Cutaneous mycoses are a common group of diseases.
Patients do not always take them seriously enough, which leads to advanced forms of pathology that are difficult to treat. Fortunately, there are many ways to get rid of yeast infections on your feet and unpleasant illnesses like yeast infections of your toes and toes.
Cutaneous ringworm between the fingers - how does the disease occur?
Cutaneous ringworm is an infectious disease caused by fungi that parasitize the skin. They can appear anywhere on the body. But, most of the time, they choose skin folds. The spaces between your fingers are your favorite place. This is due to the fact that the legs often sweat and, in tight shoes, the moisture does not have time to evaporate. Therefore, the spaces between the fingers are usually wet and damp. And these conditions are exactly what the fungus needs to reproduce. It is not uncommon for the fungus to enter the indentations between the fingers because of the infected nails.
Contribute to the development of skin diseases:
- insufficient foot hygiene, overheating or hypothermia;
- predisposition to increased sweating;
- poor blood circulation in the foot associated with heart disease, smoking, diabetes mellitus;
- stress;
- calluses and cuts on the skin of the feet;
- lack of vitamins and minerals (mainly zinc) in the body;
- trophic ulcers in the leg;
- hormonal imbalance and thyroid disease;
- overweight;
- excessively dry skin.
However, in most cases, the fungus between the toes does not develop if the person has healthy immunity.
The disease is more common in men, due to the more frequent use of tight shoes. The fungus on the legs can appear not only in adults, but also in children.
Cutaneous mycoses between the toes in 90% of cases are caused by the activity of three types of fungi in the group of dermatomycetes - Trichophyton, Microsporum, Epidermophyton. In addition, the skin in the interdigital spaces is often affected by fungi of the genus Candida.
Most of the time, the infection develops initially in the cavity between the two smaller fingers. However, other interdigital spaces can also be affected. Once on the skin, the fungus actively multiplies. The remains of the stratum corneum of the skin serve as food for microorganisms.
A skin infection can be spread from person to person. For that, a simple contact of the skin of the feet with surfaces that contain the fungus is enough. Transmission of the pathogen can occur with the help of shoes, socks, shared towels and wet floors in someone else's bathroom. It is necessary to carefully monitor personal hygiene, using only personal belongings. In swimming pools, showers, bathtubs and saunas, slippers and personal or disposable slippers must be used.
Often, a skin disease is transmitted from one family member to another, using the same items as shoes, pedicure, socks, towels, walking around the house barefoot, etc.
Symptoms of fungal infection on the skin of the feet.
Symptoms of ringworm of the feet at an early stage:
- itching and burning, worse at night;
- dryness;
- peeling of the skin;
- small cracks.
With the development of the disease, the symptoms intensify, the itching and burning become unbearable, cause scratches and irritations on the skin, the cracks become deeper. The skin on the feet becomes rough. Pains, an unpleasant odor that does not go away even after washing, edema and hyperemia, there is detachment of the epidermis.
Then bubbles appear filled with serous fluid. After opening them, purulent ulcers that do not heal remain on the skin. A bacterium joins the mycotic infection.
Peeling of the nails, abscesses may appear. A complication of mycosis of the feet can be the penetration of the fungus into the bloodstream and the spread of infection throughout the body. At the same time, the body temperature increases. Gangrenous foot injuries can also develop. Cardiovascular diseases, immunodeficiency states and diabetes mellitus complicate the course of the skin disease.
To diagnose ringworm of the feet, it may not be enough for a doctor to examine the skin. It is often necessary to analyze the composition of the skin's microflora. For this, a scraping of the affected surface is carried out. The fungus can be found on the skin even though there are no visible symptoms of infection.
There is also a popular method for determining the presence of fungi in the leg. To do this, you need to put your foot in a potassium permanganate bath. If there are no fungi on the skin, it will turn pink and the affected areas will turn white.
How to remove the fungus between the fingers?
Getting a skin infection is very easy, but getting rid of it is much more difficult. Skin mycoses are always treated at home, but that does not mean that the patient will definitely be helped by a totally independent treatment. In any case, a medical consultation is necessary.
There are many antimycotic medications that effectively kill the fungus. However, the success of treatment depends largely on the stage of the disease. If she has gone too far, it will be difficult to get rid of the infection. In the initial phase, external antifungals are used. If the disease is already occurring, doctors recommend treatment with systemic means. Most of the time, terbinafine, itraconazole, fluconazole are prescribed in the form of pills.
Popular antifungal agents:
- nystatin,
- fluconazole,
- ketoconazole,
- clotrimazole,
- terbinafine,
- naphthifine,
- miconazole,
- itraconazole,
- natamycin.
Some antifungal ointments also contain anti-inflammatory ingredients.
The method of applying all ointments is the same - they must be applied regularly to the affected areas of the skin with a thin layer. Some ointments are sufficient to use once a day, others require more frequent application. Antifungal sprays that can be sprayed on the affected area are even more convenient than ointments.
Treatment with antifungal ointments can be time-consuming. Certain types of ointments can clear the infection after 2 weeks. However, with severe damage, the duration of treatment can take up to 3 months. Doctors advise applying the ointment at least 2 weeks after the visible symptoms of the disease have passed. And once every six months, it is necessary to lubricate your toes with ointments for preventive purposes.
In addition, with severe infections, systemic antifungals can be used. However, they have a long list of contraindications and side effects. In particular, fungal pills are contraindicated in pregnant women. In addition, many skin ointments are prohibited during pregnancy. If there is a need to use such topical preparations, it is necessary to consult a doctor. Not all drugs are allowed in childhood. Therefore, you need to consult the instructions for the selected tool. Some medications can be used from 2 years of age, others from 12.
A specialist must select the right medication. The misuse of antimycotic drugs will not only not relieve the patient from pathogenic microorganisms, but can also lead to the development of resistance in them (especially in conditions where the patient is constantly reinfected). The toxins secreted by many fungi suppress local immunity, which contributes to the development of the infection.
In addition, complexes of vitamins and minerals are taken. If the disease is complicated by a bacterial infection, the doctor prescribes antibiotics, but if there are signs of allergy, antihistamines are prescribed. The treatment can be complemented with anti-inflammatory, salicylic, sulfuric, ichthyol and zinc ointments.
Salicylic ointment:
- has antiseptic properties,
- prevents keratinization of the skin,
- promotes the restoration of the epidermis,
- prevents the spread of infection.
The zinc ointment contains lanolin, menthol, zinc oxide. Zinc ointment has disinfectant properties, promotes skin regeneration, relieves itching and burning.
Sulfur ointment has anti-inflammatory, emollient and disinfectant properties. Ichthiol ointment has a keratolytic, anti-inflammatory and bactericidal effect. In addition, ichthyol ointment promotes tissue regeneration.
Don't forget your foot hygiene as well. You need to give up tight and uncomfortable shoes, socks and synthetic socks, change your insoles regularly. Shoes should be disinfected with antimycotic sprays. In fact, the treatment will have no effect if the patient's skin is continually infected with new portions of the fungus that lives in the shoes.
Fungus between the toes: treatment with folk remedies at home
Treatment with pharmaceutical preparations does not always have the desired effect. Therefore, people resort to folk remedies. This approach is also understandable because many synthetic antimycotic ointments and sprays are not cheap. Treatment with folk remedies can be carried out as a complement to the treatment with pharmacy skin ointments.
The simplest folk remedies to get rid of the fungus are salt baths and soda. To prepare the trays, you will need 2-3 tablespoons of salt or soda per 5 liters. Water. Water temperature - + 40-45 ° C. The duration of the procedure is 15-20 minutes.
One of the best home remedies is an herbal bath with antiseptic properties. It can be chamomile, sage, marigold, nettle, St. John's wort. To prepare the bath, you need 2-3 tablespoons. vegetable materials (you can take a mixture of various herbs) insist on a glass of boiling water, strain and add to a 5 liter container with water for bathing. The water should be warm, but it should not burn the skin on your feet. The duration of the procedure is 15-20 minutes.
Many people in the presence of fungi on the skin of their feet are also helped by baths with potassium permanganate solution. To prepare a light pink solution, only a few grains of potassium permanganate are needed. You can also moisten pieces of cotton with a solution of potassium permanganate and place them between your fingers.
Boric acid is also effective in treating the disease. You can use liquid boric acid and powder. The acid can be added to the baths and treated in the affected areas.
For trays, you can also use a slightly heated solution of 9% apple cider vinegar. The duration of the procedure is 15 minutes. You can also make vinegar lotions.
Another recipe is iodine baths. To prepare the solution, just dilute 20 drops in 3 liters of warm water. The duration of the procedure is 15 minutes, the course of treatment is 2-3 weeks.
After finishing the procedures with water, it is necessary to clean the skin of the keratinized and scaly tissues. It is recommended that the baths be done at least once a day, preferably at night.
In addition, for the treatment of ringworm of the feet, it is possible to use garlic ointment, anti-dandruff shampoos from the pharmacy with antifungal components, lotions with chlorhexidine and hydrogen peroxide.
Prevention of cutaneous mycosis of the toes
The disease occurs as a result of non-compliance with personal hygiene standards. Therefore, it is necessary to:
- do not use pedicure utensils, towels, slippers, socks and other people's shoes; do not allow strangers to wear your shoes, socks, toiletries;
- observe the hygiene of the feet, wash the skin daily with soap, carefully treating the interdigital spaces;
- trim your toenails regularly;
- wear comfortable shoes and socks made of breathable fabric;
- regularly change socks, put on washed socks at a temperature of at least + 40 ° С;
- exercise to improve blood circulation in the legs.
What is the fastest treatment?
It is impossible to say unequivocally which remedy is the fastest and the best. After all, the effectiveness of therapy for a fungal skin disease depends on many circumstances - the severity of the pathology, the level of immunity, the presence of concomitant diseases. Some patients are helped by traditional methods, others - pharmaceutical ointments. It is important not to start the disease and start treatment at the first sign. It is also important to identify the type of pathogen. To do this, you need to see a doctor. Perhaps he can find the best option for the drug.