Fungi on the feet is an extremely unpleasant and very common infectious disease.According to statistics, one in five people in the world experience the symptoms of a fungal infection at least once in their life.The widespread spread of the fungus is prevented only by the body's defenses and the achievements of modern medicine.Mycosis can be cured;it is only important to detect the disease in time and start adequate therapy.
Causes of fungi
Fungal skin diseases (mycosis) occur most often against a 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 perform its protective function and pathogens get 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 cause fungal diseases and any damage to the skin.Abrasions, scrapes and cuts, not to mention open wounds - all these are 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.The fungus penetrates the skin, multiplies and causes considerable discomfort due to its mere existence.
In advanced cases, fungus on the toes can spread to the skin of the feet and legs, causing serious illness.
Factors provoking the development of mycosis:
- vascular diseases of the legs;
- metabolic diseases (diabetes mellitus);
- excess body weight;
- wear tight shoes;
- toe injuries;
- damage to the skin around the nails during pedicure.
Foot fungus is a common problem for people who frequent public baths and saunas.A warm, 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 someone else'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 with excess body weight.Mycoses also occur against the background of diabetes mellitus and other metabolic diseases.
The fact 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 for 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 in the first phase of its appearance:
- cracks or sores between the toes;
- excessive scaling (yellow or whitish scales);
- areas of peeling skin between the toes;
- itching;
- get wet.
The symptoms of the disease can be very varied.In some people, fungus between the toes appears as weeping sores.
In some cases the ulcers and cracks can be covered by the typical whitish or yellowish scales.Peeling can be quite severe or slightly noticeable.
Areas of loose, dead skin often appear between the toes.A typical sign of a fungal 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 minor discomfort.The skin with mycosis is usually red, there may be traces of scratches.
All these signs allow you to accurately recognize foot fungus and distinguish it from other skin diseases.
A fungal infection between the toes is often associated with nail infections.A typical nail fungus looks like this:
- thickening of the nails;
- change in nail color (from pale pink to yellow, gray, or brown);
- peeling of nails;
- fragility of the nail plate;
- itching and pain around the nails.
Special forms of mushrooms
In some cases, foot fungus leads to the appearance of not only cracks and weeping ulcers.When a fungal infection develops, small blisters filled with clear or cloudy fluid may appear.
The skin swells and turns red.Over time, the bubbles burst and surface depressions appear in their place.Ulcers hurt a lot and heal rather slowly.Scar formation is not typical.
This form of fungal infection is usually called vesiculoerosive.With the erased form of the disease, the skin does not change so much.In the chronic course of the disease, the skin peels off only in some areas.
Flaking and roughening of the skin come first.Gradually, the skin becomes more and more rough and acquires a characteristic yellowish color.Over time, the process can spread to the lower leg, thigh, and buttock region.
Diagnostics
To recognize fungi on the feet, it is sufficient to carefully examine the skin of the foot, the spaces between the toes and the nails.The typical 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 scraper from the affected areas and send the material to the laboratory.Bacteriological sowing of the material allows you 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
Treatment of fungus between the toes begins with the choice of antifungal medications.All means that can be used to treat an infection are divided into general and local drugs.
Local therapy is used in the initial stages of the disease, when the fungal infection involves only the skin between the toes.In addition, topical preparations are widely used for combined nail lesions.
A large selection of medicines allows you to choose the right drug for almost any situation.A dermatologist should prescribe antifungal medications.
Self-medication in this situation can lead to a worsening of the condition, since the wrong medicine can accelerate the progression of the disease.Furthermore, many antifungal drugs have numerous contraindications and can cause serious harm to your health.
What remedies help against foot fungus?When the interdigital folds are affected, it is best to use creams and ointments.It should be remembered that the skin in this area is quite thin.Careless actions can damage the space between the toes and lead to the spread of the infection.
The ointment or cream should be applied carefully, in a thin layer on cracks and ulcers.During processing, you should cover not only the area 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 against foot fungus: ointment or cream?The choice depends exclusively on the form of the disease.The ointment is recommended for application on dry and scaly skin.
It penetrates deeply into the affected area and effectively fights fungi that have become chronic.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 cream in the stage of severe exacerbation of the disease.Itching, tearing, ulcers and erosions are direct indications for the application of the cream.The cream is quickly absorbed by the skin, practically leaving no traces on clothes.
Preparations in the form of cream do not penetrate into the deep layers of the skin and are not used for severe roughness and peeling of the skin.Many drugs that eliminate foot fungus are available in two forms at once.
Dermatologists recommend applying 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 eliminate ulcers and tearing, even under clothes.
Unlike cream, ointment is absorbed much less easily and often leaves difficult-to-remove traces on laundry.What drugs can be used to treat fungus between the toes?
The choice of remedy 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 of the skin of the feet.
Systemic therapy
Treatment of foot fungus is possible not only with local medications.In some cases, doctors prescribe drugs that affect the entire body as a whole.
Systemic therapy may be necessary if several interdigital spaces are affected simultaneously, as well as if the process extends to the nails and feet.
In their practice, dermatologists often use antifungal drugs that effectively relieve itching and inflammation and help eliminate the main symptoms of a fungal infection.
- dysbacteriosis;
- dyspeptic disorders (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea);
- heachache;
- 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 entire organism.
That is why it is so important that such remedies are prescribed only by a doctor after a comprehensive 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.
An 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.
Folk remedies
Is it possible to treat foot fungus with folk remedies?It is believed that alternative therapeutic 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 fungi.Treatment of foot fungus is also possible with the help of ordinary soda diluted in warm 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 treatment of fungi 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 mushrooms with homemade products
- Garlic.
You need to cut half a clove of garlic, roll it in salt and rub it on problem areas of the skin.Another option for using garlic is to reduce the clove to a pulp and make a compress on the affected areas or simply rub them with the mixture.
- Onion.
Grind the onion into a paste, then spread it over the sore spots 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 proportion).Squeezed onion juice is also used to treat infections.It is necessary to clean the infected areas of the skin with this liquid.
- Chicken egg.
To prepare the medicine, you need to pour vinegar over a whole raw egg and leave it in a dark place to infuse until the shell dissolves.Next, you need to remove the foil and add butter (1 teaspoon) to the resulting mixture of yolk, egg white and vinegar.
The resulting mass must be thoroughly mixed until 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 strong ground coffee baths.Such procedures will help get rid of unpleasant or painful sensations and cure irritations.
- Wine vinegar.
Apply wine vinegar to the affected areas and sit until the vinegar dries;no need to rinse with water.
- Apple cider vinegar.
In combination with sea salt, apple cider vinegar will help get rid of the annoying disease.To do this you need to prepare a bath, which 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.
- Baking soda.
It is necessary to wet the soda with water until it becomes a thin paste, which should be applied to the areas affected by the fungus for 20 minutes, then rinse the feet with warm water, dry and apply talcum powder.
Also, soda can be used in the form of cold baths.To do this, mix a spoonful of soda and table salt and dilute everything in water.It is recommended to carry out such baths before bedtime, then rinse off the solution with clean water.
Treatment of fungus on toes with herbs
- Marigold flowers.
To prepare the infusion, pour 250 g of dried flowers into a glass of boiling water and leave to act for half an hour.
- Celandine.
A decoction for foot baths is prepared from celandine;for this it is necessary to prepare 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 must be crushed so that the juice appears on the surface.Wrap the wrinkled sheet around your foot and wear a sock overnight.The course of treatment is 3 weeks.
When the disease has already been defeated, it is necessary to 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 persistence and vitality of the fungus, there are many ways that will help you get rid of it forever, you just need to show a little patience and not be lazy in repeating daily procedures.
Prevention of fungal infections
Treating fungus between the toes with traditional or folk remedies is a long and complex process.Is it possible to prevent the development of fungi?
The following recommendations will help prevent foot skin infections.Don't forget the rules of personal hygiene.Always wear slippers in the pool, sauna or beach.Monitor the condition of the skin of the feet.
Moisturize 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 the toes, consult a doctor.