Skin Problems

Fungal infections of the skin most commonly affect the feet, groin, scalp, or nails. Fungi grow best in warm, moist areas of the skin, such as between the toes, in the groin, and in the area beneath the breasts.

Athlete's foot is the most common fungal skin infection. Symptoms include cracked, blistered, and peeling areas between the toes; redness and scaling on the soles of the feet; and itching. Athlete's foot often recurs and must be treated each time.

Jock itch causes severe itching and moistness on the skin of the groin and upper thighs. There may be red, scaly, raised areas on the skin that weep or ooze pus or clear fluid.

Ringworm is a fungal infection that grows on the outer layer of skin, hair, or nails. It is more common in children than in adults.

On the skin, ringworm appears as patches that are clear in the centre and have edges that are red, peeling, or have blister-like bumps. The skin is often very itchy. The rash can spread quickly.

On the scalp and beard, ringworm appears as round or oval patches of baldness, which may be scaly, red, crusty, or swollen with little blister-like bumps. The hair on the scalp and beard may have flakes that look like dandruff.

Fungal infections of the fingernails and toenails cause discolouration, thickening, and often softening of the nails. They are difficult to treat and often cause permanent damage to the nails.

Thrush is a yeast infection that occurs in the mouth, especially in babies. It causes a white coating inside the mouth, often on the cheeks, that may look like milk but is hard to remove. (Yeast infections also develop in the vagina. See Yeast Infections.)

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