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How to come back from vacation without the troublesome symptoms of athlete’s foot, the perpetrators of which lurk in the hotel room or at the swimming pool? Remember, pathogenic fungi like holidays.
We get mycosis in humid places: in a public shower, in a swimming pool or in a jacuzzi. However, not everyone knows that fungal spores can also survive in a dry environment. They hide in hotel rugs, on deckchairs and upholstered furniture.
Fungal infections
Mushrooms feed on protein – keratin, which is the main building block of our epidermis, hair and nails. The breakdown of keratin leads to the destruction of the superficial layer of the skin. In the scaly skin of people suffering from mycosis, fungal spores are an infectious agent. It is enough to stand with your bare foot in a place where a mycosis patient was walking barefoot, so that an infection could occur – the shell he lost sticks to our foot. Sometimes even an animal – such as a cat or dog – can be the source of the infection. Then we are dealing with zoonotic mycosis.
Symptoms of ringworm
Fungi can attack our skin in many places: on the head, back, buttocks, groin, hands and, most often, feet. Depending on the location, we can distinguish mycosis of smooth skin and hairy skin.
Symptoms of athlete’s foot are itchy spots that appear most often between the toes. Diseased skin can also crack, peel or bleed. These symptoms may be accompanied by onychomycosis – the affected nail plates turn yellow, dry and brittle.
In the case of lesions on the trunk, the infection appears as red, peeling, ring-shaped patches with severe inflammation around the perimeter. There are usually vesicles, pimples or lumps at the edges, often itchy. Usually the disease begins suddenly and is acute. In some cases, it may take a chronic form.
The fungus also feels good in the folds of skin under the breasts, armpits, groin and between the buttocks. The disease then takes the form of oozing erythematous changes, often with papules, vesicles and pustules.
The fungi of the yeast family cause the so-called pityriasis versicolor. The lesions are then initially small foci of a few or a dozen or so millimeters, with irregular outlines, with a tendency to blend, and of a pink or yellow-brown color. They may become discolored under the influence of sunlight. Characteristic of tinea versicolor is the exfoliation of the skin affected by the lesions.
Check what symptoms occur with mycosis
Mycosis prophylaxis
Since pathogenic fungi can become infected in many places, it is very important to prevent infection. Over-the-counter remedies for athlete’s foot are an excellent prophylaxis. If, for example, we often use the swimming pool or stay overnight in hotels, it is worth getting such preparations and use them preventively on the feet. In addition, flip-flops should be worn in public swimming pools, showers and changing rooms. Also, it is better to walk on hotel rugs in your own shoes. When using the generally available sunbeds, it is worth putting your towel on them.
Treatment of skin lesions
In the event of skin changes, we will need the help of a dermatologist. On occasions, mycological tests may be necessary to find out what type of fungus has attacked us. Your doctor will prescribe appropriate treatment measures. In some cases, topical ointments, lotions or creams are enough, sometimes it is necessary to take medications orally. There are mycoses that heal quickly, especially on the skin of the feet. However, if the nails are affected, treatment may be lengthy. It is important to follow these instructions and not stop your treatment, even when your symptoms improve. The disappearance of the lesions does not mean that the mycosis has been cured.
Text: Halina Pilonis
Medical consultation: Aleksandra Rymsza, MD, PhD, specialist in dermatology, Medicover