Skin fungus (dermatomycosis) doesn’t necessarily look pretty and is therefore often burdened with a «disgusting» stigma. The infection is widespread, harmless and easy to treat. FITBOOK reveals how the fungal growth develops and who is particularly susceptible to it.
A fungal infection can spread to the skin and its appendages, that is, the sebaceous and sweat glands, hair, and nails. The most common skin fungus is athlete’s foot, followed by skin fungus such as ringworm and branworm, scalp fungus and nail fungus. In addition, fungal infections can also spread in the mucous membranes, such as in the vaginal and oral area and in rare cases also systemically to the organs. But what exactly can skin fungus look like and what symptoms does it cause?
What are the typical symptoms of skin fungus?
Depending on which parts of the body are affected and which pathogens are behind the fungal infection, different symptoms and visible signs can occur. Symptoms that occur with the various skin fungus species that primarily affect the skin and its appendages can be:1
- ringworm (tinea coporis): round, scaly, itchy redness and painful, fluid-filled lumps and possibly a general feeling of illness2
- athlete’s foot (Tinea pedis): Red, scaly, swollen, off-white, cracked skin in the spaces between the toes and/or the soles of the feet. In the case of an inflammatory infection, blisters and itching can also occur
- face fungus (Tinea faciei): scaly and itchy areas of skin on the face.
- head fungus (tinea capitis): is either asymptomatic or circular, limited hairless patches develop on the head with greyish scales.
- groin fungus (Tinea inguinalis): Infection in the groin region, particularly in men, with burning, localized, scaly reddened skin that can spread from the scrotum to the anus.
- hand fungus (tinea manuum): drying skin blisters that eventually turn into rounded, scaly areas that cover the entire palm of the hand and can tear as it progresses
- nail fungus (tinea unguium): dull nails with whitish, yellow or grey-brown spots and thickened nail plates.
- Cutaneous candidiasis : A skin fungal infection caused by yeasts of the species «Candida» manifests itself as nodular blisters that develop into large red, weeping spots with small pustules and are usually localized in touching skin areas such as armpits or groin regions.
- branworm (Pityriasis versicolor): localized, roundish, depending on the skin type, light or reddish-brown colored patches that can develop into larger, long-card-shaped plaques and are caused by yeasts of the genus Malassezia.
What pathogens are behind it?
Skin fungus on the feet, face, head, groins, hands, nails and ringworm is in most cases an infection with filamentous fungi. Cutaneous cadiasis is a yeast infection caused by the yeast genus Cadida and bran thrush is caused by the yeast genus Malassezia.
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What are the causes and risk factors for skin fungus?
Everyone has natural fungal spores on their skin, which under certain conditions can overgrow and develop into an infection. Ideally, a healthy immune system is able to keep the fungal overgrowth at bay. If the body’s defenses are disturbed by certain imbalances and treatments, or if the skin is already damaged, fungal spores can grow better and faster. In addition, in everyday life you unknowingly come into constant contact with fungi that leave their threads everywhere. Anyone who has skin fungus is not necessarily unkempt or should shower more often. Possible risk factors and causes of a skin fungal infection can be:
- Certain internal diseases such as diabetes mellitus, circulatory disorders or hormone disorders
- Weakened immune system due to diseases or medication such as HIV and immunosuppressants, as well as some antibiotics
- excessive contact with moisture in the form of tight-fitting clothing, profuse sweating, swimming pool, sauna, sweaty feet
- Physical contact with people who have a skin fungal infection
- a genetic predisposition that simply makes you more susceptible to skin fungus
Fungal infections occur primarily in areas of the body that become moist quickly. That is, under the female breast, in the groin and genital area, between the toes and fingers.3,4
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How do you diagnose?
If you have symptoms or suspect a skin fungus, a dermatologist is the right contact person. After a detailed anamnesis, he will inspect the affected skin areas and, if necessary, take a swab or tissue sample, with which the type of pathogen can be found in the laboratory.
What treatment options are there?
Unfortunately, even if skin fungus is harmless, it does not go away on its own. This requires the right treatment, tailored to the pathogen. The antifungal medication prescribed by the doctor can be used internally and externally, depending on the infection. More often, however, it is a matter of externally applied agents such as tinctures, ointments, powders, creams or shampoos. It is important that you adhere to the prescribed treatment duration and follow the measures prescribed by the doctor. This is often complex and a little time-consuming, but this is the only way the skin fungus can disappear with all its unsightly symptoms.
Self-treatment with home remedies is not advisable and should – if at all – only be carried out in consultation with a doctor or pharmacist. As a well-known household remedy, tea tree oil or apple cider vinegar is said to help in very mild cases of skin fungus.5,6
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Can you prevent skin fungus?
In fact, there are a few things you can do to reduce your risk of getting a skin fungus infection. These are measures like:
- Careful drying after showering or bathing of body parts such as armpits, back of the knees, groin area and under the breasts
- Always keep the spaces between fingers and toes dry
- use your own towels and wash them regularly
- Change your underwear every day, i.e. change your bra and underpants, and only use your sportswear once
- not walk barefoot in public places
- In facilities such as the gym, sauna or swimming pool, avoid direct skin contact with towels, loungers or similar if possible
- Have pets checked regularly for fungal infections
In addition, it is important that in the event of an infection, you change the possibly fungus-infected clothes, bed linen and everything else that has been in direct physical contact and wash it at at least 60 degrees.