Fungi or yeasts thrive in hot, humid places. Therefore, the human body is best suited for the life of entire colonies of various fungi. Hygiene, healthy eating, exercise, and strong immunity protect us from parasites, but do they always do so?
Possible reasons
- Tight and uncomfortable shoes. Constant debate in tight shoes leads to the fact that bacteria multiply rapidly from sweat and dust. They stay on the feet, inside the shoes, on the toes, and on the floor you've walked on. Thus, the "bouquet" spreads throughout the house and ends up on the "new" clean feet of your house.
- Bad shoe material, non-ventilated fabric or dermantine. The same effect of "suffocation" of the feet, as in tight, but beautiful shoes.
- Disregard hygiene in public places. Never go barefoot in the steam bath, swimming pool, showers and sauna. Disposable slippers do not protect against sliding on the tiles, but mainly against the exchange of foreign bacteria.
- Personal belongings. Do not lend socks, towels, tights, shoes, knee-highs, manicure sets for yourself or for someone else. In the dressing room, use your clean nylon sock.
- Immune problems. Weak or temporarily weakened immunity does not stand up well to viral and fungal attacks. This includes people diagnosed with diabetes, AIDS, psoriasis, varicose veins, vascular disease, and obesity.
- Non-observance of the rules of hygiene of the feet. Wash them every day with soap, change your socks, cut your nails once a week. Wash your shoes every few weeks or so.
- Corns, calluses, cracks, excessive sweating. Inadequate treatment or lack of treatment, neglect of care and hygiene of painful foci.
Signs by stages of development
Often, the external manifestations of the fungus are absent, do not cause attention or do not bother the patient. It is important to identify symptoms as early as possible and see a doctor.
- First step: fuzzy or light.
- peeling of the skin on the foot, especially between the toes;
- the appearance of blisters on the skin of the fingers, which burst and bring discomfort;
- small sores or cracks at the site of the blisters;
- Unpleasant odor;
- changes in the structure, color and thickness of the nail; yellow spots, whitish streaks, thickening and porosity of the plaque.
- Second stage: squamous-hyperkeratotic.
- Third step: intertriginous.
- Fourth stage: dyshidrotic.
Most often, the fungus chooses the thumb, which infects everyone. Most men are sick: they sweat more, so the feet are at high risk of developing the disease.
The feet itch, the skin between the toes is covered with white scabs, there is a burning sensation that intensifies. It becomes impossible to ignore anxiety.
The mycosis penetrates deep into the epidermis: the skin between the fingers becomes inflamed, becomes wet and flakes off. Open painful wet wounds and cracks remain. They ooze and hurt. It becomes almost impossible to walk. The focus of inflammation has clearly defined edges.
The skin of the foot is completely affected. Blisters and blisters cover the feet, overflowing with fluid. It is impossible to move, the wounds hurt and itch a lot.
Treatment of the nails is long - from 1 to 2 months, if the symptoms appeared at the first stage and a dermatologist helped you in time. Neglected forms, even the strongest therapies cannot heal quickly.
Therapies
It is only possible to decide on treatment after confirming the diagnosis. For example, peeling of the feet is a typical seasonal dermatitis. By mistaking it for nail fungus on big toes and treating it with vinegar at home, the skin will suffer doubly. And the improvement will not come.
Traditional methods are good in the early stages or as an adjunct therapy. Doctors warn that home remedies only suppress external manifestations. A relapse will certainly occur when the immune system is weakened. The drug is suitable for all stages.
Drug
The doctor carries out treatment with the help of a complex:
- antifungal ointments, foams, creams and tablets;
- pharmaceutical preparation solutions and "talkers";
- immunostimulants and vitamins.
The laser is gaining popularity. The procedure is primarily intended for the plaque and no tablets are required. There are contraindications to treatment (pregnancy, breastfeeding, oncology, skin lesions), so it is not a universal and also expensive method.
With an advanced form, antifungal drugs are changed several times per course due to the dependence of fungi on the active ingredient. The affected nails are removed in the hospital. The legs steadily hover and cleanse the scabs, scaly skin, if not a neglected type (no open wounds).
Household and leisure shoes are either well disinfected or thrown away. The socks are washed, boiled and ironed at the maximum allowable temperature. Allocate all bed linen, clothing that you touch with your feet, and shower accessories only for you during treatment. Wash them thoroughly after use to avoid re-infection.
ethnoscience
These home remedies are always on hand to help relieve symptoms before your first visit to your doctor.
- Potatoes.
Boil the washed peels and crush them. Pour the hot potato broth into a basin and warm your legs. After cooking your feet well, rub the mash on your feet. Soak for a while until the compress has cooled. Rinse with lukewarm water and grease the hearths with lard (take care of the inside).
- Table vinegar.
Mix in equal parts with water and make an elastic dough. Apply firmly to the nail and secure with a bandage. Protect the delicate skin of the finger with a film or bandage so that the acid does not damage the epidermis. Change the compress every day for 4 to 5 days until the plaque comes off.
Second way. Collect 200 ml of vinegar and lower the washed chicken egg. Wait until the acid has completely eaten away at the shell and a homogeneous mixture forms. She is smeared with sore spots in the morning and evening for a month.
- Iodine.
The affected areas are smeared with a swab dipped in iodine daily. There is a high risk of burning the skin and the formation of increased scaling, burning and dryness.
- Lemon juice.
A lemon slice is applied for 8-10 days until the nail is parted.
Compresses containing caustic, acidic and hot mixtures should not be used if the skin has sores and cracks. The neglected form is an open wound, in which even water causes sharp pain.
- Garlic.
A folk remedy for all diseases confidently fights bacteria and fungi. Take 50 grams of butter and a clove of crushed garlic, mix and let infuse for 24 hours. Apply to diseased areas in the evening after washing your feet, the treatment lasts 30 days.
- Salt baths.
The fungus is destroyed with sea salt. Add a tablespoon of salt to a bowl of water in the evening and steam your feet.
- Rowan rowan.
Fresh green leaves are crushed into a porridge, and a compress with polyethylene is made overnight. The result of the folk remedy will be noticeable after 10 days.
- Terrier, chamomile and violet.
Herbs are mixed in equal parts and boiled with boiling water. Gauze with a hot infusion is wrapped around the feet. Change the compress while it is drying and apply only at home while at rest.
- Propolis.
Rub the affected areas daily until symptoms subside.
- Coffee.
The natural black coffee is brewed and cooled. They put the limbs with the mushroom in the drink and fly away. Do this carefully so that the coffee residue does not stir. Look for good grains that are not overcooked. This procedure relieves symptoms and helps dead skin to get rid of painlessly.
- Horseradish.
Grate the fresh horseradish. You only need a teaspoon for the compress. Do this at night every time you cut your nails. Continue until a new healthy plate develops. Be extremely careful - horseradish stings mucous membranes and open wounds a lot.
If you do not have an advanced form, the symptoms have just appeared and the doctor has confirmed the assumptions, sometimes alternative methods help to heal completely. Also, nail removal methods can become this lifeline when the doctor prescribes surgical removal.