Fungus on the feet is an extremely unpleasant and very common infectious disease.According to statistics, one in five people worldwide experience symptoms of a fungal infection at least once in their life.The widespread spread of the fungus is only prevented by the body's defenses as well as advances in modern medicine.Mycosis can be cured;it is only important to detect the disease in time and start appropriate treatment.
Causes of fungus
Fungal skin diseases (mycoses) most often occur against the background of reduced immunity.The human body, unable to protect itself against dangerous infectious agents, is susceptible to a wide variety of diseases.In this case, the internal organs are not the only ones to suffer.
Changes in local immunity lead to increased skin permeability.The skin can no longer perform its protective function and pathogens penetrate inside, causing the development of inflammation.Fungus growing on the feet is an unpleasant phenomenon that can significantly spoil the life of any person.
They cause fungal diseases and skin lesions.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 injury can cause illness.The fungus penetrates the skin, multiplies and causes significant discomfort by 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 mycoses:
- 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 among people who frequent public baths and saunas.A warm, humid room provides an ideal environment for fungus to multiply and spread to 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 infection with fungus increases several times.
It has been noticed that fungal diseases of the skin of the feet and nails are more common in people who are overweight.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 diabetes-related scratch 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 among older people due to age-related decline in immunity.
Symptoms of a fungal infection
What does interdigital fungus look like?Signs of the disease are difficult to confuse with something else, and an experienced doctor will only need one examination of the patient to make a diagnosis.Typical symptoms make it possible to recognize the fungus at the earliest stage of its appearance:
- cracks or sores between the toes;
- excessive scaling (yellow or whitish scales);
- areas of peeling skin between the fingers;
- itching;
- get wet.
The symptoms of the disease can be very varied.In some people, fungus between the toes appears as oozing sores.
In some cases, ulcers and cracks may be covered with typical whitish or yellowish scales.The peeling can be quite severe or slightly noticeable.
Often, areas of loose, dead skin appear between the toes.Itching is a typical sign of a fungal infection, but its severity can vary greatly.
For some, itching becomes a very painful companion of the disease, while for others the fungus causes only slight discomfort.Skin affected by mycoses is usually red, there may be traces of scratching.
All these signs make it possible to accurately recognize foot mycosis and distinguish it from other skin diseases.
A fungal infection between the toes is quite often associated 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);
- 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 oozing 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 shallow depressions appear in their place.Ulcers hurt a lot and heal quite slowly.Scar formation is not typical.
This form of fungal infection is usually called vesicular-erosive.With the cleared form of the disease, the skin does not change much.During the chronic course of the disease, the skin peels off only in certain areas.
Peeling and roughness of the skin come first.Little by little, 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 gluteal region.
Diagnosis
To recognize fungus on the feet, simply 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 scrape 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 results of the examination 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 selection of antifungal drugs.All 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.A dermatologist should prescribe antimycotic medications.
Self-medication in this situation can lead to a worsening of the condition, as the wrong medication can accelerate the progression of the disease.In addition, many antifungal drugs have a large number of contraindications and can seriously harm health.
What remedies help against foot fungus?When the interdigital folds are affected, it is better to use creams and ointments.We must not forget 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.
The ointment or cream should be applied carefully, in a thin layer, to cracks and ulcers.When treating, you need to cover not only the area affected by the fungus, but also the skin 2-3 cm around the spots.
This is necessary to destroy elements of the fungus in areas of still healthy skin.What is better to use against foot fungus: an ointment or a cream?The choice depends only on the form of the disease.The ointment is recommended for application to dry, flaky skin.
It penetrates deep into the affected area and effectively fights fungi that have become chronic.The ointment can also be applied under the dressing so that the medicine penetrates the deeper layers of the skin.
Fungal infections should be treated with cream at the stage of severe exacerbation of the disease.Itching, oozing, ulcers and erosions are direct indications for application of the cream.The cream absorbs quickly into the skin and leaves virtually no marks on clothes.
Preparations in the form of cream do not penetrate into the deep layers of the skin and are not used in cases of severe roughness and peeling of the skin.Many drugs that eliminate foot fungus are available in two forms at once.
Dermatologists advise applying the ointment in the evening 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 oozing, as well as under clothing.
Unlike cream, ointment is absorbed much less easily and often leaves marks on laundry that are difficult to remove.What medications can be used to treat fungus between the fingers?
The choice of remedy will depend on the pathogen identified.
Many medications can treat not only fungal infections, but bacterial infections as well.They can therefore 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 medications that affect the entire body.
Systemic treatment may be necessary if several interdigital spaces are affected at once, 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.
- dysbacteriosis;
- dyspeptic disorders (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea);
- headaches;
- heart rhythm disturbances;
- liver and kidney damage;
- allergic reactions.
Long-term treatment of foot fungus with systemic medications can cause serious malfunctions in the functioning of the whole body.
That is why it is so important that these remedies are prescribed only by a doctor after a complete examination.The duration of treatment and dosage of drugs are selected taking into account the course of infection and the presence of various concomitant pathologies in the patient.
An important point: treatment with systemic antifungals must be supplemented!Do not interrupt treatment unless absolutely necessary.
Incomplete treatment can lead to the development of drug resistance.In the future, it will be quite difficult to get rid of the mutated fungus and recover.
Folk remedies
Is it possible to treat foot fungus with folk remedies?It is believed that alternative treatment methods can actually relieve itching and eliminate other symptoms of fungal infections of the skin and nails.
Kombucha is considered a good remedy for fungal infections.This plant was imported 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 treatment can be repeated after a break of two weeks.
Propolis and tea tree oil are also used to eliminate fungus.Treatment of foot fungus is also possible using 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 affected areas of 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 into problem areas of the skin.Another option for using garlic is to grind the clove into 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 on the sore spots on the surface of the skin.If there are sores 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.You need to wipe 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 let it infuse in a dark place until the shell dissolves.Next, you need to get rid of the film and add butter (1 teaspoon) to the resulting mixture of yolk, white and vinegar.
The resulting mass must be thoroughly mixed until the consistency of ointment is obtained.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 strong brewed ground coffee.Such procedures will help eliminate unpleasant or painful sensations and cure irritation.
- Wine vinegar.
Apply wine vinegar to the affected areas and sit until the vinegar dries;there is no need to rinse with water.
- Apple cider vinegar.
In combination with sea salt, apple cider vinegar will help get rid of this annoying disease.To do this, you need to prepare a bath that includes: 100 grams of sea salt, 4 tablespoons of vinegar and 5 liters of water.By repeating these baths daily, you can overcome the disease.
- Baking soda.
You need to wet the soda with water until it becomes a thin paste, which should be applied to the areas affected by fungus for 20 minutes, then rinse your feet with warm water, wipe dry and apply baby powder.
Additionally, soda can be used in the form of cool baths.To do this, mix a tablespoon of soda and table salt and dilute everything in water.It is recommended to do such baths before bedtime, and then rinse the solution with clean water.
Treatment of fungus on toes with herbs
- Calendula flowers.
To prepare the infusion, pour 250 g of dried flowers into a glass of boiling water and leave for half an hour.
- Celandine.
A decoction for foot baths is prepared from celandine;for this you need to infuse 4 tablespoons of the plant in 1 liter of water, boil for 5 minutes.Such baths should be carried out for three weeks.
- Burdock leaves.
A fresh burdock leaf must be crushed so that the juice appears on the surface.Wrap the crumpled sheet around your foot and put on a sock overnight.The duration of treatment is 3 weeks.
When the disease is already defeated, you need to take care of your personal hygiene items and shoes so that the infection no longer spreads.You can treat the inside of the shoes with vinegar (30% solution) or an antiseptic.
So, despite the persistence and vitality of the fungus, there are many ways to get rid of it forever, you just need to show a little patience and not be lazy to repeat 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 fungus?
The following recommendations will help prevent skin infections on the feet.Don't forget the rules of personal hygiene.Always wear slippers in the pool, sauna or at the beach.Monitor the condition of the skin on your feet.
Moisturize your skin with special creams to prevent dryness and cracking.Strengthen your immune system and take care of your health.As soon as the first signs of fungus appear between your fingers, consult a doctor.