Fungal Infections

These are one of the most common skin ailments encountered. The most common fungal infection of the skin are:

• White spot: Also known as "panau", this is a superficial fungal infection of the skin, which is common in both children and adults. It may be itchy. It is made up of fine scaly white patches
on the skin and may appear on the face, neck, shoulder, arms, trunk or legs.

• Ringworm: This fungal infection appears as scaly, reddish, ring- shaped patches with a tendency to form complete rings with raised borders.

• Athlete's foot: This causes the skin between your toes to become very scaly and peel. It results in severe itchiness of the feet.

What can cause fungal infection?
Fungus grows when the skin is warm and moist. When the space between your toes, the skin folds in the groin and the armpits are not kept dry, they signal an invitation to such fungal infection. Some tips to prevent fungal infection are:

• Do not walk barefoot in areas where the floor is wet, as in a bathroom or around a swimming pool, as fungus tends to be present in these areas.

• Avoid borrowing personal napkins, towels, combs and hairbrushes as they may be infected. Make sure you use your own personal items because fungal infections are easily
transmissible. Any item that comes into contact with the affected areas must be sterilised before use.

• Nylon socks and covered shoes make your feet sweat. Wear cotton socks to absorb the sweat, or open-toe sandals if your feet sweat profusely.

How do I confirm that I have contact allergy?

Your dermatologist will conduct a skin test called "patch test" to confirm a diagnosis of contact allergy. This is a very safe procedure. Usually, several suspected allergens are tested simultaneously. A positive reaction indicates that the patient is allergic to the test substance and needs to avoid it.

What kind of substances can cause contact allergy?
While each case is different, some common substances that cause irritation are watchstraps, nickel (used in jewellery), cosmetics, dyes, rubber products and soaps.