If a person has fungus on their feet, it is important to start treatment in a timely and adequate manner. The fact is that the fungal disease of the skin of the feet is contagious, and if they do not start fighting the disease immediately, all members of the patient's family are at risk of infection. The treatment is prescribed by a doctor, depending on the type of pathology, the degree of skin damage, as well as the general condition of the person.
Causes of foot fungus
When it enters the skin of the feet, the fungus does not always cause mycosis, and in order for the first symptoms to appear, negative factors must affect the human body. The following negative causes affect the development of mycosis:
- weakening of the body's immune system;
- use of heavy and toxic drugs;
- non-compliance with the rules of foot and toe hygiene;
- the presence of cracks, wounds and scratches on the toes and feet, through which fungal spores can enter the body.
Places of fungal infection are wet floors of swimming pools, bathtubs and showers in gyms.
Fungal infection enters the body in a contact-domestic way, when an adult or child comes into contact with a sick carrier or objects that are inhabited by fungal spores. Often, foot fungus can be picked up in public places - locker rooms, showers, swimming pools, on the beach. The disease can also pass when someone else's shoes are worn, on which pathogen spores live. Failure to follow basic hygiene rules leads to unwanted consequences caused by fungal pathologies of the feet and nails. The wearer may not always be able to detect in time that he has a fungus on his foot, because the symptoms occur only in a combination of unfavorable circumstances. But such a person is still contagious, and this is dangerous for loved ones who are also at risk of contagious infection.
Symptoms and types
Mycosis of the feet is of the following forms:
- quasimous;
- dyshydrotic;
- intertriginous;
- onychomycosis;
- candidal.
Squamous
The initial symptoms of the fungus of this form can be found only on one leg, however, with the progression of the pathology, the manifestation is observed on the other leg. The disease looks like a skin defect on which inflammation forms, covered with peeling. Squamous foot fungus is not always characterized by itching and discomfort, so for many this disease goes unnoticed and is impossible to diagnose without laboratory tests.
If the fungus on the feet does not heal in time, the infectious lesion spreads to the lower legs, then it will be much harder to deal with the problem. Also, fungi can be localized on calves, however, these complications are rare.
Dyshidrotic
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 and reach a diameter of 10 mm. Once the rash opens, it hurts, and erosion occurs in its place. Damaged areas hurt, there are cases of bacterial inflammation. After the skin in the affected areas heals, the disease turns into a squamous form. In dyshidrotic variety, the skin on two feet is rarely affected, if timely treatment is not started, a neglected form develops in which the phases of remission alternate with exacerbation.
intertrigous
Intertriginous or interdigital foot fungus 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 fingers is most commonly affected. The disease manifests itself in the form of the formation of dead, scaly areas that peel off from the normal layer of the epidermis.
If you do not provide timely help, then the areas that are peeling begin to moisten, the patient feels pain and itching. Furthermore, wounds and erosions are created in the affected areas that are difficult to remove.
If you do nothing and ignore the symptoms, the disease turns into a chronic form, which is prone to frequent relapses.
Onychomycosis
The disease is characterized by the fact that the fungus is localized on the nails and fingers. First, the toenail fungus manifests itself in the form of a lesion on the free edge of the nail, on which spots and streaks of yellowish hue are formed. There are the following types of fungus on nails and fingers:
- Hypertrophic. The nail plate becomes thickened, yellow, easily destroyed. The affected finger skin is visible under the damaged foci.
- atrophic. The nail thins, is quickly destroyed, and the dermis beneath it becomes keratinized.
- Onychomycosis caused by fungi. The nail plate thins, 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 pathogenic yeast-like fungi, whose name is Candida. The foci of inflammation are often localized on the skin between 3 and 4 or 4 and 5 fingers. The tissues in these places become inflamed, edema develops, and a bacterial complication is often associated.
Candida fungus is a type of microorganism that infects a person's mucous membranes and outer skin. Candida is usually present in the human body in limited quantities. However, with a decrease in immunity, it can show increased activity, causing discomfort to the patient.
If the fungus is not removed in the initial phase, pustules, cracks and erosions are formed, which are difficult to get rid of even with the help of strong medicines.
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 will often, after the first visual examination, be able to determine the pathology. If skin pathology appears suspicious or does not go away with treatment for a long time, a blood and urine test will need to be done, as well as undergo an additional diagnostic study to help determine the types of pathogens and their susceptibility to antifungal drugs. To do this, a piece of dermis is taken from the damaged 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, in order to differentiate and prescribe the correct treatment, laboratory tests are performed.
To cure foot fungus and prevent recurrence, it is necessary to contact a healthcare professional for advice and undergo diagnostic measures. If the diagnosis is made correctly, you can start therapy that uses drugs of systemic and local action.
It is effective to treat in the unstarted stage, and then in the period of therapy you can find the means for external use in the form of creams, ointments and sprays. It is also possible to treat foot fungus and home remedies. If the disease has affected the deep layers of the dermis and the nail plate, it is recommended to use a systemic medicine to fight the fungus.
Treatment with folk remedies is effective only in combination with the use of drugs, otherwise the disease threatens the development of dangerous complications.
Drug treatment
An effective and efficient medicine must be prescribed by a doctor. If you self-medicate and ignore the advice of experts, you can cause serious complications that the most effective medicine will not be able to deal with immediately.
Therapy with folk remedies
Treatment of foot fungus folk remedies at home should be agreed with your doctor. It is important to know that strong medicines are used to treat foot and nail fungus, and the use of folk remedies is allowed as an adjunct therapy, because it is ineffective to fight the disease on your own at home. There are various recipes that use medicinal herbs that have antimicrobial, disinfectant and wound healing properties. Folk remedy for fungus is 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 chamomile, plantain and succession herbs. Mix the ingredients, taking 1 tbsp each. l. Pour everything into a sherpa and pour 1 liter of boiling water, boil and simmer for up to 10 minutes. After the soup, strain and wash the affected hands, feet and other parts of the body before going to bed. The essence of the procedure is to be performed regularly, then this method will be effective and help in faster healing of fungi.
- 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 bowl with the raw materials and let it stand for one day. In the evening, apply an infusion compress to the affected areas.
Prevention
The best preventive measure in the fight against fungi that can prevent the disease is to strengthen the protective properties of the organism. This method is cheap, but the most efficient and most effective. Medicinal and alternative methods of treatment must be agreed with the doctor, any self-medication can cause dangerous complications, which are then much harder and longer to deal with.