What is fungal infection and how it’s treated?

A fungus is just a type of germ.A fungus is a primitive organism and the fungi can live everywhere in the air, in the soil, on plants, and in water. Some fungi are helpful, while others harmful. Fungi (the plural of fungus) are all around us and don't usually cause any problems. However, occasionally they can settle down and grow in places on our bodies like our skin, nails, between our toes.

How fungal infections are spread

The main cause of spreading Fungal in ignoring hygiene. Infections are spread by direct skin contact (with humans or animals), or indirectly from contaminated articles on floors or in the soil. Shared changing rooms and showers are often a source of tinea, while some infections are spread by sharing of items such as towels.

Causes of fungal skin infections

You’re more likely to get a fungal skin infection if you:

• Don’t dry your skin fully after a bath or shower
• Come into contact with a person or animal with a fungal skin infection
• Touch contaminated items, such as clothes, towels, and bedclothes
• Walk barefoot in shower and pool areas
• Wear tight clothing that doesn’t allow sweat to evaporate
• Diabetes
• Have recently taken a course of antibiotics
• In pregnancy
• Being  overweight

Symptoms of fungal skin infections

Fungal skin infections can cause a variety of different skin rashes. Some are red, scaly and itchy. Others may produce a fine scale, similar to dry skin. The fungus can affect just one area or several areas of your body. If you get a fungal infection of your scalp, you may lose some hair. The symptoms of a fungal skin infection depend on the type of fungus that’s caused it, and where it is. Fungal rashes can sometimes be confused with other skin conditions, such as psoriasis and eczema.

How can it be treated?

Commonly skin fungal infections are not serious and can be treated using a variety of techniques and methods. A common option is a laser treatment which has been shown to improve the skin’s condition after 5 months in the majority of cases. The doctor may even focus laser treatment on nails as it may not show any symptoms of infection at first, and this will help to remove any potential fungus growing there.

The fungi are killed by the heat generated by the laser, targeting and killing fungus cells in the affected area which helps to prevent any future manifestation. Patients will experience no major side effects and can resume daily activities immediately since no downtime is required after treatment.

At KEMPS Skin Clinic, our doctors will guide and advise you for the best treatment and the number of sessions required. Depending on your skin’s condition and severity of the infection, a combination of techniques may be used in order to maximize the chances of curing the fungal infection as quickly as possible. 

What is Fungal infection and how its cure

Fungal skin infections are caused by different types of fungi and can be a common culprit of itchy skin. Fungi invade and grow in dead keratin, a protein that makes up your skin, hair and nails. The different types of fungal infections are divided into groups based on what type of fungus is involved.

Fungal skin infections can be itchy and annoying, but they're rarely serious. Common infections such as athlete's foot, jock itch, and ringworm are caused by fungus and are easy to get and to pass around. In healthy people, they usually don't spread beyond the skin's surface, so they're easy to treat. 

There are lots of kinds of fungus in this world and they can affect humans in different ways. Most are harmless, but some can make you sick or some can even kill you, and then there’s the very special kind of fungus that can take your brain to magical places. That can be fun, if you’re into that sort of thing, but for most people, fungus only causes irritating skin or nail infections that aren’t terribly fetching.

Here are some common types of fungal infections:

• Tinea (say: TIH-nee-uh) is a type of fungal infection of the hair, skin, or nails. When it's on the skin, tinea usually begins as a small red area the size of a pea. As it grows, it spreads out in a circle or ring. Tinea is often called ringworm because it may look like tiny worms are under the skin (but of course, they're not!).
• Athlete's foot is another type of fungal infection that usually appears between the toes but can also affect toenails and the bottom or sides of the feet.
• Jock itch is a fungal infection of the groin and upper thighs. You might think only men and boys get it, but girls and women can get it, too.
• Ringworm (Tinea Corporis) can appear in the form of a red or silver rash anywhere on the body. It is usually ring-shaped and is most commonly caused by the fungus.

How fungal infections are spread

Fungal infections are spread by direct skin contact (with humans or animals), or indirectly from contaminated articles on floors or in the soil. Shared changing rooms and showers are often a source of tinea, while some infections are spread by sharing of items such as towels.

Symptoms of Skin Fungi

The fungal skin infection depends on the type of fungus that’s caused for it, and where it is. Fungal rashes can sometimes be confused with other skin conditions, such as psoriasis and eczema.

You might be able to manage it at home with medicines that you can buy over-the-counter. If you need advice about medicines, ask a pharmacist. If it gets worse or isn’t helped by over-the-counter medicines, contact your Dermatologist for advice.

Infections caused by different fungi have different symptoms, but there are a few general things to look for. The infection with which you are currently blessed may have only a couple or several of the characteristics listed here.

Patches of scaly, discolored skin (pink, white, or shades of brown)

• Itchiness in the affected area
• The area slowly grows in size
• Hair loss or change in the area
• The area becomes irritated or more noticeable with sun exposure

Treatments for Skin Fungus

The basic steps to keeping you free of fungus start with keeping your skin clean and dry. Fungus grows in warm, moist areas, so don’t let those words describe your skin. If you do have an infection, As suggest By Senior dermatologist Dr. Manju Keshri at KEMPS Skin Clinic Vaishali Ghaziabad that keep clean and maintain hygiene so you away from Fungal infection on your skin and body.