Fungus on the feet is a seasonal disease and is most manifested in the season of wearing closed shoes. Fungal infections of the feet do not attract as much attention as other types of fungi, such as fungus on the nails. This is because the foot is not visible if you do not look at it in particular. And the first, not strong manifestations, are attributed to everyday reasons.
The easiest way to get tested for foot fungus is to sniff your shoes! Bad smell is a sign of a fungal infection. Although the mushrooms themselves do not emit an odor, but their waste products. . . Plus waste products of microorganisms that have settled in wounds caused by fungal disease. And mostly they are staphylococci. All this together causes unpleasant odors of shoes and feet.
Combing the skin on the affected area leads to the spread of the infection!
When the feet are in warm, closed shoes for a long time, they sweat profusely. The fungus, which is not activated under normal conditions, once created in an ideal environment for itself, begins to actively develop. Therefore, another name for this disease appeared - "Sports foot". Fungal disease of the feet, and is caused by several types of fungi. And since athletes spend most of their time in tight closed shoes, they mostly suffer from this mycosis.
Athletic foot is quite common. It causes a fungal infection of the soles of the feet or the area of skin between the toes.
Such mycoses can occur with the appearance on the foot of one of the varieties of the parasitic colony of an infectious and highly contagious disease called fungus on the feet.
Fungal diseases that cause extensive skin lesions provoke various types of fungi, the nature of which is revealed in the study of analyzes.
How the fungus manifests
On the skin of the feet, the pathology is initially manifested on small areas that are prone to peeling, and then the stain spreads with uneven edges and the mycosis becomes more pronounced.
The manifestation of the symptoms of fungus on the feet can be both lightning and quite slow. Because it all depends on how strong a person’s immunity is and on the type of microorganism that brought this disease.
The types of fungus on the feet are quite different and manifest in their own way, but if a person has any pathological changes on the feet, then you should find out from an expert what the reason is. Mycologists will explain to you what a fungus is and teach you how to fight it.
What does a fungus on the feet look like?
The foot fungus is accompanied, in most cases, by an "athletic foot" - it looks like a barely noticeable dandruff skin. As the pathology spreads, the skin color becomes red and the changes become more noticeable. Further, foot disease looks like large areas with large scales of dry skin, sometimes the signs are located on one side, sometimes on both sides of the foot. The localization of the fungus on the foot is usually located at the bottom of the limbs, and the appearance of the limbs depends on the degree of development of the pathology.
Differences in species such as:
- very thick cornea on sole;
- the flakes begin to peel between the fingers;
- the skin is inflamed;
- the foot lesion also looks like a blister.
The fungus formed on the feet looks quite pronounced, so the person should notice certain manifestations and consult a doctor.
Causes of foot fungus
What to do if a fungus appears? To begin with, it is worth discovering the reasons for its appearance and thinking about where exactly the spores could pick up and why the body did not react properly.
About how the formation of athletic foot begins, about the reasons that precede the development of pathogenic flora, mycologists say the following: fungus on the feet can develop if a person uses socks or shoes of an infected person, and also does not wear slippers in places where masses pass, namely in publicbaths, saunas and swimming pools, because there is the most favorable soil for the bacterial front.
How to recognize fungus on the feet
The development of mycoses, a fungal disease, is provoked at a fairly high rate, and such manifestations develop especially quickly if there are concomitant chronic diseases. Foot diseases can be diagnosed independently, but in order not to confuse any skin abrasion with signs of fungus on the feet, it is worth carefully considering the condition of the cover, as well as the appearance of the skin under the toes.
Foot fungus is quite diverse in its symptoms, because the types of foot fungus are also not limited to just one, and each of them has its own characteristic manifestation.
What does a fungus look like on the foot
And what the skin fungus on your feet will look like will determine which species it is. So to speak, the mycelium will leave a "business card" upon arrival.
Sometimes people who have a history of such pathology and do not know about it, just see too dry a blanket on their feet, but think it should be so.
The general symptoms usually look like this:
- appearance of microcracks;
- mild itching, especially between the fingers;
- strong peeling;
- sometimes swelling and pain in places where erosion occurs;
- rarely, but bleeding occurs.
- deep cracks may appear.
How to cure fungus on the feet
Treating fungus on the feet is a long process, but if the preparatory phase is performed properly, that is, when the diagnosis reveals which pathogen is parasitic in the body, then therapy can be faster.
It is necessary to comprehensively treat fungi on the skin, applying both drugs taken internally and external medical pharmacological agents.
Athletic foot is treated by careful study of all affected areas, which should be facilitated by a course of treatment.
About how to treat the fungus, you need to consult with mycologists. They will be able to discuss in detail which medications are capable of coping well with the disease.
The treatment of foot disease can be divided into several parts. An important main task is to strengthen the most endangered areas and rehabilitate the areas affected by the disease. It is important to know that your feet must always be dry and clean:
- and shoes should also be made of breathable materials;
- cotton replaceable socks should become a good absorbent ingredient that collects moisture;
- after the feet have been in the shoes all day, they should be thoroughly washed and lubricated with a special agent prescribed by a doctor.
It is also good to use special powders that help keep the feet dry.
The next part of the treatment involves the use of antifungal drugs, such as:
- fats with a special composition;
- cream of a lighter texture than fat, meaning with a deeper angle of penetration from within;
- aerosols, whose smallest particles penetrate the most difficult places to access.
And although almost all pharmacological preparations intended for removing pathogens are sold in a retail pharmacy network without a special prescription, the advice of an experienced expert will not only not be superfluous, but will, on the contrary, help to have a complex effect on this disease.
The most common reasons why treatment does not work are primarily a disturbed treatment regimen and irregular use of funds.
There are also the following reasons:
- many patients do not understand the severity of the disease and do not accept the proposed treatment;
- about a third of patients do not go to specialists at all and use self-medication from time to time, which for obvious reasons does not bring relief;
- many patients do not believe that it is necessary to accurately diagnose the type of pathogen;
- many, as soon as the first positive results are achieved, stop treatment on their own.
How foot fungus is treated with folk remedies
You can also treat foot fungus with folk remedies at home.
There is one good tool, you can do it yourself.
Fat that destroys mycosis of the feet well:
- vinegar essence - 110 grams;
- one raw egg;
- butter - 200 grams (it is better to take a natural agricultural).
Peeling with absorbent ingredients from the kitchen shelf:
- soda;
- drunk coffee;
- ground rolled oats;
- rice flour.
Such components, introduced into the foam, can be excellent helpers when sanding the skin of the feet. They are great for exfoliating skin particles and freeing areas that need to be treated from unnecessary layers.
Anesthetic solution dressings.
The gauze bandage was soaked in an anesthetic solution and strengthened on the leg at night. In the morning, the bandage is removed and the affected areas are treated with a decoction of chamomile. Repeat for 7 days.
If you study the topic well, then foot disease can be treated with folk remedies, and skin fungus on the feet will pass without a trace, without the possibility of recurrence.
Consequences of advanced mycosis of the skin of the feet
Treatment of skin fungus on the feet should be comprehensive and timely, otherwise the following complications may occur:
- the parasitic elements themselves, as well as the products that remain after their vital activity, increase the risk of allergies in patients;
- the course of dermatitis can be complicated by the appearance of eczema and psoriasis;
- since the skin is severely injured, the infection penetrates unhindered into the lower layers of the epidermis and causes the appearance of lymphostasis.
In athletic feet, warts appear much more often and hyperkeratosis can occur.
Preventive measures
Fungus on the feet, or their appearance, can be prevented.
First, it is possible to use ointments and folk remedies as additional protection, and then the treatment of fungus, even if it occurs, will proceed according to a simplified scheme.
You also need to perform the following steps:
- eat as prescribed by a healthy lifestyle;
- respect hygienic procedures;
- strengthen the body's immune defenses;
- apply preventive precautions.