Foot fungus is one of the most common skin diseases that does not threaten human life, but is accompanied by many unpleasant symptoms. For the treatment of foot mycosis, antifungal agents and folk healing methods are used.
Varieties of foot fungus
The treatment method is largely determined by the type of fungal infection.
- Candidiasis - a pathogen is a Candida fungus, present on the skin of any person, but activated only under favorable environmental conditions (viral diseases, impaired immune system). This type of fungus enters the body through direct contact with infected products and objects.
- Trichophytosis is a fairly common type that can be infected through the joint use of shoes, hygiene items, etc. This disease is in most cases diagnosed in older men.
Causes of fungal infection
Mycosis of the legs is observed after getting a fungal infection, which begins to manifest itself under favorable conditions with unpleasant symptoms. The pathogenesis of this pathology is as follows:
- corns, abrasions, cuts and other injuries are formed on the skin, which may be caused by injuries or cosmetic procedures;
- improper skin care of the limbs;
- weak immunity;
- the use of antibiotics that have a beneficial effect on the development of fungi;
- strong sweating.
Symptoms of mycosis
How is mycosis of toenails? Fungal infection is characterized by the following unpleasant symptoms:
- unpleasant foot odor;
- severe burning and itching;
- peeling;
- the appearance of a white coating, similar to salt;
- strong sweating;
- change in the shape and color of the nail, brittleness and dryness, discharge of the nail plate.
If the case is neglected, small purulent vesicles may appear on the foot.
Diagnostics
The doctor should carefully examine the surface of the patient's feet in order to compare the symptoms and correlate them with any fungal form. In addition, the patient is usually asked the following questions:
- time of onset of the first symptoms;
- cases of deterioration;
- initial manifestation of symptoms and signs later;
- the presence of bad habits and other factors that could provoke the development of the disease - diabetes, cardiovascular pathology;
- frequency of medical examination;
- the place of the pedicure procedure is in the salon or at home;
- the implementation of preventive measures when visiting beaches, public baths, pools and saunas.
To determine the specific variety of mycosis of the toenails, a skin fragment should be removed from the patient with a light scratching. Additionally, nail plate samples are also required. Often, examinations are performed by other doctors to determine the patient’s immunity status.
Treatment of interdigital mycosis on the legs
In order to get rid of the hated fungus once and for all, you need to visit a doctor such as a dermatologist. You can eliminate the symptoms at home, however, removing the fungus from the body does not work right away, since it will reappear. That is why, to get rid of the fungus, preparations for internal use and antifungal agents are prescribed.
However, such compositions can not be used without consulting a specialist, since each person has different manifestations of mycosis. Before prescribing the drug, the specialist carries out the necessary laboratory manipulations: they take a scraping in an inflamed area, urine and blood tests that will help determine the cause of the pathology and establish the type of fungus.
It is worth noting that the disappearance of unpleasant symptoms is not a complete cure. It can take several months to remove the fungus from the body. It depends on the degree and stage of damage to the legs with mycosis. If the fungus is not completely cured, the disease may resume again after some time.
Many are interested in how to treat mycosis of toenails.
Means for external use
As a medicine for mycosis of toenails, solutions, creams and ointments are used that help eliminate unpleasant symptoms. If you need to process the foot, it is advisable to give preference to ointments. With damage to the space between the fingers - solutions. To process nails, it is recommended to use special creams or varnishes.
As methods of external therapy of the fungus can be used:
- "Bifanazole" - a solution that removes the fungus from the body;
- "Exoderil" - a solution or ointment - one of the most popular remedies for nail and foot fungus, which destroys the fungus, and also has a bactericidal effect;
- "Lamisil" spray or cream - actively eliminates fungus, does not dry the epidermis, a positive result is noted after five days;
- Mikozon nail files and serum - a set through which you can effectively get rid of nail fungus;
- "Clotrimazole" (ointment) - violates the occurrence of fungal enzymes.
It is necessary to take into account the fact that any of these drugs can become addictive, and therefore medications need to be changed from time to time. If mycosis of the legs is in an advanced stage, local funds must be combined with systemic ones - Fluconazole, Itraconazole, Ketoconazole and Griseofulvin.
Home remedies for controlling fungus
Before applying any drug to the surface of the legs, you need to make preparatory manipulations:
- wash feet with soap;
- to clear the sole and nails of the keratinized skin layer, for which baths with liquid soap and soda (softening components) will be good;
- then the sole should be treated with pumice, nails - using a nail file;
- feet are washed with clean water and wiped dry;
- a drug is applied.
It is very important to remember that all used tools should be kept away from the rest and treated with disinfectants before each use.
Healing baths
Among home recipes that help eliminate leg mycosis, the following are distinguished:
- Wine vinegar. To prepare such a bath, you need to take a glass of vinegar and a liter of water. The procedure may vary in time, it is usually performed while the composition is still warm. After that, cotton socks are put on, which are also moistened in a solution of vinegar. After two days, the fungus disappears, the appearance of the legs improves.
- Salt and soda. It is necessary to dissolve one tablespoon of each component in a liter of water and lower it for fifteen minutes of the foot, then rinse and wipe dry. The result will be noticeable after two procedures.
- You can get rid of the foot fungus with the help of medicinal herbs, for example, oak bark, calendula, verbena and dried blackberry. Take one tablespoon of all herbs, pour a glass of water. The resulting mixture is put on fire and boiled for fifteen minutes. After this, the broth needs to be cooled, then strain and apply a dampened bandage to the affected area for 20-25 minutes.
- Coffee is insoluble. Strong coffee is brewed, mixed with a liter of water. There you need to lower your feet for fifteen minutes, rinse, rub your feet dry.
- Spurge. Take 0.5 cups of fresh grass, pour a liter of boiled water. The solution is insisted for a while, then filtered and poured into the pelvis. Feet should be lowered there for fifteen minutes. Such steaming must be done every day for two weeks.
Treatment of mycosis on the legs is often carried out using special creams.
Foot fungus: effective creams
At home, the patient can make special creams, through which the skin areas affected by the fungus must be treated.
- Wood ash (sifted) and pork fat (one teaspoon each) are mixed well. The cream is applied to clean skin every twelve hours.
- Copper sulfate, goose fat and yellow sulfur are carefully mixed one tablespoon each. All ingredients are placed in a container, put on fire, brought to a boil. The mass must be allowed to cool, it is applied to the affected area once a day.
Treatment of mycosis on the legs with folk remedies can be very effective.
Masks and compresses
The most effective methods of combating fungus are:
- Mask of garlic and onions: one head of both ingredients should be passed through a meat grinder. The finished mixture is applied to the inflamed area, wrapped in polyethylene, put on warm socks. A similar compress is done twice a day, morning and evening.
- To process the nail plate, you can use a mixture of medical alcohol, glycerin and vinegar. All components take 1 teaspoon, mix thoroughly, apply a few drops to the nails. This must be done every day until the fungus disappears.
Other fungus disposal methods
The following remedies can help eliminate interdigital mycosis on the legs: hydrogen peroxide, iodine, dried or fresh celandine, soda and apple cider vinegar. But it should be noted that these components can dry the skin, it begins to peel off.
Iodine
This tool has an effect on protein fungal compounds and disinfects the epidermis, due to which the reproduction of the pathology is suspended.
Iodine can be used as follows:
- In the form of baths for feet. It will take five liters of warm water, in which to dissolve 3 tablespoons of iodine. In this solution, you need to keep the feet for twenty minutes. A similar procedure is repeated every other day.
- Iodine and alcohol are mixed in a teaspoon. The finished mixture is applied with a cotton pad before bedtime on the skin. The procedure is repeated for 7-10 days.
You need to know that iodine cannot be used for diseases of the thyroid gland and individual intolerance. A photo of mycosis on the legs is presented in the article.
Hydrogen peroxide
This tool can be used daily in the form of compresses. For this purpose, peroxide is required in a concentration of 3%, gauze is moistened in it and applied to the inflamed area for 30 minutes. The procedure is repeated twice a day for a week. Thanks to peroxide, the likelihood of spreading the infection is reduced. It is an antiseptic and reduces the unpleasant odor of the lower extremities.
What else to treat foot mycosis?
Celandine
This plant is poisonous, but is used in the treatment of various kinds of dermatological pathologies. To do this, you need to take both fresh and dry flowers of celandine. The treatment solution can be prepared according to several recipes, which are listed below:
- Three tablespoons of dried flowers need to pour a glass of water, boil for ten minutes. In the solution, it is advisable to keep the legs every day for half an hour.
- The same decoction is used as a compress. A well-moistened cotton pad is also applied to the inflamed area for half an hour.
- Pustules and cracks in the affected area can be treated with the juice of this plant.
Apple vinegar
Everyone knows and is quite a popular remedy for mycosis of toenails. It can be used in the form of compresses or baths. To prepare it, you need to take five liters of water and three tablespoons of vinegar, mix and process the affected areas. The procedure is carried out about half an hour a day. Water and vinegar for compress are mixed in equal amounts. Then gauze is wetted in this composition and applied to the foot for 30 minutes. This must be done every day.
Preventative measures
In order to avoid a new infection, you need to follow the simplest recommendations:
- hygiene carefully;
- wear cotton socks and high-quality comfortable shoes;
- eat balanced and healthy;
- Do not visit places with a high probability of infection (saunas, public baths, etc.).
When treating a fungus, there should be an integrated approach, so you still can not do without medical help.