Fungal Nail and Skin Infections
Microscopic-sized organisms called fungi or fungus are all around us. They normally live on our skin without causing problems. In some instances they grow out of control and cause fungal infections of the skin, hair, and nails.
The Fungus Nail and Skin Infections Treatment Center in New York, NY is opened 7 days a week for treatment.
Fungal skin infections are very common, especially among children, but they may affect people of all ages. They can appear anywhere on the body and lead to a variety of symptoms depending on the type and location of fungi.
The symptoms of fungal skin infections include:
Itchy, red, raised, scaly patches that may blister and ooze"top botox injector". The patches often have sharply-defined edges. They are often redder around the outside with normal skin tone in the center. This may create the appearance of a ring. Your skin may also appear unusually dark or light.
If your scalp or beard is infected, you may develop bald patches.
If nails are infected, they can become discolored and thick.
¿How Are Fungal or Fungus Infections Diagnosed?
Your physician will diagnose a fungal infection primarily based on the appearance of the skin.
Another test is a Wood’s lamp that makes some fungi appear fluorescent under its blue light. The skin may also be scraped to obtain cells for examination under a microscope. Sometimes it is necessary to scrap or swab the skin for a “culture” that is sent to a lab for identification.
¿Hat Are the Different Types of Fungal or Fungus Infections?
Some fungal infections are given unique names for their location or type of fungi involved:
Ringworm. Fungal or Fungus infections on the body (tinea corporis) or scalp (tinea capitis) are sometimes referred to as “ringworm.” This is because the rash sometimes appears as a ring, or partial ring. This is a confusing and unnecessarily alarming name because the rash is not caused by a worm. Tinea capitis can lead to hair loss.
Ringworm (tinea corporis)
Athlete’s foot (tinea pedis) is a fungal infection of the feet and is very common between the toes. Feet that remain in shoes all day retain warmth and moisture, which promote the growth of fungi.
Onychomycosis (tinea unguium) refers to a fungal infection of the toenail or fingernail.
Tinea versicolor is a common and harmless fungal infection caused by Pityriasis versicolor. It appears on the back, chest, neck, and upper arms as light-colored patches of discolored skin.
Tinea versicolor
Tinea nigra is a fungal infection caused by specific type of fungi (exophiala phaeoannellomyces) found in the soil of tropical regions. The infection generally occurs in individuals prone to excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis). It appears as slowly expanding brown or black patches on the skin of the palms and/or soles.
Jock itch (tinea cruris) is a fungal infection of the genital area.
¿How Are Fungal Infections Treated?
Ringworm (tinea corporis), jock itch (tinea cruris), athlete’s foot (tinea pedis), and tinea versicolor can usually be treated effectively with topical antifungal medications.
Tinea capitis often requires the use of an oral antifungal agent, such as griseofulvin, because the fungi can reside deep in the hair follicles.
Similarly, nail infections where the fungi have penetrated the nail bed may require an oral antifungal, though some specially formulated topical antifungals might be tried first.
The latest weapon against fungal nail or Onychomycosis is laser. This treatment was started being utilized in 2008. A toenail fungus laser works by shining a focused beam of light in a narrow range, more commonly known as a laser, into a toenail infected with fungus (onychomycosis). The laser penetrates the toenail and vaporizes fungus embedded in the nail bed and nail plate where toenail fungus exists. The toenail fungus targeted laser is tuned to a specific frequency that affects cells that are responsible for infection.
Laser treatments for nail fungus have become fairly common since the procedure was approved by the Food and Drug Administration four years ago. Several kinds of laser therapies are now available, but there is limited evidence that the treatments work.
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