Fungal Skin Infections: How To Treat Them?

Dr.Parinita Kaur, 4 mins read

Millions of individuals worldwide suffer from fungal skin infections, which is a widespread issue. These infections happen when fungi like dermatophytes and yeasts infiltrate the skin. These microorganisms flourish in a warm, damp environment and cause diseases like candidiasis, jock itch, ringworm, and athlete's foot. Even though these illnesses often don't pose a life-threatening threat, they can nonetheless be annoying, painful, and occasionally embarrassing. Fortunately, most fungal skin infections are manageable and treatable.

In this blog post, we'll look at several common fungal skin diseases and talk about how to treat them and what causes them.

Common Fungal Infections and Their Treatments

• Athlete’s foot

Athlete's foot, also known as tinea pedis, is one of the most prevalent fungal skin infections. It typically affects the skin of the toes and the soles of the feet, causing itching, redness, peeling, and sometimes blisters.

Treatment

Keep your feet dry and clean. You can treat the affected region with over-the-counter antifungal creams, sprays, or powders that contain clotrimazole, miconazole, or terbinafine. Your doctor can advise oral medicines or stronger antifungal drugs in severe cases.

• Ringworms

Contrary to its name, it is not caused by a worm, but by a fungus. It presents as a circular or ring-shaped rash with raised edges and clear skin in the center. It can affect various parts of the body, including the scalp, body, feet (athlete's foot), and groin (jock itch).

Treatment

Antifungal creams or lotions that contain clotrimazole, miconazole, or ketoconazole are helpful. To prevent the infection from spreading, keep the infected region dry and clean and refrain from sharing personal objects like towels and clothes.

• Nail fungus (onychomycosis)

It is a very common foot nail problem, which makes the nails weak, thick, cracked and/or discolored. Additionally, the nail and nail bed may detach. People with athlete’s feet or ringworm on their feet are more likely to get nail fungus.

Treatment

Nail fungus is not easy to cure; it needs medical guidance from a doctor and can only be treated in the early stages of the infection. It is communicable as it spreads from one toenail to another. It can be treated with antifungal creams and antifungal oral medicines prescribed by doctors or in some severe cases the doctor has to remove the nail from the nail bed. A new nail will grow at this place in a few weeks.

• Jock itch

A fungus called Tinea Cruris, also known as jock itch, infects the groin and inner thighs. It appears as a rash that is red, itchy, and occasionally painful. Men are more likely to experience jock itch, which can worsen by sweating or wearing tight or skinny clothing.

Treatment
One must apply antifungal creams, keep the affected area dry and clean, and wear comfortable and loose clothes. Consult a medical expert for additional testing if the infection continues or gets worse over time.

Takeaway!
The best way to prevent yourself from fungal skin infections is to maintain good hygiene practices. If you get affected by any of the above infections, you need to keep that area dry and clean as much as possible, as fungi thrive in warm and moist places. Get yourself examined by an experienced dermatologist and complete the course of the prescribed medicines.