Skin fungus: what to do?

You can’t see and rarely notice them, but healthy human skin contains fungus and bacteria. A balance of microorganisms helps to protect the skin from pathogenic pathogens or other damaging influences. That is why colonizing the skin with fungi is entirely normal. Only when the fungi grow too much or when a disease-causing fungus attacks the skin does this lead to symptoms, and one speaks of a skin fungus. Technically, such an infection is called “mycosis” or “dermatomycosis”. In this article, you will learn what to do if you have a skin fungus and how to protect yourself.

Causes: Where do you get skin fungus from?

Skin fungi are the most common infectious diseases in the world. For example, ten per cent of people in Germany suffer from a fungal foot infection. However, the fungal disease can also occur on the head or other parts of the skin.

Many fungi occur naturally on the skin and ensure a healthy complexion. Under certain circumstances, however, these can grow uncontrollably and result in skin disease :

• The trigger for this is often incorrect personal hygiene because too much – but also too infrequent – ​​washing of the skin can lead to skin fungus.
• The immune system also plays a significant role in preventing a fungus from growing too much. Therefore, people with poor immune systems due to other illnesses or medication have a higher risk of contracting fungal infections.
• Stress-related fungal infestation or poor nutrition may also promote skin fungus.
• Furthermore, fungal infections are more common in men, people who sweat a lot, and countries with high humidity.

 

Is a skin fungus contagious?

A fungal infection can have various causes. Previous infection is only sometimes necessary since the excessive proliferation of existing fungi is often the trigger. Uncontrolled growth of a fungus most often happens in places where it is damp, warm and dark.

This is how a fungal infection develops under the breast, on the groin, on the scalp and particularly frequently between the toes. In addition, the face or mucous membranes can also be affected since the fungus can grow anywhere on the body.

However, some fungi do not occur on normal skin and always cause an infection when they grow on the skin. Many of these types of fungi are contagious and can be transmitted between humans, animals, and humans. With these forms, you can get infected with a fungus, for example, on infected shoes, floor mats, swimming pools, sauna, or through close contact with animals.

How do I recognize a skin fungus?

A skin fungus often causes typical symptoms,  which do not always have to occur. The following are typical identifying features of a fungal infection of the skin, which can give indications of a fungus but are not proof:

• round, red skin rash ( eczema ) in one or more places
• several inches tall
• Dandruff that is mainly at the edge of the skin lesion
• severe itching
• Enlargement and spread without treatment

Since there are many different fungi, which do not always show a clear picture in the event of an infection, it is not always easy to diagnose a fungal infection based solely on its appearance.

Pityriasis rosea is a common confusion with a skin fungus infestation. It looks like a classic fungal infection, although fungi play no part in the disease. In contrast to a fungal infection, it usually resolves itself within a few weeks without treatment.

 

Which skin fungi are there, and what do they look like?

The most common skin fungal infections are caused by filamentous fungi (dermatophytes). These cause the signs of the classic athlete’s foot or nail fungus in the event of illness. However, infections of other skin areas, such as the arm or neck, are also possible. Tinea corporis affects the back, abdomen, chest, arms and legs (excluding the palms and soles). A dermatophytosis on the face is called tinea faciei.

In addition to the filamentous fungus, there are also infections with yeast fungi (Candida). Sometimes yeast appears as large white spots on the body that increase in size, but most often do not cause further symptoms such as itching. However, other appearances can also occur. In babies, small children, and diaper-wearing adults, yeast fungi often trigger so-called diaper dermatitis ( diaper thrush ).

Mould (aspergillus) can rarely attack the skin. However, this often only happens with previously damaged skin or in people with a severely weakened immune system.

What to do with skin fungus?

In the case of apparent fungal infestation, for example, athlete’s foot or nail fungus, buying a cream or ointment at the pharmacy without a prescription to treat the infection is possible. If other parts of the body, such as the back, legs or hands, are affected by the fungus, a dermatologist or family doctor should be consulted before therapy, as it is not always easy to diagnose a fungal infection. In addition, prescriptions for the correct therapy often have to be issued in these cases.

How does the doctor make a diagnosis?

A doctor has various options for detecting a fungus when the findings are unclear. The scales of the lesion can be taken as a small sample, which can then be viewed under a microscope. Classic fungal structures can often be seen here.

Furthermore, a sample can be grown in a laboratory for several weeks, and then the exact fungus can be determined by various tests. There is also the option of carrying out a Wood light examination. UV light is used here, under which some mushrooms start to glow.

If none of these tests provide any results and the skin change persists, a skin sample can also be taken, which is then examined for a fungus, with the help of which other diseases such as skin cancer or psoriasis can be ruled out.

 

How long does a skin fungus infection last?

Infections with a skin fungus can exist for a very long time, even for years, without being noticed. The disease is only recognized when the immune system reacts with redness and itching.

The healing process can also take a long time. It depends on where the fungus is, how much it has grown, and how well it responds to a drug. Therapy can last from a few weeks to several months.

In addition, it is often the case that you can no longer see the fungus, and it no longer causes symptoms but is still there. For this reason, the treatment is often stopped too early, which is why the skin fungus returns after it has healed.

What helps with skin fungus? Seven tips!

Treating a skin fungus requires patience and consistency. The most important thing about a fungal disease is to prevent the fungus from continuing to grow or spread by removing the optimal conditions for it to grow:

1. Therefore, people with skin fungus should dry themselves thoroughly after showering, especially in the skin folds and between the toes.
2. Sweat is also an ideal breeding ground for fungi, so wearing air-permeable clothing is recommended.
3. You should also pay attention to adequate personal hygiene after sporting activities. Regularly changing sportswear and washing at a temperature of at least 60°C are essential.
4. In the case of hairy skin areas, it sometimes helps to shave them to deprive the fungus of its habitat.
5. Footwear and clothing should be changed regularly and not shared between people to avoid further contagion.
6. It is also helpful to disinfect the infected areas to protect the skin weakened by the fungus from bacteria.
7. If your feet are infected, do not walk barefoot where others do (e.g. in public showers) to avoid infecting others. At home, however, walking barefoot can make sense so that enough air can reach your feet.

These rules of conduct help with current fungal infestation and prevent an infestation.

Many different home remedies have a supporting effect in treating skin fungi. Regular chamomile baths can speed up skin healing and reduce inflammation. However, antifungal medication should be considered if a skin fungus persists and spreads over several weeks.

Skin fungus: what medications are there?

Drugs that help fight fungi are called antifungals. These are often administered in the form of ointments for skin fungus infestation. They usually consist of an active ingredient that kills the fungus and one that reduces the inflammatory response. If the infestation is very severe, if the fungus occurs in places that cannot be easily reached with cream, or if the ointments do not sufficiently treat the fungus, it may be necessary to receive the antifungal agents as tablets or as infusions.

Some examples of such antifungal drugs are:

• Allylamine (Naftifine)
• Benzylamine (Butenaphine)
• Azole (Fluconazole)
• Polyene (Amphotericin B, Nystatin)
• Echinocandine (Caspofungin)

In the case of a skin fungus, the doctor must decide which active ingredient will help against the type of fungus, how the active ingredient should be taken and how long the treatment should be.