest.
So, for example, those who have excessive sweating of the feet and hands most often suffer from fungal infections. Do not forget that fungal spores can penetrate into the deep layers of the subcutaneous tissue and through wounds.
Using other people's personal care products can also trigger athlete's foot. What happens in this case and why infection is possible is easy to figure out if you know that particles of the skin remain on personal items. When used, they are transferred to a he althy person. The source of infection can be someone else's comb, toothbrush, shoes, clothes.
In addition, provoking factors include long-term use of certain medications, polluted environment, increased levels of radiation and other factors that weaken the body's defenses.
Fungus engraftment
Of course, contact of he althy skin or mucous membranes of a person with fungal spores does not always end in infection. In most cases, normal immunity prevents the engraftment of these microorganisms.
But there are a number of factors due to whicha person still has to find out what mycosis is. These include:
- features of the feet (for example, flat feet, narrow distance between the fingers, their deformation);
- excessive dryness of the skin;
- increased sweating;
- violation of the integrity of the skin (wounds, cuts, diaper rash, abrasions);
- wearing clothes made of synthetic materials, tight shoes;
- old age;
- dry skin.
The engraftment of fungi is faster if a person has a weakened immune system and there are a number of related problems. These include diseases of the cardiovascular system, endocrine pathologies, oncohematological problems, immunodeficiency states.
Symptoms of disease
Unfortunately, people are not always able to independently suspect the development of a fungal disease. After all, the manifestation of infection may vary depending on the location of its localization. But the main symptoms of the disease are as follows:
- the appearance of diaper rash;
- peeling of the skin, redness;
- constant itching of affected areas of smooth skin;
- itching of the skin of the feet, accompanied by the appearance of blisters and peeling of the skin;
- irritation between fingers;
- the appearance of various spots on the skin;
- change in structure, peeling, flaking of nails.
Separately allocate a lesion of smooth skin - superficial mycosis. Treatment, causes, symptoms will depend on its type. Specialists can distinguish between keratomycosis and ringworm(dermatophytosis). The first type of disease is characterized by the fact that not only skin areas are affected, but also hair and nails. For example, pityriasis versicolor is keratomycosis. Dermatophytosis is caused by fungi, such as athlete's foot. Candida affects the mucous membranes, respiratory tract and internal organs.
Treatment tactics
Often, patients with fungal infections turn to doctors already in those cases when the disease becomes chronic. In this case, an integrated approach is needed. It is important that the diagnosis and treatment of fungal infections of the skin and nails be carried out correctly. It is necessary to remove the pathogenic organism from the damaged areas and eliminate the factors that contribute to its reproduction.
In chronic forms, doctors tend to choose a systematic approach. It is necessary not only to use local remedies, but preparations intended for oral administration. Such systemic therapy allows organizing the optimal penetration of drugs into the places where the fungi are located. They accumulate in tissues in an amount that significantly exceeds the concentrations necessary to suppress microorganisms. They also stay there for some time after the end of therapy.
Before prescribing drugs, the doctor must tell the patient what mycosis is. He can also explain that it is desirable to first establish which fungus has struck the organism. This will allow you to choose the most effective drugs. If this is not possible, then broad spectrum agents are prescribed.
Essential Medicines
Modern advances allow you to quickly andeffectively deal with fungal diseases. For these purposes, local remedies such as Clotrimazole, Miconazole, Econazole, Terbinafine can be used. For the treatment of nails, "Batrafen", "Irunin", "Lotseril" are recommended. The funds are available in the form of sprays or creams.
At night, doctors recommend treating problem areas with sulfuric salicylic ointment. In the morning, they must be applied with a 2% iodine solution. But these are not all ways to treat mycosis.
In most cases it is necessary to use systemic drugs. Griseofulvin is considered one of the safest. It is even used in the treatment of children. Also popular are drugs such as Terbinafine, Itraconazole, Ketoconazole.
Folk Therapy
Before you get interested in alternative methods of treatment, you need to understand that it is impossible to get rid of fungi without special preparations. But nevertheless, there are quite a few recipes that treat fungal infections.
Treatment of mycoses of the feet, for example, is recommended with the help of baths prepared from the infusion of yarrow, burdock, wormwood, plantain. The water should not be hot, but warm. After the bath, it is necessary to clean all the steamed areas and, if possible, cut off the affected skin.
Traditional healers also recommend using garlic. It is necessary for those people whose nails are affected. A crushed clove is applied to the problem area andtop with polyethylene. It must be fixed with a bandage or a fingertip.
To get rid of skin problems, it is advised to make an ointment from 1 egg, 100 g of 70% vinegar essence, 200 g of natural chopped butter. All ingredients are placed in a half-liter container, closed with a lid and placed in the refrigerator. Within a week, the eggshell should dissolve. After this happens, the agent is mixed, and an ointment is obtained. It is applied to problem areas.
