Treatment of foot fungus

Skin diseases of the feet are a very common pathology. Pathogenic bacteria cause disease, and it is transmitted from person to person. Often, a sick person does not know if there is a fungus on the skin of the legs, how to treat it, and whether it can be removed at home with folk remedies. There are many ways to get rid of signs of mycosis with the help of special drugs and old recipes.

What is foot fungus

An infectious disease that affects the skin is called a fungus. The most common type is mycosis of the feet. Fungal spores can live in ordinary shoes for a long time and adapt to all living conditions. The most common infections are platinum toenails and feet. Skin lesions do not pose a threat to life, but contribute to the development of cosmetic defects. If mycosis of the feet is not treated in the initial stage, it is later joined by other microbes in the form of mold bacteria or Candida fungi.

Symptoms of the disease

Treatment of skin fungus on the legs should be started immediately after the first symptoms appear, otherwise the disease will take a long time. Mycosis is characterized by peeling of the skin. This is due to the fact that the microbe penetrates deep into the layers of the skin, destroying them. Spots are formed on the nails (onychomycosis), between the toes (intertriginous form), which fill with liquid and crack, the sole heals with blisters (hyperkeratotic appearance). The reproduction of fungi in any layer of the epidermis is accompanied by an unpleasant odor and the following symptoms:

• burning, itching, accompanied by dry skin;
• floury peeling;
• nails darken, thicken, peel;
• In places of redness, erosive processes develop.

Treatment of foot fungus

Before using an antifungal agent, it is necessary to consult a doctor, because the pathology needs to be treated, depending on the type of pathogen and the duration of the disease. In advanced forms, foot mycosis is difficult to treat. How to get rid of foot fungus:

• localization of the disease by local therapy in the early stage: ointments, creams, solutions, poultices, baths, disinfection of footwear;
• systemic therapy in the later stage: use of drugs.

Systemic drugs are used in several ways:

1. Classic. Tablets are taken during the course every day.
2. Short. You can stop taking the medication before the healthy nail grows back.
3. occasionally. Therapy, which is performed in several courses at intervals equal to the duration of the course.
4. Pulse therapy. Taking tablets is combined with breaks that exceed the duration of the course.

In the advanced stage of the disease, the use of antifungal drugs is necessary. Systemic antimycotics are chosen on an individual basis, as these drugs have contraindications. When the first unpleasant symptoms appear, it is necessary to scrape the nail plate for onychomycosis and visit a dermatologist in order to establish the correct diagnosis and prescribe drugs for external and/or internal effects on the body. The most effective include:

Antifungal ointments

Many people have a question: skin fungus on the legs - what can be treated if the infection has manifested itself only in the upper layers of the skin. Today, in pharmacies, it is easy to find various antifungal ointments that differ in their mode of action and composition. The following topical preparations quickly treat early-stage clubfoot:

1. Zinc ointment. It has a good absorbent and astringent effect. It copes well with skin irritations and mycoses. It is applied 1-2 times a day to the site of the lesion and the area around it. The duration of therapy is 2-3 weeks.
2. Sulfur grease. An excellent remedy for the treatment of athlete's foot. Within a week of daily use, you can get rid of the disease. Sulfur grease has one drawback - it smells unpleasant. When buying, this fact should be taken into account.

Treatment of foot fungus at home can also be carried out with antifungal creams, which differ from ointments only in the substances that make up their composition.

In order to speed up the healing process, in addition to the main therapy, it is necessary to treat the fungus with the help of special antifungal varnishes. They differ from drugs with a similar effect due to their special texture. Antifungal varnishes are liquid and are applied directly to the platinum nail. The agent easily enters microcracks, maximally affecting the fungus. This is practical, because ointments and creams have a thick consistency, so they are easily removed with the slightest impact.

After applying the drug, mycosis pathogens die after 8 hours. You can use the medicine under decorative varnishes 1-2 times a week - this does not reduce their effectiveness. The duration of treatment is until the complete disappearance of onychomycosis. List of the most popular antifungal varnishes:

In the case of mycosis of the feet, baths with baking soda should be done daily, preferably before going to bed. The procedure should last at least 15 minutes. Baking soda is a substance that negatively affects the vital activity of a fungal infection, so it is part of many medications that help with athlete's foot. To treat fungi, you need warm water at a comfortable temperature of 40 C-45 C. Soda is diluted in a ratio of 2 tablespoons. spoons per 2 liters of water.

Before the procedure, it is necessary to wash the feet well with laundry soap and remove the keratinized layer with pumice stone or sandpaper. You also need to process the nail plates, cut off the free edge of the nail and remove the white plaque under it as much as possible with a nail file. After the procedure, the legs should be carefully wiped with a towel, without rinsing, then treated with an antifungal agent prescribed by the dermatologist.

Folk remedies

The most effective folk remedy for foot fungus is vinegar. It creates an acidic environment that prevents the spread of yeast bacteria. As a result of exposure to vinegar at home, the pathogen quickly loses access to food sources and dies. It is better to apply applications immediately after bathing. To do this, a cotton pad is moistened in a 9% solution of acetic acid and applied to the area affected by the fungus for 15 minutes.

Another effective folk remedy against Candida fungi is the external use of hydrogen peroxide. First, it is recommended to bathe with a soda solution, then soak a piece of cotton wool with a 3% peroxide solution and apply it to the affected area of the skin, putting clean socks on top. It is necessary to keep the application up to 60 minutes 2 times a day until complete recovery.

Prevention

In order to recognize the problem in time, you should know what the fungus looks like. To do this, it is better to ask this question in advance by looking at photos on the Internet. Then you have to listen to the dermatologist's advice, what you should do to avoid getting foot fungus:

• after visiting the beach, swimming pool and other public places you should wash your feet well;
• when the feet sweat, the risk of fungal infection develops, so you have to stop wearing socks and closed shoes for a long time;
• in order not to become infected with pathogenic microflora, it is not necessary to give personal hygiene items, clothes or shoes to others;
• you should take care of your toes regularly: get a pedicure, trim ingrown nails.

How to treat foot fungus

Learn how to treat toenail fungus, as this is a contagious disease that can affect the nails. Fungus not only looks ugly, but also harms health. This condition cannot be started, it is urgent to take measures for treatment.

What is recommended for the treatment of skin fungus on the legs

To treat trichophytosis, it is necessary to wipe the skin with iodine. In case of severe inflammation, it is recommended to make lotions.

In addition to all that, it is advisable to use vitamins, especially ascorbic acid.

It is better to choose vitamins for the period of treatment, because the body needs support.

If the skin is affected by the fungus Candida, then corticosteroid creams, hydrocortisone, will be needed.

Symptoms of this pathology

Fungi on the skin most often appear in older people, after 50. But we must not forget that the disease is contagious, even the younger generation can have this disease if they do not follow certain rules.

Some signs of skin fungus include:

In the case of a lesion, the first signs are visible in the area between the fingers. From there, the fungus grows all over the leg. It often covers the nails as well. Usually athlete's foot affects both feet. If the form is acute, then blisters appear, which then fester, wounds appear.

Redness is observed on the skin, it becomes very thick. In addition, there is also an unpleasant smell of the feet, not only after wearing shoes. The legs seem to start burning, and the pain intensifies when walking. The skin can peel, there is severe dryness.

The fungus spreads in the following way. Redness appears on a small area of skin. Over time, it begins to peel, and the affected area expands.

In the initial stage, a person is practically not concerned about anything, only appearance. Then there are already painful sensations. The fungus spreads quite quickly.

Complex treatment of diseases

Treatment of skin fungus on the legs should be carried out not only by applying means directly to the affected areas, but also by taking medicines inside.

To choose a medicine, first of all, you should consult a doctor. When treatment begins, it is preferable to exclude other drugs. During the treatment period, the doctor should check the patient's condition and regularly perform skin scrapings to determine how the treatment is progressing.

The full course of treatment lasts at least three months. First, the first phase of treatment, lasting a week. After that, a break of two weeks is made, after which the treatment is continued.

This is necessary to avoid relapses. They happen often, especially if the immune system is not strengthened. When it weakens, the first signs of fungus immediately appear on the skin.

It is necessary to combine treatment. In the morning, it is recommended to use the ointment, and in the evening to take the medicine inside. You can also use creams and solutions several times a day.

Apply the product with rubbing movements. If there is no noticeable improvement after two weeks, then stronger drugs are prescribed. Every movement should be careful, because it is very easy to damage such skin.

Proven fungus pills

A strong medicine is prescribed for all types of fungus. Take the tablet once and only after a meal. It quickly penetrates the body and immediately starts the fight against infection.

The main thing when taking pills is not to increase the amount yourself. This will help to avoid overdose and side effects. Tablets are best combined with ointments or gels. One pill rarely achieves the desired effect.

Drops and solutions

Drops are very effective in the fight against fungi. They first destroy infected cells, after which they protect uninfected ones. In addition to removing the cause of the infection, the drops remove inflammation and itching.

Drops are best used as an additional element of treatment. Fungus is a serious disease that cannot be cured with a single drug. Drops will work best in the initial stage, when the development of the fungus is not too extensive.

Choosing the best folk remedy

Sometimes medicines cannot improve the condition.

In such cases, you can resort to proven folk methods:

1. Coffee. This drink is useful not only for internal use, but also as a tincture for baths. Pour hot water over strong insoluble coffee and immerse your feet in this medicine. Coffee will relieve pain and inflammation, remove overgrown skin layers. It will also perfectly help restore the condition of the epidermis after recovery.
2. Wine vinegar. This tool is an excellent antiseptic and a tool in the fight against bacteria. At night you can use the following method. Keep clean woolen socks in vinegar for half an hour, drain well, then put them on your feet and cover them with a blanket. By doing this procedure in the evening, you can notice a visible effect in the morning.
3. Juices. You can wipe the skin affected by the fungus with gauze dipped in lemon or onion juice. These medications may cause a burning sensation at first, but this will go away after a few minutes. Because of this, the number of bacteria decreases, the fungus will not progress. You can try another treatment with ready-made tomato juice. You must choose juice only without salt, so that it does not pinch the skin.
4. Herbal decoction. Boil calendula, verbena and oak bark in water. You can keep your feet in this decoction or use it as a lotion. The components are easy to find in the pharmacy, the effectiveness of such a collection will be equal to expensive drugs. It can be used every day, morning and evening.
5. Rye flour. After a foot bath, it will be useful to rub rye flour into the affected areas. It is able to absorb all bacteria and free the skin from diseases. The main thing is to rub in a small amount.
6. Antiseptics. A mixture of baking soda and laundry soap will become a household antiseptic. All this must be dissolved in warm water. Pour the resulting mixture into a basin and leave your feet to clean for half an hour.

Alternative treatment methods are useful because they have no side effects and all the ingredients are natural ingredients.

What to do if the nail fell off

Nail problems with fungus indicate a neglected disease state. The nail darkens, begins to peel, becomes thinner, and then pulls away from the skin.

This condition is divided into several types:

Onychosis can be recognized by the fact that the nail peels across, kaylonchinia - the nail peels in the middle.

Onychomodesis is when the nail peels only at the base. This is the most difficult case, because then inflammation occurs.

It is important to ensure that the nail does not fester, because then it can be completely lost. When a man's nail is torn off, he doesn't notice it at first. Only in case of infection, pain and inflammation occur.

The following symptoms will indicate that nail peeling is caused by fungus:

• a void is formed under the nail;
• the nail acquires a yellow tint;
• strong itching appears, but you should not tear the fragile nail;
• the manifestation of pain occurs only in advanced cases of the disease.

When such a problem occurs, it is important to constantly treat the affected nail with an antiseptic, because it is open to various microbes.

You must follow the following scheme. When you peel off the top with sterile scissors, cut off the edge. The cut site is treated with an antiseptic. After that, prepare a bath with sea salt and keep your feet for ten minutes. Lubricate the cut with a healing agent.

You should stop painting your nails and masking the problem, it will only make the condition worse. It is also very important not to wear tight shoes. You have to make sure that the nails are not too long, because then the shoes will squeeze them and eventually they will break.

On the feet, the fungus spreads quite quickly, so in a few days it will move from one nail to another.

Disease prevention

Avoiding the problem of yeast infection is not difficult. You have to follow some rules, then your health will be fine.

The first rule to remember is that you cannot wear someone else's shoes. After all, one can be infected with a fungus. He tries to stay in his shoes.

You can even try on shoes in the store with just socks. You must wash your feet with soap and water every day, especially in the evening, after wearing shoes for a long time. Shoes should always be chosen according to the weather.

It is impossible to wear warm shoes in too hot weather, because the foot begins to sweat, and in a humid environment the development of fungi increases significantly. It is important to choose socks only made of natural materials, wear them no more than once, because after wearing them they are full of bacteria.

In any pharmacy you can find foot disinfectant sprays that you should use if you need to wear shoes all day. When visiting the pool, it is better to bring a change of shoes and not walk barefoot on the tiles. This advice is also followed in the sauna.

Treatment should be started at the first symptoms of fungus. This disease does not go away by itself. It should not be a secondary action to boost the immune system.

The skin on the feet should be taken care of. When corns appear, get rid of them immediately. If your feet suffer from excessive sweating, you should use special foot deodorants. All cracks and open wounds on the legs should be treated immediately and constantly disinfected.

When getting a pedicure, it's important to make sure all tools are disinfected, especially if you're doing it in a salon. If someone in the family has fungus, it is necessary to wash the floors well and take a shower. You only need to put on slippers and dry yourself with an individual towel.

Fungus on the skin of the feet is a disease that is better not to face. It differs in that it takes a long time for treatment, as well as a long recovery afterwards.

A person who gets sick from a fungus after an illness has a huge risk of getting infected with it again. To protect yourself from it, you need not only to get proper treatment, but also to take preventive measures afterwards.