Fungal diseases are a fairly widespread phenomenon. But not everyone understands how exactly such problems should be handled. Often people buy medicines 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 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 medicine that will help overcome the hated problem. Often, the destruction of fungi requires local procedural treatment, in which the affected tissues are cleaned and the source of infection is neutralized. The most important thing to know is that independent treatment methods are not effective. Let's understand exactly how to choose the right treatment.
This article is not a guide for choosing a drug yourself, it only allows you to better understand the basis on which the participating 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 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 series of highly contagious infectious diseases.
- Pathogen: parasitic fungi of various types (pathogenic and opportunistic).
- Affected area: skin, nails, hair, mucous membranes.
- Relapse: very likely.
Where you can catch it: Public places like bathrooms, showers, gyms, swimming pools, beaches and more.
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 from it on your own. Mycoses are the most dangerous for people with reduced immunity, when their general condition is worse than normal. The help of the 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 types that are normally constantly present in the body, and in some cases they are even beneficial (for example, Candida). But if the growth of the fungus 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 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 this disease increases. If you have recently undergone antibiotic therapy, then your immunity is always reduced and care should be taken.
People who have immunodeficiency conditions, cancer patients and patients undergoing cytostatic therapy are constantly at risk.
Inadequate hygienic use of public places
- If a person visits a public pool or bath, then it is always necessary to have a personal towel and mat with them.
- The same should be done when visiting the gym.
- It is recommended to try on shoes in a store with socks only.
- It is necessary to ensure that the professionals in the salons do not forget to sterilize the instruments.
- You cannot use other people's toilets.
- It is not recommended to wear tight shoes or synthetic underwear.
- If the skin is damaged, you should not forget about antiseptics, since the infection occurs through damaged areas.
Chronic disease
They themselves can reduce immunity and negatively affect the body's resistance. Skin diseases are especially prone to problems such as fungal diseases: cracks, calluses. With some diseases, the skin becomes dry and fragile (for patients with diabetes, varicose veins). All dermatological diseases put 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 different types of pathogenic fungi.
Types of mushrooms
There is no classification describing 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 mycosis. The prevalence of mycosis can 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 - mucosal damage.
There are also systemic mycoses, which are characterized by damage not only to the outer covering, 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 to prescribe an effective treatment based on special means, it is necessary to carry out a diagnosis. If the connective tissue is affected, a spot or itch occurs. 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 are manifested in 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 persistent areas of skin or weeping;
- itching;
- crust.
For head injury:
- a sign of fungus is often dandruff;
- fragility and hair loss.
In face:
- the appearance of damage to the fold of the upper eyelid.
On foot:
- crack;
- burning;
- bubbles;
- an unpleasant smell is more common;
- hardening of the skin;
- thickening of the skin;
- ulcers (if there is also a bacterial infectious disease).
On the nails:
- small white spots on the plate;
- the affected nail has white lines;
- color change to black, yellow, brown;
- change in structure (becomes layered);
- nails become thicker or thinner;
- nail plates leave 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 the disease's progression, and not when the condition of the skin and nails can be corrected relatively easily and quickly. If the first signs of pathological changes appear, it is recommended to immediately consult a specialist.
Medicines for the treatment of fungi
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 strength of a particular drug varies depending on the following factors:
- the dose of the active substance;
- spectrum of action of the active substance.
Most often, fungus is treated using topical medications such as antifungal ointments. Oral medications (antifungal tablets) are used if the fungus cannot be cured with external use, or when the disease is systemic in nature and has a long course. When the situation is very difficult, injections can also be used to cure the fungus.
Release forms
Topical antifungals are produced in different forms:
- ointment;
- creams;
- spray;
- Solutions;
- antifungal spray (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 therapy courses are possible. It is not always possible to correctly determine treatment methods based on clinical manifestations, therefore tests are required. 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 substances for antifungal therapy is fluconazole. It is used for both external and internal lesions. The substance is found in various medicines. Available in 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 taking vitamins at the right time to support the immune system.