Our feet are probably one of the most important parts of our daily lives, and also one of the most ignored. And this part of our body, in addition to being strongly innervated and connected to the rest of the body, is the base on which our body rests to remain upright thanks to the action of our muscles. Thanks to them we can walk and move, and just as we do, bipedally.
But this part of our anatomy can suffer from various types of problems, including unwanted visits and infection from other beings. This is the case of foot fungus infection of which we will see the main characteristics throughout this article.
Fungal infections in the feet or presence of foot fungus occur when the skin or nail of that part of our anatomy is invaded by some type of fungus. An invasion that generates an infection which in turn will cause symptoms that can be quite diverse depending on the species and the place of infection. These infections They are produced by dermatophyte fungi, which feed on the keratin of our skin and nails
Symptoms
When we have foot fungus, they settle and develop on different parts of our extremity, generally between the toes, on the nails or on the sole or heel. The symptoms may vary, but in general we will find that those who suffer from foot fungus usually manifest itching and burning in the affected area, possible spots and lesions, peeling of the skin and inflammation
The presence of bad odor can also be indicative (although bad foot odor does not necessarily equate to fungus). When the affected part is the nail, there may be deformations, fragmentation or color changes (white, yellow or dark). They can also become thicker or thinner, and break or come off very easily.
Among fungal infections, foot infections are one of the most common, and among the most common types of fungal infection in this area we can find onychomycosis in the nails, athlete’s foot (usually in or between the fingers) or paronychia (in which the infection usually occurs in the cuticle of the nail).
Causes: how are they transmitted?
Although we do not usually go barefoot in nature, the truth is that it is relatively easy to suffer from foot fungus. There are many factors that can contribute or facilitate this fact, but in general for them to grow, a series of conditions must occur that allow the fungus to grow and expand on the skin.
One of the main and most common is our use and choice of footwear Fungi grow easily in humid and hot areas, conditions that can be found on our feet, especially if we have them in poorly breathable and narrow shoes. Likewise, a very typical route of infection is sharing hygiene materials with an infected person or going barefoot to shared areas that are usually humid, such as showers and swimming pools.
Another factor to take into account is that there are conditions that contribute and make it easier for those who suffer from it to get foot fungus Examples of this are found in diabetes (in which the subject must also undergo frequent check-ups to avoid problems such as diabetic foot), hyperhidrosis or conditions that reduce the ability of the immune system to fight infections.
Linked to the above, we also have to take into account that fungi are much more frequent in hot periods, and especially during summer, this being a period in which they reproduce very easily. In addition, we must also take into account that there are professions with a higher risk of contracting them, such as athletes and professional sportsmen (the name of one of the best-known infections, athlete’s foot, is not a mere coincidence) or those professions in which one remains a lot of time standing.
Treatment
Fungal infections in the feet should be treated differently depending on each case. In this sense, it is necessary to take into account possible alterations that occurred at the same time as said infection. For example, people with diabetes will be more likely to have fungus and foot problems and should be more vigilant in this regard. In addition If the infection also spreads through the leg, you should see a doctor to verify that something more serious does not happen
In general, the treatment to be used is usually antifungal drugs and even antibiotics, often in topical cream form Laser treatments can also be used. Despite this, there are also oral presentations for severe cases or when the fungus occurs in the nail area. In some of the latter cases, it is even possible that it may be necessary to remove the nail.
Maintaining correct hygiene in the foot area It is essential both in terms of treatment and prevention: you will need to wash your feet with soap and water and rinse them correctly and without leaving traces of soap. The use of shoes and socks that allow perspiration will hinder infection and fungal growth. It is also necessary to avoid going barefoot in wet areas such as swimming pools or sharing hygienic items such as towels due to the ease of contagion of the type of fungus that appears on the feet.
