Fungal infections or dermatomycosis are diseases caused by fungi of various types. In terms of the frequency of skin lesions, they are second only to pyoderma. Due to its physiological characteristics, the fungus most frequently affects the feet of the lower extremities. Many people try to get rid of unpleasant symptoms on their own and are looking for ways to quickly cure foot fungus at home.
Infection routes
Foot fungus affects the stratum corneum of the skin and its appendages: the nails. The development of the disease depends on the pathogenicity and virulence of the microorganisms, environmental factors and the state of human health. In the same clinical picture, the pathogens can be different types of fungi. The spores are very stable in the external environment (high and low temperatures) and retain the ability to infect for several years.
It is easy to get infected with foot fungus, but you will have to fight it for a long time, stubbornly using a variety of methods and means. Foot infection occurs when pathogenic spores come into contact with the skin of a healthy person. Main routes of infection:
- Poor quality sterilization of instruments in pedicure rooms.
- footwear in general, hygiene items (towel, towel).
Reasons for foot fungus infection:
- rooms with high temperature and humidity: bathrooms, saunas, swimming pools, gyms,
- increased sweating of the feet,
- the presence of abrasions, microcracks in the skin,
- non-compliance with hygiene rules,
- systematic overheating or hypothermia of the legs,
- diseases associated with circulatory disorders,
- endocrine pathologies caused by metabolic disorders (obesity, diabetes),
- decreased immunity.
Symptoms of a fungal infection.
The clinic of fungal foot infections has several types.
- An erased form, in which there is slight itching, burning, dryness and peeling in the spaces between the fingers.
- Scaly. Abundant lamellar peeling occurs in the sole area, in the interdigital folds. With a long course: painful cracks, itching.
- The intertriginous form appears if the squamous stage is not treated. The process begins with the appearance of hyperemia and moist loosening of the stratum corneum of the skin between the fingers. When the macerated areas are separated, an eroded surface is revealed, bordered on the periphery by remains of softened epidermis. The process involves areas adjacent to the fingers and sole. A person feels pain when walking, and a secondary purulent infection may develop.
- Hyperkeratotic. Areas are formed with dry nodules and bluish-red plaques, covered with dense scales. They are clearly delimited from healthy skin and peel off along the perimeter. They are located on the sole and move towards the lateral surfaces of the foot and towards the interdigital folds. This form may appear as yellowish calluses with cracks in the top layer. Symptoms: slight itching, cracking and dry skin.
- The Dyshidrotic form mainly affects the soles of the feet. The clinical picture is complemented by large bubbles with airtight lids. The eruptions are single or numerous. The blisters may fuse to form cortical layers or open to expose erosions. As the course progresses, eroded areas form and when pressure is applied to them, severe pain occurs.
With weeping mycoses, a characteristic sign is the appearance of an unpleasant odor on the feet.
Treatment with home remedies.
People suffered from fungal diseases long before the invention of antifungal drugs, so traditional medicine has accumulated a lot of experience in treating such lesions at home. Despite this, it is unlikely that you will be able to quickly cope with the fungus on your own, without consulting a doctor and without special antifungal medications.
Most of the home remedies used in the treatment of fungi are substances that dry the upper layer of the skin, promoting severe peeling of the epidermis, along with which the fungal spores are eliminated.
It is impossible to recommend to everyone one of the fastest ways to get rid of the disease. Much depends on the stage of pathology, the type of fungus, the individual characteristics of the patient's skin and concomitant diseases.
The use of combined therapy methods has a good effect.
Iodine
To treat foot fungus, the medicine is used in the form of an alcohol solution. Iodine is not only a powerful antiseptic, but also an oxidizing agent that destroys the shell of the mushrooms and causes the denaturation of the proteins that constitute it. This leads to the rapid death of microorganisms.
Application mode:
- Pour 3 tablespoons of an alcoholic iodine solution into a container with 5 liters of hot water (40°C). Do a foot bath for 20 minutes. Course: 7 procedures on alternate days,
- Dilute the alcoholic iodine solution with vodka 1: 1. Treat your skin with this mixture every day before going to bed after washing your feet. The procedure is carried out for 5 to 10 days, depending on the severity of the symptoms.
Before starting treatment, it is necessary to perform a test for the absence of an allergic reaction.. To do this, apply a drop of iodine to the inner surface of the forearm. If no skin changes are seen after 24 hours, treatment can begin.
Contraindications:
- individual intolerance to iodine,
- thyroid diseases,
- Sensitive skin prone to burns.
Hydrogen peroxide
Upon contact with the skin, under the influence of the enzyme catalase, hydrogen peroxide decomposes and atomic oxygen is released, which is a strong oxidizing agent.
Free oxygen has bactericidal and antifungal properties. In addition, unfavorable conditions for the life of fungi are created in the zone of action of hydrogen peroxide.
A cotton pad is soaked in a 3% peroxide solution and applied to the affected area for 10 minutes. If a strong burning sensation occurs, rinse the affected area with running water and lubricate with vegetable oil. Applications are made in the morning and evening for 5 days.
Hydrogen peroxide acts as an antiseptic, prevents fungi from multiplying and spreading to neighboring areas and reduces unpleasant odors.
Celandine
Traditional healers use herbs to treat skin diseases. Celandine is rightly considered one of the best. It is a poisonous plant, so any manipulation should be done with rubber gloves.
- Place 2 tablespoons of dried celandine raw material in a container with 200 ml of water, keep on heat for 10 minutes, strain and add the decoction to the bath water. Lower the legs into the bowl for 20 minutes. The procedure is carried out every two days.
- Celandine tincture is prepared as follows: add 1 tablespoon of dried celandine inflorescences to 200 ml of vodka. Infuse in a cool, dark place. After 14 days, strain and use to treat foot fungus, lubricating the affected areas 2 times a day.
Concentrated celandine juice should not be used for erosive lesions, as it can cause burns in the deep layers of the skin.
Celandine oil is prepared by mixing freshly squeezed juice with Vaseline in a ratio of 1: 4. The medicine should be applied to the affected areas 2 times a day until recovery occurs.
Vinegar: apple essence, wine and vinegar.
The mechanism of the therapeutic effect of vinegar for mycoses of the feet is based on the fact that fungi do not survive in an acidic environment. Its use is effective for the initial symptoms of the disease, when the pathological effect of pathogens is limited to the superficial layers.
A 9% vinegar solution is used to lubricate the inflamed dermis and apply applications. For extensive lesions, the following method is used: the healthy skin is generously lubricated with baby cream and a sock soaked in a vinegar solution is put on the foot..In the morning, wash your foot with warm water and dry it.
The original antifungal ointment is prepared on the basis of 9% natural acetic acid and eggs. Place 250 ml of vinegar and 2 fresh eggs in a glass jar. The shell dissolves under the influence of acid after 3 to 5 days. The yolk and white become denatured and solidify. They should be ground with vinegar and stored in the refrigerator. Lubricate fungal lesions until symptoms disappear.
You should not try to eliminate the fungus with vinegar essence, since it is an acid and causes not only a superficial burn of the skin, but also penetrates to the germ layer of the dermis. This threatens complications in the form of scars on the legs or dermatoses that do not heal in the long term.
Soap and soda baths
The gentlest way to treat fungus is to use foot baths with soap or soda. They soften the upper stratum corneum of the epidermis, which facilitates deeper penetration of other fungicidal agents (tar, apple cider vinegar, iodine) into fungal colonies.
Grate half a piece of laundry soap and dissolve it in 5 liters of hot water. Pour into a container, add 100 g of baking soda and immerse your feet in the liquid. The procedure lasts 10 minutes, then the feet are rinsed and dried well. The next step is to treat the prepared skin with an antifungal agent.
One of the combined treatment methods is foot baths with sea or table salt and baking soda.
Saline solution has antiseptic and fungicidal properties. To prepare it you need:
- add a large spoonful of salt and baking soda to the foot bath,
- The procedure lasts 30 minutes and then the feet are dried. Course 5-7 days.
Tar soap and birch tar
You can get rid of the unpleasant symptoms of fungal infections on the skin of the feet using birch tar. Its antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties are used not only by traditional healers, but also in official medicine (Vishnevsky ointment). To treat fungus, birch tar can be purchased at the pharmacy.
Application mode:
- After a foot bath with soap or soda, cut your nails, apply ointment and tar to the affected areas and lie down for 1-2 hours so that it is well absorbed.
- Socks are put on the feet and no manipulations are done for 2-3 days. The feet are then washed with cold water and the treatment is repeated.
You can use tar soap, which contains 10% tar. Dissolve two tablespoons of crushed tar soap in 2 liters of hot water and soak your feet there for 20 minutes. Then the extremities are soaped and baking soda is sprinkled on top. Cover your feet with a bandage, put on socks and leave overnight. In the morning they wash their feet with water. The course is designed for one week.
Onion, garlic, lemon
You can treat the fungus using the fungicidal properties of onion and garlic. Vegetables crushed to pulp are applied to sore spots and fixed with adhesive tape and polyethylene. The compress remains until morning.
Lemon juice helps with the transition of the fungal process to the nail plate. The citrus fruits are cut into slices, applied to the affected areas and secured with cling film and a bandage. The course of treatment is 10 days.
Other methods
An infusion of kombucha for two months helps eliminate the fungus. The liquid is boiled for an hour, filtered, and then used for compresses and lotions. It is advisable to do them before going to bed, after moistening your feet with steam in hot water with the addition of iodine or potassium permanganate.
Good results can be easily achieved if you remove the film from the kombucha, knead it, and apply the resulting pulp to the sore area for several hours, or better yet, overnight. The procedure must be repeated every day for at least a week.
A decoction of:
- calendula flowers,
- blackberry fruits,
- verbena,
- oak bark.
Pour three tablespoons of raw materials mixed in equal proportions into a glass of water and boil for 15 minutes. After cooling and straining, the decoction is used to wash the skin and apply applications. A liquid-soaked bandage is placed on the affected area for 20 minutes. Due to the safety of the method, it can be used without restrictions.
Ammonia is used in baths for nail fungus. Add 50 ml of ammonia and 2 tablespoons of baking soda per liter of warm water. The procedure lasts 25 minutes, after which the feet are washed with cold water and dried well.
It is difficult to achieve a permanent cure for fungus using home remedies. Home remedies usually reduce the severity of symptoms. If treatment is stopped, the disease may reactivate.
It is especially difficult to get rid of the fungus if someone in the family is sick, because in case of close household contact there is a very high risk of infection for all family members. Numerous people's reviews confirm that it is possible to cure fungus only with the strictest compliance with all rules of hygiene and preventive therapy.
If, despite all the measures taken, it is not possible to eliminate the fungus, the disease progresses, capturing more and more new areas and a secondary infection occurs in the form of ulcers, it is necessary to consult a doctor for qualified help.