Fungal diseases are a fairly widespread phenomenon. But not everyone understands exactly how such problems should be treated. Often people buy drugs at the pharmacy that are "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 to effectively and quickly defeat the fungus, you need a consultation with a specialist and correctly selected drug therapy. After completing the necessary tests, the specialist will be able to prescribe a medicine 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 the infection is neutralized. Most importantly, independent methods of treatment are not effective. Let's find out exactly how to choose the right treatment.
This article is not an instruction for independent drug selection, it only allows you to better understand the basis on which the treating dermatologist makes decisions. All situations are individual and it is easy to overlook contraindications and important nuances of the course of the disease, which the doctor 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 set of highly contagious infectious diseases.
- Pathogen: parasitic fungi of various species (pathogenic and opportunistic).
- Affected areas: skin, nails, hair, mucous membranes.
- Recurrences: very likely.
Where you can catch it: Public places like bathrooms, showers, gyms, pools, beaches, etc.
How the infection occurs: through contact with the mucous membrane, microcracks in the skin.
The disease is highly contagious. It is almost impossible to fully recover on your own. Mycoses are most dangerous for people with reduced immunity, when their general condition is worse than normal. The help of a doctor 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 usually constantly present in the body, and in some cases are even beneficial (for example, Candida). But if the growth of the fungus intensifies, a course of treatment may be necessary.
Causes of mycosis
A healthy person with good immunity usually does not suffer from pathogenic fungi. If everything is in order with the immune system, then it can easily cope with such a load, and the development of fungi does not occur.
Decreased immunity
If your immune system is weakened, the risk of contracting the disease increases. If you have recently undergone antibiotic therapy, then your immunity is always reduced and care should be taken.
People with immunodeficiency conditions, cancer patients and patients on cytostatic therapy are constantly at risk.
Insufficient hygienic use of public places
- If one visits a pool or public bath, then it is always necessary to carry a personal towel and flip flops with you.
- The same should be done when visiting the gym.
- It is recommended that you try on shoes in a store with socks only.
- It is necessary to ensure that salon professionals do not forget to sterilize the instruments.
- You cannot use other people's toiletries.
- Wearing tight shoes or synthetic underwear is not recommended.
- If the skin is damaged, you should not forget about antiseptics, since the infection occurs through the damaged areas.
Chronic diseases
They themselves can reduce immunity and negatively affect the body's resistance. Skin diseases are particularly susceptible to such problems as fungal diseases: cracks, calluses. In some diseases, the skin becomes dry and fragile (in patients with diabetes, varicose veins). All dermatological diseases put a person at risk.
Personality 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 different types of pathogenic fungi.
Types of fungi
There is no classification to describe pathogenic fungi. Diseases are usually classified according to symptoms and degree of spread. Diseases such as nail fungus, skin fungus and athlete's foot are classified as superficial mycoses. The spread of mycosis can vary:
- karatomycosis - when the microorganism is present only in the stratum corneum of the skin;
- dermatomycosis - if the fungal infection has managed to penetrate the epidermis, hair follicles and dermis;
- candidiasis - damage to mucous membranes.
There are also systemic mycoses, which are characterized by damage not only to the outer shell, but also to the internal organs.
Types of pathogens:
- Yeasts are usually part of the microflora.
- Molds are pathogenic.
- Dodmiphores are pathogenic.
In order to accurately determine the cause of the infection and then prescribe effective treatment based on special means, it is necessary to carry out diagnostics. If the covering tissue is affected, a smear or scraping is taken. When the problem is in the 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 recognize a fungal disease - symptoms
Despite the fact that each type of infection has its own characteristics that 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 permanent peeling or weeping areas;
- itching;
- crusts
For scalp damage:
- a sign of fungus is often dandruff;
- brittleness and hair loss.
On the face:
- the appearance of damage in the fold of the upper eyelid.
On the legs:
- cracks;
- burning;
- bubbles;
- an unpleasant odor appears more often;
- roughening of the skin;
- thickening of the skin;
- ulcers (if there are also bacterial infectious diseases).
On the nails:
- small white dots on the plate;
- the affected nail has white streaks;
- color change to black, yellow, brown;
- change in structure (becomes layered);
- nails become thicker or thinner;
- nail plates move away from the bed;
- inflamed nail folds;
- changes in the shape or relief of the nail.
Initially, the infection develops unnoticed, and many people notice the 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 the first signs of pathological changes appear, it is recommended to immediately consult a specialist.
Medicines to treat fungus
Medicines for the treatment of fungi are called antifungals, 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 fungi 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 fungistatic.
The type of treatment that the doctor decides to prescribe is influenced by various factors, including the characteristics of the patient's body.
The effectiveness of a particular drug varies depending on the following factors:
- dosage of the active substance;
- spectrum of action of the active substance.
Fungus is most often treated with topical medications such as antifungal ointments. Medicines by mouth (antifungal tablets) are used if the fungus cannot be cured by external use or when the disease is systemic and has a long course. When the situation is very severe, even injections can be used to cure the fungus.
Release forms
Topical antifungal agents 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 complicated course of the disease, if there are relapses of the disease. After that, courses of therapy are possible. It is not always possible to correctly determine treatment methods based on clinical manifestations, so tests are needed. Sometimes fungal diseases intensify the course of allergic diseases from which the patient may suffer. In this case, sorbents can be prescribed.
One of the most common agents for antifungal therapy is fluconazole. It is used for both external and internal lesions. The substance is found in various medicines. It is available in the form of tablets, capsules, injections and other forms. To prevent fungus, antiseptic agents are used for the skin of the feet, palms and nails. Prevention also means timely intake of vitamins to support the immune system.