Fungi infection, being Candida albicans the most common one.
The factors that predispose to its appearance are: warm weather, tight clothing, humidity, poor hygiene, antibiotic treatments that alter the normal bacterial flora, obesity, diabetes, immunosuppression, etc.
The infection can appear in any part of the body, but it is more common in moist and frequently rubbed areas, such as skin folds (armpits, groin, buttocks, submammary tissue), spaces between fingers, genitals, oral mucosa and nails. The skin is reddened, inflamed and may be flaky. It appears as well-delimited patches of variable size and shape. The affected areas produce itching, burning or pain. Those patches may present vesicles on the edges and cracks on the bottom or even a thick, whitish fluid. It is known as intertrigo when it affects the folds of the skin.
It is diagnosed by the appearance of the lesions. It can be confirmed through a sample of skin collected by scraping, which shows the presence of the fungus under potassium hydroxide staining.
The treatment consists of good hygiene of the area, leaving the skin well dry, aerated and avoiding friction. Dehydrating agents (e.g., compresses with Burow's solution) and topical antifungals such as azoles may be used.
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