How to Treat Foot Fungus

Foot mycosis or fungal infection is a pathology that occurs in 40% of people. There can be many causes of infection: from violation of hygiene rules to the development of serious internal and systemic diseases. Onychomycosis can be cured with medications and folk methods, but it must be diagnosed beforehand and consulted by a dermatologist.

How to identify foot fungus

As foot mycosis progresses, dermal tissue becomes damaged. The first symptoms of this disease are not obvious and are therefore generally considered normal roughness and irritation of the skin on the legs.Despite the prevalence of this pathology, not many people know how to identify foot fungus. Foot mycosis occurs 3-5 days after infection. The longer the fungus takes to progress, the more pronounced its symptoms will be.Symptoms of fungal skin infection on feet:

• In the earliest stages, patients will notice severe peeling of the skin, which is not completely eliminated even with standard foot treatments and the use of ointments;
• The itching gradually starts to bother you and gets worse every day and causes severe discomfort;

• Along with itching, there is a sour odor, which occurs when fungi appear on the skin; with a strong sweaty odor (increased sweating due to dysfunction of the subcutaneous glands);
• The color of the skin on the feet also changes, with the epithelial cells in the affected areas taking on an unnatural color: blue, green or even gray-black (in advanced cases).

Onychomycosis (fungal infection of the nail plate) often occurs with foot fungus, so the patient's nails may begin to break, deteriorate, and become discolored. In rare cases, overall health may worsen (increased body temperature, persistent weakness and apathy plague you).

important!The stage and type of fungus cannot be determined independently, so if you suffer from a skin disease, you must see an experienced specialist.

Why is foot fungus dangerous?

Many people who suffer from foot fungus don't take it seriously, thinking the disease will go away on its own, or they struggle to get rid of the infection until it causes unbearable pain.

notes!Podiatry is characterized by fungal infections that are contagious, and because people often walk without shoes, sufferers put a large number of people at risk for infection.

Foot mycosis does not cause life-threatening complications, but if the disease is not treated, complications may occur:

• The disease transforms into a chronic form;
• decrease in immunity;
• Increased risk of other skin lesions.

Dermatologic complications include:

1. allergy;
2. The rash spreads locally or regionally;
3. Generalized skin lesions;
4. Formation of papules, erythema, and eczema.

Complications can occur in patients who neglect treatment for foot fungus. If treatment is started promptly, the disease is eliminated without any consequences.

What causes foot fungus?

Foot fungus occurs due to infection. Fungal spores can sustain life even without contact with the skin.Before answering what causes foot fungus, it should be noted that experts have identified several categories of people who are susceptible to fungal infections.

• decrease in immunity;
• Have vascular disease;
• Violation of hygiene rules.

When it comes to foot fungus, the most common causes of infection are:

1. Diseases related to immune deficiencies;
2. Rarely change socks and wear low-quality shoes;
3. Going to public baths (without paying attention to personal hygiene);
4. Onychomycosis;
5. Increased sweating of the feet.

One of the factors that contribute to the development of foot fungus is the psychosomatic nature of the disease. Experts confirm that violations of the psycho-emotional state significantly affect the immune system, weakening it. A weak immune system is unable to fight off fungi, so the risk of developing fungal diseases increases.

Is tinea pedis contagious?

Experts in the field of dermatology have proven that podiatry is a disease that occurs when the skin of the feet comes into contact with fungal spores.A hallmark of this type of infection is that the spores can survive on any surface for long periods of time. Furthermore, fungal spores can remain dormant for years even on the skin of the feet and can be activated when favorable conditions arise.What poses the greatest danger is the ability to keep the infection active in the spore state for many years. It is impossible to completely prevent infection. Fungus grows in moist environments, so maintaining hygiene standards is the most effective way to prevent infection.

important!Given how foot fungus spreads, you should also consider the risk of infection among people who come into contact with the patient, especially those who live with the patient.

How is foot fungus spread?

Fungal infections are spread through household contact. The primary way infection occurs is when spores attach to healthy skin on the feet.How is foot fungus spread? There are two types of fungal foot infections.

1. Direct: foot contact with an infected surface, contact with a patient's feet, contact with an animal whose fur contains spores.
2. Indirect: contact with personal belongings of patients with fungal diseases (socks, shoes, towels, etc. ), contact with care products of infected animals.

60% of cases were infected while visiting public places (saunas, bathing pools, beaches, etc. ). There are also dangers when performing pedicures if the items used in the salon are not handled properly.

Types of foot fungus

Depending on how foot fungus spreads (which area the spores attach to), different forms of infection may occur.Dermatologists identify the main forms of foot fungus, which vary depending on the location of the affected area.

1. Crossed fingers. Fungal diseases affect the skin between the toes. With this form, two stages can be distinguished: intertriginous and squamous. Most of the time, the infection becomes chronic because the area between the fingers is most favorable for the reproduction of fungal spores.
2. soles of feet. The epithelial layer of the soles of the feet is affected by fungal diseases. It is characterized by severe keratinization, cracking and exfoliation of tissue.
3. sweating disorder. The most painful form of foot fungus involves the formation of blisters and bubbles on the soles of the feet, which when the blisters burst, can lead to secondary infection.
4. Deep mycosis. With deep mycosis, a large area of the foot is infected and the infection penetrates deep into the skin.
5. Onychomycosis. This form may be a cause or consequence of dermatomycosis of the legs. When you have onychomycosis, the nail plates on your feet become infected.

The most common pathological form is interdigital lesions. However, deep-seated and hyperhidrosis mycoses, which are difficult to completely cure, are considered dangerous.

interdigitated form

With interdigital fungus, symptoms appear after 2-3 days. Then the signs of infection became more and more obvious. In its early stages, identifying foot fungus on your own is nearly impossible. The symptoms of this disease are similar to those of insufficient moisture in the feet.

notes!In the case of infectious lesions of the feet, interdigital fungus of the feet in children is diagnosed in 70% of cases. Children move around a lot and spend a lot of time outside, often without shoes or socks.

How do you know if fungus is present, given that symptoms of the disease are not typical in the first few days? In folk medicine, there is a special method that helps to identify the infection in its initial stages: put the foot in a solution of manganese and wait for 20 minutes.If the color of the entire skin changes after surgery, but the area between the fingers remains the same color, it is likely that pathogenic microorganisms are present in the dermis.

Stages and their manifestations

Interdigital mycosis progresses in three stages. Each has its own performance characteristics. The more advanced the infection becomes, the more pronounced the symptoms will become. Gradually, the disease brought not only discomfort but also painful torture.

Early stage

In the initial stages, patients begin to suffer from peeling skin between the toes on their legs. The area of plantar tissue from the little finger to the ring finger is more affected.

How does the squamous hyperkeratosis stage manifest?

In the squamous hyperkeratosis stage, the process of keratinization and exfoliation of affected epithelial granules begins on the foot surface. The skin around the affected area becomes red, and there is an increase in burning and persistent itching.During the intertriginous stage, there is significant swelling between the fingers, and the keratinized areas become eroded and may begin to suppurate. Symptoms from the previous stage worsen.

Sweating difficulty stage

During the difficult sweating stage, blisters will form and the lesions will increase in size and spread further along the foot. Fungal infections can also affect nails.Interdigital fungus should not appear on the feet; treatment should be initiated as soon as it is suspected. In this way, serious complications leading to the risk of suppurative infection can be avoided.

How to Treat Foot Fungus

Dermatologists explain how to get rid of foot fungus. Because there are many types of fungal infections, there may be many nuances to the treatment of the disease. A specialist will diagnose and individually determine what toenail fungus found in the patient is afraid of.For fungal infections of the feet, there are two approaches:

• medicinal;
• folk

Medication is the mainstay of treatment. Treatment at home with folk remedies can have an additional effect on the pathological process and eliminate symptoms.Treatment of fungal diseases can last for several months. It is impossible to eliminate the disease within a few weeks.

Medication method

When choosing an antifungal medication, consider more than just how to cure foot fungus quickly. Some drugs only eliminate signs of disease but do not destroy the spores located deep within the epithelial layer. Incomplete treatment of fungal diseases can quickly lead to recurrence.

ointment

You can treat onychomycosis at home using topical products. Ointments are effective in the early stages of the disease; in the advanced stages, they are used in conjunction with tablets. Dermatologists recommend ointments containing antiseptic, anti-infective and regenerative substances for foot fungus.Symptoms and treatment of fungal infections are interrelated, since the purpose of using antifungal creams is to eliminate signs of pathology and jointly provide an antifungal effect.

important!The effectiveness of topical medications is apparent in the first stages of treatment, however, in cases of severe foot lesions, the use of ointments alone may not be enough.

pill

Systemic antifungal drugs are moderately effective. The dose of active substance in tablets is usually much higher than in ointments. The advantage of the tablet form is that it is more effective and not only eliminates the infection but also prevents recurrence.If you are treating foot fungus at home, you can take medications, but they have contraindications and should only be taken after consulting your doctor.

important!Tablets are contraindicated during childhood, lactation and pregnancy.

Antifungal drugs rarely cause side effects and have few contraindications, allowing you to overcome fungal diseases in the shortest possible time.Additionally, to treat fungus, ointments, solutions, or sprays can be used in conjunction with taking tablets.

traditional healing methods

There are many ways to get rid of foot fungus using folk remedies. Considering how foot fungus spreads, we can conclude that home treatments should aim to eliminate the infection from the surface of the feet. Folk remedies also have anti-symptomatic properties.

notes!Folk remedies are not a substitute for medical treatment. Alternative medicine is only recommended as a complementary therapy.

According to reviews, methods for getting rid of foot fungus will help you get the most results.

vinegar and hydrogen peroxide

Vinegar and Hydrogen Peroxide - Pharmacy hydrogen peroxide is mixed with alcohol and vinegar. Everything is in equal proportion. Dip a cotton swab into the resulting solution and use it to fully treat the skin of the affected area of the foot. The course of treatment lasts for 1 month. This procedure should be performed every morning and evening.

celandine juice

Chelidonium juice - after the preparatory process of cleansing the skin of the feet, make a bath liquid. After that, they started using celandine juice. When freshly picked, the plant exudes sap from the stems, which eliminates skin infections. Chelidonium juice is used to treat all affected areas of the feet for a period of one month. This product should be used 2 times daily.

soda bath

Soaking your feet with baking soda has preventive and therapeutic effects. Place your feet in a container with two liters of water with two tablespoons of baking soda dissolved in them and soak them for a quarter of an hour. Afterwards, do not wash your feet, just dry them with a towel. Bathing should last for at least two weeks.Of course, it is up to the patient himself to decide how to treat foot fungus with folk remedies or medicines, but it is better to choose a combination of treatments, which will allow you to achieve quick and long-lasting results in the fight against fungal diseases.Knowing how foot fungus spreads, patients should understand that treating the condition starts with prevention. If preventive measures are not taken, foot fungus may reappear. To prevent recurrence, it is necessary to maintain hygiene, strengthen your immune system, and follow your dermatologist's treatment recommendations.