If you wonder whether all mushrooms or some of it grow on human skin, you probably need to understand that there are different species and classes of mushrooms. For instance, not all mushrooms grow on human skin, but some can, and they fall under the dermatophytes, a fungi class.
What are Fungal Infections?
Fungal infections are brought by fungal spores that stick to the skin or breathed through. These infections can result in mushroom growth on the human skin. Apart from being on the skin, they can, at times, be present in the lungs and also in the respiratory tracts as well.
Fungal spores contact tends to be harmless, but it’s a great danger to those with a weak immune system and lung disease. The spores may cause infections to the sinuses, brain, and even the liver. They can, however, be harmless if they are treated earlier enough.
With the known knowledge that mushrooms are fungi, but not all fungi are mushrooms, mushroom growth on human skin can be attributed to fungal causes. Fungi that cause mushroom growth on the skin include the jock itch, athletes’ foot, and candidiasis. These dermatophytes grow on the skin and feed on the fiber-protein keratin. At times they may also grow on the nails and hair.
Apart from the skin’s keratin, mushrooms also thrive in warmth and moisture. That’s why you may encounter holes in sweaty feet and other parts. Notably, skin mushroom is highly contagious, spreading from person to person, but, in other cases, you may get it from animals, soil, and clothes.
If you are completely bamboozled with mushroom types that grow on human skin, herein are the 5 types, signs of their growth, and possible remedies.
1. Tinea Cruris (Jock Itch)
Tinea cruris or jock itch is regarded as the most irritating skin mushroom. It commonly affects males, but women can contract it too long as they are exposed to the fungus spore or come into contact with infected matter.
Jock itch is portrayed by a rash that develops near the groin, within the thighs, or the anus. The rash’s center is usually red-brown; on the other hand, its edge also develops bumps. In this case, the skins burn up and itch dreadfully. Oozing blisters are also a subsequent formality.
Possible causes
Jock itch is mostly attributed to athletes’ foot and fungal nail infections. Furthermore, it’s contagious, and it spreads through skin contact and sharing of towels.
Treatment
The skin condition can be addressed with topical antifungal medications such as the allylamine or azole type. Research suggests that allylamines are quicker yet expensive if compared to azoles. On the other hand, if the infection has been present for long or tends to have worsened oral medication, terbinafine or itraconazole can help.
2. Tinea corporis
Tinea corporis or ringworm is a superficial dermatophytosis that mostly occurs on arms and legs of glabrous skin. It may also occur at any body part and is similar to jock itch.
Though it’s called ringworm, it has nothing concerning the literal parasite. In fact, its name is due to the circular rings of rashes that it forms. The spreading of Tinea corporis varies. If it’s acute, it’s faster than any other tinea infection. It hastily develops in red pustular lesions. Normal corporis, on the other hand, spreads slowly and develops less severe rashes.
Possible causes
The micro-fungus dermatophyte typically causes this skin condition. The micro-fungus, upon exposure, will reside on the skin surface until conditions become favorable. Thereon they induce the rash as well as an infection.
Tinea corporis mostly grows on women’s skin than men. It may be contracted through, person to person infection, from pets, or even clothing.
Treatment
In most incidents, treatment revolves around the application of topical antifungal creams on the infected mushroom skin. However, given that the case is extensive or hard to treat, systemic treatment using oral medicine can suffice. There are also over-the-counter drugs such as tolnaftate and Ketoconazole. They are available in the form of Nizoral shampoo hence can be applied topically.
3. Tinea Versicolor
Tinea versicolor is another member of the dermatophytes. Unlike other mushrooms infections on the skin, Tinea Versicolor affects the upper body parts. It’s quite common to find its effects presented as discolored patches on the back and chest. It causes the skin to flake and tan.
The patches may either make the skin lighter or darker, and they appear in either pink, brown, white, or tan color. Since the fungus does not permit them to tan with the rest of the skin, it becomes impossible to tan the patches away.
Causes and treatment of Tinea versicolor
The condition Is caused by yeast and is most common in young adults. However, it can be treated through topical antifungal medications that contain selenium sulfide. Furthermore, Ketoconazole, which is a Nizoral ointment, can be an option too. The treatment may take up to two weeks to work.
4. Candidiasis
Candida yeasts typically live inside the human mouth, digestive tracks, and vagina. It can either grow outside or inside the human body, but the sum result is a typical infection.
In other cases, candidiasis may be triggered by human interventions. That’s by taking in antibiotics that counteract bacterial infections. Consequently, the antibiotics result in the death of bacteria that hampers the overgrowth of candida.
In most cases, the organs that are susceptible to skin infection are usually moist. They are generally the armpits, the skin within toes, and in women, it affects the skin underneath the breasts. Also, the anus and groin are vulnerable to the infection. The conditions are more aggravated in the skins of individuals who are obese as that accounts for more folds that generate moisture.
On the other hand, besides infecting the skin, candida directly affects vaginal linings and the mouth.
Cause and treatment of candidiasis
Different Candida species can cause candidiasis, and their looks vary depending on the part that they are affecting. They commonly appear to be reddish rashes that have lesions and pustular bumps as well.
On the treatment approach, antifungal medications such as clotrimazole can be used to suppress the infection.
5. Tinea Pedis /Athlete’s Foot
Tinea pedis, commonly known as athletes’ foot, is the top prevalent mushroom growth on the human skin. The name justifies its progression as it commonly affects people who use athletic shoes for exercise.
Athletic shoes make the environment warm and moist at the feet’ vicinity (the conditions essential for fungi thriving). In other cases, the infection can be from swimming pools where the fungus spreads rapidly.
Athletes’ foot appears in different ways that can either be scales or even fissures within toes, blisters, or skin lesions on heels as well.
Causes and treatment of athletes foot
Athletes’ foot is a result of dermatophytosis caused by parasitic fungi that use humans as hosts. It’s highly contagious, and it can spread through both indirect and direct contact.
On treatment approach, conventional methods such as a daily-based thorough washing of feet and subsequent application topical medication can suffice. Since the exterior skin is damaged and vulnerable to reinfection, topical treatment should be followed until the skin rebuilds.
Ways of preventing mushroom growth on the skin
Everyone is vulnerable to mushroom growth on the skin. The situation is even worse in those with weak immune systems. We all have the moist parts in our bodies, which are efficacious grounds for developing the skin mushrooms. As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure; it will be wise if you know how to prevent mushroom growth on your skin.
Preventions of skin mushroom growth
- Ensure good overall hygiene, with the inclusion of oral hygiene too. That will help get rid of infections such as candidiasis.
- Your feet should always be clean, free from moisture. If you have to put on shoes, you should see that they allow feet aeration.
- Avoid walking barefooted in gym lockers and swimming pools.
- Keep your toe and fingernails short.
- Upon touching pets and other animals, sterilize your hands since the infections are contagious.
- Check your pets with a vet’s aid to see if they have ringworms.
Verdict
Mushroom growth on human skin is not an adverse medical condition, and it can be treated, provided that the right medication is present. However, should you not maintain proper hygiene and dried skin, infections will recur.
If the aforementioned treatments do not combat mushrooms’ growth on your body, it will be wise to see dermatologists for help. In retrospect, not all mushrooms grow on human skin. However, the dermatophytes, a group of mushrooms, have the capabilities of turning humans into hosts. You will not encounter a mushroom with a real shape on human skin, but they are, however, present in the form of fungal infections.
Mushroom growth on the skin is uncomfortable and should not be left untreated as they may cause further fatal internal infections. Mushroom growth on human skin is real and no fiction; it will be wise for you to maintain proper hygiene and moisture-free skin to prevent infections.
