"How to Treat Athlete's Foot", "How to Get Rid of Onychomycosis and Athlete's Foot Quickly, Gain Eternal Youth, and Defeat Death".These are all issues on the same level.Foot fungus cannot be cured quickly and reliably, especially using home methods.You also need a dermatologist.
Podiatry, a skin disease caused by the spread of parasitic fungi, is one of the most common diseases affecting human skin (photo).
Because the disease rarely strikes on time, it can be difficult to treat and can lead to complications.
Often, people with fungal infections do not notice symptoms and the bacteria "settle" firmly on the skin.
Causes of foot fungus
The high prevalence of foot mycosis is due to the ease with which the disease spreads from person to person at the household contact level.
Pathogenic microorganisms "love" moist and warm environments, which promotes the growth of fungi.
Swimming pools, gyms, bathrooms and saunas (where people can walk barefoot on the floor) are the most vulnerable places to contract fungus.
The use of household items and personal items (towels, bath towels) belonging to people with foot mycosis inevitably leads to infection.
The second reason for the spread of fungal infections and the development of foot mycosis is failure to observe personal hygiene rules and excessive foot sweating.
Changing socks rarely and leaving them on wet feet also creates all the favorable conditions for the growth of fungi on the feet.
Symptoms of foot fungus
There are many forms of foot fungus, each with its own unique symptoms.
Elimination forms of foot fungus
The symptoms of this type of foot fungus are not obvious, and that’s the insidious thing about skin diseases.
Slight dryness and peeling of the dermis is considered an absolutely normal physiological phenomenon by humans.
Although gaps that appear between your fingers are considered diaper rash, they are actually a symptom of fungal exposure.
Squamous hyperkeratotic form of foot fungus
The most common form of athlete's foot in people over 60 is moccasin's foot.
It is named after the obvious visible signs on the surface of the foot:
- Thickening and roughening of the skin over the entire surface;
- Cracks, calluses (hyperkeratosis);
- Attachment of nail plate lesions;
- Color Dirty gray with yellowish tinge;
- bad smell;
- Separation of cuticle and scales;
- Pain when walking and inability to wear shoes.
Blister form of foot fungus
The symptoms of foot mycosis are the formation of blisters with thick cuticles and are called wet fungal infections.
The blisters that develop will eventually open and become similar to eczema, ulcers, and psoriasis.
Generally speaking, athlete's foot has different manifestations.
The disease may begin with cracked heels, the formation of cracked and itchy blisters, severe diaper rash, or rough skin.
When the skin on your feet peels off in large or small patches, the peeling of the skin should not be ignored.
There is also an unpleasant odor, the feet sweat quickly, and the feet "burn" and feel itchy after wearing shoes.
Complications due to a careless attitude towards the symptoms of the disease manifest themselves in the form of erosions and painful wounds on the legs, which sometimes do not heal completely.
Foot Fungus Treatment
Newer generation antifungals are used to treat fungal diseases of the foot.They are not very harmful to the liver and have significant effects.
However, the fungus is also insidious and can quickly become resistant to various medications, leading to relapse.
In order to cure a fungal infection of the feet, it is necessary to make an accurate diagnosis and determine which type of fungal disease has spread to the skin.To do this, scrape away the fungus.
Complex treatment, as well as precise local and systemic drug regimens, can only be decided by experts, since self-medication can worsen the problem.
The third point of successful treatment is the patient's strict compliance with medication, diet and preventive measures.
There are various treatment options for foot fungus: combination therapy and monotherapy.
And if you choose a drug for monotherapy, it is often for topical use.
The combined program covers multiple treatment areas simultaneously:
- external agents;
- Tablets for oral administration;
- laser exposure;
- Hardware pedicure.
Topical treatments for foot fungus
The most effective substances capable of affecting fungi are those capable of destroying molds and yeast-like fungi and combating dermatophytes and infections of non-fungal origin that are often associated with foot mycosis.
The substance can come in many forms - spray, cream or gel, solution, etc.
The product works by forming a protective film that remains on the skin's surface for up to 72 hours.
Use topical preparations in the amount prescribed by your doctor, but usually 1-2 times a day for 2 to 4 weeks, and then continue treatment, but according to a different regimen.
Clean your feet before applying ointment or cream.
They exfoliate with salicylic acid wraps, bathe with soap and soda, and use petroleum jelly ointment to soften and remove dead tissue.
These procedures are performed in special pedicure rooms using abrasive attachments.
Before treating wet foot mycosis, ulcers and blisters should be dried with boric acid, brilliant green, or iodine.
To prevent the fungus from spreading to the nail plate, a special varnish that fights onychomycosis is needed.
But the vesicular form of mycosis requires the addition of corticosteroids to the treatment regimen.
How to Treat Foot Fungus – Systemic Treatment
Not all patients with foot mycosis are candidates for oral antifungals.
This drug is highly toxic and should not be taken by pregnant women, lactating women, young children, the elderly, and those with impaired liver function.
Take antifungal medications in tablet form according to the drug package insert or the treatment regimen prescribed by your doctor.
Recently, a course of foot and nail fungus removal medication has been shown to work well, relieving itching, peeling, and irritation of the foot skin after the first use.
Folk remedies for treating foot fungus
If there are absolute contraindications to medicinal treatment of foot mycosis, then you can try folk remedies.
How to treat foot fungus at home:
- The acid (9%) contained in wine or table vinegar is an effective folk remedy against fungi.Use it to lubricate the surface of the skin affected by fungal disease and wear cotton socks over it.Leave it overnight.People with wounds or ulcers on their feet are not advised to use vinegar.In this case, it is best to reduce the concentration of the folk remedy or switch to a milder one.
- The brewed coffee showed good results.It is necessary to make the drink stronger so that you can fully immerse your feet in it.For prevention, folk treatment treats both limbs simultaneously, even if fungal disease is observed only on one limb.Perform this routine before bed.
- Foot baths made with celandine are also an effective folk remedy for getting rid of foot fungus within a month.Prepare body wash in 4 tablespoons.l per 1 liter.water.Boil the herbs and steam the legs in the warm mixture for half an hour.You can also brew with stronger herbs - oak bark, chamomile, knotweed, sage, eucalyptus and fir needles.They all have excellent antifungal properties.
- You can also use a local anesthetic lotion by dipping a cotton swab in the solution and applying it to the affected area.This folk remedy provides quick relief from symptoms - pain and itching.
Prevent foot fungus
Fungal foot disease can be effectively treated by taking the following preventive measures:
- Mandatory disinfection of insoles and inner surfaces of shoes, the more often the better.To do this, use a shoe-specific antifungal spray or alcohol;
- It is recommended to change the sheets every day and wash them at high temperature;
- Disinfect bathtub or shower surfaces and refuse to go to public baths during treatment;
- In public places, do not walk barefoot and dry your feet before wearing shoes;
- All family members need to be treated for fungus immediately, otherwise someone will keep getting infected;
- Follow dietary habits - avoid allergenic foods, smoked foods, canned foods, foods high in salt and pepper, and sweets.