Fungal infections of the feet begin in the area between the toes. The infection can then spread to the feet and nail beds. The disease is caused by dermatophytes, molds or yeasts. According to statistics, about 20% of people in our country have fungus on their feet. The severity of the disease depends on the type of infection, but in any case the disease must be cured, since peeling, severe itching, inflammation and unpleasant odor on the feet lead to severe discomfort. We'll tell you how to get rid of athlete's foot.
What does athlete's foot look like?
A fungal infection causes inflammation of the skin at the site of the fungal infection. The main types of dermatomycosis of the legs are:
- The fungus on the sole of the foot is a squamous cell carcinoma, in which the affected area turns red, peels and cracks appear on the skin. The patient often does not feel any discomfort, which contributes to the widespread distribution of this type of disease.
- Dyshidrotic athlete's foot is localized on the arches of the feet, which are not in contact with the ground surface. Small blisters form at the sites of infection, which spread to the inside and outside of the foot, opening and forming erosions and diaper rash on the surface of the skin. The process is accompanied by itching and burning. Once the vesicles (vesicles) open, the disease progresses to the squamous cell carcinoma form.
- A fungus on the skin of the feet that affects the interdigital space is called the intertriginous form of the disease and is the most common form. It appears in the form of cracks, the edges of which are covered with a white border of peeling epidermis. As a rule, this form is chronic in the long term and is difficult to treat.
- Fungi on the shin or ankle appear as round, pink or red spots covered in flakes of skin. As the infection progresses, the foci of inflammation grow and the process is accompanied by severe itching.
Onychomycosis
This disease is a type of athlete's foot characterized by a fungal infection of the nail. You can become infected in public showers, saunas, baths and swimming pools. Scales containing a pathogenic microorganism come off the nail plate quite easily and can remain on floors, carpets, bedding and unpainted benches. High humidity not only allows them to survive, but also promotes active reproduction, which significantly increases the risk of infection.
In the initial stages, the infection reaches the epidermis of the feet and causes severe itching. To relieve the discomfort, a person begins to comb the infected area, but this only aggravates the situation. Areas of skin affected by the fungus become covered with small scratches and cracks, microorganisms begin to spread, penetrate under the nail plate and then begin to multiply uncontrollably.
Serious illnesses such as diabetes or HIV, circulatory problems or nail injuries significantly increase the risk of infection.
Onychomychosis is divided into three types:
- Normotrophic. In this form of onychomycosis, the nail color changes from normal to yellow-brown. The natural shine, shape of the nail and its thickness remain unchanged.
- Hypertrophic. There is a final change in the color of the nail, its shine disappears, its shape changes, thickening occurs and partial destruction begins.
- Onycholytic. The affected nail turns brown, becomes thinner and begins to break. It begins with the gradual separation from the bed. Uneven layers may appear on the exposed part of the nail bed.
Treating this type of fungus on the palms and soles with topical medications is ineffective because the fungal spores are located under the nail. Before starting treatment, the nail should be removed. This is done with the help of keratolytics and plasters are also used. In some cases it is possible to remove the nail mechanically: dead nail parts are cut off with a nail file or pliers. It is important to remember that all instruments used must be sterile.
The combined use of mechanical removal and keratolytic patches is the most effective method for removing diseased nails. As keratolytics, you can use a ready-made set with a broad-spectrum antifungal agent. It contains a special ointment, files for scraping the nail and a plaster. After the nail plate is removed, you should start taking systemic antifungal drugs: an antifungal for systemic use, an oral antifungal.
Symptoms
Depending on the form of the disease and the location of inflammation, the infection is accompanied by different symptoms with a number of the following general signs:
- peeling of the skin;
- slight or severe redness of the skin at the lesion site;
- Itching;
- burning feeling;
- blistering rashes or cracks in the skin.
Blisters between toes
The main symptom of athlete's foot caused by the Candida fungus is the appearance of blisters between the toes, usually between the fourth toe and the little toe. The course of the disease is accompanied by swelling of the skin on the fingers, pronounced redness and small bubbles on the surface. The source of inflammation is surrounded by a rim of exfoliated epidermis.
Dyhydrate form
Vesicular fungus, also called dyshydrate mycosis, is the rarest type of disease. Its main appearance is numerous vesicles united in conglomerates. Vesicles are sacs that are filled from the inside with pus or nutrient fluid. When the fluid begins to cloud, the blisters burst, leaving ulcers in their place. They begin to merge into a line and form pronounced scars on the skin. This happens due to drying out and peeling of the skin layers.
About 70% of bladder fungus infections are accompanied by allergic skin rashes. A variety of bacteria and viruses begin to invade the ulcers. This mixes the disease and makes identifying the original pathogen more difficult. That's why you should consult a doctor as soon as the first symptoms appear: He or she can quickly identify the type of athlete's foot and begin treatment.
Furthermore, this should be done immediately. Before using antifungal drugs, the acute process should first be eliminated. It is better to leave this task to a specialist: he can carefully puncture the blisters, treat the remaining ulcers with two percent boric acid and apply a brilliant green solution or methylene blue.
Treatment of advanced disease includes the use of corticosteroid ointments. After eliminating the inflammatory process, the use of topical antifungal drugs is recommended. This suppresses the pathogen. We continue to consider the names and types of athlete's foot.
First signs
Diseases of the leg skin are always accompanied by a number of general symptoms, the appearance of which indicates an infection of the skin with spores of harmful microorganisms. You should see a dermatologist in the following cases:
- the appearance of cracks or blisters on the skin in the folds of the feet or between the toes;
- Coarsening and significant thickening of the skin of the feet;
- Redness of skin areas, their flaking;
- Burning or itching.
Duration of treatment
A combined infection of the skin and nail plate requires rehabilitation therapy for one to three months. These terms are considered the standard for the most effective medicines from a medical point of view.
Pregnancy requires a charming visit to the doctor to find a way to eliminate the mycodin infection. Effective drugs and therapies that require the use of similar drugs are prescribed only under medical supervision and in compliance with strict dosages. Many antibacterial tablets that effectively destroy fungi can cause noticeable harm to the fetus. Therefore, patients are recommended to be treated according to traditional medicine recipes during pregnancy, if possible. Many of them allow you to cope with the disease, provided that the disease has not yet reached a complex stage. Only classical medicine can help deal with the advanced form.
Modern drugs allow you to completely restore your legs within two weeks, provided signs of infection are detected in a timely manner.
causes
Infection occurs for various reasons after direct or indirect contact of the patient with the carrier of infection or his personal belongings, household items. Risk factors for tinea pedis include:
- Disturbances of blood circulation in the legs and associated diseases (varicose veins);
- weakened general or local immunity;
- non-compliance with hygiene rules;
- Weakening of the body's defense systems after taking antibiotics;
- increased sweating of the skin of the feet;
- Presence of minor skin damage (abrasions, scratches).
Treatment methods
In most cases, it is possible to completely eliminate a disease detected in time within a maximum of a month. This is a very important point in treatment, since itching, tissue damage and other manifestations disappear, and sometimes the patient stops treatment, believing that the disease has been defeated. But remnants of the infection can easily trigger a relapse.
Treatment procedures should be stopped only with the permission of the doctor and after passing the necessary tests. This is particularly true for advanced forms of the disease. The fungus is firmly "fixed" in the body and sometimes it can take at least six months to get rid of it. But the external manifestation of a fungus on the feet in the form of various skin or nail damage disappears much earlier, creating the illusion of health. If therapyIf stopped in this case, it is almost guaranteed that the patient will provoke a relapse.
Treatment of feet with mycoid infection is carried out comprehensively. To get rid of the disease, local antifungal drugs and tablets are used to eliminate the infectious agent that has entered the body. To eliminate itching, pain, brittle nails and accelerate tissue regeneration, certain medications may be prescribed. It is not recommended to independently combine them with the main therapy group so as not to provoke an allergic reaction or intoxication of the body due to the simultaneous use of incompatible drugs.
Curing athlete's foot in the early stages is very easy. Usually two weeks of therapy is enough to eliminate the symptoms of mycoid infection.
Types of mycoses
Only a dermatologist can accurately determine the type of fungus through a visual examination, the data of which is clarified by laboratory tests. Depending on the causative agent of the fungal infection (yeast, mold, fungi of the genus Trichophyton or Candida) on the skin of the feet, there are several main types of the disease, including:
- candidiasis of the feet;
- athlete's foot;
- trichophytosis (or rumbicosis) of the feet;
- Onychomycosis (nail fungus).
prevention
The risk of infection can be significantly reduced through simple preventative measures. You should only use personal items and treat your nails with sterile instruments. When visiting public places such as baths, saunas, swimming pools, beaches, you should wear your own shoes. By the way, try to choose it so that it is comfortable and your feet can breathe. So that you don't have to deal with different types of athlete's foot later, you should think about prevention in advance.
How to treat
The treatment of skin fungus on the legs is a complex long-term therapy, in severe cases also the use of systemic oral agents. For smaller lesions, the focus is on local therapy with antibacterial and antiseptic agents. In acute forms of the disease, warm baths are prescribed to relieve inflammation and remove dead skin cells. In some cases, it is necessary to treat the patient's shoes and clothing with special means to avoid relapses.
System tools
Systemic oral agents are prescribed when local medications are ineffective and in severe advanced forms of the disease. In the case of fungal infections of the deep layers of the skin, taking oral antimycotics is indicated; They not only help treat the acute stage, but also prevent the disease from becoming chronic. The dosage regimen, course duration and dosage are selected by the attending physician.
Doctors recognize antifungal drugs for systemic use as the best means of systemic treatment of athlete's foot. They have an active fungicidal (destructive) and funginistic (suppressing the reproduction of bacteria) effects; their active components can accumulate in the upper layers of the epidermis, nails and hair. Before taking, be sure to read the instructions for use, as these products have contraindications.
Local remedies
Therapy with topical medications includes not only the use of antifungal creams and ointments, but also the use of special sprays, aerosols and lotions. The form of the drug is recommended by a dermatologist depending on the type of causative agent of the infection, the severity of the lesion on the skin of the legs, the stage of the disease and the individual characteristics of the patient's body. The duration of treatment with a local medication can range from 2 weeks to 3 months.
For athlete's foot and other forms of mycoses of the leg skin, an aerosol, a suspension for application to the skin or a solution for topical application can be prescribed. The products are either applied directly to the skin damaged by the fungus or moist swabs soaked in a medicinal solution are applied. You will receive all necessary application recommendations from your doctor.
Antifungal ointments
When treating skin fungus on the feet, in most cases an antifungal ointment is prescribed, for example a cream with the active ingredient terbinafine hydrochloride or its analogues. Apply the drug in the form of an ointment or cream to the dry skin of the heels or other areas of inflammation, previously carefully cleaned of dead epidermal cells and other plaques. For different types of diseases, the duration of treatment can range from 2-3 weeks to 2-3 months.
Experts consider broad-spectrum ointments to be an effective means of combating athlete's foot of various forms and stages. The active components of the drug locally combat fungal infections and suppress the reproduction of the pathogen. Depending on the degree of skin damage, the ointment is applied to washed, affected skin two to three times a day for several weeks or months.
home remedies
The use of folk remedies is possible only with the consent of the attending physician. The main products for baths, compresses and antifungal applications on the skin of the feet are vinegar, propolis, baking soda, decoctions of medicinal plants and laundry soap. The following procedures are practiced:
- Baths with a solution of soda and salt. For 3 liters of water at a temperature of 36-40 ° C, use 3 tbsp. l. salt and 3 tbsp. l lemonade. The duration of the procedure is 10-15 minutes; After the bath, rinse your feet under warm running water. Used twice a day for 7-10 days for acute forms of fungus.
- Lotions with herbal decoctions. To prepare a decoction, mix dried oak bark, marigold flowers and verbena leaves in equal proportions. To prepare the decoction 3 tbsp. l. Pour a glass of boiling water over the mixture and leave over low heat for 10-15 minutes. Make a compress with the resulting decoction for 20-30 minutes three times a day.
Deleted form
Mycosis of the erased form is almost invisible, its symptoms are minimal. These include: slight itching, burning, flour-like peeling, microcracks in the interdigital areas. If you do not contact a specialist at the first signs of the disease, the pathology can develop into a form of onychomycosis, which is much more difficult to treat. In this case, the peeled nail grows back between one and six months.
Mycoses of the deleted form are treated with local preparations: ointments, creams, foams. They allow you to form a layer on the foot that protects against infection from other infections. It is not recommended to wash your feet for 24 hours after using this medicine.
Only in extreme cases can systemic therapy be prescribed. The problem is that such drugs are toxic and have a negative effect on some internal organs, such as the liver. Therefore, if the use of local remedies has an effect, it is better not to take pills.
Routes of infection
Fungal spores remain viable in the environment for a long time, so it is easy to contract the disease in the most unexpected places. However, the most favorable conditions for their development are warmth and high humidity. For this reason, people who visit the following are at risk:
- swimming pools;
- Bath;
- saunas;
- fitness centers;
- Beaches.
Even with regular disinfection, fungal infestation can form on all objects located there. Therefore, you should avoid ordinary items in such places and be sure to take spare shoes with you.
Military personnel are at risk. Most often, soldiers in the army wear uncomfortable shoes that do not allow air to pass through. This causes the feet to sweat, creating microtraumas into which the fungus penetrates.
There are two types of infections. The first is the direct route through direct contact with the infectious agent when communicating with a sick person, caring for an animal or walking barefoot on the ground and sand. The second route leads to infection through objects belonging to infected people or pets.
Precautions
Preventing an illness is always easier and safer from a health perspective than treating it, even with the most gentle method. In the case of a fungal infection, prevention is one of the mandatory norms of life, since infection occurs very easily. Therefore, to reduce the risk of contracting the disease, it is recommended to follow a few simple rules:
- try to eat healthy and eat as healthily as possible;
- Do not use other people's items and personal hygiene products.
- Use basic protective equipment in public places, such as: B. Replacement shoes and hygienic antibacterial agents.
- Wash your feet regularly and change your socks.
- live a healthy life;
- Take a bath regularly to improve the health of your feet;
- Disinfect shoes regularly.
Preventing a fungal infection is important not only to prevent it, but also when the disease actually occurs. In this situation, compliance with sanitary and hygienic standards will help speed up healing and prevent infection of others with the fungus.