If a person has foot fungus, the question of how to treat it comes to the fore. Among the many forms of this infection, the fungus that affects the feet is one of the most common. The cause of this is the pathogenic fungal microflora of the Trichophyton species, which, with increased perspiration, can affect both the skin of the legs and the nail plates of the fingers. The birthplace of the microorganism is Southeast Asia, where nature itself created the ideal conditions for its development: hot and humid climate and a dense population. In recent years, it has spread to Europe and America. Currently, more than 20% of the world's population suffers from skin fungus.
forms of infection
The most common forms of infection with fungal spores are contact. Most often this happens under the conditions of residence or joint work of a sick and healthy person.
Among the common ways of transmitting the fungus from the skin of the feet and nails are:
- common household items that have direct contact with the skin and toenails (bedding, socks, shoes, pedicure);
- public baths and showers - as a rule, they are used by people working in dusty and dirty types of production (mines, factories), as well as athletes, recruits who often have to sweat;
- sunbeds, loungers and mats on the beaches.
To prevent the fungus, it is necessary to strictly observe the rules of personal hygiene, trying to avoid situations where infection is possible.
The likelihood of infection increases with perspiration of the feet, if it is not possible to wash them in a timely manner, change socks and shoes and treat them with antiseptic agents. Therefore, outbreaks of the disease most often occur under field conditions, when during long transitions of leg transpiration, favorable conditions are created for the fungus to reproduce.
In addition to sweaty feet, a weak immune state increases the risk of infection. Currently, due to the deterioration of the environmental situation around the world and the growth of diseases such as diabetes, this factor stands out among the causes of the spread of this pathology.
Symptoms and diagnosis
The signs of foot fungus are widely known.
Between them:
- irritation, redness, severe itching and rashes;
- exfoliation of scales from its surface;
- cracks, chafing in the interdigital region;
- nail deformity.
Such a pathology in the legs causes a lot of problems and causes victims not only physical, but also moral discomfort:
- the foot becomes inflamed and swollen;
- an unpleasant odor emanates from the affected skin, even if there is no sweating in the legs;
- nails change color, exfoliate and crumble.
But the symptoms reach this stage of development gradually, if you don't fight the disease. Therefore, at its first signs, you should not look for an effective remedy for foot fungus on your own, but contact a dermatologist - it is he who will have to decide which antifungal agents should be used to defeat the pathogen, as the as soon as possible. With the current level of development of pharmacology and compliance with the recommendations of experts, it is possible to cure leg fungus quickly enough.
Coming to the dermatologist's office with these complaints, patients first undergo a diagnostic procedure. Clarification of the diagnosis is necessary, as it directly depends on how to treat foot fungus.
To determine the type of fungal spores, the following methods are used:
- Irradiation with a special lamp makes the area of the lesion especially visual, as the skin in this place under its rays stands out against the general background, turning red-purple.
- Bacterial seeding based on skin scrapings allows, by placing samples in a nutrient medium, to multiply them for the purpose of external observation and clarification of the type of pathogen that caused the development of the disease.
- The PCR technique is the most modern method to date, helping to make a diagnosis with almost 100% certainty, as it is based on the analysis of fungal DNA.
After receiving the results of the research, choosing the most effective remedy against the fungus, the doctor offers the patient certain drugs and specifies the scheme for their use. To choose the most effective remedy for the fungus, he takes into account factors such as age, health status, concomitant diseases.
pharmacological arsenal
And yet, choosing a super effective and inexpensive remedy for a fungus that develops on the legs, among a quite significant number of items, is not an easy task. It can be not only an external drug, but also an oral preparation - if external forms are impotent. And yet, as a rule, treatment begins with them.
The main active ingredient of the drugs is terbinafine - a proven remedy against leg fungus, capable of quickly destroying fungal spores. Both the cream and the ointment and the fungus spray are applied directly to the skin of the legs, previously washed and dried, while the ointment and cream forms should be lightly rubbed into the affected area. In people who have "caught" ringworm of the foot, the skin often takes on a rough, thick appearance, which is especially characteristic of the soles and heels. The remedy for the fungus cannot penetrate through such a "shield", therefore, before starting the treatment, the skin must be steamed in a warm soapy solution to soften the stratum corneum and remove it with a pumice stone and a special lime.
As the dryness of the epidermis increases, the base of the antifungal agent should be as oily as possible. This requirement is met by ointments, which must be used in this case. In the area between the toes, where the skin is thinner and more delicate, a fungal spray or suspension is effective.
To combat toenail fungus, or rather, toenails, special therapeutic varnishes are also used, applied to the nail plate.
Before application, it must be processed: irregularities are polished, the affected areas are removed as much as possible to facilitate the penetration of drugs into the nail tissue.
Sometimes you need to enlist the help of a surgeon who completely removes the affected nail plate.
If this is not done, even the most effective remedy for leg fungus cannot have a healing effect at the proper level.
In the most severe and advanced cases, ringworm of the foot is not only susceptible to external agents, as harmful pathogen residues penetrate into the bloodstream, starting to poison a person from the inside. Then, the attending physician prescribes antifungal antibiotics for oral administration, which have a systemic inhibitory effect on pathogenic microorganisms.
It is impossible to use such potent remedies for foot fungus without the direct indication of a specialist, as the consequences of uncontrolled ingestion can have very serious consequences. One is the development of fungal spore immunity to these drugs and their components.
Folk remedies
What helps better with foot fungus - pharmacology or folk pharmacy? Only a doctor is able to answer how to cure foot fungus, but it will not be superfluous to consult him about home remedies.
The most reliable means to help remove leg fungus are well known:
- Laundry soap from the fungus on the legs. With a fungus, foot baths with this component are useful, especially effective for excessive sweating of the feet. After grating 70% brown laundry detergent without aromatic fragrances, take a tablespoon of shavings and mix it with a tablespoon of soda. Pour the mixture into water heated to 40 degrees, soak your feet in a solution of soap and soda for half an hour. As a steam, soap the skin between the toes and rub the feet with a brush to improve the penetration of the solution components into the upper layers of the epidermis. At the end of the procedure, which should be performed every other day, wash your feet with clean water and apply the external medicine recommended by the doctor to the skin.
- Table vinegar is also a good folk remedy for toenail fungus, especially against nail shape. Carefully treat the nails, being careful not to injure them, as this contributes to the deepening of the infection. After pouring hot water into a bowl, the temperature of which should be around 50 degrees, pour a glass of 9% vinegar in the same place. Soak your feet in a vinegar and water solution (there should be enough liquid to completely cover your feet) for 10 to 15 minutes. Then, without rinsing, dry your feet and put on clean socks. Repeat these fungal foot baths 3-4 times a week.
- Another good remedy for foot fungus is iodine. An alcoholic solution of iodine should be applied with a cotton swab to the focus, after washing the feet and treating the nails. When using an iodine solution against foot fungus, it is important to be careful not to burn, especially in the area between your toes.
- Fungus propolis is used in the form of applications applied to the nail and the skin around it, after steaming it in a hot soapy solution.
Herbal recipes for skin fungus:
- Euphorbia is an effective remedy against foot fungus. The juice of the plant should be lubricated with sore nails with a cotton swab.
- Fungus Celandine - 3 table. spoons of grass pour 1 liter of water, boil, cool to an acceptable temperature (40-46 degrees) and climb into the foot solution.
- Burdock - for the treatment of foot fungus, you need to wrap them with a well-beaten burdock sheet, put on clean socks and go to bed with a compress.
- Tea tree oil from leg fungus is effective only in the early stages of the disease.
Unfortunately, a remedy that can get rid of foot fungus in one application has not yet been invented. Therefore, when using pharmaceutical and folk medicines for fungi, it is imperative to consult a doctor and follow his recommendations. The best remedy for foot fungus is the one your doctor has prescribed.