Fungal infections of the feet begin in the area between the toes. After that, the infection can spread to the feet and nail beds. This disease is caused by dermatophytes, fungi or yeasts. According to statistics, in our country about 20% of people have fungus on their feet. The severity of the disease depends on the type of infection, but in any case the disease must be cured, because peeling, severe itching, inflammation and an unpleasant smell on the feet cause severe discomfort. We will tell you how to get rid of foot fungus.
What does toenail fungus look like?
Fungal infections cause inflammation of the skin where the fungal infection is located. The main types of foot dermatomycosis are:
- Foot fungus is squamous, where the affected area becomes red, leathery, and cracks appear on the skin. Patients often do not experience any discomfort, which contributes to the widespread spread of this type of disease.
- Dyshidrotic athlete's foot is localized on the arch of the foot, which is not in contact with the floor surface. At the site of infection, small blisters form, which spread to the inside and outside of the foot, open, form erosion and diaper rash on the surface of the skin. This process is accompanied by itching and burning. After the opening of the vesicles (bubbles), the disease goes into a squamous form.
- Fungus on the skin of the feet that affects the interdigital space is called the intertriginous form of the disease and is the most common type. It appears in the form of cracks, the edges of which are covered with a white rim of peeling epidermis. As a rule, this form has a long-term chronic course and is difficult to treat.
- Fungus on the shins or ankles appears as pink or red round spots, covered with skin scales. As the infection develops, the focus of inflammation develops, the process is accompanied by severe itching.
Onychomycosis
This disease is a type of foot fungus that is characterized by a fungal infection of the nails. You can get infected in public baths, saunas, baths and swimming pools. Scales containing pathogenic microorganisms are relatively easy to separate from the nail plate and can remain on floors, carpets, bedding, and unpainted benches. High humidity allows them not only to survive, but also promotes active reproduction, and therefore the risk of infection increases significantly.
In the early stages, the infection reaches the epidermis of the feet, causing severe itching. To reduce the discomfort, a person begins to brush the infected area, but this only worsens the situation. The skin area affected by the fungus becomes covered with small scratches and cracks, microorganisms begin to spread, penetrate under the nail plate, and then begin to multiply uncontrollably.
Severe illnesses such as diabetes or HIV, poor circulation, or injuries to the nails greatly increase the risk of infection.
Onychomycosis is divided into 3 types:
- Normotropic. With this type of onychomycosis, a change in nail color from normal to yellow-brown is observed. The natural shine, nail shape and thickness remain unchanged.
- Hypertrophic. The final change in the color of the nail occurs, its shine disappears, its shape changes, thickening develops and partial destruction begins.
- Onycholytic. The color of the affected nail turns brown, it becomes thinner and begins to break. His gradual separation from the bed began. An uneven layer may appear on the exposed part of the nail bed.
Treatment of this type of fungus on the palms and soles with topical medications is ineffective due to the fact that the fungal spores are located under the nails. Before starting the treatment, the nails should be removed. This is done with the help of keratolytic drugs, and patches are also used. In some cases, it is possible to remove the nail mechanically: the dead part of the nail is cut with a nail file or tweezers. It is important to remember that all instruments used must be sterile.
The combined use of mechanical removal and keratolytic patches is the most effective way to remove diseased nails. For keratolytic agents, you can use ready-made kits with broad-spectrum antifungal drugs. It contains a special ointment, a file for scraping the nails, and a patch. After the nail plate has been removed, you should start taking systemic antifungals: antifungal drugs for systemic use, oral antifungal agents.
symptoms
Depending on the form of the disease and the location of the inflammation, the infection is accompanied by different symptoms with some of the following general signs:
- peeling skin;
- slight or severe reddening of the skin at the site of the lesion;
- itching;
- burning sensation;
- rash blisters or cracks on the skin.
Blisters between the toes
The main symptom of athlete's foot, caused by the fungus Candida, is the appearance of blisters between the toes, usually between the fourth toe and the little toe. The course of the disease is accompanied by swelling of the skin adjacent to the finger, a noticeable reddened area with small blisters on its surface. The source of inflammation is surrounded by a rim of exfoliated epidermis.
Dihydrate form
Vesicular fungus, or, as it is also called, dyshydric mycosis, is the rarest type of disease. Its main manifestation is that many vesicles are united in a conglomerate. Vesicles are bubbles filled with pus or nutrient fluid from the inside. When the fluid starts to become cloudy, the vesicles burst, leaving an ulcer in its place. They begin to merge into a row, forming a clear scar on the skin. This happens due to the drying and peeling of the skin layer.
About 70% of vesicular fungal infections are accompanied by an allergic rash. Various bacteria and viruses begin to penetrate the ulcer. As a result, the disease becomes mixed, and identifying the original pathogen becomes more difficult. Therefore, you should consult a doctor as soon as the main symptoms appear: he can quickly identify the type of foot fungus and start therapy.
Moreover, this should be done immediately. First of all, before using antimycotic drugs, the acute process should be eliminated. It is better to entrust this task to a specialist: he can puncture the vesicle carefully, treat the remaining ulcer with two percent boric acid and use brilliant green or methylene blue solution.
Treatment of advanced disease involves the use of corticosteroid ointments. After eliminating the inflammatory process, it is recommended to use topical antimycotic agents. This will block pathogens. We continue to consider the name and type of foot fungus.
The first signs
Diseases of the skin of the feet are always accompanied by some general symptoms, the appearance of which indicates an infection of the skin with spores of dangerous microorganisms. You should seek help from a dermatologist in the following cases:
- the appearance of cracks or blisters on the skin in the folds of the legs or between the toes;
- significant roughness and thickening of the skin of the legs;
- redness of the skin area, peeling it;
- burning or itching.
Duration of treatment
Combined infection of the skin and nail plate requires recovery therapy for one to three months. This term is considered the standard for pharmaceutical products that are most effective from a medical point of view.
Pregnancy requires a charming visit to the doctor to choose a way to get rid of mycodine infection. Potent drugs and therapies that require the use of similar drugs are prescribed only under the supervision of a doctor with strict adherence to dosage. Many antibacterial tablets that effectively destroy fungi can cause significant harm to the fetus. Therefore, if possible, during pregnancy, patients are recommended to be treated using traditional medicine recipes. Many of them allow you to overcome the disease, but on the condition that the disease has not reached a complex level. Only classical medicine can help to cope with the advanced form.
Modern medicines allow you to fully restore your feet to health within two weeks, provided that signs of infection are detected in time.
Cause
Infection occurs for several reasons after direct or indirect contact of the patient with the carrier of the infection or his personal belongings, household items. Risk factors for tinea pedis include:
- leg circulation disorders and related diseases (varicose veins);
- weak general or local immunity;
- failure to comply with hygiene regulations;
- weaken the body's defense system after taking antibiotics;
- increased sweating of the skin of the feet;
- the presence of minor damage to the skin (scratches, scratches).
Treatment methods
In most cases, it is possible to completely get rid of the detected disease within a maximum of a month. This is a very important point in treatment, because itching, tissue damage and other manifestations disappear, patients sometimes stop treatment, believing that the disease has been defeated. But residual infection can easily trigger a relapse.
The treatment procedure should be stopped only after the doctor's permission and after passing the necessary tests. This is especially true for advanced forms of the disease. The fungus is "set" firmly in the body and sometimes it can take at least six months to get rid of it. But the external manifestations of foot fungus in the form of various damage to the skin or nails disappear earlier, creating the illusion of health. By stopping therapy in this case, the patient is almost guaranteed to trigger a relapse.
Foot treatment for mycoid infection is carried out comprehensively. To get rid of this disease, local antifungal drugs and tablets are used to eliminate infectious agents that have penetrated into the body. To eliminate itching, pain, brittle nails and accelerate tissue regeneration, certain drugs may be prescribed. It is not recommended to combine them independently with the main therapeutic group, so as not to provoke an allergic reaction or body poisoning due to the simultaneous use of incompatible drugs.
Treating toenail fungus in the early stages is quite easy. Usually, two weeks of therapy is sufficient to eliminate the symptoms of mycoid infection.
Types of mycosis
Only a dermatologist can accurately determine the type of fungus by visual inspection, the data of which is explained using laboratory tests. Depending on the causative agent of a fungal infection (yeast, mold, fungus of the genus Trichophyton or Candida) on the skin of the feet, there are several main types of the disease, which include:
- foot candidiasis;
- athlete's foot;
- trichophytosis (or rumbicosis) of the feet;
- onychomycosis (nail fungus).
Prevention
Simple preventive measures will significantly reduce the possibility of infection. You should use only personal items, and treat your nails with sterile tools. When visiting public places, such as baths, saunas, swimming pools, beaches, you should use your own shoes. By the way, try to choose it so that it is comfortable and allows your feet to breathe. You should worry about prevention first so that you don't have to deal with different types of toenail fungus later.
How to treat
Treatment of skin fungus on the feet is a long-term complex therapy, in severe cases including the use of systemic oral agents. For small lesions, emphasis is placed on local therapy using antibacterial and antiseptic agents. In the acute form of this disease, a warm bath is prescribed to relieve inflammation and remove dead skin cells. In some cases, it is necessary to treat the patient's shoes and clothes with a special compound to prevent relapse.
System Tools
Systemic oral agents are prescribed in case of ineffectiveness of local drugs and in severe forms of the disease. A course of oral antifungal drugs is indicated for fungal infections of the inner layer of the skin; they help not only treat the acute stage, but also prevent the disease from becoming chronic. The dosage regimen, course duration and dosage are selected by the attending physician.
Doctors recognize antifungal drugs for systemic use as the best means for the systemic treatment of foot fungus. They have an active fungicidal (destroying) and funginistic (suppressing bacterial reproduction) effect; their active components can accumulate in the upper layers of the epidermis, nails and hair. Before taking it, be sure to read the instructions for use, because this product has contraindications.
Local medicine
Therapy with topical drugs includes not only the use of antifungal creams and ointments, but also the use of special sprays, aerosols and lotions. The form of the medicine is recommended by a dermatologist, depending on the type of agent causing the infection, the severity of the lesions on the skin of the feet, the stage of the disease and the individual characteristics of the patient's body. The duration of treatment with local medicine can range from 2 weeks to 3 months.
For athlete's foot and other forms of mycoses on the skin of the feet, aerosols, suspensions for use on the skin, or solutions for topical use can be prescribed. The product is either applied directly to the skin damaged by the fungus, or a wet application soaked in a medicated solution is used. All necessary recommendations for use can be obtained from your doctor.
Antifungal ointment
When treating foot skin fungus, in most cases an antifungal ointment is prescribed, for example a cream with the active ingredient terbinafine hydrochloride or its analogues. Apply the medicine in the form of an ointment or cream to the dry skin of the heel or other areas of localized inflammation, previously cleaned thoroughly of dead epidermal cells and any other plaque. For various types of diseases, the treatment period can range from 2-3 weeks to 2-3 months.
Experts consider broad-spectrum ointment as an effective way to combat foot fungus of various forms and stages. The active component of the drug locally fights fungal infections, blocking the reproduction of pathogens. The ointment is used two to three times a day to wash the affected skin for several weeks or months, depending on the extent of damage to the skin.
People's recovery
The use of folk remedies is only possible with the consent of the attending physician. The main products for baths, compresses and applications against fungus on the skin of the feet are vinegar, propolis, baking soda, decoction of medicinal plants, and laundry soap. The following procedures are followed:
- Bathe with a solution of soda and salt. For 3 liters of water at a temperature of 36-40°C, use 3 tablespoons. l. salt and 3 tbsp. l soda. The duration of the procedure is 10-15 minutes; after showering, rinse your feet under warm running water. Used for acute forms of fungus for 7-10 days, twice a day.
- Lotion with herbal decoction. To prepare the decoction, mix dry oak bark, calendula flowers, and verbena leaves in equal proportions. To prepare a decoction of 3 tbsp. l. pour a glass of boiling water over the mixture and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes. Make a compress with the resulting decoction three times a day for 20-30 minutes.
The form is deleted
Mycosis of the suppressed form is almost invisible, the symptoms are minimal. These include: mild itching, burning, peeling like flour, microcracks located in the interdigital area. If you do not contact a specialist when the first signs of the disease appear, the pathology can develop into a form of onychomycosis, which is more difficult to treat. In this case, the peeled nail will grow back from one month to six.
Mycosis of the deleted form is treated with local preparations: ointments, creams, foams. They allow you to create a layer on the feet that will protect against infection by other infections. It is not recommended to wash your feet for 24 hours after using this medicine.
Only in severe cases, systemic therapy can be prescribed. The problem is that these drugs are toxic and have a negative effect on some internal organs, such as the liver. Accordingly, if there are effects from the use of local medicines, then it is better not to take pills.
Route of infection
Fungal spores remain viable in the environment for a long time, so it's easy to get sick in the most unexpected places. But the most suitable conditions for their development are warmth and high humidity. Because of this, people who visit the following are at risk:
- swimming pool;
- bath;
- sauna;
- fitness center;
- beach.
Fungus can appear on any object lying there, despite regular disinfection. Therefore, in such places you should avoid common objects and make sure you carry a spare pair of shoes with you.
Military personnel are at risk. Often, soldiers in the army wear uncomfortable shoes that do not allow air to pass through them. Because of this, the feet sweat, microtraumas appear, where the fungus penetrates.
There are two types of infection. The first is the direct route through direct contact with infectious agents while communicating with sick people, caring for animals, or walking barefoot on dirt and sand. The second - an indirect route leads to infection through objects belonging to infected people or pets.
Preventive measures
Preventing disease is always easier and safer for health than treating it, even using the most gentle methods. In the case of fungal infections, prevention is one of the mandatory norms of life, because it is very easy to get infected. Therefore, to reduce the risk of contracting this disease, it is recommended to follow some simple rules:
- try to eat healthy and eat as healthy as possible;
- do not use other people's goods and personal hygiene products;
- use basic protective equipment in public places, such as clean replacement shoes and antibacterial agents;
- wash your feet and change your socks regularly;
- lead a healthy lifestyle;
- Bathe regularly to improve foot health;
- Disinfect shoes regularly.
Prevention of fungal infections is important not only to prevent them, but also if the disease occurs. In this situation, compliance with hygiene and sanitation standards helps to speed up healing and prevent other people's fungal infections.