If a person has fungus on the feet, it is important to start treatment promptly and adequately. The fact is that the fungal disease of the skin of the feet is contagious and if you do not start fighting the disease immediately, all members of the patient's family are at risk of infection. Treatment prescribed by a doctor will depend on the type of pathology, the degree of damage to the skin, as well as the general condition of the person.
Causes of foot fungus
When it gets on the skin of the feet, the fungus does not always cause mycoses and for the first symptoms to appear, the negative factors must affect the human body. The following negative causes affect the development of mycosis:
- weakening of the body's immune system;
- the use of heavy and toxic drugs;
- non-compliance with the rules of hygiene of the feet and toes;
- the presence of cracks, wounds and abrasions on the toes and feet, through which fungal spores can enter the body.
Places of infection with the fungus are the wet floors of swimming pools, bathrooms and showers in gyms.
The fungal infection enters the body through household contact when an adult or child comes into contact with a sick carrier or objects that are inhabited by fungal spores. Often the fungus on the feet can be taken in public places - changing rooms, showers, swimming pools, on the beach. The disease can also be transmitted by wearing foreign shoes on which the pathogen spores live. Failure to follow basic hygiene rules leads to side effects that provoke fungal pathologies of the feet and nails. The carrier may not always be able to understand in time that there is fungus on the feet, as the symptoms appear only in a combination of adverse circumstances. But such a person is still infected and this is dangerous for loved ones, who are also at risk of infectious infection.
Symptoms and types
Mycosis of the feet has the following forms:
- quasi-name;
- dyshydrotic;
- intertriginous;
- onychomycosis;
- candidate.
Squamous
The initial symptoms of fungus of this form can be detected only on one leg, but with the progression of the pathology, a manifestation of the other leg is observed. The disease looks like a defect of the skin, on which inflammation is formed, covered with peeling. The squamous fungus on the foot is not always characterized by itching and discomfort, so for many this disease goes unnoticed and is impossible to detect without a laboratory test.
If the foot fungus is not cured in time, the infectious lesion spreads to the shins, then it will be much harder to deal with the problem. Also, the fungus can be localized in calves, but these complications are rare.
Dyshydrotic
The first signs of fungus on the feet of this form are characterized by the formation of bubbles on the arch of the foot, which gradually increase in size and reach a diameter of 10 mm. Once the rash opens, it hurts, and erosion occurs in its place. The places of damage hurt, there are cases of bacterial inflammation. After the skin of the affected areas heals, the disease turns into a squamous form. With dyshidrotic diversity, the skin of both legs is rarely affected, if timely treatment is not started, a neglected form develops, in which the stages of remission will alternate with exacerbation.
intertrigogenic
Intertriginous or interdigital fungus of the feet is the most common form of skin disease.
This type of foot fungus is considered to be the most common. The skin between the 4th and 5th toes is most often affected. The disease manifests itself in the form of the formation of dead, scaly areas that exfoliate from the normal layer of the epidermis.
If you do not provide timely help, the scaly areas begin to get wet, the patient feels pain and itching. In addition, wounds and erosions form on the affected areas, which are difficult to eliminate.
If you do nothing and ignore the symptoms, the disease progresses to a chronic form that is prone to frequent relapses.
Onychomycosis
The disease is characterized by the fact that the fungus is localized on the nails and toes. First, the fungus on the toenails manifests itself in the form of a lesion on the free edge of the nail, on which spots and streaks with a yellowish tinge are formed. There are the following types of fungus on the nails and toes:
- Hypertrophic. The nail plate becomes thickened, yellow, easily destroyed. The affected skin of the finger can be seen under the damaged foci.
- atrophic. The nail thins, breaks down quickly, and the dermis beneath it keratinizes.
- Onychomycosis caused by fungi. The nail plate becomes thinner, its color becomes black, brown, yellowish or green. The disease is a complication of the previous 2 types of pathology.
candida
The fungus infects the skin between the toes, without proper treatment leading to bacterial infections.
This type of disease is caused by a yeast-like pathogenic fungus called Candida. Outbreaks appear to be exacerbated during pregnancy and between 3 and 4 or 4 and 5 fingers. The tissues in these areas become inflamed, edema develops, and bacterial complications often join.
The fungus Candida is a type of microorganism that infects the mucous membranes and outer skin of a person. Candida is usually present in the human body in limited quantities. However, with reduced immunity, it may show increased activity, causing discomfort to the patient.
If the fungus is not removed in the initial stage, pustules, cracks and erosion form, which are difficult to get rid of even with the help of powerful drugs.
Diagnostic methods
In order for the treatment of foot fungus to be effective, it is important to identify the pathogen and make an accurate diagnosis. To do this, it is worth visiting a doctor, who often after the first visual examination will be able to determine the pathology. If the skin pathology appears suspicious or does not go away with treatment for a long time, it will be necessary to perform a blood and urine test, as well as undergo additional diagnostic testing to help determine the types of pathogens and their sensitivity to antifungal drugs. . To do this, a piece of dermis is taken from the affected area and examined under a microscope. To check for malignant cells in the tissues, samples are taken from the damaged areas for biopsy.
What to treat?
There are many fungal diseases to differentiate and prescribe the right treatment, laboratory tests are performed.
To cure foot fungus and prevent recurrence, you should contact a medical professional for advice and undergo diagnostic measures. If the diagnosis is made correctly, you can start therapy that uses drugs with systemic and local effects.
It is effective to treat in an unstarted phase, after which during the period of therapy you can deal with means for external use in the form of creams, ointments and sprays. It is also possible to treat fungus on the feet with home remedies. If the disease has affected the deep layers of the dermis and nail plates, it is recommended to use a systemic drug to combat the fungus.
Folk remedies are effective only in combination with the use of drugs, otherwise the disease threatens the development of dangerous complications.
Medication treatment
An effective and efficient medicine must be prescribed by a doctor. If you self-medicate and ignore the advice of a specialist, you can provoke serious complications that the most effective remedy will not be able to deal with immediately.
Folk remedies therapy
The treatment of foot fungus with folk remedies at home should be agreed with the doctor. It is important to know that for the treatment of fungus on the feet and nails are used powerful drugs, as an adjunct therapy is allowed to use folk remedies, as it is ineffective to fight the disease alone at home. There are various recipes that use medicinal herbs that have antimicrobial, disinfectant and wound healing properties. Folk remedies for fungus are affordable and inexpensive, but which home method is better to use and what recipe is appropriate in a particular case, you should consult a doctor. The best recipes are below:
- Decoction with herbs from chamomile, plantain and herd. Mix the ingredients, each taking 1 tbsp. Pour everything into a saucepan and pour 1 liter of hot water, bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. After the broth strain and wash the affected hands, feet and other parts of the body before bedtime. The essence of the procedure is to perform it regularly, then this method will be effective and will help to speed up the treatment of the fungus.
- Infusion of onion and St. John's wort. Peel an onion and cut it into 4 parts. St. John's wort must be dried. Pour onion and 50 g of St. John's wort with 2, 5 liters of boiling water. Wrap the container with raw materials and leave to infuse for a day. In the evening, apply a compress of the infusion on the affected areas.
Prevention
The best preventive measure in the fight against fungi, which can prevent the disease, is to strengthen the protective properties of the body. This method is cheap, but the most effective and efficient. Medication and alternative treatments must be agreed with the doctor, any self-medication can provoke dangerous complications, which are then much more difficult and longer to deal with.