With skin fungal infections, rashes of various types appear on the skin. Inguinal epidermophytosis creates a cosmetic defect, causes inconvenience. In the chronic form, it is difficult to treat, even after recovery, a relapse is possible.
What causes the disease?
Infection with the fungus Epidermophyton floccosum leads to inguinal dermatophytosis . This pathogen multiplies only on the human body and is transmitted only through household contact. You can get it by skin contact with a sick person, using his towels or clothes. Best of all, spores of the fungus multiply in a humid environment, so most often the disease occurs in people:
- with hyperhidrosis;
- often experiencing stress;
- with metabolic disorders;
- suffering from endocrine disorders.
The causes that provoke the growth of the fungus are: tight clothing, microtrauma of the skin, reduced immunity, insufficient hygiene. To prevent mycosis of the skin from hitting you, care must be taken, especially in public places. With obesity, the sweat glands work actively, so it is another risk factor.
Important! In men, this disease occurs more often than in women. In children and adolescents, the disease is rarely recorded.
Manifestations of epidermophytosis
The main sign of fungus reproduction is the appearance of pinkish-brown spots. At first they are solitary and small, later they begin to grow and merge. The characteristic symptoms of ringworm are skin changes around the spots:
- hyperemia;
- limiting the spot with an edematous roller;
- on the periphery of the spot, microtraumas appear in the form of pustules, abscesses and sores.
The patient may experience burning and itching during water procedures, while walking or squatting. To the touch, the lesions are painful, pustules along the periphery of the spots can burst, turn into ulcers and erosion. If a secondary infection joins dermatophytosis , then its course is more difficult. When the inflammatory process subsides, the central part of the spots does not have such an intense shade.
What symptoms will give inguinal epidermophytosis in men or women, depends on the stage of the disease
- At the very beginning, the fungus actively multiplies, vesicles and pink spots appear.
- During the acute stage, the spots begin to get wet and itch a lot. This stage is characterized by a sharp change in flow, weeping marks can turn into scalloped rings, and then become inflamed again.
- With a chronic course of the pathology, the spots brighten. They are able to gain color again under the influence of favorable factors – after stress, when gaining weight, from overwork or a decrease in immunity. Many take this form for a mild degree of illness.
- The advanced stage makes a person’s life unbearable: blisters appear on the skin, which are easily infected. It is characterized by complications. To alleviate the patient’s condition, it is necessary to open and clean out all blisters, remove non-critical tissues, and treat wounds regularly.
Before prescribing treatment, dermatologists collect biomaterial from the lesions. Its study is carried out in one of two ways: microscopic or bacteriological. In the second case, the results of the study are made longer, since the particles of the epidermis are placed in a nutrient medium, then their growth is monitored. After 5 days, the material obtained is examined using a Wood’s lamp.
What preparations are used to treat epidermophytosis of large folds in the inguinal region?
For the treatment of inguinal epidermophytosis, an integrated approach is used. It allows you to act immediately on all manifestations of the disease. When it is prescribed drugs from the groups:
- antihistamines;
- antifungal;
- anti-inflammatory.
If the patient turned at an advanced stage, then he is prescribed antibiotics. The sooner therapy begins, the higher the chance of defeating the disease completely. Simultaneously with the use of drugs, methods of traditional medicine are used. Treatment is often carried out at home.
Important! It is necessary to treat representatives of both sexes according to the same principles. Drugs are prescribed to patients based on the symptoms and strength of the manifestation of the pathology.
How to cope with inguinal epidermophytosis in men with treatment?
Since ringworm is most often found in the stronger sex, we will consider the list of drugs for therapy using their example.
- Antihistamines in tablets save from severe itching: Claritin, Zodak , Zirtek , Suprastin, Loratadin . The tool is selected based on the requirements for it. If men drive a car, but you need to choose the option that does not affect concentration.
- The basis of the treatment of inguinal epidermophytosis in men are local antifungal agents. The most effective in the fight against the pathogen Epidermophyton floccosum are: ” Lamisil “, ” Terbinafine “, ” Clotrimazole “, ” Mikoseptin “.
- Salicylic acid is used to lubricate affected areas before treatment with ointments. It dries the skin in the lesions, relieves itching.
- Complex agents have proven themselves well, in which antimycotic components are combined with glucocorticosteroids : ” Nystatin “, ” Econazole “, ” Oxiconazole “, ” Cyclopirox “, ” Ketoconazole “. They simultaneously relieve inflammation and quickly destroy the spores of the fungus.
- In the acute course of the pathology, anti-inflammatory ointments are used for initial therapy, with their help, inflammatory processes are removed: ” Mazipredone “, ” Triderm “, ” Diflucortolone “, ” Isoconazole “. Only then can antifungal drugs be used.
Hygiene procedures while taking medication should be carried out regularly. Shower should be taken regularly in the morning and evening. When choosing underwear, preference should be given to “family” underpants that do not fit the groin area and have minimal contact with the skin. This version of underwear will not allow infection of the pustules, will not cause irritation.
How to deal with inguinal epidermophytosis in women with treatment?
Treatment in girls should not be interrupted immediately after the disappearance of symptoms. If the lesions are extensive, then the patient is placed in a hospital. There are several types of therapy:
- vitamin;
- immunomodulatory;
- desensitizing;
- antimicrobial.
Preparations for the treatment of inguinal epidermophytosis in women are applied near the perineum and under the mammary glands, since an additional breeding site of spores often occurs there. When choosing a method of therapy, the condition of the woman is taken into account. If the disease manifested itself during pregnancy, then concentrated ointments are not used.
The use of traditional medicine
There are methods of treatment that allow you to remove the fungus or alleviate the patient’s condition, while pharmacological agents are not used:
- treatment of the affected area with eucalyptus oil;
- lubrication of spots with infusions of birch leaves, poplar buds, calendula flowers;
- ingestion of an infusion of St. John’s wort, lingonberry leaves and chamomile;
- compresses from gruel of onions;
- making soda paste for rubbing foci of infection;
- compresses from celandine;
- treatment of pustules with iodine.
bark helps to reduce sweating , it is necessary to grind it, measure one and a half tablespoons of this raw material, mix them with a glass of water. After an hour, add a tablespoon of soda to the infusion. The resulting remedy should be treated with inguinal folds from 3 times a day. Over time, you will notice that the problem of sweating has disappeared.
Important! Doctors recommend not to rely entirely on folk recipes, but to combine them with traditional therapy. They believe that it is impossible to cure a fungal infection with such means.
Possible consequences and complications
If you do not resort to therapy with special drugs, then epidermophytosis will go into the chronic stage. It will manifest itself under stress, after playing sports or when gaining weight. This causes inconvenience to the patient, is the cause of psychological complexes.
The wave activity of the fungus is dangerous because it will be difficult to get rid of it. Patients have to undergo 2-3 courses of therapy. The main danger of dermatophytosis is that in the acute stage it becomes infected. In this case, severe pain occurs, blisters appear, the upper layers of the epidermis begin to die.
Recommended prevention methods
To avoid the reappearance of the fungus in the groin and infection of the household, you must use the following tips:
- disinfect common areas of the house and items used to care for patients with inguinal dermatophytosis ;
- wash at maximum temperature, boil clothes, iron all wardrobe items on both sides;
- use your own rubber slippers in pools, baths and saunas;
- use deodorants and antiperspirants daily to combat sweating;
- find the cause of hyperhidrosis or other metabolic disorders, take a course of therapy;
- choose linen from fabrics of natural origin;
- regularly carry out hygiene procedures;
- Avoid stress and boost your immune system.
Any stage of the disease responds well to treatment, you just need to take a responsible approach to its implementation. Combine therapy with a diet in which the proportion of vegetables and fruits in the patient’s diet increases. After recovery, the inguinal folds must be treated daily with special salicylic alcohol and powdered.