Fungus on the feet is an extremely unpleasant and very common infectious disease.According to statistics, every fifth person in the world experiences symptoms of a fungal infection at least once in their life.The widespread spread of fungi is prevented only by the body's defenses, as well as by the achievements of modern medicine.Mycosis can be cured;it is only important to detect the disease in time and start appropriate therapy.
Fungal agents
Fungal skin diseases (mycoses) most often appear against the background of reduced immunity.The human body, unable to protect itself from dangerous infectious agents, is susceptible to a wide variety of diseases.In this case, not only the internal organs suffer.
Changes in local immunity lead to increased skin permeability.The skin can no longer fulfill its protective function and pathogenic agents enter inside, causing the development of inflammation.The development of fungus on the feet is an unpleasant phenomenon that can significantly ruin the life of any person.
They provoke fungal diseases and all kinds of skin damage.Abrasions, scrapes and cuts, not to mention open wounds, are all entry points for any infection.
And if a healthy person is still able to cope with the fungus, then with reduced immunity, any wound can cause disease.Fungi penetrate the skin, multiply and cause significant discomfort just by their existence.
In advanced cases, toe fungus can spread to the skin of the feet and legs, causing serious illness.
Factors provoking the development of mycoses:
- vascular diseases of the legs;
- metabolic diseases (diabetes);
- overweight;
- wearing tight shoes;
- toe injuries;
- damage to the skin around the nails during a pedicure.
Fungus on the feet is a common problem for people who visit public baths and saunas.A hot and humid room is an ideal environment for fungi to multiply and spread on human skin.
You can get an infection in the pool as well as on the beach.In any place where you have to walk barefoot or use other people's (public) shoes, the risk of fungal infection increases several times.
It has been noted that fungal diseases of the skin of the feet and nails are more common in people who are overweight.Mycoses also appear against the background of diabetes mellitus and other metabolic diseases.
The thing is that with such pathologies, the blood circulation of the lower extremities suffers.Any small scratch in diabetes takes a long time to heal and is an ideal entry point for a fungal infection.
Fungus between the toes is also a common companion of older people due to age-related decline in immunity.
Symptoms of a fungal infection
What does interdigital fungus look like?The signs of the disease are difficult to confuse with something else, and an experienced doctor will only need one look at the patient to make a diagnosis.Typical symptoms allow you to recognize the fungus at the earliest stage of its appearance:
- cracks or sores between the toes;
- excessive peeling (yellow or whitish scales);
- areas of peeling skin between the toes;
- itching;
- getting wet.
Symptoms of the disease can be very diverse.In some people, the fungus between the toes appears as tearing sores.
In some cases, ulcers and fissures may be covered with typical whitish or yellowish scales.Peeling can be quite strong or slightly noticeable.
Often, areas of loose, dead skin appear between the toes.A typical sign of a yeast infection is itching, but its severity can vary greatly.
For some, itching becomes a very painful companion of the disease, while for others the fungus causes only mild discomfort.The skin with mycoses is usually red, there may be traces of scratching.
All these signs allow the exact recognition of foot fungus and distinguishing it from other skin diseases.
Fungal infection between the toes is quite often combined with nail infections.A typical nail fungus looks like this:
- thickening of nails;
- change in nail color (from pale pink to yellow, gray or brown);
- nail peeling;
- fragility of the nail plate;
- itching and soreness around the nails.
Special forms of fungi
In some cases, foot fungus leads to the appearance of not only cracks and oozing ulcers.When a yeast infection develops, small blisters filled with clear or cloudy fluid may appear.
The skin swells and turns red.Over time, the bubbles burst and are replaced by shallow indentations.Ulcers hurt a lot and heal quite slowly.Scar formation is not typical.
This form of fungal infection is usually called vesicular-erosive.In the erased form of the disease, the skin does not change so much.When the disease is chronic, the skin peels only in certain areas.
First is the peeling and roughening of the skin.Gradually, the skin becomes rougher and acquires a characteristic yellowish color.Over time, the process can spread to the lower leg, thigh and gluteal area.
Diagnosis
To recognize the fungus on the feet, it is enough just to carefully examine the skin of the feet, the spaces between the toes and the nails.The characteristic signs of the disease leave no doubt about the diagnosis.
To find out what kind of fungus lives on the skin, you need to take a scraping from the affected areas and send the material to the laboratory.Bacteriological seeding of the material makes it possible to accurately determine the causative agent of the disease.
The test results will be ready in a few days, after which the doctor can start treating the fungal infection.
Local therapy
The treatment of the fungus between the toes begins with the choice of antifungal drugs.All the means that can be used to treat an infection are divided into general and local drugs.
Local therapy is used in the early stages of the disease, when the fungal infection affects only the skin between the toes.Also, topical preparations are widely used for combined nail lesions.
A wide selection of drugs allows you to choose the right drug for almost any situation.The dermatologist should prescribe antifungal drugs.
Self-medication in this situation can lead to a worsening of the condition, since the wrongly chosen drug can accelerate the progression of the disease.In addition, many antifungal drugs have a large number of contraindications and can cause serious harm to health.
What remedies help against foot fungus?When affecting the interdigital folds, it is best to use creams and ointments.It should be remembered that the skin in this area is quite thin.Careless actions can injure the space between the fingers and lead to the spread of infection.
Ointment or cream should be applied carefully, in a thin layer on cracks and ulcers.When processing, you need to cover not only the place affected by the fungus, but also the skin 2-3 cm around the spots.
This is necessary to destroy the elements of the fungus in areas of still healthy skin.What is better to use for foot fungus: ointment or cream?The choice depends only on the form of the disease.The ointment is recommended for application on dry and flaky skin.
It penetrates deep into the affected area and effectively fights chronic fungi.The ointment can also be applied under the bandage so that the medicine penetrates into the deeper layers of the skin.
Fungal infections should be treated with a cream in the stage of severe exacerbation of the disease.Itching, weeping, ulcers and erosions are direct indications for applying the cream.The cream is quickly absorbed into the skin, leaving practically no traces on clothes.
Preparations in the form of a cream do not penetrate into the deep layers of the skin and are not used for severe roughness and peeling of the skin.Many medications that eliminate foot fungus are available in two forms at once.
Dermatologists advise to apply the ointment at night to enhance the effect of the product on dry and thickened areas of the skin.The cream can be used during the day to remove ulcers and tearing, as well as under clothes.
Unlike the cream, the ointment is much more difficult to absorb and often leaves hard-to-wash stains on the laundry.What medications can be used to treat toenail fungus?
The choice of drug will depend on the pathogen identified.
Many drugs can treat not only fungal, but also bacterial infections, so they can be used for mixed lesions on the skin of the feet.
Systemic therapy
The treatment of foot fungus is possible not only with local medicines.In some cases, doctors prescribe drugs that affect the entire organism as a whole.
Systemic therapy may be necessary if several interdigital spaces are affected at the same time, as well as if the process spreads to the nails and feet.
In their practice, dermatologists most often use antifungal drugs that effectively relieve itching and inflammation and help eliminate the main symptoms of a fungal infection.
- dysbiosis;
- dyspeptic disorders (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea);
- headache;
- heart rhythm disorders;
- liver and kidney damage;
- allergic reactions.
Long-term treatment of foot fungus with systemic drugs can cause a serious malfunction in the functioning of the whole organism.
That is why it is so important that such means are prescribed only by a doctor after a complete examination.The duration of therapy and the dosage of drugs are selected taking into account the course of the infection and the presence of various concomitant pathologies in the patient.
Important point: the course of treatment with systemic antifungal drugs must be completed!Do not interrupt treatment unless absolutely necessary.
Incomplete therapy can lead to the development of drug resistance.In the future, it will be quite difficult to get rid of the mutated fungus and achieve recovery.
People's funds
Is it possible to treat foot fungus with folk remedies?It is believed that alternative therapy methods can really relieve itching and eliminate other symptoms of fungal infections of the skin and nails.
Kombucha is considered a good remedy for mycosis.This plant was brought from Japan in the last century and has been very popular for many years.
A small piece of kombucha is rubbed into the spaces between the fingers twice a day for a month.If necessary, the course of treatment can be repeated after a two-week break.
Propolis and tea tree oil are also used to eliminate fungus.The treatment of foot fungus is also possible with the help of ordinary soda diluted in hot water (at the rate of 1 tablespoon of soda per 3 liters of water).
The cooled solution is used to treat the affected areas of the skin and nails twice a day.It should be remembered that the treatment of fungus with folk remedies is possible only in the early stages of the disease.In advanced cases, when the fungus affects the entire skin of the feet and nails, you should definitely consult a doctor.
Ways to treat fungus with homemade products
- garlic.
You need to cut half a clove of garlic, roll it in salt and rub the problem areas of the skin.Another option for using garlic is to grind the cloves into a pulp and use it to make a compress on the affected areas or simply rub them with the mixture.
- onion.
Grind the onion into a paste, then apply it to the inflamed areas on the surface of the skin.If there are wounds or burst blisters on the skin, you can add petroleum jelly to the onion mixture (one to one ratio).Onion juice is also used to treat infection.With this liquid, you should wipe the infected areas of the skin.
- Chicken egg.
To prepare the medicine, you need to pour vinegar over a raw whole egg and leave it in a dark place to infuse until the shell dissolves.After that, you need to get rid of the film and add oil (1 teaspoon) to the resulting mixture of yolk, white and vinegar.
The resulting mass should be well mixed to the consistency of an ointment.Apply the ointment to clean, steamed feet, wrap with cling film and gauze.The ointment should be stored in the refrigerator.
- Natural ground coffee.
This is another effective remedy in the fight against toe fungus.Before going to bed, it is recommended to take baths with strongly brewed ground coffee.Such procedures will help to get rid of unpleasant or painful sensations and heal irritations.
- Wine vinegar.
Apply wine vinegar to the affected areas and sit until the vinegar dries on its own;no need to rinse with water.
- Apple cider vinegar.
In combination with sea salt, apple cider vinegar will help you get rid of the annoying disease.For this purpose, you need to prepare a bath that includes: 100 grams of sea salt, 4 tablespoons of vinegar and 5 liters of water.By repeating such baths every day, you can overcome the disease.
- Bicarbonate of soda.
It is necessary to wet the baking soda with water until it becomes a thin paste, which you apply to the areas affected by the fungus for 20 minutes, then rinse your feet with warm water, wipe and apply baby powder.
In addition, soda can be used in the form of cool baths.To do this, you need to mix one tablespoon of soda and table salt and dilute everything in water.It is recommended to take such baths before going to bed and then rinse the solution with clean water.
Treatment of toe fungus with herbs
- Marigold flowers.
To prepare the infusion, pour 250 g of dried flowers with a glass of boiling water and leave for half an hour.
- yellow flowers.
A potion for foot baths is prepared from celandine;for this you need to brew 4 tablespoons of the plant in 1 liter of water, boil for 5 minutes.Such baths should be done for three weeks.
- Burdock leaves.
A fresh burdock leaf should be crushed so that the juice appears on the surface.Wrap the crumpled sheet around your leg and put on a sock overnight.The course of treatment is 3 weeks.
When the disease has already been defeated, you should take care of personal hygiene items and shoes so that the infection does not spread again.You can treat the inside of the shoes with vinegar (30% solution) or antiseptic.
So, despite the durability and vitality of the fungus, there are many ways that will help to get rid of them forever, you just need to show a little patience and not be lazy to repeat the daily procedures.
Prevention of fungal infection
Treatment of fungus between the toes with traditional or folk remedies is a long and complicated process.Is it possible to prevent the development of fungus?
The following recommendations will help prevent skin infections on the feet.Do not forget about the rules of personal hygiene.Always wear slippers in the pool, sauna or beach.Monitor the condition of the skin on your feet.
Hydrate your skin with special creams to avoid dryness and cracking.Strengthen your immune system and take care of your health.When the first signs of fungus appear between your fingers, consult a doctor.