Foot fungus is a disease from which no one is immune. The disease does not go away on its own, so it is important to treat it in time. Experts will tell you how to get rid of the problem.
Foot fungus: symptoms and causes
What is foot mold? Fungus, or mycosis, is a disease provoked by pathogenic or opportunistic fungi. Often, the disease is caused by the fungus dermatomycetes, which, as the doctor and her colleagues point out, include Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Epidermophyton. However, the pathology can also be provoked by microorganisms of the genus Candida.
Fungal lesions of the skin of the feet are called dermatomycosis, nail plate is called onychomycosis. Often, pathological conditions combine.
How to spot a foot fungus?
Symptoms vary depending on the type of fungus that affects the foot. However, there are general symptoms.
In the initial stage, there is dryness of the skin, itching and burning of the foot, interdigital folds. If the nail plate is affected, a slight change in its color occurs, the nails become more brittle, as the doctor notes.
If left untreated, the situation worsens. The following symptoms appear:
- small cracks between the toes, on the toe;
- peeling;
- unpleasant odor;
- swelling, redness of the interdigital folds, arch of the foot;
- blisters and diaper rash;
- pain while walking;
- deformation of the nail plate (thickening or thinning, damaged growth, destruction of the nails).
Why do foot fungus appear?
Infection occurs through contact with a sick person, skin contact with surfaces and objects in which there are fungal spores. Swimming pools, saunas and baths pose the greatest risk of infection.
However, you can become infected with the fungus at the pedicure office when you use an infected person's personal belongings - shoes, clothes, towels, towels. Even at home you need to be careful not to use other family things, as the doctor notes.
There are factors that contribute to the development of foot fungus:
- wounds and cracks;
- excessive sweating and dry skin;
- poor hygiene;
- flat feet;
- circulatory disorders of the legs due to vascular diseases;
- diabetes mellitus and pathologies of the immune system.
Folk remedies for the treatment of foot fungus
In the initial stage of disease development, it is much easier to cope with it, so therapy should be started when the first symptoms appear. Various folk remedies will help to cope with the fungus.
How to treat foot fungus with folk remedies? Vinegar, animal fats, essential oils and garlic will help.
vinegar
Table vinegar and apple cider vinegar will help stop the development of a fungal disease:
- Heat two liters of water to a comfortable temperature. Add 200 ml of vinegar. Soak your feet in the resulting composition and hold for 15 minutes. Soak your feet three times a day. After the procedure, dry your feet thoroughly and wear clean socks.
- Soak a cotton ball in apple cider vinegar and apply on the nails and your fungus-affected skin. Wear clean socks and leave overnight.
garlic
Garlic has an antifungal effect, so it works well for the problem. The prescription for the medicine is as follows:
- Squeeze the juice from a head of garlic, add the same amount of water and alcohol to it.
- Heat the water, to which add a tablespoon of coarsely grated tar soap and two tablespoons of baking soda.
- Steam the legs for 15 minutes.
- Wipe your feet dry and treat them with a mixture of garlic juice and alcohol.
Essential oils
Various essential oils will help to fight fungal infections of the feet and nails: rosemary, lavender, ylang-ylang. The doctor says that tea tree and eucalyptus oils will be among the most effective in the fight against mold.
With their help, you can make baths and compresses:
- Wash your feet first. Add ten drops of essential oil to three liters of warm water. Soak your feet in the bath for 20 minutes, then wear warm socks or wrap your feet in a warm towel for 15 minutes.
- Heat a tablespoon of water and essential oil to 30 ° C. Saturate a cotton pad with the product and stick to the problem areas, wrap with a bandage on top. After an hour, clean softened skin or nail plates with a sterile file.
Animal fat
How to cure toenail fungus? For these purposes, use lard or goose fat:
- Take equal amounts of fat, copper sulfate and yellow sulfur.
- Mix thoroughly and bring to a boil.
- Send it in a dark place and wait for it to cool completely.
- Lubricate the skin and nails affected by the fungus every day.
To cope with foot fungus, it is important to have regular treatments. Use folk remedies and do not forget about personal hygiene. Then you will soon enjoy a healthy look of your feet.
Careful! The material is for informational purposes only. You should not resort to the treatments prescribed in it without first consulting your doctor.