Nancy Lugo: The fungus among us

The warm, moist air in Central Florida creates perfect breeding conditions for fungi. You don’t need to be an athlete to get “athletes’ feet”- fungus on the skin and nails of your feet or jock itch, fungus where you especially don’t want it. Fungus also grows well in folds of your skin, under large breasts and in fat rolls.

What is a fungus? It is not a bacteria, not a virus. It is separate classification or family of living organisms. Molds (like in your shower) and yeast (as in bread and beer) are fungi. In the right conditions, fungi replicate and can grow rapidly. Fungal infections can also be opportunistic, flourishing when your immune system is down, such as from fatigue or illness.

Tinea is a fungi that grows on the skin, causing athletes’ foot (tinea pedis, fungus of the feet) and jock itch (tinea cruris, fungus on the crotch). Yeast infections of the skin, such as candida infections, are related to the foot and crotch fungi, but caused by a fungal cousin.

Tinea infections usually are itchy, red, and scaly. Foot fungus can cause painful cracks in the soles. The edge of fungus infections on the skin may be scaly or have blister-like bumps. The candida yeast infection in the folds of the skin usually appears as a slightly raised pinkish red itchy rash without the scaling.

Athlete’s foot is common. About 7 out of 10 people will have a tinea infection at some time in their lives. Usually the infection lingers for months or longer. People with diabetes are twice as likely to have it.

Prevention

Keep your skin as cool and dry as possible. Cotton clothes absorb moisture. Moisture wicking workout clothes also help keep the skin dry. Change out of wet clothes and bathing suits quickly.

Keep nails short and clean. Don’t go barefoot in public places, like locker rooms and swimming areas. Let the air get in. Wear sandals when you can. Air out your shoes by switching among three different pairs, so you don’t wear the same shoes more than two days in a row.

Go for cotton socks that absorb moisture. Nylon socks trap the moisture and make it easier for fungus to grow.

Put on your socks before donning underwear so that the underwear does not touch the foot fungus and bring it to your groin.

Treatment

Treating fungus takes time and patience. Smear an over-the-counter fungal cream over the rash or dust with a fungus-fighting powder. Generics are usually less expensive and work just as well. After several days of treatment, the rash may begin to fade, but it is still there so you need to keep using the cream or powder. Anti-fungal creams, lotions and powders should be used daily for many weeks. There are also oral and topical prescription medications, each with its benefits, costs, and risks.

If your nails are infected, try some nail polish (guys can use clear polish; it’s ok) to slow fungus growth on the nails.

Fungal infections are common and annoying. We can all benefit from preventing the spread of the fungus that live among us.