Foot fungus is a disease that no one is immune from. The disease does not go away on its own, so it is important to treat it in time. Experts will tell you how to get rid of the problem.
Foot fungus: symptoms and causes
What is foot fungus? Fungus, or ringworm, is a disease caused by pathogenic or opportunistic fungi. Frequently, the disease is caused by dermatomycete fungi, which, as the physician and his colleagues note, include Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Epidermophyton. However, the pathology can also be caused by microorganisms of the Candida genus.
Fungal lesions of the skin on the legs are called dermatomycosis, the nail plate is called onychomycosis. Often, pathological conditions are combined.
How to recognize a foot fungus?
Symptoms vary depending on the type of fungus that affects the foot. However, there are general symptoms.
In the initial phase, there is dryness of the skin, itching and burning on the sole of the foot, interdigital folds. If the nail plate is affected, there is a slight change in its color, the nails become more brittle, as the doctor notes.
If no treatment is given, the situation gets worse. The following symptoms appear:
- small cracks between the toes, on the sole of the foot;
- peeling;
- unpleasant odor;
- edema, redness of the interdigital folds, arch of the foot;
- blisters and diaper rash;
- pain when walking;
- deformation of the nail plate (thickening or thinning, impaired growth, destruction of the nail).
Why does fungus appear on feet?
Infection occurs through contact with a sick person, skin contact with surfaces and objects on which there are fungal spores. Swimming pools, saunas and baths pose the greatest risk of infection.
However, you can become infected with the fungus in the pedicure office when using an infected person's personal belongings - shoes, clothing, towels, washcloths. Even at home, it is necessary to be careful and not use other family members' things, as the doctor observes.
There are factors that contribute to the development of foot fungus:
- wounds and cracks;
- excessive sweating and dry skin;
- poor hygiene;
- flat foot;
- circulatory disorders of the legs due to vascular disease;
- diabetes mellitus and pathologies of the immune system.
Popular Remedies for the Treatment of Foot Fungus
In the early stage of disease development, it is much easier to deal with, so therapy should be started when symptoms first appear. Several folk remedies will help fight the fungus.
How to treat foot fungus with folk remedies? Vinegar, animal fat, essential oils and garlic help.
Vinegar
Table cider and apple cider vinegar will help stop a fungal disease from developing:
- Heat two liters of water to a comfortable temperature. Add 200 ml of vinegar. Soak your feet in the resulting composition and hold for 15 minutes. Soak your feet three times a day. After the procedure, dry your feet thoroughly and put on clean socks.
- Dip a cotton ball in apple cider vinegar and apply to nails and skin affected by the fungus. Put on clean socks and leave overnight.
Garlic
Garlic has an antifungal effect, so it works well for the problem. The prescription for the medicine is as follows:
- Squeeze the juice from a head of garlic, add the same amount of water and alcohol.
- Heat the water, to which add a tablespoon of tar soap, grated on a coarse grater, and two tablespoons of baking soda.
- Cook your legs for 15 minutes.
- Dry your feet and treat them with a mixture of garlic juice and alcohol.
Essencial oils
Several essential oils will help fight fungal infections of the feet and nails: rosemary, lavender, ylang-ylang. The doctor claims that tea tree and eucalyptus oils will be among the most effective in combating fungi.
With their help, you can make baths and compresses:
- Wash your feet first. Add ten drops of essential oil to three liters of warm water. Soak your feet in the bathtub for 20 minutes, then put on warm socks or wrap your feet in a warm towel for 15 minutes.
- Heat a tablespoon of water and essential oil to 30°C. Saturate a cotton swab with the product and secure it in the problem areas, wrap it with a bandage on top. After one hour, clean the softened skin or nail plates with a sterile file.
Animal fat
How to cure nail fungus? For these purposes, use pork or goose fat:
- Take equal amounts of fat, copper sulfate and yellow sulfur.
- Mix well and bring to a boil.
- Send to a dark place and wait for complete cooling.
- Lubricate the fungus-affected skin and nails daily.
To deal with foot fungus, it is important to have regular treatments. Use folk remedies and don't forget about personal hygiene. You will soon have a healthy looking legs.
Attention! The material is for informational purposes only. You should not resort to the treatments described in it without first consulting your doctor.