Fungus grows on my feetis an extremely unpleasant and very common infectious disease.According to statistics, every five people in the world experience symptoms of a fungal infection at least once in their lifetime.Only the body's defense capabilities and the achievements of modern medicine can prevent the widespread spread of fungi.Mycosis is treatable; it is important to detect the disease promptly and initiate appropriate treatment.
fungal causes
Fungal skin diseases (mycoses) most often occur against the background of weakened immunity.The human body is unable to protect itself from dangerous infectious agents, making it susceptible to many diseases.In this case, not only internal organs suffer.
Changes in local immunity lead to increased skin permeability.The skin can no longer perform its protective functions, and pathogens enter the interior, causing inflammation to develop.Fungus growing on your feet is an unpleasant phenomenon that can seriously ruin anyone's life.
They can cause fungal diseases and any damage to the skin.Bruises, scratches and cuts, not to mention open wounds – all are entry points for any infection.
If a healthy person is still able to deal with the fungus, any wound can lead to illness as immunity decreases.The fungus penetrates the skin, multiplies and causes significant discomfort by its presence.
In severe 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);
- being overweight;
- wear tight shoes;
- injured toe;
- Pedicures can damage the skin around your nails.
Foot fungus is a common problem among people who go to public baths and saunas.Hot, humid rooms are an ideal environment for fungi to multiply and spread to human skin.
You can get it in swimming pools as well as at the beach.Anywhere you have to walk barefoot or use someone else's (public) shoes, the risk of getting a 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 occur in the context of diabetes and other metabolic diseases.
The problem is that with this condition, blood circulation in the lower limbs is affected.Any small scratch in diabetes takes a long time to heal and is an ideal entry point for fungal infection.
Fungus between the toes is also a common companion among older adults due to age-related decline in immunity.
fungal infection symptoms
What does interdigital fungus look like?The symptoms of this disease are difficult to confuse with other illnesses, and an experienced doctor can make a diagnosis with just one look at the patient.Typical symptoms allow you to recognize the fungus at its earliest stages:
- Cracks or ulcers between toes;
- Excessive peeling (yellow or white flakes);
- peeling areas between fingers;
- itching;
- Get wet.
The symptoms of the disease vary.In some people, fungus between the toes manifests as runny sores.
In some cases, sores and fissures may be covered by the characteristic white or yellow scales.Flaking may be very severe or slightly noticeable.
Often, areas of loose and dead skin develop between the toes.The typical symptom of a fungal infection is itching, but its severity varies widely.
For some, itching becomes a very painful accompaniment of the disease, while for others, the fungus causes only mild discomfort.Skin with fungal disease is usually red and may show signs of scratching.
All these signs make it possible to accurately identify foot fungus and distinguish it from other skin diseases.
Fungal infections between the toes often occur in conjunction with nail infections.A typical onychomycosis looks like this:
- Nail thickening;
- Change in nail color (from light pink to yellow, gray, or brown);
- Peeling of nails;
- Weakness of the nail plate;
- Itching and soreness around the nails.
Special forms of fungi
In some cases, foot fungus can cause more than just cracked and oozing ulcers.When a fungal infection occurs, small blisters filled with clear or cloudy fluid may appear.
The skin becomes swollen and red.Over time, the bubbles burst and are replaced by shallow depressions.Ulcers are painful and slow to heal.Scarring is not typical.
This form of fungal infection is often called the vesicular-erosive type.As the disease form is eliminated, the skin does not change much.In the chronic course of the disease, the skin peels off only in certain areas.
The first is peeling and rough skin.Gradually, the skin becomes more and more rough and takes on a characteristic yellowish color.Over time, this process can spread to the calves, thighs, and buttocks areas.
diagnosis
In order to identify fungus on the feet, it is enough to carefully examine the skin of the feet, the spaces between the toes and nails.The typical symptoms of this disease leave no doubt about the diagnosis.
To find out what kind of fungus is living on your skin, you'll need to scrape material from the affected area and send it to a lab.Bacteriological inoculation of material allows the precise identification of the causative agent of disease.
The results will be available within a few days, after which your doctor can begin treating the fungal infection.
topical treatment
Treatment for fungus between the toes begins with choosing an antifungal medication.All the means available for treating infections are divided into general drugs and topical drugs.
Topical treatments are used in the early stages of the disease when the fungal infection only involves the skin between the toes.In addition, topical preparations are widely used to treat combined nail lesions.
With a variety of medications to choose from, you can choose the right medication for almost any situation.A dermatologist should prescribe antifungal medications.
Self-medication in this situation may worsen the condition, as the wrong medication can hasten the progression of the disease.In addition, many antifungal drugs have numerous contraindications and can pose serious health risks.
What treatments help fight 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 very thin.Careless actions can damage the space between the fingers and allow the infection to spread.
A thin layer of ointment or cream should be carefully applied to cracks and ulcers.When treating, cover not only the area affected by the fungus, but also 2-3 cm of skin around the spot.
This is necessary in order to eliminate the fungal component of the still healthy skin area.What is better to treat tinea pedis: ointment or ointment?The choice depends solely on the form of the disease.It is recommended to apply this ointment on dry and flaky skin.
It penetrates deeply into the affected area and effectively fights chronic fungus.Ointments can also be applied under bandages to allow the medicine to penetrate deeper into the skin.
Fungal infections should be treated with creams in severe cases.Itching, tearing, ulcers and erosions are immediate symptoms of the use of this ointment.The cream is quickly absorbed into the skin and leaves virtually no trace on clothes.
Preparations in cream form do not penetrate into the deep layers of the skin and are not suitable for severely rough and peeling skin.Many medications that eliminate foot fungus come in two forms.
Dermatologists recommend using the ointment at night to enhance the product's effectiveness on areas of dry and thickened skin.The cream can be used during the day to remove sores and weeping eyes, or under clothing.
Unlike creams, ointments are less absorbed and often leave marks on clothing that are difficult to wash off.What medicine can be used to treat fungus between the fingers?
The choice of treatment will depend on the pathogen identified.
Many drugs treat not only fungal but also bacterial infections and can therefore be used for mixed lesions of the foot skin.
systemic treatment
Foot fungus can be treated with more than just topical medications.In some cases, doctors will prescribe medications that affect the entire body.
If multiple interdigital spaces are affected at the same time, or if the process spreads to the nails and feet, systemic treatment may be required.
In practice, dermatologists most often use antifungal medications to effectively relieve itching and inflammation and help eliminate the main symptoms of fungal infections.
- Dysbiosis;
- Indigestion (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea);
- Headache;
- Arrhythmia;
- liver and kidney damage;
- allergic reaction.
Long-term treatment of foot fungus with systemic medications may cause serious malfunctions in the functioning of the entire body.
This is why it is so important that this remedy should only be prescribed by a doctor after a thorough examination.The duration of treatment and the choice of drug dosage take into account the course of the infection and the presence of various concomitant pathologies in the patient.
Important point: the course of systemic antifungal drugs must be completed!Do not interrupt medication unless absolutely necessary.
Incomplete treatment may lead to the development of drug resistance.It will be quite difficult to get rid of mutated fungi and achieve recovery in the future.
folk remedies
Can foot fungus be treated with folk remedies?It is believed that alternative treatments can indeed relieve itching and eliminate other symptoms of fungal infections of the skin and nails.
Kombucha is considered a great remedy for fungal diseases.This plant was introduced from Japan in the last century and has remained popular for many years.
Rub a small dab of kombucha into the space between your fingers twice a day for a month.If necessary, the course can be repeated after a two-week break.
Propolis and tea tree oil can also be used to remove fungus.Foot fungus can also be treated with regular soda diluted in hot water (1 tablespoon soda per 3 liters of water).
The cooled solution is used to treat affected areas of skin and nails twice daily.It should be remembered that fungi can be treated with folk remedies 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.
How to Treat Fungus with Homemade Products
- garlic.
You need to cut off half a clove of garlic, roll it in salt and rub it on the problem areas of skin.Another option for using garlic is to grind the cloves into pulp and apply it to the affected area or simply rub it with the mixture.
- onion.
Grind the onion into a paste and apply it on the sore surface of the skin.If you have cuts or broken blisters on your skin, add petroleum jelly to the onion mixture (a one-to-one ratio).Squeezing onion juice can also be used to treat infections.You will need to wipe the infected area of your skin with this liquid.
- egg.
To prepare the medicine, you need to pour vinegar over raw whole eggs and leave them in a dark place to soak until the shells dissolve.Next, you need to remove the film and add butter (1 teaspoon) to the mixture of egg yolks, egg whites and vinegar.
The resulting substance must be thoroughly mixed to the consistency of an ointment.Apply ointment to clean, steamed feet and wrap in plastic wrap and gauze.The ointment must be stored in the refrigerator.
- Naturally ground coffee.
This is another effective treatment against toe fungus.Before going to bed, it is recommended to take a bath with strong brewed coffee powder.Such procedures will help eliminate unpleasant or painful sensations and heal irritation.
- wine vinegar.
Apply wine vinegar to the affected area and let sit until the vinegar dries on its own; no need to rinse with water.
- Apple cider vinegar.
Apple cider vinegar combined with sea salt will help eliminate annoying ailments.To do this, you need to prepare a bathtub, which includes: 100 g of sea salt, 4 tablespoons of vinegar and 5 liters of water.By repeating such baths every day, you can overcome this disease.
- baking soda.
Wet the soda with water until it becomes a thin paste and apply it to the affected area for 20 minutes, then rinse your feet with warm water, dry them and apply baby powder.
Additionally, soda water can be used in the form of a cool bath.To do this, you need to mix a tablespoon of soda and table salt and dilute it with water.It is recommended to perform such a bath before going to bed and then rinse off the solution with clean water.
Treat toe fungus with herbs
- Marigold.
To prepare the infusion, pour 250 g of dried flowers into a glass of boiling water and let it sit for half an hour.
- Celandine.
Prepare a decoction for foot baths from celandine; for this, you need to put 4 tablespoons of the plant in 1 liter of water and boil it for 5 minutes.Such bathing should last three weeks.
- Burdock leaves.
Fresh burdock leaves need to be mashed so that the juice appears on the surface.Wrap a crumpled sheet around your feet and put on socks for the night.The course of treatment is 3 weeks.
When the disease has been defeated, you should pay attention to personal hygiene products and shoes to avoid spreading the infection again.You can treat the inside of your shoes with vinegar (30% solution) or an antiseptic.
So, despite the persistence and vigor of the fungus, there are many ways to help get rid of it for good, you just need to show a little patience and not be lazy to repeat your daily routine.
Prevent fungal infections
Treating fungus between your toes with traditional or folk remedies is a long and complicated process.Can fungal growth be stopped?
The following tips will help prevent foot skin infections.Don’t forget personal hygiene rules.Always wear flip flops when in the pool, sauna or beach.Monitor the condition of the skin on your feet.
Moisturize your skin with special creams to avoid dryness and cracks.Boost your immune system and take care of your health.Consult your doctor at the first signs of fungus between your fingers.