No one today can be immune to foot fungus. 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 simply occurs, for this it is even possible not to come into direct contact with a person who has this disease. After all, the spores of such a fungus live for a long time on all sorts of things, clothes, shoes.
Particular sensitivity to fungi between the fingers
It happens that someone is completely immune to fungi, even with frequent contact with infected objects. For someone, on the contrary, this disease develops instantly. Factors predisposing to fungi:
- the state of immunity - when it is weakened, the risk of developing 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 facilitates the penetration of the fungus into the thickness of the skin or nails;
- increased perspiration and the characteristics 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 route:
- when walking barefoot on the ground, ground, grass;
- in contact with a person with mycosis;
- when they "communicate" with an infected animal.
Indirect route:
- when using items containing a fungus (towels, shoes, underwear);
- when using pet care items, which may also contain fungi that are 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 moist environment between the toes;
- damage to the integrity of the skin, even minimal: cracks, wounds, pustules, wounds;
- poor quality, uncomfortable and tight shoes;
- physical fatigue, exhaustion;
- infection is possible in common areas (baths, saunas, spa beauty salons, swimming pools);
- pregnancy, dysbiosis, varicose veins.
Disease symptoms
Symptoms of the disease, which in the future need to be treated, look like this:
- peeling between fingers;
- cracks that occur for unknown reasons;
- pain accompanied by severe itching;
- strong sweating of the legs;
- joints in the single zone;
- the formation of large spots of a grayish or yellowish tint.
Initially, the symptoms of the disease are not pronounced: there is almost no itching, no discomfort is felt. Therefore, many simply do not attach importance to warning signs of trouble.
If you ignore the first symptoms and do not start treatment of the disease, the process will progress: the mycosis will capture not only the interdigital spaces, but also other areas of the skin of the foot, will move to the nails, which will change incolor, thicken, shape and exfoliate.
Therapeutic procedures using drugs
Treating a fungus is a long process that requires a lot of patience and responsibility from the patient. At a minimum, the treatment will take a month, but in some cases the treatment process can take up to a year.
You need to ask a specialist about the 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 risk of spreading the disease to other parts of the body.
Only a doctor can prescribe the correct and effective treatment, which will be aimed not only at eliminating unpleasant symptoms, but also at ridding the patient of the very cause - the causative agent of the fungal disease. For this purpose, various drugs are used:
- compresses made from a special solution - in this product it is necessary to moisten cotton swabs, 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 for oral administration, acting on the fungus systemically;
- in some cases, immunostimulants are also needed, which strengthen the immune system, making the treatment more effective.
Effective treatment of fungus folk remedies
There are traditional methods of dealing with mushrooms that have passed the test of time:
- A decoction of absinthe. For cooking, you will need half a kilogram of wormwood grass, it needs to be boiled for a quarter of an hour in clean water (3 l). Then the remedy is infused for 30 minutes, filtered and placed in a basin. In such a bath you need to keep your feet just before going to bed.
- Salt baths. An effective treatment for fungus between the fingers is the preparation of foot baths based on sea salt. You will need to heat the water, pour a small amount of salt. As soon as the product has time to dissolve in the bath, you need to lower your legs into it, steam well. 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 help to make the skin of the legs soft and healthy. In the early stages of the fungus, such baths perfectly help to solve this problem.
Consolidation of the result
After the end of the treatment, the cracks and itching disappear. Some symptoms stop bothering the patient, but this does not mean that the treatment is over. At the pharmacy you need to order a special 25% solution of aluminum chloride. It will finally eliminate 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 - perform pedicures at home with individual tools, remove peeling skin. It contains pathogenic spores of the fungus. If they are not removed, another infection, relapse is likely. Therefore, when taking foot baths, it is recommended to use a special brush 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. For disinfection, it is possible to use the following agent: formalin 25% + vinegar 30%.
With this tool, you have to process all the things and put them in a package. And after 2-3 hours, you will have to let things air out. The fungus will be completely destroyed and the person will be protected against reinfection.
Disease prevention
In order to prevent the fungus that affects the area between the toes from coming back, you should follow simple precautions:
- wear only high-quality comfortable shoes only from natural "breathable" materials;
- after returning from work or a walk, shoes should be treated with a spray with a disinfectant 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 at home you can treat with a special remedy from a pharmacy for prevention;
- need to maintain immunity at the appropriate level. To this end, it is recommended to include more fruits, vegetables, herbal teas and juices in the diet.
Do not neglect the prevention of foot fungus. This will help protect against this disease. Otherwise, after being infected with a fungus, it will take a long time to be cured. After treatment, you need to take care that there are no relapses. Remember: like any other disease, foot fungus is much easier to prevent than to treat later.