Mycosis or fungal infection of the feet is a pathology that occurs in 40% of people. The reasons for the development of an infection can be many: from violation of hygiene rules to the development of serious diseases of internal organs and systems. Toenail fungus can be cured with drugs and folk methods, but only with preliminary diagnosis and consultation with a dermatologist.
How to recognize foot fungus
With the development of mycosis of the foot, damage to the dermal tissue occurs. The first signs of the disease do not have a pronounced intensity, so they are often perceived as normal roughening and irritation of the skin of the feet.
Despite the prevalence of the pathology, few people know how to recognize foot fungus. Mycosis of the feet appears 3-5 days after infection. The longer the fungus progresses, the more pronounced its symptoms will be.
Symptoms of a fungal infection of the skin of the feet:
- at the earliest stage, the patient notices severe peeling of the skin, which even after standard treatment of the feet and use of creams is not completely eliminated;
- itching gradually begins to bother you, which increases every day and causes severe discomfort;
- Along with itching, a sour smell appears, which appears when fungus develops on the skin, accompanied by a strong smell of sweat (due to the dysfunction of the subcutaneous glands, sweating increases);
- There is also a change in the shade of the skin of the legs, the epithelium acquires an unnatural color at the site of the lesion: bluish, greenish or even gray-black (in advanced cases).
With mycosis of the feet, onychomycosis (fungal infection of the nail plates) often occurs, so the patient's nails can begin to break, deteriorate and change color. In rare cases, the general state of health worsens (the temperature rises, constant weakness and apathy bother you).
important!It is impossible to independently determine the stage and type of fungus, so if you have a dermatological disease, you should visit an experienced specialist.
Why is foot fungus dangerous?
Many people suffering from foot fungus do not take it seriously, believing that the disease will disappear by itself, or until it causes unbearable pain, they do not seek to get rid of the infection.
Note!The peculiarity of mycosis of the feet is that the fungal infection is contagious, and since a person often walks without shoes, the patient puts a large number of people at risk of infection.
Mycosis of the foot does not cause life-threatening complications, but if the disease is not treated, complications can occur:
- transition of the disease into a chronic form;
- weakened immunity;
- increased risk of developing other skin pathologies.
Dermatologic complications include:
- alergy;
- focal or regional distribution of rash;
- generalized skin lesions;
- formation of papules, erythema, eczema.
Complications occur in patients who neglect to treat foot fungus. If the therapy is started on time, the disease is eliminated without consequences.
What causes foot fungus?
Mycosis of the feet occurs due to infection. Fungal spores have the ability to maintain vital activity even in the absence of skin contact.
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;
- violation of hygiene rules.
For athlete's foot, the most common causes of infection are:
- diseases associated with immunodeficiency;
- rarely changing socks, wearing low-quality shoes;
- visiting public places for bathing (without observing personal hygiene);
- nail fungus;
- increased sweating of the feet.
One of the factors for the development of foot fungus is the psychosomatics of the disease. Experts confirm that the disturbance of the psycho-emotional state strongly affects the immune system, weakening it. A weak immune system is not able to resist the fungus, so the risk of developing mycosis increases.
Are toenail fungus contagious?
Specialists in the dermatological field of medicine have proven that mycosis of the feet is a disease that occurs after contact of the skin of the feet with fungal spores.
The peculiarity of this type of infection is the long-term survival of spores that fall on any surface. In addition, even on the skin of the feet, fungal spores can remain dormant 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 represents the greatest danger. It is impossible to completely prevent infection. Fungi thrive in moist environments, so compliance with hygiene standards is the most effective way to prevent infection.
important!Considering how foot fungus is transmitted, you should also consider the risks of infection to people in contact with the patient, especially those who live with him.
How is foot fungus transmitted?
The fungal infection is transmitted through household contact. The main method of infection is when the spores get on the healthy skin of the feet.
How is foot fungus transmitted? There are two types of fungal foot infection.
- Direct: contact of the foot with an infected surface, contact with the feet of a patient, contact with an animal whose fur contains spores.
- Indirect: contact with personal belongings of a patient with mycosis (socks, shoes, towel, etc. ), contact with items for caring for an infected animal.
In 60% of cases, the infection occurs when visiting public places (saunas, baths, beaches, etc. ). There is also danger when performing 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. Mycosis affects the skin between the toes. In this form, two stages are distinguished: intertriginous and squamous. Most often, the infection becomes chronic, since the area between the fingers provides the most favorable conditions for the spread of fungal spores.
- Plantar. The epithelial layers of the foot are affected by mycosis. A characteristic sign is severe keratinization, cracking and peeling of the tissues.
- Dyshidrotic. The most painful form of fungus on the feet, accompanied by the formation of vesicles and blisters on the foot, which, when ruptured, lead to secondary infection.
- Deep mycosis. In case of deep mycosis, a large area of the foot is affected, and the infection penetrates deep into the skin.
- Onychomycosis. This form can be a cause or a consequence of a fungal disease of the skin of the feet. In onychomycosis, the nail plates of the feet become infected.
The most common form of pathology is interdigital. However, deep and dyshidrotic mycosis, which is difficult to cure completely, is considered dangerous.
Interdigital form
With interdigital fungus, symptoms appear after 2-3 days. Subsequently, the signs of infection become more pronounced. It is almost impossible to identify foot fungus on your own in the initial stage. The signs of the disease are similar to insufficient hydration of the feet.
Note!In the case of infectious lesions of the feet, interdigital fungus on the feet of children is diagnosed in 70% of cases. Children move a lot, often spend time outside and are often without shoes and socks.
Given that the signs of the disease in the first days are uncharacteristic, how do you know if there is a fungus? In folk medicine, there is a special method that helps to identify the infection in the initial stage: immerse 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, most likely there are pathogenic microorganisms in the dermis.
Stages and their manifestations
Interdigital mycosis occurs in three stages. Each has characteristics of manifestation. The more advanced the infection, the more obvious the signs become. Gradually, the disease brings not only discomfort, but also painful torture.
Initial phase
At the initial stage, the patient begins to worry about peeling of the skin of the feet in the space between the toes. The plantar tissue area from the little toe to the third toe is more affected.
How does the squamous-hyperkeratotic stage manifest itself?
At the squamous-hyperkeratotic stage, the processes of keratinization and peeling of the affected epithelial particles begin on the surface of the foot. The skin around the places of localization becomes red, the burning sensation and the feeling of constant itching intensify.
At the intertriginous stage, swelling is noticed between the fingers, erosion occurs in the keratinized areas and suppuration may begin. The symptoms of the previous stage intensify.
Dyshidrotic stage
In the dyshidrotic stage, blisters form, the area of the lesion increases, spreading further down the leg. Fungal infection also affects the nails.
Interdigital foot fungus should not be allowed to develop, treatment should begin at the first suspicion. In this way, serious complications leading to the risk of developing purulent infections can be avoided.
How to treat foot fungus
The dermatologist will answer how to remove foot fungus. The treatment of the disease can have many nuances, since there are many types of fungal infection. The specialist prescribes diagnostics and individually determines what the toenail fungus found in the patient is afraid of.
For fungal infections of the feet, two methods are used:
- medicinal
- folk
Drug therapy is the main one. Treatment at home with folk remedies has an additional effect on the pathological process, eliminating the symptoms.
Therapy for mycosis can last several months. It will not be possible to eliminate the disease after a few weeks.
Medicinal method
When choosing antifungal drugs, you should think not only about how to quickly cure foot fungus. Some drugs can only remove the signs of the disease without destroying the spores located deep under the layers of the epithelium. Incompletely treated mycosis can quickly provoke a relapse.
Ointments
You can treat nail fungus at home using topical products. Ointments are effective in 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.
The symptoms and treatment of a fungal infection are interconnected, since the use of antifungal ointments is aimed at eliminating signs of pathology and jointly providing an antifungal effect.
important!The effectiveness of the local remedy is noted at the first stage of treatment, but with significant lesions on the legs, the use of ointments alone may not be enough.
Pills
Systemic antifungal drugs 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 drug is that the drug has a stronger effect and not only eliminates the infection, but also prevents relapses.
If you are treating foot fungus at home, you can take pills, but drugs have contraindications, so taking them is permissible 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, for the treatment of fungus, ointments, solutions or sprays are used along with taking tablets.
Traditional method of treatment
There are many methods to remove foot fungus using folk remedies. Considering how foot fungus is transmitted, we can conclude that home therapy methods should be aimed at eliminating the infection from the surface of the foot. Folk remedies also have an antisymptomatic effect.
Note!Treatment with folk remedies is not used as a substitute for drugs. Alternative medicine is only recommended as an adjunctive therapy.
According to the reviews, the methods of removing foot fungus will help you achieve the greatest effectiveness.
Vinegar and hydrogen peroxide
Vinegar and hydrogen peroxide - pharmacy hydrogen peroxide is mixed with alcohol and table vinegar. Everything is in equal proportions. A cotton swab is moistened in the resulting solution and the skin at the site of the foot lesion is treated abundantly. The course of treatment lasts up to 1 month. The procedure should be carried out daily in the morning and evening.
Jaundice juice
Juice of celandine - after the preparatory procedures for cleaning the skin of the feet, make a bath solution. Then they start using celandine juice. Freshly picked, the plant secretes a sap from its stem that removes skin infections. All affected areas of the feet are treated with celandine juice for one month. The product should be applied 2 times 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 in which two tablespoons of bicarbonate of soda have been dissolved for a quarter of an hour. After that, the feet are not washed, but simply dried with a towel. Baths are done at least two weeks.
How to treat foot fungus with the help of folk remedies or drugs, 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 primarily of prevention. If prevention is not followed, foot fungus can reappear. To prevent recurrence, it is necessary to maintain hygiene, strengthen the immune system and adhere to the dermatologist's recommendations regarding treatment.