There is a very negative connotation to someone who admits they are suffering from skin fungus. People picture pustules and mushrooms growing out of a person’s skin. However the truth is that fungal skin infections are merely another type of infection like any other that merely finds its way into people’s skin.
Skin fungus has a lot of different variants that range from the rare to the common. Many people may actually be suffering from skin fungus and not really realize that’s what it is. Very common issues like athlete’s foot can be an example of a skin fungus that many people don’t realize is a skin fungus.
Fungal Infections
There are many different types of fungal infections when it comes to the skin. Skin fungus does have a preference for certain parts of the body. These areas provide the fungus with ideal conditions to grow. This typically means moist areas that do not dry out easily.
Athlete’s foot is a common skin fungus infection. As people participate in sports, they perspire. With little place for the perspiration to go in a shoe, it tends to stay beside the foot. Men who wear jock straps will often suffer from a skin fungus commonly referred to as “Jock Itch”. This is again due to the moisture that is kept close to the body providing a great breeding ground for skin fungus.
Yeast Infections
When people think of yeast infections, they typically think of women who suffer from yeast infections in their genitals. However yeast is merely a catalyst. Yeast causes the majority of skin fungus. When there is a fungal yeast infection, like Candida, that is affecting someone, it will typically cause a rash. Part of the reason for the rash is that these yeast based skin fungi live only in the outer layer of skin.
Fungal Rash
Many of the infections mentioned lead to a fungal rash. These rashes tend to be very red and potentially scaly. These infections are quite irritated and can be very tender to the touch.
The way a doctor will determine if your rash is actually skin fungus can be through a few methods. The first option is to merely take a small sample of the skin and attempt to determine if it’s skin fungus under a microscope. If that’s inconclusive, then the doctor may choose to perform a “skin culture”. Some of the skin will be taken off and placed in location where it has the optimal conditions for fungal growth. If it starts to grow, then the doctor can be sure of what is happening.
Skin Fungus Treatments
Like many conditions today, the main treatment for skin fungus is currently medications. There are different types of drugs depending on the skin fungus in question. Some medications will be taken internally, but topical treatments are very common. These topical treatments will deliver any medicinal ingredients directly to the target area through use of a cream, gel or any other topical conveyance method.
Since fungus thrives in a moist area, helping to treat it also requires a bit of preventative action. People who suffer from it will often use some powders to try and keep the areas that are affected dry. Also since it’s so common in the feet, some people will use open toed shoes to allow their feet to breathe and avoid becoming humid.