Candida yeast species cause skin infections known as candidiasis, or moniliasis. Candida albicans, one of the approximately 150 Candida species, causes between 70 and 80 percent of all cases of candidiasis, notes The Merck Manual. Those fungal infections can occur on the skin of all parts of the body, and may also appear on mucous membranes. Symptoms vary according to the location of the infection.
Skin Rash
Candida yeast usually exist on the skin with no harmful effects, but heat and dampness may allow it to become overgrown. Candida infections in the navel or in the folds of skin such as the underarm or groin areas usually present with a burning or an itchy red rash, notes The Merck Manual. The skin may appear soft, and raised bumps may appear around the borders of the rash. The University of Maryland Medical Center notes that skin symptoms may include blisters, and the affected areas can include skin between the fingers and toes, and beneath the breasts.
A candidal rash around the anus may be raw, white or red, and itchy. Candida infections are the most common reason for the symptoms of diaper rash in babies, notes MedlinePlus, a website of the National Institutes of Health.
Genital Irritation
Approximately 75 percent of women will have at least one yeast infection accompanied by symptoms during their lifetimes, notes the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Symptoms of vaginal yeast infections include irritation, burning and itching in the vaginal area. A woman might find it painful to urinate or to have intercourse. She may experience a whitish vaginal discharge that resembles cottage cheese, and the consistency of the discharge may vary from thick to watery.
The male partner of a woman with a yeast infection usually does not experience any symptoms, but in rare cases he may feel a burning sensation in the penis after intercourse.
Pain and Lesions in the Mouth
Candida infections in the mouth, known as oral thrush, may cause symptoms that include mouth pain and cracked skin at the sides of the mouth, notes MayoClinic.com. Other symptoms include whitish areas inside the mouth, on the inside of the cheeks, the roof of the mouth, the gums, tongue and tonsils. These areas may resemble cottage cheese in appearance, or they might have a velvety surface, and may grow in size and become more numerous over time. There might be reddish tissue beneath these patches, and those reddish areas may bleed.
Disfigured Nails
Candidiasis may affect the fingernails or toenails. The skin folds around the nails may become painfully inflamed and swollen. Other symptoms include yellow or white discoloration of the area under the nails, and detachment of the nails from the nail bed, notes The Merck Manual.
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