All You Need to Know About Skin Fungus

In humans, fungal skin infections are mainly caused by dermatophytes, yeast, and mould. Skin fungal infection might cause irritation, itching, rashes, and blisters on the skin. Most surface-level fungal skin infections can be treated by applying topical antifungal medication like antifungal creams, lotion, antifungal solution, gel, spray, or lacquer onto the surface site of infection.

Overview

Fungal infections are also called mycosis. Fungal infection can occur in any part of the body. Fortunately, most fungal infections can be easily treated at an early stage with antifungal medications. However, if left untreated, it may cause permanent damage to the skin and become difficult to treat later. 

Some of the common fungal skin infections:

• Athlete’s foot: Athlete’s foot is also called tinea pedis and is the most common fungal infection that affects the skin on your feet. This infection causes the peeling of skin between the toes.

• Athlete’s manuum: These are types of contagious fungal infections on nails, groin, and hand. Skin-to-skin contact with an infected person, touching contaminated objects with fungi are leading causes of athlete’s manuum.

• Tinea cruris: It is also called jock itch and often causes itching, redness in the groin and thigh areas. Adolescent boys are susceptible to such infections. As sweat and moisture in the groin area favour the growth of these fungi.

• Tinea unguium: It is also known as onychomycosis. Toenails are the primary site of infection of such types of fungi. This condition often causes discolouration of the nail and makes the nail brittle (easy to break).

• Tinea corporis: This is most popularly known as ringworm infection. It causes itching of skin and rashes often for ring shape. Adolescent teens are susceptible due to the contribution of oily skin.

What are the signs and symptoms of fungal skin infection?

Some of the most common signs and symptoms include:

• Itchy skin rashes

• Redness of skin

• Discolouration of skin or nail colour

• Cracking or peeling of skins

• Blisters

• Irritation 

• Scaling and shedding of skin as flakes

How are Fungal Skin Infections Treated?

In most cases, surface-level fungal skin infection can be inhibited using antifungal creams, gels, lotions, shampoo, and over-the-counter (OTC) medications. Some of the common antifungal medications include:

• Antifungal cream: Antifungal creams (such as Miconazole) are widely available in cream or solution form. Antifungal creams are easier to apply directly on the site of fungal infection and it works by preventing the growth of fungus.

• Antifungal powder: Antifungal powder is widely used to treat most fungal skin irritations and also helps to relieve associated symptoms such as itching, rashes, redness, and scaling.  

• Antifungal shampoo: Antifungal shampoos are recommended to treat surface-level scalp fungal infections and other skin infections.

• Azole medications: Azole medications are the most common OTC drug suggested for treating fungal infections. Azole medications are classified into two types as Imidazole and Triazoles.

• Imidazole drugs:                   

1. Clotrimazole: Used to treat mucus and skin membrane infections

2. Ketoconazole: Used to treat infections of skin and hair.

• Triazole drugs:

1. Isavuconazole: Used to treat aspergillosis infection.

2. Voriconazole: Used to treat aspergillus and candida infections.

• Echinocandins: This is a new class of antifungal medications that work by inhibiting the synthesis of the cell wall of the fungi. Micafungin, caspofungin are some examples of Echinocnadins medications. 

• Antifungal injection: These are mostly used to treat serious cases of fungal injections. Injections are mostly chosen based on the type of fungi causing the infection.

What are the Risk Factors of Fungal Skin Infections?

Fungal infection in humans, in most cases, does not cause any serious health illness if they are treated on time before their spread in the body.

How to Prevent Fungal Skin Infection?

• Proper hygiene maintenance

• Measures to prevent skin moisture

• Avoid skin to skin contact and object used by an infected person

• Early medication if symptoms are seen

• Avoid sharing scandals and towels

• Seek dermatologist immediately if signs are intolerable

• Avoid touching of eyes, nose this prevents the spreading of the infections

Conclusion:

Fortunately, most skin fungal infections are easier to treat with topical antifungal medications. These antifungal cream prices are fairly reasonable and are commercially available as over-the-counter medication (OTC) in various forms as antifungal creams, gels, powder, and oval medication.