Mycosis or fungal infection of the foot is a pathology that occurs in 40% of people. The reasons for the development of infection can be many: from violations of hygiene rules to the development of serious diseases of internal organs and systems. Nail fungus can be cured with medicines and folk methods, but only with prior diagnosis and consultation with a dermatologist.
How to identify foot fungus
With the development of foot mycosis, damage to the dermal tissue occurs. The first signs of the disease do not have a pronounced intensity, which is why they are often perceived as normal roughness and irritation of the skin on the legs.
Despite the prevalence of the pathology, few people know how to recognize foot fungus. Foot mycosis appears 3-5 days after infection. The longer the fungus progresses, the more pronounced its symptoms will be.
Symptoms of fungal infection of the skin of the feet:
- At an initial stage, the patient notices intense peeling of the skin, which, even after standard foot treatment and the use of creams, is not completely eliminated;
- the itching gradually begins to bother, which intensifies every day and causes severe discomfort;
- Along with itching, there is a sour odor, which occurs when a fungus develops on the skin, is accompanied by a strong odor of sweat (due to dysfunction of the subcutaneous glands, sweating increases);
- There is also a change in the tone of the skin on the foot, the epithelium acquires an unnatural color at the site of the lesion: bluish, greenish or even grayish-black (in advanced cases).
With foot mycosis, onychomycosis (fungal infection of the nail plates) often occurs, so the patient's nails may begin to break, deteriorate and change color. In rare cases, the general state of health worsens (temperature rises, constant weakness and apathy are bothersome).
Important!It is impossible to independently determine the stage and type of fungus; therefore, if you have a dermatological disease, you should consult an experienced specialist.
Why is foot fungus dangerous?
Many people who suffer from foot fungus do not take it seriously, believing that the disease will disappear on its own, or until it causes unbearable pain, they do not make efforts to get rid of the infection.
Observation!The peculiarity of foot mycosis is that the fungal infection is contagious and, as people often walk barefoot, the patient exposes a large number of people to the risk of infection.
Foot mycosis does not cause potentially fatal complications, however, if the disease is not treated, complications may arise:
- transition of the disease to a chronic form;
- weakened immunity;
- increased risk of developing other skin pathologies.
Dermatological complications include:
- allergy;
- focal or regional spread of the rash;
- generalized skin lesions;
- formation of papules, erythema, eczema.
Complications occur in patients who neglect foot fungus treatment. If therapy is started on time, the disease is eliminated without consequences.
What causes foot fungus?
Foot mycosis occurs due to an infection. Fungal spores have the ability to maintain vital activity even in the absence of contact with the skin.
Before answering what causes foot fungus, it should be noted that experts identify several groups of people susceptible to fungal infections.
- with weakened immunity;
- with vascular diseases;
- violating hygiene rules.
With foot fungus, the most common causes of infection are:
- diseases associated with immunodeficiency;
- rarely changes socks, wears poor quality shoes;
- visiting public bathhouses (without observing personal hygiene);
- nail fungus;
- increased foot sweating.
One of the factors in the development of foot fungus is the psychosomatic nature of the disease. Experts confirm that a violation of the psycho-emotional state strongly affects the immune system, weakening it. A weak immune system is not able to resist the fungus, increasing the risk of developing ringworm.
Is foot fungus contagious?
Experts in the field of dermatological medicine have proven that foot mycosis is a disease that occurs after the skin of the feet comes into contact with fungal spores.
The peculiarity of this type of infection is the long-term survival of spores that fall on any surface. Furthermore, even on the skin of the foot, fungal spores can remain inactive for many years, and when favorable conditions arise, they can be activated.
It is the ability to maintain the activity of the infection in a spore state for many years that poses the greatest danger. It is impossible to completely prevent infection. The fungus grows in a humid environment, so maintaining hygiene standards is the most effective way to prevent infection.
Important!Considering the way in which foot fungus is transmitted, one must also think about the risks of infection for people who live with the patient, especially those who live with him.
How is foot fungus transmitted?
Fungal infection is transmitted through household contact. The main method of infection occurs when spores reach the healthy skin of the feet.
How is foot fungus transmitted? There are two types of foot fungus infections.
- Direct: foot contact with an infected surface, contact with a patient's feet, contact with an animal whose fur contains spores.
- Indirect: contact with personal belongings of a patient with ringworm (socks, shoes, towel, etc. ), contact with care items from an infected animal.
In 60% of cases, infection occurs when visiting public places (saunas, baths, beaches, etc. ). There is also danger when carrying out a pedicure procedure if the items used in salons are not handled properly.
Types of foot fungus
Depending on how the foot fungus is transmitted (to which area the spores attach), different forms of infection can develop.
Dermatologists identify the main forms of foot fungus, which differ in the location of the affected area.
- Interdigital. Ringworm affects the skin between the toes. With this form, two phases are distinguished: intertriginous and scaly. Most of the time, the infection becomes chronic, as the region between the toes presents the most favorable conditions for the proliferation of fungal spores.
- To plant. The epithelial layers of the sole of the foot are affected by ringworm. A characteristic sign is severe keratinization, cracking and peeling of the tissue.
- Dyshidrotic. The most painful form of foot fungus, accompanied by the formation of vesicles and blisters on the sole of the foot, which, when burst, lead to secondary infection.
- Deep ringworm. In deep mycosis, a large area of the foot is affected and the infection penetrates deep into the skin.
- Onychomycosis. This form can be the cause or consequence of a fungal disease of the skin on the legs. In onychomycosis, the nail plates on the feet become infected.
The most common form of pathology is interdigital. However, deep and dyshidrotic mycoses, which are difficult to completely cure, are considered dangerous.
Interdigital form
In interdigital fungus, symptoms appear after 2–3 days. Subsequently, signs of infection become increasingly pronounced. It is almost impossible to identify foot fungus on your own at the initial stage. Signs of the disease are similar to insufficient hydration of the feet.
Observation!In the case of infectious lesions on the feet, interdigital fungus on children's feet is diagnosed in 70% of cases. Children move around a lot, often spend time outside and are often without shoes or socks.
Considering that the signs of the disease in the first few days are atypical, how do you know if there is a fungus? In folk medicine there is a special method that helps to identify the infection at the initial stage: soak your feet in a manganese solution and wait 20 minutes.
If after the procedure the color of the entire skin has changed, but the areas between the fingers remain the same shade, it is likely that there are pathogenic microorganisms in the dermis.
Stages and their manifestations
Interdigital mycosis progresses in three stages. Each one has manifestation characteristics. The more advanced the infection, the more obvious the signs become. Gradually, the disease brings not only discomfort, but also painful torment.
Initial state
At the initial stage, the patient begins to be bothered by the peeling of the skin on the legs in the space between the toes. The plantar tissue area from the little toe to the third toe is most affected.
How does the squamous-hyperkeratotic stage manifest?
In the squamous-hyperkeratotic phase, the processes of keratinization and desquamation of the affected epithelial particles begin on the surface of the foot. The skin around the localization sites turns red, the burning sensation and the feeling of constant itching intensify.
In the intertriginous stage, swelling is noticeable between the fingers, erosion occurs in the keratinized areas and suppuration may begin. The symptoms of the previous phase intensify.
dyshidrotic stage
In the dyshidrotic phase, blisters form, the lesion area increases, spreading even further along the foot. Fungal infection also affects the nails.
Interdigital fungi should not be allowed to develop on the feet; Treatment should be started at the first suspicion. In this way, serious complications that lead to the risk of developing purulent infections can be avoided.
How to treat foot fungus
A dermatologist will answer how to remove foot fungus. Treatment of the disease can have many nuances, as there are several types of fungal infection. The specialist prescribes diagnostics and individually determines what the nail fungus found in the patient is afraid of.
For fungal infections of the feet, two methods are used:
- medicinal;
- people
Drug therapy is the main one. Home treatment with folk remedies has an additional effect on the pathological process, eliminating symptoms.
Ringworm therapy can last several months. It will not be possible to eliminate the disease in a few weeks.
Medication method
When choosing antifungal drugs, you should not only think about how to quickly cure foot fungus. Some medications can only eliminate the signs of the disease without destroying the spores located deep under the layers of the epithelium. Incompletely treated ringworm can quickly cause a relapse.
Ointments
You can treat nail fungus at home using topical products. Ointments are effective at the initial stage of the disease, in advanced forms they are used in combination with tablets.
Dermatologists recommend ointments containing disinfectant, anti-infectious and regenerating substances for foot fungus.
Symptoms and treatment of fungal infection are interconnected, since the use of antifungal ointments is aimed at eliminating signs of pathology and, together, providing an antifungal effect.
Important!The effectiveness of the topical agent is noted in the first stage of treatment, however, with significant foot injuries, the use of ointments alone may not be sufficient.
Pills
Systemic antifungal medications have a general effect. The dosage of the active substance in tablets is usually much higher than in ointments. The advantage of the tablet form of the medicine is that the medicine has a stronger effect and not only eliminates the infection, but also prevents relapses.
If you treat foot fungus at home, you can take pills, but medicines have contraindications, so taking them is allowed only after consulting your doctor.
Important!Tablets are contraindicated in childhood, breastfeeding and during pregnancy.
Antifungal drugs rarely cause side effects, have minimal contraindications and allow you to overcome mycosis in the shortest possible time.
Also, to treat fungus, ointments, solutions or sprays are used in conjunction with taking pills.
Traditional method of treatment
There are many methods for removing foot fungus using folk remedies. Keeping in mind how foot fungus is transmitted, we can conclude that home therapy methods should aim to eliminate the infection from the surface of the foot. Folk remedies also have an antisymptomatic effect.
Observation!Treatment with folk remedies is not used as a replacement for medications. Alternative medicine is only recommended as a complementary therapy.
According to reviews, methods for removing foot fungus will help you achieve greater effectiveness.
Vinegar and hydrogen peroxide
Vinegar and hydrogen peroxide - pharmacy hydrogen peroxide is mixed with alcohol and table vinegar. Everything is in equal proportion. A cotton swab is moistened in the resulting solution and the skin at the site of the foot injury is generously treated with it. The course of treatment lasts up to 1 month. The procedure must be carried out daily in the morning and evening.
Celandine juice
Celandine juice - after the preparatory procedures for cleaning the skin of the feet, make a solution for the bath. After that, they begin to use celandine juice. When freshly harvested, the plant exudes juice from the stem, which eliminates skin infections. Celandine juice is used to treat all affected areas of the foot for a month. The product must be applied twice a day.
Soda baths
Foot baths with soda have a preventive and therapeutic effect. Place your feet in a container with two liters of water where two tablespoons of baking soda are dissolved for a quarter of an hour. Afterwards, the feet are not washed, just dried with a towel. Baths are taken for at least two weeks.
Treatment of foot fungus with folk remedies or medications, of course, is decided by the patient himself, but it is better to prefer joint therapy, which will allow you to achieve quick and lasting results in the fight against mycosis.
Knowing how foot fungus is transmitted, the patient must understand that the treatment of the disease consists, first of all, of prevention. If prevention is not followed, foot fungus may develop again. To prevent relapse, it is necessary to maintain hygiene, strengthen the immune system and follow the dermatologist's recommendations regarding treatment.