Topic: Link between fungal infections and eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis and more

[Sarkishy]

I have been doing a vast amount of research as I have been suffering from pompholyx or dyshydriotic eczema for the last 7 years.
Steroid creams have been of no help to me. This made me wonder if my rash was eczema at all. I started looking at fungal rashes/infections and after talking to a doctor, I obtained an topical antifungal cream and my rash is nearly gone, after 7 YEARS!!!

Medical literature talks about a dermatophytid reaction or the "Id" reaction. If a person has a tinea or fungal infection, usually found on the feet or in the nail beds, then they are more likely to have a skin reaction on their hands than if they had atopic dermatitis or a nickel allergy according to one study. Skin conditions may be an allergic reaction to cutaneous fungal infections elsewhere on the body usually on the feet. (I am sure that most of us have had athlete's foot at one time or another) What is interesting is that the fungal infection may be ASYMPTOMATIC and still produce outbreaks on the body. Depending on the location fungal infections may be differentially diagnosed as

psorasis,
seborrheic dermatitis
Pityriasis rosea
Drug eruptions
Nummular dermatitis
Erythema multiforme
Tinea versicolor
Erythrasma
Secondary syphilis
contact dermatitis
candidiasis
Vesicular eruptions on the hands and feet
Follicular papules
Erysipelas-like plaques
Erythema nodosum
Erythema annulare centrifugum
Urticaria

Steroid creams will not help a fungal infection, in fact they might make it worse! If you have resistant skin conditions it might be worth your while to have a biopsy of your rash, or examine your feet and toes for fungal infections.

Here are some links...

http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~content=a713711225~db=all
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=419368
http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec10/ch120/ch120c.html

I sincerely hope that this helps someone!

[M@t]

Same thing with me.

I had Athlete's Foot, which acted as a trigger for the pompholyx eczema on my feet.

I tried steroids too, and they didn't help.

Eventually got some oral anti-fungal medication, and the whole thing cleared up in a month or two.

[wildseal2003]

i noticed a few months ago that i had  these two dark dry spots on top of my big toe. i think it might be a fungus although im not sure. last summer i got eczema on my cheeks and then i got these dark spots all over my body. i think that i have what you are talking about. how would i go about getting rid of this fungus? thanks for posting, this could be THE cure for me. my dermatologist keeps giving me steroids whenever i visit and so where can i get the medicine to get rid of the fungus? should i get a cream or oral one?