A lot of people, seeing commercials on TV about remedies for foot fungus, change the channel and think, “This is none of my concern, I will never have a fungus! ” It would be nice if it did. it used to be, but catching this infection is easier than you might think, and getting rid of it is extremely difficult.
Sometimes they don't see a dermatologist in a timely manner for fungal infection of the feet because they don't believe it's her. "It's not a mushroom, my friend had a mushroom, and he didn't look like that, " some say. In fact, the symptoms of this infection may be different and if you experience any discomfort in your foot, see a doctor immediately. He will pass tests and only after that he will determine the diagnosis.
Or maybe not paying attention to itching, peeling of the skin, changes in the condition of the toenails? In the end, it is not a disease of the internal organs and does not threaten anything terrible. And it's a shame to go to the doctor, suddenly thinks he's some kind of tramp. And this opinion is also widespread among the population. And such an attitude to one's own health can be called irresponsible. After all, it is easier to cure the fungus by capturing it at an early stage, otherwise the disease will go away or get worse again. Most importantly, your family members can also be infected with the fungus. Therefore, there can be no two opinions on this issue. Get treated, period!
How and where are they infected with the fungus?
The fungus can lie in wait for us wherever we go barefoot: on the beach, in the swimming pool, in the public baths and even in an ordinary apartment. Usually, this infection can affect any area of the skin, but the feet are most commonly affected due to several factors. These include constant wearing of shoes made of poor quality materials, increased sweating of the feet, more frequent contact with surfaces on which fungi can live. The mycelium spreads very quickly under the skin, causing itching and other discomfort.
Let's take a closer look at the infection paths.
- The fungus can be spread from person to person by wearing the same shoes (for example, room slippers), socks, using a towel, as well as by sexual partners who areare sleeping.
- In public swimming pools, baths, saunas, on beaches while walking barefoot. For a fungus, a humid environment is ideal conditions for reproduction. Slates or shoe covers can keep you from getting infected.
- In the manicure and pedicure room, if the instruments are not sterilized well enough, or simply when using other people's instruments at home. It is better to consult a well-established manicurist who has not had such excess, to use personal tools at home and to treat them with alcohol every time.
Strengthening the immune system will help reduce risk factors, but no one has overruled the rules of personal hygiene. It is important to entrust the treatment of the fungus to doctors and not to use folk recipes.
How to recognize a foot fungus?
Many infections are suited to the concept of fungus, their manifestations may be different. But there are a number of symptoms common to most of them.
First of all, itching. At first it is weak, but over time it becomes stronger, becomes unbearable, especially at night. Foot baths with succession, sage and other herbs provide temporary relief, but the fungus does not go away and continues to be itchy and burning.
The nails take on an unrepresentable appearance. They turn yellow and darken, the color can be heterogeneous, break, exfoliate, their surface is bumpy. Changes in the nail plate start from the edge and gradually spread to the cuticle itself.
Over time, your feet start to sweat, even in sandals and flip flops, and an unbearable smell develops.
The skin on the feet may not discolour at all, or may turn slightly red and then flake off.
If you experience any of these symptoms, you should see a doctor. Maybe it will rule out a diagnosis of a fungus, and the itching can be a common allergy. But you can only find out after passing the tests. Neglect of the disease can lead to complete detachment of the nails, constant scratching of the skin can damage it, and the infection gets inside, causing ulcers.
How to treat a foot fungus?
Treat as your doctor tells you to! The tests will show you what type of fungus you are infected with, and treatment will depend on it. Sometimes the doctor can advise the use of folk remedies in combination with pharmaceutical preparations and medical procedures. Let's take a closer look at all of these methods.
- Laser treatment.During laser treatment, the beam penetrates deep into the skin, destroying the filament of the fungus - the mycelium. The number of sessions is three to ten. Wave radiation is created by a special device. The fungus of such an effect is gradually destroyed. Sometimes the wave treatment can take up to three months with small breaks.
- Medical procedures.These include wave radiation treatment, cleaning the skin with a medical manicure or pedicure. Medical manicure or pedicure do not provide in-depth treatment for the fungus, they are already used at the end of the disease to make the nails on the hands or feet look more or less normal.
- Drugs.Only a doctor can prescribe this or that drug. It can be tablets, ointments, creams, lotions, varnishes.
- Folk remedies.These are trays, infusions, oils with herbs and other parts of plants. They are only used in combination with medicines. Baths can relieve itching, improve the appearance of the skin, but they will not get rid of the fungus completely. The most popular are oak bark or celandine baths, tincture of propolis on alcohol, tea tree oil.
It makes sense to repeat once more: Treating a fungus is not an easy task, and you shouldn't start it without a doctor, otherwise you can drive the disease deeper, but it will remind you regularly.