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Intertrigo Ring

Intertrigo is an infection of the skin that is common among the population. The infection that is Intertrigo is generally the result of fungi present on the skin.

Causes of Intertrigo

Everyone walking around carries certain bacteria and fungi on their skin. Some of these things are beneficial to the body while others do nothing more than hang around. Others still are dangerous to our bodies. Most often they live in the dead skin cells such as the hair and fingernails.

The fungi thrive in warm, moist places on the body but attack the open areas of the body under normal conditions. The infections that are caused by these fungi are common among diabetics and those who are extremely overweight.

Symptoms of Intertrigo

Just like nearly all skin disorders, Intertrigo manifests itself physically on the outer surface of the skin. There are several outward signs that one should look for if they believe they have Intertrigo.

Itching is the most common symptom. In most cases the itching will become intense and scratching will not even relieve it. The itching actually occurs under the skin and is not reachable through the surface.

Skin lesions will also appear in a red and raw area. As the disease progresses it will the skin lesion will grow and become inflamed and increasingly irritated. Most often these spots will be located in the skin folds, genitals, trunk and other areas that stay warm and usually moist. This will keep the area inflamed and irritated.

You may also notice an increase in infected hairs on the body. This is a common symptom of the disease and it is best to leave them alone until it has run its course. Eventually the inflammation will subside and the hair follicle will return to normal if it is left alone.

Diagnosis for Intertrigo

Similar to other skin diseases and infections Intertrigo is normally diagnosed by appearance. Medical personnel can easily identify Intertrigo based on the condition of the skin and the apparent symptoms that are presenting at the time of the exam.

Certain times a skin scraping will be collected for testing but this is only done when there is no definitive diagnosis and the doctor wishes to be sure that he/she is treating the proper ailment and with the right course of treatment.

Treatment for Intertrigo

There is no specific treatment for Intertrigo. The most common course of therapy is to maintain a good hygiene regimen on the affected area. Keeping the area that is affected dry and exposed to open air has also proved to be effective in many cases.

Those who are severely overweight may find that losing some of the weight will help to relieve the symptoms as well. Getting down to the base weight for their height will normally completely cure the ailment in most cases. Doctors may suggest treatment for the weight loss in order to treat the Intertrigo.

For diabetics suffering from Intertrigo an improvement in sugar count is most often the only answer when it comes to treatment. Those who have their blood sugar under control are more likely to avoid problems such as Intertrigo than those who have not maintained a good sugar count.

In cases where there is no underlying medical condition at the cause of the Intertrigo, a doctor will normally prescribe an aggressive regimen of topical antifungal medications that will aid in the clearing of the disease. These treatments are usually ten days in length and require constant use to be effective.

Prognosis for Intertrigo

Intertrigo is completely treatable in most cases where there is no underlying medical cause. Doctors have found that Intertrigo is rather difficult to treat and it spreads quickly. Most patients can expect recurrence of the symptoms before the end of the treatment.

Most report that there are no lasting effects related to the disease.

Complications for Intertrigo

There are not many complications associated with Intertrigo. The most common of all complications is reoccurrence of the symptoms that presented originally. This is taken care of by continuing the treatment until all symptoms are relieved.

Those who suffer from suppressed immune system response may experience several severe complications from Intertrigo. This is a common occurrence when dealing with poor immune systems. Talk to your doctor if this is an issue that needs to be addressed.