How to cure toenail fungus, its symptoms and signs

Skin fungus is the most common dermatological disease. But foot loss is considered more common. Athlete's foot and onychomycosis are often found in those who visit public places, in particular hospitals, saunas, baths, swimming pools and gyms.

Each type of fungus has its own characteristics, signs and treatment methods that you should know for those who are at risk of contracting a fungal infection.

What is athlete's foot?

Mycosis, or ringworm, is a dermatological disease caused by a fungal pathogen. Fungus of the skin of the feet is the most common type of this disease, since the skin on the feet is the most sensitive, which is also constantly exposed to the external environment affected by the fungus.

Risk factors

Athlete's foot is common among men who prefer fully enclosed shoes. The feet start to sweat and a breeding environment is created. Therefore, most men who have served in the military know for themselves what skin fungus is. In children, fungal infections occur due to non-compliance with hygiene rules, walking barefoot on contaminated soil and non-compliance with sanitary standards in kindergartens.

Often, fungal foot infections are also found in women with hormonal disorders or reduced immunity during pregnancy. Infection can also occur during a pedicure through non-sterile instruments or towels.

There are common factors that provoke the development of the disease:

1. Wearing very tight shoes made of synthetic materials.
2. Rarely washing feet, wearing dirty socks.
3. Wearing someone else's shoes, using someone else's towels and other hygiene items.
4. Diseases that disrupt blood circulation in the lower extremities.
5. Disorders of the immune system.
6. Non-compliance with hygiene rules in public places.
7. The presence of corns, wounds and cracks on the feet.
8. Long-term treatment with antibiotics or corticosteroids.

Psychosomatics

The causes of fungus can also be in a person's emotional state. The medical direction that studies the psychological state of a person and its influence on the development of bodily diseases - psychosomatics - explains fungal infections with the suppression of negative emotions kept inside.

Constant feelings of resentment, anger, feelings of betrayal or disappointment can cause the fungus or prevent a person from fully healing.

As a result of these conditions, human immunity decreases, pathogens present in the body are activated. People with a chronic fungal infection that does not go away with drug treatment should review their internal state or consult a psychologist.

According to many scientists who have studied the psychosomatic causes of fungus, if you do not work on your character and get rid of negative emotions, then the disease will return again and again.

pathogens

There is a large number of pathogenic microorganisms that can cause human skin lesions, but the following types of fungi are most often located on the feet:

1. Trichophyton rubrum, or Tripchophyton purpureum- cause rubromycosis, a disease that most often affects the skin of the feet and nails, but which can also spread to other parts of the body.

2. Trichophyton interdigitale, or Trichophyton mentagrophytes (Trichophytons)- cause epidermophytosis, which develops between the toes, but can also go to the entire leg area.
3. Candida- Candida rarely appears on the feet, but can also affect the interdigital space, nails and soles of the feet. It develops mainly in women.

Mycosis is an infection and infection can occur in two ways: directly - directly from an infected person to another person, and indirectly - through the floor, shoes, clothes and other household items with which the infected person has come into contact. It is very easy to get infected with the fungus of the lower extremities - just a second contact with any surface or object touched by a person with a fungal infection is enough.

The mechanism of the development of fungal diseases starts from the moment when the spores enter the human skin. If the conditions are favorable, then development, growth and reproduction begin.

Microorganisms begin to secrete enzymes that destroy keratin proteins, and, accordingly, the corneum layer of the skin. Therefore, itching and discomfort arise in people. The infection spreads very quickly, the fungus penetrates the deeper layers of the skin and infects the surrounding tissues.

If you do not start the treatment, then very soon large areas of the skin are affected.

But not always the infection develops immediately after infection, sometimes the fungus remains on the skin or shoes for a long period of time. But as soon as the body's defenses are lowered, or a favorable warm and humid environment is created, fungi begin to develop rapidly.

General symptoms

Ringworm of the lower extremities is a very common infection that requires immediate treatment. But not everyone immediately turns to a specialist for help, as they do not pay attention to the primary symptoms or believe that these are signs of other dermatological diseases.

Common signs of skin infection are:

1. Redness and peeling of individual areas.
2. The appearance of bubbles or cracks.
3. Itching and burning sensation.
4. Dryness and roughness of the skin.

But depending on the location and the pathogen, the disease continues with different clinical manifestations. Heel fungus starts with reddening of the skin and a burning sensation. Over time, blisters appear, which, bursting, form very painful wounds.

Then cracks and skin growths form. With a long course of the disease, an unpleasant smell begins to emanate from the affected area, and the infection moves to other areas of the feet and nails.

Fungus on the knees is rare, but if cracks appear on or below the knee that do not go away for a long time, then you should see a doctor. Usually, the fungus in this area begins invisibly - it starts with redness, then the peeling of the skin intensifies, very rarely blisters form on the surface of the spot, which eventually become covered with crusts.

Nail damage - onychomycosis - begins with infection of the skin of the feet. In this case, itching and cracks may appear on the skin, but sometimes the fungus does not affect the skin, affecting only the nail plate.

Stages:

1. Normotrophic- at this stage, only the color of the nail begins to change - it becomes yellow, sometimes with a brown tint.
2. Hypertrophic- The healthy shine of the nail disappears, it becomes irregular in shape, thickens and begins to partially collapse. A person may feel pain while wearing tight shoes.
3. Onycholithic- sick nail is a plate with crumpled layers, becomes thinner, turns brown. At this stage, detachment from the nail bed begins.

Manifestations of various types of pathologies

Candidiasis of the feet affects only the soft areas of the skin and nails, without affecting the feet, it can be of two types:

1. vesicular-pustular- in the first stage, redness of the skin with pronounced edema appears. In the future, the affected area is covered with blisters filled with liquid or purulent mass, in the process they burst, forming erosion. Gradually, the inflammatory process decreases, and the crust grows on the foci.
2. Hyperkeratotic- is rare, characterized by a thickening of the stratum corneum with the formation of furrows with burgundy scales.

In most cases, the fungus between the fingers is epidermotrophy. There may be skin changes in this pathologythe following forms:

1. scaly- between the third and fourth toe, the skin starts to redden and sometimes itch. Very often this stage is neglected.
2. Intertriginous- develops from the first stage. Edema develops, fissures form and the lesion spreads to neighboring areas. Growths form around the diseased area, making it difficult to wear shoes.
3. Acute- large accumulations of bubbles filled with liquid are formed. Wounds and cracks begin to hurt, the general state of health worsens, the temperature may rise.

When the condition is neglected, the interdigital pathology covers the nails and the entire area of the sole of the foot, that is, epidermotrophy of the feet develops. External symptoms are similar to weeping eczema, which complicates the diagnosis.

Rubromycosis of the feet is a simultaneous lesion of the interdigital folds. The skin becomes drier, reddened, severe peeling begins. If the treatment is not started at the right time, then the process goes to the sole, the lateral area of the feet and the surface of the toes.

Rubromycosis can also affect other areas of the legs: legs, thighs, buttocks, as well as any part of the body and head. The lesions are pink spots covered with scaly, blistered or crusted skin. They quickly grow in size, joining each other. Rubromycosis of smooth skin usually develops in an acute form and is accompanied by severe itching.

"I had cracks on my legs, but I didn't pay attention to them. The fungus was discovered during a medical check-up at work. The doctor immediately prescribed ointment and pills, she also scolded for not applying immediately.

Specifics of traditional treatment

The therapy of foot fungus is based on the application of external antifungal agents to the lesions. There are many medicines in the form of ointments, creams, sprays, solutions. Their action aims to suppress the vital activity and reproduction of fungi, as well as to slow down the process of their spread.

Recently, various anti-fungal sprays have appeared, which are very suitable for external use in the treatment of skin and nail fungus.

During therapy, you can process shoes and clothes so as not to provoke re-infection. Disinfectant sprays are suitable for this. The treatment can also be performed with antiseptics.

You can use antifungal agents in the form of solutions.

Before applying the ointments, you can use a regular alcohol salicylic solution. Actively acts on fungi, simultaneously relieves inflammation and dries up areas of the skin that are weeping.

In case of nail damage, the use of special antifungal varnishes is recommended.

There are many different external medicines and all of them can be bought at the pharmacy without a prescription. But for the treatment to be effective, you need to know how to use external agents correctly:

1. Follow the instructions for the frequency of application of the drug.
2. Hard areas should be steamed before applying the external agent.
3. With large dry growths, you can make a soda bath.
4. Treat only the affected areas, without affecting the healthy skin.
5. After treatment, wash your hands thoroughly, without touching other parts of the body, so that the infection does not spread.

In advanced cases, you should take tablets from the fungus at the same time as using external agents.You can not take pills inside without a doctor's recommendation - only a specialist can prescribe drugs, based on the type of pathogen and the severity of the course of the disease.

Treatment of a fungal lesion on the leg at an early stage will not take much time, provided that the drugs are used correctly and the instructions are followed. In severe cases, long-term treatment may be required, up to 3-6 months. If the prescribed drugs do not give the desired effect, then you should contact a specialist and get new recommendations.

"The fungus on the lower extremities was treated with various ointments for my husband, I tried 8 different pieces, but only tablets from the group of triazole derivatives helped. Well, externally he continued to apply allylamine cream.

Folk methods of treatment

Very often, unconventional methods are used to treat nail and toenail fungus.But patients should remember that such tools are effective in the initial stage of the fungus, and in severe cases, they cannot always help, but, on the contrary, worsen the course of the disease.

Before getting rid of foot fungus with folk remedies, you should visit a doctor to make an accurate diagnosis, as the symptoms can indicate various dermatological diseases.

Herbs from mushrooms are used to prepare baths, rubs and creams:

1. Pour a handful of calendula flowers with 50 ml of alcohol and 100 ml of water and leave for a day in a dark place. Use for rubbing twice a day. Best for nail infections and skin candidiasis.
2. Mix dry mint leaves and fine salt in equal proportions. Apply it to the affected areas for a day, securing it with a bandage. After the time has passed, remove the bandage, wash your feet, dry them and repeat. Use only on keratinized nails and skin.
3. Five tablespoons of dry celandine pour 100 ml of vodka, leave for two weeks. Use for wiping, trying to avoid contact with healthy skin.
4. Boil two spoons of thyme in a glass of boiling water, leave for an hour and use for creams.

You can use tar soap from mushrooms:

1. Grind a piece of soap, add a little water and melt in a water bath, add a spoonful of tar and 2 tablespoons of each oil. Mix well and pour into molds to make a healing soap. Use it to wash your feet.
2. Mix one tablespoon of granulated soap with 2 teaspoons of baking soda and add a little water to make a thick mixture. Apply to clean feet at night and apply a bandage on top.
3. In the initial course of the disease, it is enough to apply soap foam from laundry soap to the affected areas of the skin and leave for 15-30 minutes.

Effective garlic for fungus:

1. Apply crushed garlic to the steamed areas and secure with a bandage. Keep it all night.
2. Within 3 days, insist a mixture of garlic juice, water and vodka, taken in equal proportions. Rub it 1-2 times a day on the affected areas.
3. Put 2 finely chopped garlic cloves in a glass of vinegar. Place in a dark place for 2 weeks in a container with a closed lid. Use for rubs and creams.

Vinegar can be used for rubbing or washing. To prepare a bath, you need to take 100 ml of 9% table vinegar or apple cider for 1 liter of water. The duration of the procedure is 15 minutes, after which you need to remove the softened skin and put on clean socks.

"At work I walk in shoes for days, my feet sweat constantly and often a fungus appears on my feet, I immediately start taking a bath with vinegar and treat all my shoes with it. It goes away very quickly. "

Consequences and predictions

Many believe that mushrooms are not harmful, except for aesthetic concern. But fungal infections carry other threats as well. First of all, there is a risk of the fungus spreading to other areas of the skin.

From the feet, the infection passes to the skin of the hands, face, torso, head. This happens if you do not wash your hands after touching the affected areas of the skin or if the patient's immunity is greatly reduced. From an infected person, infection of family members occurs if sanitary rules are not observed.

With deep lesions, it becomes impossible to wear ordinary shoes, there is severe pain when walking, and when the nails are damaged, the nail bed rises. There is a risk of inflammation of nerve endings.

Skin damage, if not treated, provokes the increase of viral and bacterial infections. The following complications often occur:

1. Warts.
2. Phlegmon.
3. Pyoderma.
4. Erysipelas.
5. Malignant mycosis fungoides.

A skin fungus on the legs with a long course worsens the functioning of the immune system, patients become more susceptible to allergic manifestations, urticaria, bronchial asthma, conjunctivitis and rhinitis. Mycoses are often associated with atopic dermatitis and eczema. The general condition worsens, weakness appears, the body temperature may rise periodically.

Running yeast infections can provoke damage to internal organs.

In addition to physical complications, fungal infections lead to psycho-emotional instability. Infected people become irritable, quick-tempered and often attack others. The instability of the nervous system slows recovery, so patients may need psychological support.

Foot fungus is very easy to cure if you start therapy at the first manifestations of the disease. With the daily use of therapeutic agents, the fungus can be eliminated in 10-14 days. But with an advanced infection, the treatment will be longer and more difficult and will not do without the use of systemic drugs. Therefore, doctors recommend not to delay the visit to the clinic.