Best Ways to Treat Foot Fungus at Home

Fungal infections or dermatomycoses are diseases caused by various types of fungi. In terms of frequency of skin lesions, it ranks second after pyoderma. Due to its physiological properties, the fungus most commonly affects the feet of the lower limbs. Many people try to get rid of the unpleasant symptoms on their own and look for ways to quickly cure foot fungus at home.

route of infection

Fungus on the feet affects the cuticle of the skin and its appendages - the nails. The occurrence of disease depends on the pathogenicity and virulence of microorganisms, environmental factors and human health status. With the same clinical manifestations, the causative agents can be different types of fungi. Spores are very stable in the external environment (high and low temperatures) and retain the ability to infect for several years.Foot fungus is easy to get infected, but you have to fight it for a long time, tenaciously using various methods and means. Foot infections occur when pathogenic spores come into contact with the skin of healthy people. Main routes of infection:

• The quality of disinfection of equipment in the pedicure room is poor.
• General shoes, hygiene products (towels, washcloths).

Causes of fungal foot infections:

• Rooms with high temperature and humidity: bathhouses, saunas, swimming pools, gyms,
• Increased sweating on the feet,
• Whether there are abrasions and micro-cracks on the skin,
• Does not meet health standards,
• Systemic overheating or hypothermia of the legs,
• diseases related to circulatory system diseases,
• Endocrine disorders caused by metabolic disorders (obesity, diabetes),
• decrease in immunity.

fungal infection symptoms

There are several types of clinical foot fungal infections.

1. A form of erasure where there is mild itching, burning, dryness, and peeling of the spaces between the fingers.
2. Squamous. Extensive lamellar peeling occurs in the interdigital folds of the plantar area. The course of the disease is longer - painful cracks, itching.

3. If the squamous stage is left untreated, the intertriginous form will develop. The process begins with the stratum corneum of the skin between the fingers becoming congested, moist and loose. When the impregnated areas are separated, the eroded surface is revealed, surrounded by fragments of softened epidermis. The procedure involves the area near the toes and soles of the feet. A person may experience pain when walking and may develop secondary purulent infection.
4. Hyperkeratosis. Areas that form dry nodules and bluish-red patches covered with dense scales. They are clearly demarcated from healthy skin and peel along the perimeter. They are located on the sole of the foot, moving to the side of the foot and into the interdigital folds. This form may appear as yellowish calluses with cracks in the top layer. Symptoms: Mild itching, chapped, dry skin.
5. Sweating disorder primarily affects the soles of the feet. Clinical images are complemented by large bubbles with tight lids. The rash may be single or multiple. The blisters may coalesce together, forming cortices, or open to expose erosions. As the disease progresses, areas of erosion develop, and when pressure is applied to them, severe pain occurs.

A typical symptom of weeping mycosis is an unpleasant odor on the feet.

Folk remedies treatment

People suffered from fungal diseases long before the invention of antifungal drugs, so traditional medicine has accumulated extensive experience in treating such lesions in the country. Still, it's unlikely that you can quickly deal with fungus on your own without consulting a doctor and using specific antifungal medications.Most folk remedies used to treat fungus are substances that dry out the top layer of skin, causing severe peeling of the epidermis while removing fungal spores.

It is impossible to recommend one of the fastest ways to get rid of this disease to everyone. Much depends on the pathological stage, fungal type, individual characteristics of the patient's skin and concomitant diseases.

The combined treatment method has good curative effect.

iodine

To treat foot fungus, the drug is used in the form of an alcoholic solution. Iodine is not only a powerful preservative, but also an oxidizing agent that can destroy the shell of mushrooms and cause denaturation of their constituent proteins. This causes the microorganisms to die quickly.How to apply:

• Pour 3 tablespoons of the iodine solution into a container with 5 liters of hot water (40°C). Soak your feet for 20 minutes. Course - 7 surgeries every other day,
• Dilute the alcoholic solution of iodine 1: 1 with vodka. Use this mixture to care for your skin after washing your feet every day before going to bed. The process takes 5-10 days, depending on the severity of symptoms.

Before starting treatment, it is necessary to test for the presence of allergic reactions.. To do this, place a drop of iodine on the inner surface of your forearm. If you notice no changes in your skin after 24 hours, you can begin treatment.Contraindications:

• Personal iodine intolerance,
• thyroid disease,
• Sensitive skin can be easily burned.

hydrogen peroxide

Upon contact with the skin, under the action of catalase, hydrogen peroxide decomposes and releases atomic oxygen, a strong oxidizing agent.

Free oxygen has bactericidal and antifungal properties. In addition, in the area where hydrogen peroxide acts, conditions are created that are not conducive to the survival of fungi.

Soak a cotton pad in a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution and leave it on the affected area for 10 minutes. If a strong burning sensation occurs, flush the affected area with running water and lubricate it with vegetable oil. The application period is morning and evening, a total of 5 days.Hydrogen peroxide acts as an antiseptic, preventing fungi from multiplying and spreading to adjacent areas and reducing unpleasant odors.

Celandine

Traditional healers use herbal medicine to treat skin conditions. Celandine is rightfully considered one of the best. It is a poisonous plant, so any handling should be done with rubber gloves.

1. Put 2 tablespoons of dried celandine ingredients into a container with 200 ml of water, boil over high heat for 10 minutes, drain, and add the soup to the bath water. Place your legs in the basin for 20 minutes. The procedure is performed every other day.
2. Chelidonium tincture is prepared as follows: add 1 tablespoon of dried celandine inflorescences to 200 ml of vodka. Infuse in a cool, dark place. After 14 days, strain and use to treat foot fungus, lubricating the affected area twice daily.

Concentrated celandine juice should not be used on erosive lesions - this may cause deep burns to the skin.

Celandine oil is a mixture of freshly squeezed juice and petroleum jelly in a ratio of 1: 4. The medication should be applied to the affected area 2 times a day until it heals.

Vinegar: Apple, wine, vinegar essence

The mechanism of action of vinegar in the treatment of foot mycosis is based on the fact that fungi cannot survive in an acidic environment. Its use is effective against the initial symptoms of the disease, when the pathological action of the pathogen is limited to superficial layers.A 9% vinegar solution is used to lubricate the inflamed dermis and apply. For extensive lesions, the following method can be used: Lubricate healthy skin well with baby cream and place socks soaked in a vinegar solution on the feet..In the morning, wash your feet with warm water and dry them.Original Antifungal Ointment is formulated with natural 9% acetic acid and eggs. Place 250ml vinegar and 2 fresh eggs in a glass jar. After 3-5 days, the shell dissolves under the action of acid. The yolks and whites denature and become solid. They should be ground with vinegar and stored in the refrigerator. Lubricate fungal lesions until symptoms disappear.

Do not try to use vinegar to remove fungus, as it is an acid that will not only cause surface burns on the skin, but will also penetrate into the germ layer of the dermis. This can lead to complications such as scarring on the legs or skin conditions that don't heal long-term.

Soap and soda bath

The gentlest way to treat fungus is to use a soap or soda foot bath. They soften the upper stratum corneum of the epidermis, thus facilitating deeper penetration of other fungicides (tar, apple cider vinegar, iodine) into fungal colonies.Grate half a bar of laundry soap and dissolve it in 5 liters of hot water. Pour into a basin, add 100 grams of baking soda and put your feet into the liquid. Continue this process for 10 minutes, then rinse your feet and dry them thoroughly. The next step is to treat the prepared skin with an antifungal agent.One comprehensive treatment is a foot bath with sea salt or table salt and baking soda.The salt solution has antiseptic and antiseptic properties. To prepare it you need:

• Add a tablespoon of salt and baking soda to your foot bath.
• Continue this process for 30 minutes, then dry your feet. The course of treatment lasts 5-7 days.

Birch tar and tar soap

You can use birch tar to eliminate the uncomfortable symptoms of fungal skin infections on your feet. Its antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties are used not only by traditional healers, but also by official medicine (Vishnevsky ointment). To treat fungus, birch tar can be purchased in pharmacies. How to apply:

• After soaking your feet with soap or soda, trim your nails, apply the ointment and tar to the affected area, and lie down for 1-2 hours to allow it to be fully absorbed.
• Put the socks on your feet and do nothing for 2-3 days. Then wash your feet with cold water and repeat the treatment.

You can use tar soap, which contains 10% tar. Dissolve two tablespoons of crushed tar soap in 2 liters of hot water and soak your feet for 20 minutes. Then soap the limbs and sprinkle baking soda over them. Wrap the foot with a bandage, put on socks and leave it overnight. In the morning, wash your feet with water. The course is designed to last one week.

onions, garlic, lemons

You can use the antiseptic properties of onions and garlic to treat fungus. Crush the vegetables into a pulp, apply it to the sore area, and secure it with tape and polyethylene. Compression continues into the morning.Lemon juice aids the transition of fungal processes to the nail plate. Cut the citrus into slices, apply to the affected area, and secure with plastic wrap and a bandage. The course of treatment is 10 days.

Other methods

Two months of kombucha shots help eliminate the fungus. Boil the liquid for an hour, strain it, and use it in compresses and lotions. It is recommended to steam your feet in hot water with iodine or potassium permanganate before going to bed.Good results can easily be achieved if you remove the film from the kombucha, knead it and apply the resulting pulp to the sore area for a few hours, or better yet, overnight. This procedure must be repeated daily for at least one week.Decoction:

• marigold,
• blackberry fruit,
• verbena,
• Oak bark.

Pour three tablespoons of the ingredients mixed in equal proportions into a cup of water and boil for 15 minutes. After cooling and draining, decoct the soup, wash the skin, and apply externally. Leave the liquid-soaked bandage on the affected area for 20 minutes. Since this method is safe, it can be used without restrictions.Ammonia is used to treat onychomycosis. Add 50 ml of ammonia and 2 tablespoons of baking soda per liter of warm water. The process lasts for 25 minutes, then wash your feet with cold water and dry them well.

It is difficult to permanently cure fungus using folk remedies. Home remedies can often reduce the severity of symptoms. If treatment is stopped, the disease may reactivate.

Removing the fungus is especially difficult if someone in your home is sick because all family members are at high risk of infection because of the close contact between the family members. Numerous reviews of people confirm that it is possible to cure the fungus only with the strictest observance of all hygiene standards and preventive treatment.If, despite all measures, the fungus cannot be removed, the disease progresses, takes over more and more new areas, and secondary infections in the form of ulcers develop, you must consult a doctor for qualified help.