Foot fungus is a common name for several types of dermatomycosis, which differ in the location and type of fungus. There are four main groups of foot mycoses:
- skin of interdigital spaces;
- toes;
- toenails (onychomycosis);
- skin of the lower extremities.
What is mycosis of the feet?
If we look at the statistics, in our country foot fungus is diagnosed in almost twenty percent of the population. Fungal infections live freely in the environment and sometimes we do not even realize that we may be carrying the disease.
Under certain favorable conditions, some of the nearly five hundred species of fungi that exist in nature experience a "moment of resurgence. "They multiply rapidly, forming numerous colonies and spreading spores to new areas of the skin.
The waste products of mushrooms are toxic. As a result of poisoning, the entire body can suffer.
Mycosis of the feet is caused by microscopic fungi:
- dermatophytes;
- yeast;
- moldy;
- candid.
Prerequisites for the appearance of foot fungus:
- visiting a swimming pool, sauna, bathhouse, gym, any place where you have to move barefoot and there is also a risk of illness during work;
- wearing someone else's shoes;
- dermatological diseases (neurodermatitis, psoriasis, eczema);
- chronic organic diseases;
- diabetes mellitus (diabetic foot) and other endocrine disorders;
- flat feet with big toe deformity;
- increased sweating of the skin of the feet (hyperhidrosis);
- decreased body defenses, especially in people with nail fungus (onychomycosis);
- uncontrolled use of antibiotics, hormones and anti-allergy drugs;
- Lesions on the skin of the feet in the form of cracks, hardness and calluses.
What do foot fungus look like?
The disease manifests itself depending on the type of fungus that has "infected" the skin of your feet and the exact place where it is located.
Most often, the symptoms of the disease (desquamation, scales, severe itching) occur with the addition of an inflammatory process due to scratching.
Fungal infection of the skin and nails of the foot has two forms: acute and chronic. In the acute form, recovery usually occurs within a few days (taking into account the adequacy of the prescribed medications). The chronic form is not completely cured; alternates between relapses and remissions. Its treatment aims to soften the symptoms of the disease.
Important! As soon as you suspect the first signs of foot fungus, run to the doctor! Do not self-medicate, delaying the spread of the infection. The longer it takes to visit a specialist, the longer the treatment will be.
Foot fungus between the toes
The infection, as a rule, first affects the interdigital folds (especially the narrowest ones, between the third and fourth fingers).
Signs of interdigital fungus on the feet:
- thickened skin is dry;
- grooves and even calluses form;
- the skin on the feet cracks and peels;
- Pain and debilitating itching appear.
It happens that the fungus is hidden and manifests itself only by the formation of small cracks between the fingers, slight peeling and slight itching. The patient does not seek help from doctors for a long time, and only when crying occurs does he begin to worry.
The exudative (wetting) form of foot fungus is:
- intertriginous, which occurs as diaper rash;
- Dyshidrotic - with a blistering appearance;
- mixed - interginous-dyshidrotic.
The most dangerous form of fungal infection is considered to be vesicular fungus on the feet or Dyshidrotic mycosis.
It is characterized by the formation of painful vesicles (large blisters) that merge and form large erosive areas without any skin coverage. As it develops, erosion constantly increases in volume. The fluid inside the blisters is very contagious. It can infect all family members at once.
The foot, being practically skinless, is also at risk of "catching" a serious purulent infection. Recovery is delayed at least three or four months. The site of localization is usually the skin of the instep of the foot, a little less often - the skin between the toes, and less often - the skin on the surface of the heel.
Toe fungus
An untreated fungus "crawls" from the interdigital space to the nearest fingers. In principle, all the characteristic symptoms of fungal infection of the interdigital folds are also inherent in the skin of the toes: severe itching, etc. They cause a lot of inconvenience.
As a result of endless scratching, the skin on the fingers thickens, becomes inflamed and becomes bright red. Persistent swelling, pustules and blisters appear. A pustular rash usually forms as a result of a bacterial infection.
Almost always, the process that occurs on the skin of the fingers or between them extends to the nails.
Onychomycosis or nail fungus
The main causative agent of the disease is dermatophytes and at least fungi of the genus Candida. The appearance of the nail and the sensations with onychomycosis are not the most pleasant.
Signs of the disease:
- deformation and separation of the nail;
- pain when walking;
- the appearance of cloudiness and a yellowish tint on the nail;
- significant thickening of the nail plate;
- nail destruction.
Important! Onychomycosis contributes to the transition of any fungal disease into a chronic form. Do not delay visiting the doctor, because fungal spores can spread further to the extremities: legs, thighs and even buttocks, abdomen and chest.
Fungus on the feet: causes and symptoms of the disease in a child.
Fungus appears on children's feet for several reasons:
- endocrine disorders;
- uncomfortable, ill-fitting fake leather shoes;
- improper functioning of the gastrointestinal tract;
- dirty, untrimmed toenails;
- negligence of personal hygiene rules when visiting baths and gyms;
- flatfoot.
Most often, the fungus affects the skin of children in the spaces between the fingers. Symptoms: peeling, thickening of the nail plate tissue, severe itching. Small erosions and ulcers appear, inflammation of the skin of the foot.
Diagnosis of foot mycosis.
The correct treatment of foot mycosis, as well as its diagnosis, can only be carried out by a dermatologist.
What a doctor should do when diagnosing foot fungus:
- detailed examination of the patient's foot;
- collect anamnesis (a survey is carried out on the symptoms of the disease, as well as the presence or absence of chronic diseases, heredity);
- scrape the affected skin or cut off a piece of deformed nail;
- a special test to confirm the presence of a fungal infection in the body as a whole;
- sow the material in a nutrient medium (if necessary);
- skin biopsy (a small piece of affected skin is cut off) to be examined under a microscope (done in exceptional cases);
- General and biochemical blood test.
To get tested correctly you need:
- do not use antifungal agents without a doctor's prescription;
- do not treat the affected skin with anything at least three days before the test;
- It is advisable to only use baby soap without additives;
- do not carry out manipulations to remove nails for a week;
- do not take medications;
- if possible, do not smoke;
- Before taking a blood test, do not drink coffee, lemonade, or alcohol.
How and with what to treat foot mycosis.
The treatment prescribed by the doctor is usually complex and consists of tablets and topical products (creams, ointments, sprays). Treating foot fungus with home remedies should not be ignored. They will be able to accelerate the healing process of injuries. It is impossible to name an effective remedy that can be used for foot fungus, because during treatment it is important to obtain an antifungal effect, eliminate concomitant pathologies and improve blood supply to the feet.
The following have an excellent therapeutic effect:
- A broad-spectrum antifungal is an excellent remedy for foot fungus. It is the basis of many antifungal drugs. For local use only. Effective as an ointment, cream, lotion, spray. The ointment should be applied in a thin layer to clean, dry soles of the feet three times a day. It is best to use one or two months after treatment.
- A product (lotion) to restore and protect the nail plate in case of fungal infection. This spray has proven to be effective against foot fungus. It mainly serves to prevent fungal diseases. It contains undecylenic acid, which forms immunity against fungal nail diseases. The spray is very easy to apply. It is used on the inner surface of shoes to disinfect them. But a patient with onychomycosis still needs to be treated not only with this, but also with other antifungal drugs.
- Antifungal medication for systemic use."Soil" kills fungi of all types. It is used in the form of tablets, cream, spray and solution for oral administration. For adults, the tablets are prescribed for two weeks and taken twice a day. Soil fungus cream Foot skin is rubbed into damaged areas twice a day. The duration of treatment can range from a week to a month and a half.
- Antifungal antibiotic. The drug inhibits the proliferation of fungi. Available in the form of tablets, oral suspension and ointment. The ointment is indicated for use only in cases where the nail is not affected by fungi of the Candida genus. .The tablets are taken for three months. The first month, once a day, the second and third, every other day. The dosage is prescribed by the doctor. The medication ends when healthy nails grow back.
- Antifungal drug. It has a high degree of activity against all groups of fungal organisms that can cause foot fungus. It is available in suppositories and tablets, but is used to treat fungal infections in the intestines and female genital organs. It is recommended to apply the ointment once or twice a day for up to a month.
How to treat foot fungus at home.
It is possible and necessary to treat a fungal "infection" at home, but only after consulting a doctor and having with you the test results and an individually selected set of special medications. Traditional medicine also treats foot fungus, but it is usually used only as an additional treatment:
Baking soda is used for foot fungus as a softener (for sore nails). Place your feet in a soda solution (prepared at the rate of one teaspoon per liter of warm water) for 7 to 9 minutes. From cotton we form a plate corresponding to the size of the nail. Soak a cotton ball in a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution and place it on a soft nail. Wrap the compress in plastic wrap or place it on your fingertip. Keep the cotton swab on the nail for 45 to 60 minutes. We repeat the manipulation twice a day. If you feel burning, rinse your finger with water. You will see the effectiveness of the procedure in four days.
Treating foot fungus with wine vinegar is a simple and inexpensive remedy. At night, wash your feet with warm water without soap and place them in a container with a strong wine vinegar solution. After five minutes, wipe your feet and put on socks previously soaked in this solution. The procedure has a disinfecting effect. A simple recipe for home treatment is a bath with instant coffee. Prepare strong coffee in the necessary amount of water. The drink is allowed to cool a little and the feet are steamed. Regularly, twice a day, unpleasant foot odor is eliminated and mycosis is "expelled. "
Rules for caring for personal belongings during illness:
- sneakers must have a closed toe and heel;
- you can't walk barefoot;
- shoes should be treated with antifungal agents twice a day, for example: a 40 percent acetic acid solution;
- wash personal items separately from others;
- Wash bathtubs, sinks and shower stalls with disinfectant solutions after use;
- Daily wet cleaning of the apartment and ventilation of the room is required;
- daily change of socks;
- After recovery, get rid of old underwear, shoes, and medications.
Prevention of foot and nail fungus.
To the question "How not to get sick? " the answers are simple:
- maintain personal hygiene;
- follow a dairy and vegetable diet, eat more vegetables and fruits;
- abandon bad habits;
- control your emotional state, be careful with stress;
- participate in physical education and outdoor sports.