Athlete’s Foot
A common fungal skin infection is athlete’s foot. It typically creates scaling, cracked, burning, and itching skin in the part between your toes. It is caused by the fungi but damp environments predispose its development.
Who Is More At Risk of Getting a Skin Infection?
Some people can be more at risk of getting a skin infection than others. Some things that could put you at higher risk can include:
- Poor circulation
- Immune system diseases like AIDS/HIV
- Elderly
- Diabetes
- Malnourishment
- Excessive skin folds, typically from obesity
- A weak immune system from medication that could suppress your immune system
How To Treat a Skin Infection
Treatment depends on what your infection is and how severe it is. However, minor skin infections resolve spontaneously.
For instance, a doctor may give you antiviral medication for your viral skin infection and an antibiotic for a bacterial infection. Using an antiviral for a bacterial infection and vice versa wouldn’t be effective, so don’t self-medicate. Consulting your doctor is a must.
Although antibiotics prescribed by a doctor can treat bacterial skin infections, certain strains can survive treatment. So it is important to follow-up, even when it seems that treatment is not working.
A doctor may give you antifungal medication to deal with a fungal skin infection, which can either keep the fungi from growing or eliminate it altogether.
How to Prevent an Infection
There is no single way you can avoid all infectious diseases. However, following a few steps could reduce your risk.
- Receiving and staying up to date with vaccinations
- Washing your hands regularly
- Using condoms for sexual intercourse and getting STI checks
- Not sharing personal items like kitchen utensils, drinking glasses, toothbrushes, etc. with people who are actively infected
When You Should See a Doctor
While some skin infections can be minor and could be treated at home, some symptoms could mean you need medical attention.
- Progressively worsening symptoms, such as intense spreading of a rash
- Intense itching
- Tenderness in or surrounding the infected area
- Pain
- High fever
Learning more about skin infections can help you learn how to treat and prevent getting them again.
Learn more about skin health, here.
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