If a person has a fungus on his feet, it is important to start treatment in a timely and appropriate manner. The fact is that a fungal disease of the skin of the legs is contagious, and if you do not immediately start fighting the disease, then all members of the patient's family are at risk of infection. Treatment is prescribed by a doctor, it depends on the type of pathology, the degree of damage to the skin, as well as the general condition of the person.
Causes of the appearance of fungus on the legs
Penetrating the skin of the legs, the fungus does not always cause mycosis, and for the first symptoms to appear, negative factors must affect the human body. The following negative causes influence the development of mycosis:
- weakening of the body's immune forces;
- the use of heavy and toxic drugs;
- non-compliance with hygiene rules for feet and toes;
- the presence of cracks, wounds and abrasions on the toes and feet, through which fungal spores can enter the body.
Places of infection of the fungus are the wet floors of swimming pools, baths and showers in gyms.
A fungal infection enters the body in a contact-household manner when an adult or a child comes into contact with a diseased carrier or objects inhabited by fungal spores. Often athlete's foot can be picked up in public places - changing rooms, showers, swimming pools, on the beach. The disease can also spread when wearing someone else's shoes on which pathogen spores live. Non-compliance with elementary rules of hygiene leads to undesirable consequences, provoking fungal diseases of the feet and toenails. The wearer may not always be able to identify in time that they have athlete's foot, as the symptoms only appear under a combination of unfavorable circumstances. But such a person is still contagious, and this is dangerous for loved ones, who are also at risk of catching a contagious infection.
symptoms and types
Mycosis of the feet has the following forms:
- quasimous;
- dyshidrotic;
- intertriginous;
- onychomycosis;
- candidate.
squamous epithelium
The initial symptoms of a fungus of this form can be found only on one leg, however, as the pathology progresses, a manifestation on the other foot is observed. The disease looks like a skin defect on which inflammation is formed, covered with peeling. Squamous fungus of the foot is not always characterized by itching and discomfort, so for many this disease goes unnoticed and it is impossible to determine it without a laboratory test.
If athlete's foot is not cured in time, the infectious lesion spreads to the shins, then it becomes much more difficult to solve the problem. The fungus can also be localized on the calves, but these complications are rare.
dyshidrosis
The first signs of a fungus on the legs of this form are characterized by the formation of blisters on the arch of the foot, which gradually increase in size and reach up to 10 mm in diameter. After the rash opens, it hurts, erosion occurs in its place. Damaged areas hurt, there are cases of bacterial inflammation. After the skin on the diseased areas heals, the disease turns into a scaly form. With a dyshidrotic variety, the skin on two feet is rarely affected, if treatment is not started on time, a neglected form develops, in which the stages of remission alternate with exacerbation.
intriguing
Intertriginous, or interdigital, athlete's foot is the most common form of skin disease.
This type of athlete's foot is considered the most common. The skin between the 4th and 5th toes is most commonly affected. The disease manifests itself in the form of the formation of dead, scaly areas that detach from the normal layer of the epidermis.
If you do not provide timely help, the scaly areas will begin to get wet, the patient will feel pain and itching. In addition, wounds and erosions form on the affected areas, which are difficult to eliminate.
If you do nothing and ignore the symptoms, the disease will turn into a chronic form, prone to frequent relapses.
onychomycosis
The disease is characterized by the fact that the fungus is localized on the nails and toes. First, the fungus of the toenails manifests itself in the form of a lesion of the free edge of the nail, on which yellowish spots and stripes are formed. There are the following types of nail and toe fungus:
- hypertrophic. The nail plate becomes thickened, yellowed and easily destroyed. Under the damaged foci, the affected skin of the finger is visible.
- atrophic. The nail is thinned, quickly destroyed, and the underlying dermis is keratinized.
- Onychomycosis caused by fungi. The nail plate becomes thinner, its color becomes black, brown, yellowish or green. The disease is a complication of the previous two types of pathologies.
Candida
The fungus infects the skin between the toes without proper treatment leading to bacterial infections.
This type of disease is caused by yeast-like pathogenic fungi whose name is Candida. Inflammatory foci are often localized on the skin between 3 and 4 or 4 and 5 fingers. The tissues in these places become inflamed, edema develops, and often a bacterial complication occurs.
Candida fungus is a type of microorganism that infects a person's mucous membranes and outer skin. Normally, Candida is present in limited amounts in the human body. However, with a decrease in immunity, it can show increased activity, causing inconvenience to the patient.
If the fungus is not removed at the initial stage, then pustules, cracks and erosions are formed, which are difficult to get rid of even with the help of powerful drugs.
diagnostic methods
In order for the treatment of fungus on the legs to be effective, it is important to determine the causative agent and make an accurate diagnosis. To do this, it is worth visiting a doctor, who often after the first visual examination can determine the pathology. If the skin pathology looks suspicious or does not go away with treatment for a long time, it is necessary to take a blood and urine test and undergo an additional diagnostic study that will help determine the types of pathogens and their susceptibility to antifungal drugs. To do this, a piece of dermis is removed from the damaged area and examined under a microscope. To examine the tissue for malignant cells, samples are taken from the damaged areas for a biopsy.
Treat what?
There are many fungal diseases, in order to distinguish them and prescribe the right treatment, laboratory tests are carried out.
To cure athlete's foot and prevent recurrence, you need to see a doctor for advice and undergo diagnostic measures. If the diagnosis is made correctly, you can begin therapy, which involves the use of drugs with a systemic and local effect.
It is effective to be treated at an unstarted stage, then during the period of therapy you can do with means for external use in the form of creams, ointments and sprays. It is also possible to treat athlete's foot with home remedies. If the disease has affected the deep layers of the dermis and nail plates, it is recommended to use a systemic drug to combat the fungus.
Treatment with folk remedies is effective only in combination with taking medication, otherwise the disease threatens with the development of dangerous complications.
treatment with medication
An effective and effective drug must be prescribed by a doctor. If you self-medicate, ignoring the advice of a specialist, you can provoke serious complications that the most effective remedy will not immediately cope with.
Therapy with folk remedies
Treatment of athlete's foot with folk remedies at home should be agreed with the doctor. It is important to know that strong drugs are used to treat athlete's foot and nail fungus, folk remedies are allowed to be used as supportive therapy, since fighting the disease at home alone will be ineffective. There are various recipes that use medicinal herbs that have antimicrobial, disinfectant and wound-healing properties. A folk remedy for a fungus is affordable and inexpensive, but which home method is better to use and what kind of prescription is suitable in a particular case, you should consult a doctor. The best recipes are below:
- A decoction with herbs from chamomile, plantain and succession. Mix the ingredients and take 1 tbsp each. l. Put everything in a saucepan and add 1 liter of hot water, bring to the boil and simmer for up to 10 minutes. After the broth, strain and wash the affected hands, feet, and other body parts before going to bed. The essence of the procedure is to carry it out regularly, then this method will be effective and will help to treat the fungus faster.
- Infusion of onion and St. John's wort. Peel the onion and cut into 4 pieces. St. John's wort must be dried. Pour the onion and 50 g of St. John's wort in 2. 5 liters of boiling water. Wrap the container with raw materials and leave for a day. Apply a compress from the infusion to the affected areas in the evening.
prevention
The best preventive measure in the fight against the fungus, which can prevent the disease, is to strengthen the body's protective properties. This method is inexpensive, but the most effective and efficient. Drug and alternative methods of treatment must be agreed with the doctor, any self-medication can provoke dangerous complications, which are then much more difficult and longer to cope with.