Mycosis or fungal infection of the feet is a pathology that occurs in 40% of people. There can be many reasons for the development of infection: from violation 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 recognize foot fungus
With the development of mycosis of the feet, there is damage to the dermal tissue. The first signs of the disease do not have a pronounced intensity, so they are often perceived as normal roughness and irritation of the skin of the legs.
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:
- in the earliest stage, the patient notices severe peeling of the skin, which is not completely eliminated even after standard foot treatment and use of creams;
- itching gradually begins to bother you, which increases every day and causes severe discomfort;
- In addition to itching, there is also a sour smell that occurs when a fungus develops on the skin, accompanied by a strong smell of sweat (due to the disruption of the function of the subcutaneous glands, sweating increases);
- There is also a change in the shade of the skin of the feet, 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 foot, onychomycosis (fungal infection of the nail plate) often occurs, so the patient's nails may begin to break, decay and change color. In rare cases, there is a worsening of the general state of health (elevated temperature, constant weakness and apathy).
Important!It is impossible to independently determine the stage and type of fungus, so if you have a dermatological disease, you must visit 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 go away on its own or until it causes unbearable pain, they do not try to get rid of the infection.
Note!The peculiarity of foot mycosis is that the fungal infection is contagious, and as the person often walks without shoes, the patient exposes a large number of people to the risk of infection.
Mycosis of the foot does not cause life-threatening complications, however, if the disease is not treated, complications may arise:
- transition of the disease into a chronic form;
- weakened immunity;
- increased risk of developing other skin pathologies.
Dermatological complications include:
- allergy;
- focus or regional spread of the 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 is caused by an infection. Fungal spores have the ability to maintain vital activity even in the absence of contact with the skin.
Before we answer what causes foot fungus, it should be noted that experts identify several groups of people who are susceptible to fungal infections.
- with weakened immunity;
- with vascular diseases;
- violation of hygiene rules.
With foot fungus, the most common causes of infection are:
- diseases associated with immunodeficiency;
- rarely changing socks, wearing low-quality shoes;
- visiting public baths (without observing personal hygiene);
- nail fungus;
- increased sweating of the feet.
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 greatly affects the immune system, weakening it. A weak immune system is not able to resist the fungus, so the risk of developing mycosis increases.
Is athlete's foot contagious?
Specialists from 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. Moreover, even on the skin of the feet, fungal spores can remain dormant for many years, and when favorable conditions appear, they can be activated.
The greatest danger is the ability to maintain infection activity in a spore state for many years. It is impossible to completely prevent infection. The fungus grows in a moist environment, so maintaining hygiene standards is the most effective way to prevent infection.
Important!Considering how foot fungus is transmitted, one should also think about the risks of infection of people in contact with the patient, especially those who live with him.
How is foot fungus transmitted?
Fungal infection is transmitted by contact in the household. The main way 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 feet with an infected surface, contact with the patient's feet, contact with an animal whose fur contains spores.
- Indirect: contact with the personal belongings of a person suffering from mycosis (socks, shoes, towel, etc. ), contact with items for the care of an infected animal.
In 60% of cases, infection occurs when visiting public places (saunas, baths, beaches, etc. ). There is also a danger when performing a pedicure procedure if the objects used in the salon are not handled properly.
Types of foot fungus
Depending on how 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 by 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, because the area between the toes has the most favorable conditions for the reproduction of fungal spores.
- Planter. The epithelial layers on the sole are affected by mycosis. A characteristic sign is strong keratinization, cracking and peeling of the tissue.
- Dyshidrotic. The most painful form of fungus on the feet, accompanied by the formation of vesicles and blisters on the soles of the feet, which, when ruptured, lead to secondary infection.
- Deep mycosis. In deep mycosis, a large area of the foot is affected by an infection that penetrates deep into the skin.
- Onychomycosis. This form can be a cause or a consequence of a fungal skin disease 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
With interdigital fungus, symptoms appear after 2-3 days. After that, the signs of infection become more pronounced. It is almost impossible to independently recognize foot fungus in the initial stage. Signs of the disease are similar to insufficient hydration of the feet.
Note!In the case of infectious foot lesions, interdigital fungi on children's feet are diagnosed in 70% of cases. Children move a lot, often spend time outside and are often without shoes or socks.
Given that the signs of the disease are uncharacteristic in the first days, how do you know if there are fungi? In folk medicine, there is a special method that helps to identify the infection in the initial stage: put your feet in a manganese solution and wait 20 minutes.
If the color of the entire skin has changed after the procedure, but the areas between the fingers remain the same shade, most likely there are pathogenic microorganisms on the dermis.
Phases and their manifestations
Interdigital mycosis progresses in three stages. Each has characteristics of manifestation. The further the infection progresses, the more obvious the signs become. Gradually, the disease brings not only discomfort, but also painful torment.
initial stage
In the initial stage, the patient begins to suffer from 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 more affected.
How is the squamous-hyperkeratotic stage manifested?
In the squamous-hyperkeratotic phase, the processes of keratinization and peeling of the affected epithelial particles begin on the surface of the feet. The skin around the site of localization becomes red, burning and the feeling of constant itching intensifies.
In the intertriginous phase, swelling is noticeable between the fingers, erosion occurs in keratinized areas and suppuration may begin. The symptoms of the previous phase intensify.
Dyshidrotic stage
In the dyshidrotic phase, blisters form, the surface of the lesion increases, spreading further along the foot. Fungal infection also affects the nails.
Interdigital foot fungus should not be allowed to develop; 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, because there are many types of fungal infection. The specialist prescribes diagnostics and individually determines what the patient's nail fungus is afraid of.
Two methods are used for fungal foot infections:
- medical;
- folk
Drug therapy is the main one. Treatment at home with folk remedies has an additional effect on the pathological process, eliminating symptoms.
Mycosis therapy can last several months. It will not be possible to eliminate the disease in a few weeks.
Medicine 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 that are located deep below the epithelial layers. Incompletely treated mycosis can quickly cause a relapse.
Fats
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-infective and regenerative substances for foot fungus.
Symptoms and treatment of fungal infection are interrelated, as the use of antifungal ointments is aimed at eliminating signs of pathology and providing an antifungal effect together.
Important!The effectiveness of the local agent is observed in the first stage of treatment, however, with significant foot lesions, only the use of ointment 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 tablets, but medicines have contraindications, so taking them is allowed only after consulting your doctor.
Important! Tablets are contraindicated in childhood, breastfeeding and 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 fungi, ointments, solutions or sprays are used along with taking tablets.
Traditional method of treatment
There are many methods for removing foot fungus using folk remedies. Considering how foot fungus is transmitted, we can conclude that home therapy methods should be aimed at removing the infection from the surface of the feet. 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 a complementary therapy.
According to reviews, the methods for removing fungus on the feet will help you achieve the highest efficiency.
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 lesion is liberally treated with it. The course of treatment lasts up to 1 month. The procedure should be performed daily in the morning and evening.
Celandine juice
Celandine juice - after the preparatory procedures for cleaning the skin of the feet, make a bath solution. After that, they start using celandine juice. The freshly harvested plant secretes juice from the stem, which eliminates skin infections. Celandine juice is used to treat all affected areas of the feet for a month. The product should 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 in which two tablespoons of baking 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 for at least two weeks.
How to treat foot fungus with folk remedies or drugs, of course, is decided by the patient himself, but it is better to give priority to 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 should understand that the treatment of the disease consists, above all, in prevention. If prevention is not followed, foot fungus can develop again. In order to prevent recurrence, it is necessary to maintain hygiene, strengthen the immune system and follow the recommendations of the dermatologist regarding treatment.