A lot of people who see commercials on television about athlete's foot cures switch channels and think, “It's none of my business, I'll never have a fungus! ” It would be good if it did, but this infection does toogetting them is easier than you think and it is extremely difficult to get rid of.
Sometimes they don't consult a dermatologist in time about a fungal infection of the feet because they don't believe it is. "It's not a mushroom, my friend had a mushroom and it didn't look like it, " some argue. In fact, the symptoms of this infection can vary. If you have any discomfort in the area of the foot, see a doctor immediately. He will do tests and only then make 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 anything terrible. And it's a shame to go to the doctor suddenly thinks he's some kind of bum. And this opinion is also widespread among the population. And such an attitude towards one's own health can be called irresponsible. After all, it is easier to cure the fungus by catching it early, otherwise the disease will either go away or get worse again. And most importantly, your family members can also become infected with the fungus. Therefore, there can be no two opinions on this subject. Let me treat you, period!
How and where do they get infected with the fungus?
The fungus can lie in wait 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 a variety of factors. These include the constant wearing of shoes made of inferior materials, increased sweating of the feet and more frequent contact with surfaces where 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 pathways.
- The fungus can spread from person to person if they wear the same shoes (e. g. slippers), socks with a towel, as well as sexual partners who go to bed.
- In public swimming pools, spas, saunas, on the beaches when you go barefoot. For a mushroom, a moist environment is ideal for reproduction. Slates or overshoes can protect you from infections.
- In the manicure and pedicure room, when the instruments are not sterilized well enough, or simply when you are using other people's instruments at home. It is best to see an established manicure specialist who did not have such excesses and use personal tools at home, treating them with alcohol every time.
Strengthening the immune system helps reduce risk factors, but no one has broken the rules of personal hygiene. It is important to entrust the treatment of the fungus to the doctors and not to use folk recipes.
How do you recognize athlete's foot?
Many infections lend themselves to the concept of the fungus, their manifestations can be different. However, there are a number of symptoms that are 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 follower, sage, and other herbs provide temporary relief, but the fungus does not go away and continues to cause itching and burning.
nails don't look presentable. They turn yellow and darken, the color can be heterogeneous, break, peel, their surface is bumpy. Changes in the nail plate start at 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 odor develops.
The skin on the feet may not discolor at all, or it may turn slightly red and then peel off.
If you experience at least one of these symptoms, you need to consult a doctor. Perhaps it rules out a diagnosis of a fungus, and itching can be an everyday allergy. But you can only find out after passing the exam. Neglect of the disease can lead to complete peeling of the nails, constant scratching of the skin can damage it, and the infection invades and causes ulcers.
How do you treat athlete's foot?
Treat as the doctor prescribes! Tests will show you what type of fungus you are infected with and 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 and destroys the filament of the fungus - mycelium. The number of sessions is between three and ten. Wave radiation is generated by a special device. The fungus from such an effect is gradually destroyed. Sometimes the wave treatment can last up to three months with small breaks.
- Medical procedures.This includes treatment with wave radiation, skin cleansing with a medical manicure or pedicure. Medical manicures or pedicures do not provide a deep treatment for the fungus, they are used already at the end of the disease to bring the nails on the hands or feet to a more or less normal appearance.
- Medicines.Only a doctor can prescribe this or that drug. It can be tablets, ointments, creams, lotions, varnishes.
- Folk remedies.These are bowls, infusions, oils with herbs and other parts of plants. They are only used in combination with medication. Baths can relieve itching, improve the appearance of the skin, but not completely remove the fungus. The most popular are baths with oak bark or celandine, propolis tincture on alcohol, tea tree oil.
It makes sense to repeat again: treating a fungus is not an easy task, and you should not start it without a doctor, otherwise you can deepen the disease, but it will remind you of itself on a regular basis.