A Complete Guide for Fungal Infections and Treatments

In today’s world filled with people extremely conscious about the way their skin and hair looks, the problems are clearly increasing in number. Everybody wants their skin to be as blemish-free as possible and people do take a few extreme steps to achieve that. One of the most common skin problem being faced by numerous people is a fungal infection. So let us go down to the basics and understand it all.

What exactly is a fungal infection?

A fungal infection happens when a fungus invades a certain space in our body and the immune system isn’t quite capable of handling it.
What types of fungal infections exist?

A few of the common fungal infections are as follows:

Athlete’s foot: It is commonly seen in athletes or people associated with sports of any kind as the name suggests. The perfect spot for the fungus to grow is a warm and moist environment which can be found in socks or sports equipment pretty easily. The common symptoms include peeling or cracking of skin, blisters, itching and burning in the infected area.

Ringworm: This type of infection causes red, circular, itchy rashes. Pool areas, locker rooms, public showers, and other areas prone to dampness are prime locations to pick up a fungal skin infection. Tinea versicolor is the infection that ringworm causes to the skin. The area that is affected would either be lighter in colour or be different than the surrounding skin and it usually happens to people who have oily skin.

Jock itch: It appears as a red itchy rash which is often ring-shaped affects inner thighs, genitals, and buttocks. This most frequently occurs in warm, wet climates.

How can these be treated?

For someone suffering from athlete’s foot, most common treatment is the application of an ointment and if it gets worse, oral medication is advised. The feet must be kept clean and dry at all times. Using clean towels to wipe the infected area is also advisable.
For most infections, skin specialists usually try to resolve the problem through external application itself. Severe infections or infections in someone with a compromised immune system may be treated with oral anti-yeast medications. Home remedies include usage of apple cider vinegar, yogurt, tea tree oil and oregano oil to name a few.

If you are someone living in Mumbai facing a problem of the sorts as mentioned above, there are quite a few famous skins specialists in Mumbai, such as the Skin and Shape Clinic which has a team of dermatologists in Andheri who will diagnose the problem and help you in your speedy recovery. Prevention is always better than cure but when things aren’t under control, early diagnosis is the key to a healthy living.