Fungus on the feet: causes, symptoms, treatment and prevention

Fungus on the feet is considered a fairly common disease. Everyone is prone to mycosis. Infection occurs by touching an infected area of skin or a particle of a damaged nail. A doctor should treat the fungus on the feet. He will choose an effective remedy that will quickly get rid of the disease.

Causes of the fungus

Fungi on the legs, which should be treated by an experienced specialist, can appear due to the following reasons:

1. Pool water, shower or sauna are breeding grounds for various infections. When visiting such places, be sure to bring your own personal shoes. Walking barefoot on the floor is not recommended.
2. A moist environment is ideal for the fungus to grow and multiply quickly.
3. Dried mushroom particles can exist for several years. Once they get into a favorable environment, they will actively develop.
4. This disease is often caused by metabolic disorders or problems with the endocrine system.
5. Often times, the disease manifests itself in people whose foot is deformed or blood circulation is impaired.

Fungal symptoms

The symptoms of the disease are determined by its type. There are different forms:

• Squamous epithelium;
• dyshidrotic;
• Intertrigue;
• Onychomycosis of the feet;
• Candidiasis.

Squamous epithelial shape

The disease initially occurs on one leg. If you don't start treatment on time, it will switch to the second foot. The symptoms of the disease should be taken into account:

• the appearance of redness on the skin;
• Peeling of the cover;
• Itching (not always associated with the disease).

Often times, nothing bothers a person suffering from a squamous cell infection. Therefore, with this form, a doctor will only be consulted if the infection has spread to both legs.

Dyshidrotic form

This disease is characterized by the appearance of small blisters (2 to 8 mm in diameter) on the arch of the foot. They usually form in the place where the leg does not touch the floor when walking. After a while, small foci merge into large ones and open up. The result is erosion on the skin.

The process spreads from the arch to the inside of the leg. In the place of the opening of the blisters, there is a large focus of erosion, and then a diaper rash appears. Often times, a person feels itching and pain in the places where the blisters form.

After the erosion has healed and dried up, flaking will appear at this point. If you do not start treatment on time, the dyshidrotic form of the disease will develop into a squamous epithelium.

Intertrigue shape

This disease can appear alone or against the background of the squamous shape of the fungus. Typically, the process begins with cracks in the skin between the fourth and fifth toes.

The symptoms of the disease should be taken into account:

• the appearance of a white border as a result of peeling of the epidermis;
• the appearance of weeping wounds between the fingers;
• Burning and pain;
• constant itching.

The bothersome form of fungal infection of the legs is chronic. The disease subsides in winter and worsens in summer. The lack of appropriate treatment contributes to the loss of the protective properties of the skin and the penetration of a strep infection into the body. As a result, a pustular inflammatory process develops.

Onychomycosis of the feet

This disease is a lesion of the nail platinum. The disease develops starting from the free edge of the nail. First of all, spots and yellow stripes appear on the plate.

With hypertrophic onychomycosis, the nail becomes thicker and yellow. It crumbles and peels off easily. The skin underneath is thickened.

With the atrophic form of the disease, the nail plate becomes thinner and gradually collapses. A keratinized layer of skin forms underneath.

Candidal lesion

In this form, lesions are often found between the third and fourth and between the fourth and fifth toes. The symptoms of the disease are as follows:

• the skin is edematous and tinged red;
• Abscesses or blisters appear near the focus;
• A rim of the exfoliated top layer of skin forms around the reddening.

You should see your doctor as soon as you notice the first signs. They can be itching, burning, painful, or peeling of the skin. After an examination, a specialist will diagnose and prescribe the treatment. If you ignore the symptoms, the infection will affect the entire foot, including the nail plate. In this case, it is difficult to cure the fungus on the legs. Therefore, it is not worth starting the disease.

How to treat athlete's foot

A doctor can choose an effective course. It is necessary to consult a specialist and express the symptoms that are bothering you. A skilled specialist will quickly determine how to treat athlete's foot.

Medication

There are many different products in pharmacies.

Specialty drugs are antifungal drugs that inhibit the growth of the fungus. They are available in the form of tablets and capsules, ointments and gel, suspension, syrup and solution. The dosage, the dosage regimen and the duration of treatment are determined by the attending physician.

Home remedies

Fungal diseases are chronic and do not pose a major threat to human health.

Traditional treatments are only effective in the early stages. During this time the symptoms of the disease have not yet been observed and it can be difficult to identify the fungus. That is why folk remedies are best used in addition to drug treatment.

The most common way to get rid of fungus is with a vinegar bath. It has a remarkable antiseptic effect. The bathroom is done like this:

1. Wash your feet in warm water and pat them dry with a towel.
2. Pour a solution of wine vinegar into a basin.
3. Lower your legs and hold the pelvis for 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Take your legs out and put on socks dipped in a vinegar solution.

Treatment is best done before bed. Then the socks should be taken off in the morning.

Baking soda and sea salt baths are also effective for treating feet. They are made like this:

1. Dissolve a tablespoon of salt and soda in a sufficient volume of water.
2. Lower your feet into the solution.
3. Wash your feet with warm water after 15 minutes.

It is better to wash your feet with a brew of herbs. Marigold, medicinal verbena, oak bark are suitable for this. The broth is made as follows:

1. The ingredients are mixed in equal amounts.
2. 3 tablespoons of the mixture is poured into a glass of water.
3. The container is placed on a small fire.
4. Heats up within 20 minutes.
5. The solution is filtered and cooled.
6. The broth is used to rinse the feet and make lotions.

You can prepare an ointment for the affected areas of the feet. To do this, pork fat and sifted ashes are taken. The ingredients are mixed smoothly. The ointment is applied to the skin of the feet in the morning and evening.

Disease prevention

Any disease is easier to prevent than cure. Avoid wearing closed-toe shoes all the time. Excessive sweating of the feet often leads to the development of fungal diseases.

It should be noted that the mushroom easily tolerates low temperatures. After entering a normal environment, it becomes active and begins to develop rapidly. Freezing is therefore not a prophylaxis or a method of combating bacteria.

Cooking can kill the fungus. To prevent disease, it is necessary to wash clothes at a high temperature, and then iron them.

To avoid fungal infection, all you need to do is use your own things and shoes, and carefully sterilize the pedicure and manicure tools. By following simple rules, you can protect yourself from a disease that is so difficult to cure.