No one can be immune to athlete's foot today. Its development occurs under certain favorable conditions (humidity and heat). Often the fungus is found not only on the nails, but also between the fingers. Infection with them occurs simply, for this it is possible even not to directly contact a person who has contracted this disease. After all, spores of such a fungus live on all sorts of objects, clothes and shoes for a long time.
Particularly prone to fungal attack between the fingers
It happens that even with frequent contact with infected objects, someone is completely immune to fungi. For someone, on the other hand, this disease develops instantly. Factors that predispose to fungi:
- the state of immunity - if it is weakened, the risk of contracting the disease increases;
- age - in children the skin is more susceptible to various types of fungal diseases;
- chronic or infectious diseases - they weaken the body, which makes it easier for the fungus to penetrate the thickness of the skin or nail;
- Increased sweating and features of the composition of sweat create a favorable environment for the introduction and development of the fungus.
possibility of infection
There are two main types of infection with this disease. Direct way:
- walking barefoot on ground, earth, grass;
- in contact with a person with mycosis;
- when "communicating" with an infected animal.
Indirect way:
- when using objects with fungus (towels, shoes, underwear);
- when using animal care products, which may also contain fungi dangerous to humans.
- Causes of the appearance of fungus between the fingers
Causes of the appearance of fungus between the fingers
The causes of the appearance and fungus on the legs between the fingers are very diverse:
- warm and humid environment between toes;
- Violations of the integrity of the skin, including small ones: cracks, wounds, pustules, wounds;
- poor quality, uncomfortable, tight shoes;
- physical fatigue, exhaustion;
- Infection is possible in common areas (baths, saunas, spa-beauty salons, swimming pools);
- Pregnancy, dysbiosis, varicose veins.
symptoms of the disease
Symptoms of the disease that require treatment in the future look like this:
- peeling between fingers;
- cracks that appear for unknown reasons;
- pain accompanied by severe itching;
- profuse sweating of the legs;
- seals in the sole area;
- the formation of large grayish or yellowish spots.
Initially, the symptoms of the disease are not pronounced: there is almost no itching, no discomfort is felt. As a result, many simply ignore the warning signs of trouble.
If you ignore the first symptoms and do not start treating the disease, the process will progress: the mycosis will capture not only the interdigital spaces, but also other areas of the skin of the feet, moving to the nails, which will change color , thicken, deform andexfoliate
Therapeutic procedures using drugs
Treatment of a fungus is a long process that requires a lot of patience and responsibility from the patient. Treatment lasts at least a month, but in some cases the treatment process can last up to a year.
Consult a specialist for proper treatment of the fungus between the toes. To do this, you need to contact a dermatologist. In no case should you self-medicate, otherwise there is a chance that the disease will spread to other parts of the body.
Only a doctor can prescribe the right, effective treatment, aimed not only at eliminating unpleasant symptoms, but also at ridding the patient of the root cause - the causative agent of the fungal disease. For this purpose, various drugs are used:
- Compresses from a special solution - with this product it is necessary to moisten cotton swabs and spread them between the toes. After 20 minutes, the compress must be removed.
- antifungal ointments - not only relieve the unpleasant symptoms of the disease, but also destroy its cause, the fungus;
- Tablets - drugs that need to be taken orally, acting systemically on the fungus;
- In some cases, immunostimulants are also required, which strengthen the immune system and make treatment more effective.
Effective treatment of fungus folk remedies
There are folk methods of treating fungus that have stood the test of time:
- A decoction of wormwood. For cooking you need half a kilogram of wormwood grass, it must be boiled in clean water (3 l) for a quarter of an hour. Then the remedy is infused for 30 minutes, filtered and placed in a basin. In such a bath you need to hold your feet just before bedtime.
- salt baths. An effective treatment against fungus between the fingers is to prepare sea salt foot baths. You need to heat the water and pour in a small amount of salt. As soon as the product has time to dissolve in the bath, you need to lower your legs there and thoroughly steam. It is not necessary to wash your feet after the procedure. It is advisable to put on socks made of natural fabric and go to bed. Such baths will help make the skin of the legs soft and healthy. In the initial stages of the fungus, such baths perfectly help to solve this problem.
Consolidation of the result
After stopping treatment, cracks and itching disappear. Some symptoms stop bothering the patient, but this does not mean that the treatment is over. In the pharmacy you need to order a special 25% aluminum chloride solution. It will eventually remove the fungus between the toes.
It is very important to remember that the treatment of the fungus will be successful if you constantly keep the skin of the feet clean - do a pedicure at home with individual tools, remove peeling skin. It contains pathogenic spores of the fungus. If they are not removed, further infection, recurrence, is likely. Therefore, it is recommended to use a special brush at the time of foot bath to remove dead skin.
At the end of the treatment it is important to disinfect clothes and shoes. Otherwise, a relapse of the disease is likely. The following agent can be used for disinfection: formalin 25% + vinegar 30%.
With this tool, you need to process all things and put them in one package. And after 2-3 hours things need to air out. The fungus is completely destroyed and the person is protected from re-infection.
disease prevention
To prevent the fungus that affects the area between the toes from returning, you need to follow simple precautions:
- wear only high-quality, comfortable shoes made only from natural "breathable" materials;
- after coming home from work or a walk, shoes must be treated with a spray with a disinfecting effect;
- You can't try on someone else's shoes.
- After visiting public places, you need to wash your feet thoroughly, wipe them dry and treat them at home with a special remedy from a pharmacy for prevention.
- need to keep immunity at the right level. To this end, it is recommended to include more fruits, vegetables, herbal teas and juices in the diet.
Don't neglect athlete's foot prevention. It will help protect yourself from this disease. Otherwise, treatment after a fungal infection will take a very long time. After the treatment, you need to make sure that there are no relapses. Remember: Like any other disease, athlete's foot is much easier to prevent than to treat later.