Unwanted visitors of the rains on your skin biome

Have you ever woken up, feeling all energetic and ready to win the world, only to feel an itch at the nape of your neck? And when you check it out on the mirror, you see it! The horrid dots forming a perfect ring. And they itch and itch and itch! Some of you might have experienced this at some other part of your body. Some even in very uncomfortable regions. And if you notice, the occurrence is recurrent, especially during monsoon. Apart from rings, some others may have experienced itchy scalp, itchy feet or even an itchy eye. It’s better to familiarize yourself with all that can go wrong with your skin this monsoon and instead be prepared by following some essential hygiene tips on how to avoid them. Read on, and you’ll know exactly what to do to and whatnot, to be disease-free this monsoon.

 

Fungal Infections

Wet, moist and warm environments are the perfect breeding spot for any fungus. Leave a slice of bread near a window this monsoon, and in a week, you’ll surely see the development of purple patches on it. That’s Fungus! And your skin, just like the slice of bread, if not properly taken care of, becomes wet, moist and warm enough for fungus to grow.

 

Ringworm

The name itself can give people the creeps. But don’t worry, worms do not cause it. Ringworm is a widespread fungal infection of the skin. These develop red rashes, which are often scaly and circular in appearance. They can develop on your scalp, neck, groin, armpits and even feet. And they are highly contagious. You can get this by sharing a towel, unwashed clothes or even walking barefoot on your gym.

 

Athlete’s Foot

If you are a sports fanatic or a hard-core gym-goer, then you should watch out for this infection. Athlete’s foot is a type of ringworm infection which affects your feet. They cause itching, scaling and even peeling of your upper layer of the skin of your feet, and just like ringworm, they too are highly contagious. It usually spreads by sharing socks or towels or even shoes.

 

Bacterial Infections

Just like fungus, bacteria too find the humid environment favourable for growth and proliferation. And unlike fungus, you might be able to detect the infection sooner.

 

Folliculitis

Both fungus and bacteria cause folliculitis. Folliculitis is the inflammation of hair follicles which eventually lead to the formation of pimple-like appearance on the follicular region. So, if you feel a pimple-like raised red bump on your scalp, it’s probably folliculitis. It happens when you don’t wash your scalp correctly. Especially after it has rained, your scalp experiences a lot of humidity. That combined with the already existing oil, they block the follicles. The oil is what gets stuck, and it allows bacteria to grow. They cause inflammation. It is red, itchy and painful.

 

Parasitic Infections

Parasites are genuinely God’s most bewildering, in a bad way, creations. They are the freeloaders who settle on your skin or your body and live off the food your body makes and in return what do you get? Nothing, or in worst cases, diseases! And rains make their travel to your skin and body much easier.

 

Scabies

This is one such disease caused by parasitic mites. They originate as a rash, which gets worse when you go to bed. Often, you might even confuse them for a harmless pimple. But there’s a reason why scabies is called the “seven-year-itch”. These parasites do not just settle on your skin, but they lay eggs on the burrows of it. Imagine, your face is a breeding nest for these mites! This too is communicable as sharing the same bedsheet or pillow will transmit these mites to their next victim.

 

Solution

The best solution is the visit the doctor. Since these are diseases, following some home remedy might aggravate the situation. So, its better to go for a check-up. For fungal infections, they might prescribe a set of anti-fungal ointments or powders and some oral medicines. For bacterial infections, they’ll give your antibiotics along with anti-bacterial creams or lotions. For parasite, they might recommend the use of some creams, lotions or even washes that will help kill the parasites along with their eggs.

 

Preventive measures

• You can easily avoid these by taking some proactive measures in keeping yourself clean and dry.
• Wipe your body properly so that there is no moist region left for microbes to grow
• In case you have become drenched in the rain, you should take a bath and shower your hair as well with a shampoo
• In case showering is not possible, make sure to take your feet out in the open and dry them along with your shoes. Do not put back the wet socks on.
• Do not share your personal items with others as you might not just get infected, but you might even spread it to others.
• If you have stepped in a puddle, make sure to wash your feet with soaps. The water might be contaminated so it can introduce microbes on your skin.
• Oil and shampoo your hair twice a week to unclog the follicles and dry the scalp properly
• If you are experiencing any of the above conditions, get yourself checked by a doctor. It is always better to be safe than sorry.