Avoid Scratching Your Groin While On A Date!

(A Valentine Special Series Part III)

It's very annoying to see somebody who keeps scratching his groins. It's embarrassing right? I noticed it a lot of times in many people. Let me share what I read about fungal infections.

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

Athlete’s foot (tinea pedis) is the most common fungal skin infection. Symptoms include cracked, blistered, and peeling areas between the toes, redness and scaling on the soles, and intense itching. It rarely affects children before puberty, if it does, it may resemble eczema. Athlete’s foot often recurs and must be treated again each time.

Jock itch (tinea crusis) causes severe itching and moistness on the skin of the groins and upper thighs. There may be red, scaly, raised areas of the skin that sweep or ooze pus or clear fluid.

Ringworm is a contagious fungal infection of the scalp or body. It is not caused by worms. Its symptoms include round spots that maybe scaly and itchy. it may appear on the torso as a small, red scaly spot that itches and grows until it is about an inch cross. It is more in children than adults.

Fungal infections of the finger nails and toenails cause discoloration, 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 the cheeks that it may look like milk but is hard to remove.

Prevention

• Keep the feet clean and dry. Dry well between the toes after swimming or bathing.

• Wear leather shoes or sandals that allow your feet to “breathe”, and wear cotton socks to absorb sweat.

• Wear thongs or shower sandals in public pools and showers.

• Keep the groin clean and dry. Wash and dry well, especially after exercise.

• Teach children not to play with dogs, cats that have a bald of mangy spots in their coats.

• Don’t share hats, combs, or brushes.

Home treatment

• Follow prevention guidelines I mentioned.

• For athlete’s foot and jock itch, use an over the counter antifungal powder lotion such as Micatin or Lotrimin AF. Use the medication twice a week, or two after symptoms clear up. Use hydrocortisone on fungal infection.

• Ringworm on the body can be treated with one of the antifungal listed above.

When To Call You Dermatologist or Doctor

• If there is increased swelling and redness or signs of pus.

• If you have diabetes and develop athlete's foot. You have increased risk and needs professional care.

• If home treatment fails to clear up athlete's foot or jock itch after two weeks.

• If there is sudden loss of hairassociated with flaking.

• If ringworn is severe and spreading.

• If ringworn is present in the scalp.