Skin mycoses are a common group of diseases.
Patients do not always take them seriously enough, which leads to advanced pathological forms that are difficult to treat. Fortunately, there are many ways to get rid of fungal infections on your feet and get rid of nasty diseases like fungal infections on your toes and feet.
Mycosis of the skin between the fingers - how does the disease occur?
Skin mycosis is an infectious disease caused by fungi that parasitize the skin. It can appear anywhere on the body. But they prefer more skin layers. The gaps between the toes are their favorite place. This is due to frequent sweating of the legs and lack of time for moisture to evaporate in tight shoes. Therefore, the gaps between the fingers are often wet and damp. And these conditions are what the fungus needs to reproduce. It is not uncommon for fungus to enter the indentations between the fingers from infected nails.
Help develop skin disease:
- inadequate foot hygiene, overheating or hypothermia;
- increased tendency to sweat;
- poor blood circulation in the legs associated with heart disease, smoking, diabetes;
- stress;
- incisions in the skin of the callus and feet;
- vitamin and mineral deficiency in the body (primarily zinc);
- trophic ulcers of the foot;
- hormonal imbalance and thyroid disease;
- overweight;
- extremely dry skin.
However, in most cases, if a person has healthy immunity, the fungus does not develop between the toes.
The disease is more common in men because they wear tight shoes. Fungus on the legs can be seen not only in adults but also in children.
In 90% of cases, skin mycoses between the toes are caused by the activity of three species of fungi from the group of dermatomycetes - Trichophyton, Microsporum, Epidermophyton. Also, the skin in the interdigital space is often affected by fungi of the genus Candida.
Often, the infection first develops in the space between the two smallest fingers. However, other digital gaps may also be affected. After being on the skin, it actively multiplies on the fungus. The remnants of the stratum corneum of the skin act as food for microorganisms.
Skin infections can be transmitted from person to person. For this, a simple contact of the skin of the feet with the surfaces with fungus is enough. Transmission of the pathogen can occur with the help of someone else's shoes, socks, common towels and a wet floor in the shower. It is necessary to pay attention to personal hygiene, use only personal belongings. Individual or disposable slippers and flip-flops should be used in swimming pools, showers, baths and saunas.
Often skin disease is caused by the same shoes, pedicure, socks, towels, walking barefoot at home, and so on. It is transmitted from one family member to another.
Symptoms of a fungal infection on the skin of the feet.
Symptoms of mycosis of the feet in the early stages:
- itching and burning, worse at night;
- dryness;
- peeling of the skin;
- small cracks.
With the development of the disease, the symptoms intensify, itching and burning become unbearable, causing scratching and irritation of the skin, the cracks deepen. The skin of the feet becomes rough. Pains appear, there is an unpleasant odor, edema and hyperemia, part of the epidermis, which does not pass even after washing.
Then bubbles filled with serous fluid appear. After opening them, purulent ulcers remain on the skin that do not heal. It is associated with a bacterial mycotic infection.
Peeling of nails, abscesses may appear. A complication of foot mycosis can be the penetration of the fungus into the bloodstream and the spread of the infection throughout the body. At the same time, body temperature rises. Gangrenous lesions in the legs can also develop. Cardiovascular disease, immunodeficiency and diabetes mellitus complicate the course of skin diseases.
A skin examination may not be enough for a doctor to diagnose mycosis of the feet. It is often necessary to analyze the composition of the skin microflora. To do this, a shave is taken from the affected surface. The fungus can be found on the skin without any visible signs of infection.
There is also a popular method to determine the presence of a fungus in the leg. To do this, you need to put your foot in a bath of potassium permanganate. If there is no fungus on the skin, it will turn pink and the affected areas will turn white.
How to get rid of fungus between the toes?
It is very easy to get an infection on your skin, but it is more difficult to get rid of it. Mycoses of the skin are always treated at home, but this will definitely help the patient with a completely independent treatment. In any case, a doctor's consultation is required.
There are many antifungal drugs that effectively kill fungi. However, the success of treatment depends largely on the stage of the disease. If it goes too far, it will be difficult to get rid of the infection. At the initial stage, external antifungal drugs are used. If the disease persists, doctors recommend treatment with systemic means. Terbinafine, itraconazole, fluconazole are often prescribed in tablet form.
Popular antifungal agents:
- nystatin,
- fluconazole,
- ketoconazole,
- clotrimazole,
- terbinafine,
- naftifine,
- miconazole,
- itraconazole,
- natamycin.
Some antifungal ointments also contain anti-inflammatory substances.
The method of application of all ointments is the same - it should be applied regularly to the affected areas of the skin with a thin layer. Some ointments are enough to use once a day, others should be applied more often. Antifungal sprays sprayed on the affected area are more comfortable than ointments.
Treatment with antifungal ointments can be lengthy. Some types of ointments can get rid of the infection after 2 weeks. However, with severe damage, the treatment period can last up to 3 months. Doctors recommend applying the ointment at least 2 weeks after the onset of visible symptoms of the disease. Once every six months, the toes should be lubricated with ointment for prophylactic purposes.
In addition, systemic antifungal medications can be used with severe infections. However, there is a long list of contraindications and side effects. In particular, tablets for fungi are contraindicated in pregnant women. Also, many skin ointments are contraindicated during pregnancy. If you need to use such local preparations, you should consult a doctor. Not all medications are allowed in childhood. Therefore, you should look at the instructions for the selected tool. Some drugs can be used from 2 years, others from 12 years.
A specialist must choose the right medication. The use of the wrong antifungal drugs will not only free the patient from pathogenic microorganisms, but can also lead to the development of resistance in them (especially if the patient is constantly re-infected). Toxins secreted by many fungi suppress local immunity, which contributes to the development of infection.
In addition, vitamin and mineral complexes are obtained. If the disease is complicated by a bacterial infection, the doctor prescribes antibiotics, but if there are signs of allergies, antihistamines are prescribed. Anti-inflammatory ointments, salicylic, sulfur, ichthyol and zinc ointments may be added to the treatment.
Salicylic ointment:
- has antiseptic properties,
- prevents keratinization of the skin,
- Promotes regeneration of epidermis,
- prevents the spread of infection.
Zinc ointment contains lanolin, menthol, zinc oxide. Zinc ointment has disinfectant properties, promotes skin renewal, eliminates itching and burning.
Sulfur ointment has anti-inflammatory, emollient and disinfectant properties. Ichthyol ointment has keratolytic, anti-inflammatory, bactericidal effect. In addition, ichthyol ointment promotes tissue renewal.
Do not forget about foot hygiene. Avoid tight, uncomfortable shoes, synthetic socks and stockings, and change padding regularly. Shoes should be disinfected with antifungal sprays. Indeed, if the patient's skin is constantly infected with new parts of the fungus that live in the shoes, the treatment will have no effect.
Fungus between the toes: treated with folk remedies at home
Treatment with pharmaceuticals does not always give the desired effect. Therefore, people turn to folk remedies. This approach is also understandable, as many synthetic antifungal ointments and sprays are not cheap at all. Treatment with folk remedies can be carried out in addition to treatment with pharmacy skin ointments.
The simplest folk remedy to get rid of the fungus are salt and soda baths. To prepare the trays you need 2-3 tablespoons of salt or soda per 5 liters. su. Water temperature - + 40-45 ° CP The duration of the procedure is 15-20 minutes.
One of the best home remedies is an herbal bath with antiseptic properties. It can be chamomile, sage, calendula, nettle, St. John's wort. You need 2-3 tablespoons to prepare the bath. Insist in a glass of boiling water with vegetable materials (you can take a mixture of different herbs), strain and add to a 5-liter jar with water for the bath. The water should be warm, but do not burn the skin of the feet. The duration of the procedure is 15-20 minutes.
Baths with a solution of potassium permanganate also help many people with fungus on the skin of the feet. You only need a few grains of potassium permanganate to make a light pink solution. You can moisten cotton wool pieces with a solution of potassium permanganate and glue them between your fingers.
Boric acid is also effective in treating the disease. You can use both liquid boric acid and powder. You can add acid to the baths and treat the affected areas.
You can also use a slightly warmed 9% table apple cider vinegar solution for the trays. The procedure takes 15 minutes. You can also make vinegar lotions.
Another recipe is iodine baths. To prepare the solution, it is enough to dilute 20 drops in 3 liters of warm water. The duration of the procedure is 15 minutes, the course of treatment is 2-3 weeks.
After the water procedures, the skin should be cleaned of keratinized and scaly tissues. It is recommended to take baths at least once a day, preferably at night.
You can also use garlic ointment, pharmacy anti-dandruff shampoos with antifungal components, chlorhexidine lotions and hydrogen peroxide to treat mycosis of the feet.
Prevention of skin mycoses of the toes
The disease occurs as a result of non-compliance with the rules of personal hygiene. It is therefore necessary:
- do not use pedicure tools, towels, slippers, socks and shoes of others, do not allow strangers to use shoes, socks, hygiene products;
- observe foot hygiene, wash the skin daily with soap, carefully treat the gaps between the figures;
- trim your nails regularly;
- wear comfortable shoes and socks made of breathable fabric;
- change socks regularly, wear socks washed at a temperature of at least +40 ° С;
- Exercise to improve blood circulation in your legs.
What is the fastest treatment?
It is impossible to say unequivocally which vehicle is the fastest and best. After all, the effectiveness of therapy for a fungal skin disease depends on many factors - the severity of the pathology, the level of immunity, the presence of co-morbidities. Some patients are helped by traditional methods, while others are helped by pharmaceutical ointments. It is important not to start the disease and start treatment at the first signs. It is also important to identify the type of pathogen. To do this you need to see a doctor. Maybe you will find the best option for the drug.