Many people, seeing commercials for foot fungus remedies on TV, change the channel and think: "This does not concern me, I will never have a fungus! " It would be nice if that were the case, but getting this infection is easier thanhow much you think and eliminate it is extremely difficult.
Sometimes they don't promptly consult a dermatologist for a fungal infection of the feet, because they don't believe it's her. "It's not a mushroom, my friend had a mushroom and it didn't look like this, " some argue. In fact, the symptoms of this infection can be different and if you have any discomfort in the foot area, go to the doctor immediately. He will do tests and only then 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, this is not a disease of the internal organs and does not threaten something terrible. And it's a shame to go to the doctor, he suddenly thinks he's some kind of bum. And this opinion is also widespread among the population. And such an attitude towards one's health can be called irresponsible. After all, it is easier to cure the fungus by catching it at an early stage, otherwise the disease will fade or get worse again. And 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 do they get infected with the fungus?
The mushroom can lurk wherever we go barefoot: on the beach, in the pool, in the bathhouse and even in a normal apartment. In general, this infection can affect any area of the skin, but the feet are most commonly affected due to several factors. These include the constant use of shoes made of low-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 spread from person to person when wearing the same shoes (for example, bedroom slippers), socks, using a towel, as well as from sexual partners who go to bed.
- In public swimming pools, baths, saunas, on the beaches when walking barefoot. For a mushroom, a humid environment is the ideal condition for reproduction. Blackboards or shoe covers can keep you from getting the infection.
- In the manicure and pedicure room, if the tools are not sterilized well enough, or simply when using other people's tools at home. It is better to visit an established manicure specialist that he did not have such excesses and use personal tools at home and treat them with alcohol every time.
Strengthening the immune system will help reduce risk factors, but no one has overturned 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 suitable for the concept of fungus, their manifestations can 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, it 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 cause itching and burning.
The nails take on an unpresentable appearance. They turn yellow and darken, the color can be heterogeneous, crack, exfoliate, their surface is uneven. Changes in the nail plate start from the edge and gradually spread to the cuticle itself.
Over time, your feet start sweating, even with 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 at least one of these symptoms, you should see a doctor. Perhaps it will rule out the diagnosis of a fungus, and the itch could 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 penetrates inside causing ulcers.
How to treat a foot fungus?
Treat as prescribed! Tests will show you what type of fungus you are infected with, and the treatment will depend on it. Sometimes the doctor may recommend 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 ranges from three to ten. The wave radiation is created by a special apparatus. The fungus of such an effect is gradually destroyed. Wave treatment can sometimes take up to three months with small breaks.
- Medical procedures.These include wave radiation treatment, cleansing the skin with a medical manicure or pedicure. Medical manicure or pedicure does not provide a deep treatment for the fungus, they are used already at the end of the disease to bring the fingernails or toenails into a more or less normal appearance.
- Medicines.Only a doctor can prescribe this or that medicine. It can be compresses, ointments, creams, lotions, varnishes.
- Folk remedies.These are trays, infusions, oils with herbs and other parts of plants. They are used only in combination with drugs. Baths can relieve itching, improve the appearance of the skin, but will not completely get rid of the fungus. The most popular are baths with oak bark or celandine, propolis tincture on alcohol, tea tree oil.
It makes sense to repeat once again: curing 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 of itself regularly.