This is a guest post
No one enjoys visits to the doctor. Although time heals many things, there are certain diseases which time cannot handle alone. The only way of dealing with a problem at hand would be to convince yourself that a visit to the doctor is the only viable option. There are also diseases which are a sort of a grey area. In a second, you’ll learn whether it is possible to treat fungal infections with products that you can get without a prescription. Let’s go!
What are the most common fungal skin infections?
Although you might feel embarrassed by your health condition, according to the Medicine Direct fungal skin infections are much more common than you would have expected. What are the most common ones?
Athlete’s foot
It is estimated that around 70% of all people have this infection at some point in their life. It is especially common among people who are physically active. When you exercise, your feet get sweaty, which leads to the growth of fungi between the toes. Proper footwear and socks could help you avoid this problem though it is impossible to eliminate the risk completely. You’ll notice that your feet are itchy. If you aren’t careful, this infection could spread to other parts of your body.
Nail fungal infections
It is less common than the previous type of an infection. That’s because it is significantly more difficult for the fungi to develop in your nail. It is rare that people are afflicted with nail infection only – usually, it is a consequence of a neglected athlete’s foot. Your nail will change colour, and it might become more brittle.
Ringworm
Ringworm is yet another fungal skin infection. Just as is the case of nail fungal infection, it is usually contracted as a consequence of other fungal infections. You could also be affected by ringworm if you touch a person or animal that has ringworm. If you want to minimize the chances of contracting ringworm, you should wear loose clothing to let your skin breathe.
How to treat fungal skin infections?
If you have a fungal infection, then there’s no need to panic. Although not every case is the same, most of the infections caused by fungi can be treated with over the counter medicines. You can buy creams, gels, ointments, or capsules in supermarkets and in pharmacies
to fight with the infection. In this article, we will focus on Clotrimazole. All of the previously mentioned infections can be treated with Clotrimazole.
Before you decide to use it, you should learn what the possible side effects are. Those include:
- Skin irritation
- Stinging
Although unpleasant, none of these are dangerous or life-threatening. If you experience any worrying effects, you should first try to decrease the amount that you apply to your skin. If the skin irritation persists, you should contact your doctor.
Okay, so how should you use it?
Clotrimazole should be applied 2 to 3 times a day. Before you apply it to the skin, you should ensure that the infected area is dry. You shouldn’t worry if you don’t see any improvement after several days. You will start seeing the first effects after about a week of curation. The types of infections that take longer to develop, f.e. nail fungal infection could be even more difficult to get rid of. Even if you think that you’ve managed to deal with the infection, you should continue to apply Clotrimazole at least up to 14 days. Even if it is no longer visible, you should ensure that the fungus gets completely eradicated. If part of it survives, you could experience the itchiness soon again.
If in the past you have experienced allergic reactions to other skin remedies, it’s best to contact your doctor first. Otherwise, you could do more harm than good.
On top of that, while you are still battling with fungal skin infection, you should:
- Avoid scratching the infected area. Even though it might be difficult, the chances that the infection spreads will decrease if you don’t scratch your skin.
- Make sure that the skin is kept dry. The fungus develops better in a humid environment. If you keep the infected area dry, you will slow down the spread of the infection.
- After you have applied the Clotrimazole to the skin, remember to wash your hands thoroughly. If you aren’t careful, the infection could spread to other areas of your body.
Not the end of the world!
Although getting a fungal skin infection is undoubtedly an inconvenience, you shouldn’t worry too much. When it comes to most of the types of infections, drugs that you can get over the counter should be enough. The infection won’t go away in an instant – you should be patient. Remember that maintaining good hygiene is vital if you want to prevent the infection from spreading further.