Fungal skin infection is as unpleasant as it sounds. They are often itchy and irritating, but rarely are they anything that will raise cause for concern.
In addition to skin infections, another common issue some will likely experience is a fungal infection in their nails. Whether the fungal infection is on the skin or nails, it can be an uncomfortable experience for a person. Fortunately, most skin infections are not severe and do not require medical assistance. Many can easily be treated by applying suitable creams as recommended.
There are numerous fungal skin infections that a person can develop in their lifetime. Some of them can be caused by being in contact with another individual who has a fungal skin infection. A few of them are easily transferrable, so it is essential to be aware of how they can spread and ways to prevent them.
Here are a few of the most common types of fungal skin infections and what the signs are.
Yeast Fungal Infection
Candidiasis, or a yeast infection, as it is more commonly referred to, is an infection that is triggered by Candida Albicans. These are fungal organisms that are present in the environment. The yeast can be found occasionally in the stomach and mouth.
It can be found with various types of harmless bacteria in most cases. It can do this without causing an individual any issues or pain. However, there are some cases where the fungus can grow and cause a person to experience sickness. This sickness can come in the form of prolonged use of antibiotics and a weakened immune system.
Yeast infections can take many forms, but it depends on the location that has been affected. There are a few common types of yeast infections. These include:
- Esophagitis – Causes a person to experience difficulties with swallowing.
- Skin (Cutaneous) – Appears in body folds, such as the crotch, under the breasts and stomach. It can take the form of small or large patches of red, raw skin. These red patches can be uncomfortable as they can often cause the skin to be itchy and sore.
- Oral Thrush – This one involves the lining inside the mouth and on the tongue. It causes both to turn cracked and red. In some cases, a person may also experience white spots in those areas. Others will likely not have any symptoms, whilst a few might have discomfort.
It is commonly found in the mouth and other wetter skin areas of the body because it thrives in a moist environment. Fortunately, most cases of yeast infections are treatable. If the infection is more severe, it can spread throughout an individual’s body. Once it spreads, it could compromise their immune system. If you are concerned about the severity of your yeast infection, seek medical advice for peace of mind.
Ringworm
Despite the name, ringworm is not a skin infection caused by worms. Ringworm is a red, raised, itchy, circular fungal infection that can appear on a person’s scalp or body. A person has a higher chance of developing ringworms if they have been in close contact with another person or even an animal that has ringworm.
A simple and effective way to help prevent yourself from developing this fungal skin infection is by ensuring that your body is clean and dry. Ringworm is easily transmissible, so aim to limit any cross-contamination that occurs. This could be not sharing your personal belongings, such as a hairbrush or a towel. This guide by Patient will provide you with more information about ringworm and what to look for.
Athlete’s Foot
Like with any part of the body, keeping our feet healthy is essential. Damaging our feet in any way could have an impact on the way that we can comfortably live our lives. It could prevent us from being able to do something or being in pain should our feet be damaged in any way.
Developing athlete’s foot can be an uncomfortable experience. The signs can include burning, itching, cracked and peeling skin between the toes. There are treatments available that can help with treating this fungal infection.
Washing your feet thoroughly daily can help to prevent you from developing athlete’s foot. Ensuring that your feet are dry will also help lower the possibility of developing a fungal infection. With shoes, air them out after wearing them and allow them to dry before you wear them again. Wear a clean pair of socks each day. Another way is to avoid sharing things, such as socks and shoes. If you were to be in a communal area, like a pool area, changing room or shower area, ensure that your feet are covered by wearing shower shoes.
Importance Of Treating Fungal Skin Infection
On average, it could take a few days for a skin infection to last. However, each person is different, and some will find the treatment takes longer to help the infection than others. The infection could likely return again in the future. Should this occur, it is worth speaking with a medical professional for their advice on the issue. They could inform you of what steps you could take to help you prevent the infection from returning in the future.
The longer a fungal skin infection goes untreated, the longer it stays. If the infection is causing you mild discomfort, the longer you leave treating it, the longer you will remain feeling uncomfortable. Aside from extending how long you stay in discomfort, untreated fungal skin infections can spread to other areas of the body.
For those that have developed a fungal skin infection, it is unlikely that the infection will make you feel unwell. The main symptoms might be discomfort due to the irritated skin or the location of where the fungal skin infection is. In some cases, untreated fungal skin infections can spread. For example, if you were to have a fungal nail infection, if it is not treated, there is a possibility that it could spread to other nails. If and when it spreads, it can make it more difficult for you to walk as the pain and discomfort you might have felt before will have increased. Additionally, the infection will not just spread to your other toes. If you do not wear socks in communal areas, it can increase the chances of the infection spreading to others.
In Summary
Despite being common fungal skin infections, some of these can cause people to feel conscious about the issue, especially if they are in a visible area. Finding treatments and tackling the problem as soon as possible can help to reduce the fungal skin infections appearance quickly.
Many of the most common fungal skin infections can be treated with treatments from your local pharmacy. In most cases, a fungal skin infection might not even require treatment and can go away on its own. Only in more severe cases, such as infections that have gone untreated, medical assistance might be recommended.
Try to keep some of these points in mind if you notice a potential skin infection development. The sooner you treat it can help to reduce the time you spend in discomfort.