In summer, excessive sweating and synthetic tight shoes cause diseases such as fungus. Weeping sores appear between the toes, causing discomfort and an unpleasant odor. How to identify and get rid of the disease in time? What preventive measures will help you forget about the disease once and for all?
The main symptoms and forms of the disease
Interdigital fungus on the feet can be recognized by the following signs:
- in certain places the skin becomes dry, flakes, cracks appear;
- As with an allergic reaction, small bubbles appear that regularly open and release exudate.
- Diaper rash occurs between the toes and on the side of the foot;
- In the lesions, convergence of the upper layers of the skin is observed;
- Itching, discomfort, pain can occur.
To make an accurate diagnosis, you still need to see a doctor, because with different forms of mycosis, symptoms may be different. The subsequent treatment of the interdigital fungus depends on the type of disease:
- Weak form. It is only characterized by increased skin dryness, peeling and cracking.
- Squamous cell hyperkeratosis. When the disease takes this form, there is a convergence of the upper layer of the skin in the affected areas, the appearance of redness and diaper rash, which leads to itching and burning sensation. When the big toes are affected, hard, yellow calluses develop.
- Intertriginous form. Swelling and severe erosion appear between the toes.
- Dyshidrotic. Weeping areas appear, bubbles with transparent contents are formed. The external symptoms are accompanied by very severe itching.
What does fungus look like on toes? With a mild form, the affected areas appear to have been sprinkled with flour. If the disease also affects the nail plate, then you can notice a thickening and yellowing of the nail with more advanced forms - its deformation. In other stages the skin becomes moist, ulcers and redness are clearly visible.
Causes of the disease
Mostly tight synthetic shoes lead to the athlete's foot.
Fungus between and under the toes doesn't just happen. The most common reasons for its occurrence:
- Diabetes mellitus.
- Diseases of the cardiovascular system, blood circulation, veins.
- Decreased immunity.
- Synthetic tight shoes.
- Excessive limb sweating.
- Infection from pedicure tools, common towels, shower mats.
Sometimes trying on the patient's shoes is enough to get an unpleasant disease on your own. To prevent this from happening, carefully monitor your hygiene, take vitamins and avoid buying shoes from thrift stores.
Which doctor should I go to?
If you find the symptoms described above on yourself, you should immediately contact a dermatologist or mycologist. After the interview and visual examination, the doctor will prescribe the necessary tests. Without laboratory testing, it is impossible to find out exactly what type of fungus caused the disease. Without this, the doctor cannot prescribe adequate treatment.
A laboratory study of scraping off dead scales enables the following questions to be answered:
- Is the fungus causing the changes in the skin?
- What type of mycosis did the disease cause?
A detailed study of the sowing takes an average of two weeks. After that, certain topical preparations (gels, ointments) and tablets are prescribed.
Traditional medicine
For the treatment of interdigital fungus on the legs, the following are prescribed:
- Antifungal creams
- Anoint
- Tablets and capsules
- Local antiseptics
Allow inflammation to be relieved, flaking reduced, and antifungal drugs to penetrate deep into the skin. They form a film that prevents re-infection.
Effectively destroy fungal spores thanks to active ingredients.
Suppress the development of the disease. Active substances pass through the blood into the horny tissue, accumulate there and destroy the spores of the fungus. You should not take it without a doctor's prescription as the tablets are selected individually and contain an extensive list of contraindications. The use of such drugs is strictly prohibited for patients with liver disease.
Hydrogen peroxide, salicylic acid, sulfur ointment.
Treatment of the interdigital fungus on the feet aims to eradicate the infection that led to the mycosis. Properly selected drugs and compliance with all medical prescriptions will help prevent the disease from recurring in the future. In this case, it is imperative to undergo full treatment, the duration of which can vary from one to eight months, depending on the degree of the disease.
Home remedies
Foot baths are very helpful.
The use of folk remedies for fungus between the toes greatly speeds up the healing process. Various baths and compresses are used in home treatment:
- Based on celandine.
- Coffee bath.
- Soda-based products.
- Vinegar baths and lotions.
- We remove the fungus with aloe juice.
- Effective compresses.
Celandine is an herb that is widely used for skin conditions. The affected areas can be lubricated with plant sap. A bath based on this herb will help cure the fungus on your feet. Freshly cut celandine is poured with boiling water, cooled to room temperature, and feet are immersed in the water. After the procedure, you need to let your feet dry naturally, then dab them with a towel, smear them with an antifungal ointment and put on clean cotton socks. You need to do such manipulations every day before going to bed.
Five tablespoons of ground coffee is poured with a liter of boiling water. After the mixture has cooled down a bit, the feet are lowered one by one for 30 minutes. Everyone. Do not dry or rinse your feet. This remedy relieves itching and inflammation of the skin between the toes almost instantly. After a month, the symptoms of the fungus will go away.
A two-tablespoon bath and grated laundry soap will help soften rough skin and remove fungus. After the procedure, the keratinized skin is removed with a manicure tool. Such manipulations must be carried out on a daily basis, since there are fungal spores in the dead areas of the skin. You can also prepare this remedy in another way: dilute baking soda with water on porridge and apply it to the affected areas.
It is useful to add a few tablespoons of vinegar essence to the water every time you wash your feet. To get rid of the fungus on the leg, lotions with 9% vinegar will help, but be prepared for painful sensations during the procedure. However, this remedy is extremely effective. After 10-15 minutes, remove the compress, spread it with ointment and put on clean socks.
Agave leaves (scarlet red) are cut, wrapped in paper and kept in the refrigerator for a week. Then squeeze out the juice and lubricate the affected areas of the skin in the morning and evening. It should be used in combination with trays and ointments.
You can buy basic lead acetate solution from the pharmacy. To treat mycosis, this remedy is applied to gauze, applied to the affected area and wrapped in cling film. The exposure time is no more than 20 minutes.
Treating damp fungus between your toes requires a special approach. All manipulations are carried out in several steps:
- Cleaning the area with bubbles with hydrogen peroxide, potassium permanganate solution;
- medicinal bath;
- with a cream or ointment.
In advanced cases, it is possible to apply a sterile bandage to prevent infection from entering an open wound and to prevent the spread of mycosis. The use of talcum powder is also shown to dry the affected area.
Treatment of the fungus between the toes with folk remedies is effective only in combination with drugs. If you rely on unconventional methods, you run the risk of eliminating the symptoms, but not eliminating the cause of the disease.
Precautions
To prevent the cured fungus from returning on the skin of your toes, follow our recommendations:
- Take your tool to a nail salon. If performing a hardware pedicure, ask to have disinfection performed with you.
- Never take someone else's towels, shoes, or socks with you.
- Buy a special UV shoe dryer and use it every day.
- Do a pedicure in time and remove dead skin.
- Only buy high quality shoes by size.
- Pay close attention to foot hygiene.
- Use herbal baths for prevention.
It is also important to strengthen your immune system and take vitamins, get some fresh air, and eat enough fruits and vegetables.
Fungi on the skin of the toes is treatable, but it is a long process that requires responsible patient care and strict adherence to all medical prescriptions. Take good care of your health and don't let the disease take its course!