Skin mycoses are a common group of diseases.
Patients do not always take them seriously enough, which leads to advanced forms of pathology that are difficult to treat. Fortunately, there are many ways to get rid of fungal infections on your feet and get rid of nasty disease like fungal infections of your toes and feet.
Mycosis of the skin between the fingers - how does the disease occur?
Mycosis of the skin is an infectious disease caused by fungi that parasitize the skin. They can appear anywhere on the body. But more often than not, they choose skin folds. The spaces between the toes are their favorite place. This is due to the fact that the feet often sweat, and in tight shoes the moisture does not have time to evaporate. Therefore, the spaces between the toes are often wet and damp. And these conditions are just what the fungus needs to reproduce. It is not uncommon for the fungus to enter the indentations between the fingers from infected nails.
Contribute to the development of skin disease:
- inadequate foot hygiene, overheating or hypothermia;
- predisposition to increased sweating;
- poor blood circulation in the legs associated with heart disease, smoking, diabetes mellitus;
- stress;
- calluses and cuts on the skin of the feet;
- lack of vitamins and minerals (mainly zinc) in the body;
- trophic ulcers on the legs;
- hormonal imbalance and thyroid disease;
- mbipesha;
- incredibly dry skin.
However, in most cases, fungus between the fingers does not develop if the person has healthy immunity.
The disease is more common in men, due to the more frequent wearing of tight shoes. Foot fungus can appear not only in adults but also in children.
Mycoses of the skin between the fingers in 90% of cases are caused by the activity of three types of fungi from the group of dermatomycetes - Trichophyton, Microsporum, Epidermophyton. Also, often the skin in the interdigital spaces is affected by fungi of the genus Candida.
Most often, the infection initially develops in the cavity between the two little fingers. However, other inter-digital spaces may also be affected. Once in the skin, the fungus actively multiplies on it. The remnants of the skin layer of the skin serve as food for microorganisms.
A skin infection can spread from person to person. For this, a simple contact of the skin of the feet with the surfaces containing the fungus is enough. Pathogen transmission can occur with the help of someone else’s shoes, socks, shared towels, and a damp floor in the shower room. It is necessary to carefully monitor personal hygiene, use only personal items. In swimming pools, showers, baths and saunas, personal and disposable slippers and flip-flops should be used.
Often, a skin disease is transmitted from one family member to another, using the same shoe items, pedicure, socks, towels, walking around the house with bare feet, and so on.
Symptoms of a fungal infection on the skin of the feet.
Symptoms of foot mycosis at an early stage:
- 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, lead to itching and irritation of the skin, cracks become deeper. The skin of the feet becomes rough. Pain appears, an unpleasant odor that does not pass even after washing, edema and hyperemia, there is a detachment of the epidermis.
Then bubbles filled with serous fluid appear. Once opened, incurable non-healing ulcers remain on the skin. A bacterial joins the mycotic infection.
Nail flaking, 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, the body temperature rises. Gangrenous lesions of the feet may also develop. Cardiovascular disease, immune deficiency conditions and diabetes mellitus complicate the course of skin disease.
To diagnose foot mycosis, it may not be enough for a doctor to examine the skin. It is often necessary to analyze the composition of the skin microflora. For this, a scraping is taken from the affected surface. The fungus can be found on the skin even if there are no obvious symptoms of infection.
There is also a popular method for determining the presence of a foot fungus. To do this, you need to put your foot in a potassium permanganate bath. If there is no fungus on the skin, then it will turn pink, and the affected areas will become white.
How to remove fungus between the fingers?
Getting an infection on your skin is very easy, but getting rid of it is much harder. Mycoses of the skin are always treated at home, but this does not mean that the patient will definitely be helped by a completely independent treatment. In any case, a doctor's consultation is required.
There are many antifungal drugs that effectively kill the fungus. However, the success of treatment largely depends on the stage of the disease. If it has gone too far, it will be difficult to get rid of the infection. In the initial stage, external antifungal drugs are used. If the disease is already functioning, then doctors recommend treatment with systemic means. Most often, terbinafine, itraconazole, fluconazole are prescribed in the form of tablets.
Known antifungal agents:
- nystatin,
- fluconazole,
- ketoconazole,
- clotrimazole,
- terbinafine,
- naftifine,
- miconazole,
- itraconazole,
- natamicina.
Some antifungal oils also contain anti-inflammatory ingredients.
The method of applying all the oils is the same - they should be applied regularly to the affected areas of the skin with a thin layer. Some oils are sufficient to be used once a day, others require more frequent application. Antifungal sprays that can be sprayed on the affected area are even more convenient than oils.
Treatment with antifungal oils can be lengthy. Certain types of oils can get rid of the infection after 2 weeks. But with major injuries, the duration of treatment can last up to 3 months. Doctors advise to apply the oil at least 2 weeks after the obvious symptoms of the disease have passed. And once in six months, it is necessary to lubricate the toes with oils for preventive purposes.
Also, with severe infection, systemic antifungal drugs may be used. However, they have a long list of contraindications and side effects. In particular, fungus pills are contraindicated in pregnant women. Also, many skin ointments are contraindicated during pregnancy. If there is a need to use such topical preparations, it is necessary to consult a doctor. Not all medicines are allowed in childhood. Therefore, you should look at the instructions for the chosen tool. Some medicines can be used from the age of 2 years, others from 12 years old.
A specialist must choose the right medicine. Improper use of antifungal drugs will not only not relieve the patient from pathogenic microorganisms, but can also lead to the development of resistance to them (especially in conditions when the patient is constantly re-infected). Toxins secreted by many fungi suppress local immunity, which further contributes to the development of infection.
Furthermore, 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 allergy, antihistamines are prescribed. Treatment can be supplemented with anti-inflammatory oils, salicylic, sulfuric, ichthyol and zinc oils.
Salicylic ointment:
- has antiseptic properties,
- prevents keratinization of the skin,
- promotes epidermal restoration,
- prevents the spread of infection.
Zinc ointment contains lanolin, menthol, zinc oxide. Zinc ointment has disinfectant properties, promotes skin regeneration, relieves itching and burning.
Sulfur ointment has anti-inflammatory, emollient and disinfectant properties. Iktiol ointment has a keratolytic, anti-inflammatory, bactericidal effect. Also, ichthyol ointment promotes tissue regeneration.
Do not forget about foot hygiene. It is necessary to get rid of tight, uncomfortable shoes, synthetic socks and stockings, change the bed regularly. Shoes should be disinfected with antifungal spray. Indeed, the treatment will have no effect if the patient's skin is constantly infected with new pieces of fungus living in the shoe.
Fungus between the toes: treatment with folk remedies at home
Treatment with pharmaceutical preparations does not always bring the desired effect. Therefore, people turn to folk remedies. This approach is also understandable because many oils and synthetic antifungal sprays are by no means cheap. Treatment with folk remedies can be carried out in addition to treatment with pharmacy skin oils.
The simplest popular remedies to get rid of fungus are salt and soda baths. To prepare the tray, you will need 2-3 tablespoons of salt or soda per 5 liters. waterWater temperature - + 40-45 ° C. 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. To prepare the bath, you need 2-3 tbsp. herbal ingredients (you can get a mixture of different herbs) insist in a glass of boiling water, drain and add to a 5 liter container of water for a bath. The water should be warm, but not burn the skin of the feet. The duration of the procedure is 15-20 minutes.
Many people in the presence of fungus on the skin of the feet are also helped by baths with a solution of potassium permanganate. To prepare a light pink solution, only a few grains of potassium permanganate are needed. You can also moisten the pieces of cotton wool with a solution of potassium permanganate and glue them between your fingers.
Boric acid is also effective in treating the disease. You can use liquid boric acid and powder. Acid can be added to baths and treated with the affected areas.
For trays, you can also use a slightly warmed 9% solution of table apple cider vinegar. The duration of the procedure is 15 minutes. You can also make lotions with vinegar.
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 completing the water procedures, it is necessary to clean the skin from keratinized and light tissues. Baths are recommended to be done at least once a day, preferably at night.
Also, for the treatment of mycosis of the feet, you can use garlic oil, pharmaceutical anti-dandruff shampoo with antifungal ingredients, lotions with chlorhexidine and hydrogen peroxide.
Prevention of cutaneous fungal infections of the fingers
The disease occurs as a result of non-compliance with the rules of personal hygiene. Therefore, it is necessary:
- do not use other people's pedicure tools, towels, slippers, socks and shoes, do not allow foreigners to use shoes, socks, hygiene items;
- observe foot hygiene, wash skin daily with soap, carefully treating interdigital spaces;
- fix toenails regularly;
- wear comfortable shoes and socks made of breathable fabric;
- change socks regularly, put washed socks 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 without a doubt which medicine is the fastest and best. After all, the effectiveness of therapy for a fungal skin disease depends on many circumstances - the severity of the pathology, the level of immunity, the presence of concomitant diseases. Some patients are helped by traditional methods, others - by pharmaceutical oils. It is important not to start the disease and start treatment at the first signs of it. It is also important to identify the type of pathogen. To do this, you need to see a doctor. Maybe he will be able to find the best option for the medicine.