If a person has fungus on their feet, it is important to start treatment promptly and adequately. The fact is that mycosis of the skin of the legs is contagious and if you do not start fighting the disease immediately, all members of the patient's family are at risk of becoming infected. Treatment is prescribed by a doctor, depending on the type of pathology, the degree of skin damage, and the general condition of the person.
Causes of Fungus on Legs
When it enters the skin of the legs, the fungus does not always cause mycosis, and in order for the first symptoms to appear, the negative factors must affect the body. The following negative reasons can affect the development of fungal diseases:
- weaken the immune system of the body;
- Use of severe and toxic drugs;
- Failure to observe hygiene rules for feet and toes;
- There are cracks, cuts and abrasions on the toes and feet through which fungal spores can enter the body.
Fungal infections are found on wet floors in swimming pools, bathrooms and gym showers.
Fungal infections enter the body through household contact when an adult or child comes into contact with a diseased carrier or an object that hosts the fungal spores. Typically, foot fungus can be picked up in public places - locker rooms, showers, swimming pools, beaches. The disease can also be spread by wearing other people's shoes, where the pathogen spores live. Failure to comply with basic hygiene rules can lead to adverse consequences such as fungal diseases of the feet and toenails. A carrier may not always find out in time that he has foot fungus, as symptoms only appear in a combination of unfavorable circumstances. But such people are still contagious, which is dangerous for loved ones who are also at risk of infection.
Symptoms and Types
Foot mycoses come in the following forms:
- allow;
- sweating;
- mutually incompatible;
- onychomycosis;
- sneakily.
scaly
Initial symptoms of this form of the fungus are only found on one leg, but as the pathology progresses, a manifestation is observed on the other foot. The disease looks like a skin defect in which inflammation develops and is covered with peeling skin. Foot scaly fungus isn't always characterized by itching and discomfort, so for many people, the disease goes unnoticed and it's impossible to pinpoint it without lab tests.
If athlete's foot is not cured in time, the contagious lesions can metastasize to the lower legs, making it much more difficult to deal with. Additionally, the fungus can localize on the lower legs, however, these complications are rare.
Hyperhidrosis
The first sign of fungus on this form of the legs is the formation of air bubbles on the arch of the foot, which gradually increase in size and can be up to 10 mm in diameter. After the rash opens, it is painful and erosion occurs in its place. The injury site is injured and there is bacterial inflammation. After the skin in the affected area heals, the disease becomes scaly. With hyperhidrosis, the skin of the feet is rarely affected, and if left untreated, a neglected form occurs in which phases of remission alternate with phases of exacerbation.
interesting
Intertriginous or interdigital foot fungus is the most common form of skin disease.
This type of foot fungus is thought to be the most common. In most cases, the skin between the 4th and 5th toes is affected. The disease is manifested by the formation of scaly areas of dead skin that slough off the normal layers of the epidermis.
If help is not given in time, the flaky area starts to become wet and the patient experiences soreness and itching. In addition, wounds and erosions form on the affected area, which are difficult to remove.
If nothing is done and symptoms are ignored, the disease can become chronic and prone to frequent relapses.
Onychomycosis
The disease is characterized by the fungus located on the nails and toes. First, the fungus of the toenail manifests itself in the form of damage to the free edge of the nail, on which yellowish spots and streaks develop. There are the following types of nail and toe fungus:
- hypertrophy. The nail plate thickens, turns yellow, and is easily damaged. Under the damaged lesions, the affected skin of the fingers is visible.
- shrink. The nails are thinned, quickly destroyed, and the underlying dermis is keratinized.
- Onychomycosis caused by fungus. The nail plate becomes thinner and becomes black, brown, yellowish, or green in color. The disease is a complication of the first two pathological types.
Candida
The fungus infects the skin between the toes and can lead to bacterial infection if not properly treated.
The disease is caused by a yeast-like pathogenic fungus called Candida. The inflammatory lesions are usually on the skin between 3 to 4 or 4 to 5 fingers. The tissue in these places becomes inflamed, edema develops, and bacterial complications often develop.
Candida is a microorganism that infects the human mucous membranes and outer skin. Generally, Candida is found in limited numbers in the human body. However, as immunity declines, it exhibits increased activity, causing inconvenience to patients.
If the fungus is not removed early, pustules, cracks, and erosions can form that are difficult to remove even with strong medicines.
diagnosis method
For leg fungus treatment to be effective, it is important to identify the causative agent and make an accurate diagnosis. For this, it is worth seeing a doctor, who is usually able to determine the pathology after the first visual inspection. If skin pathology appears suspicious or does not go away with prolonged treatment, blood and urine tests and additional diagnostic studies are necessary to help determine the type of pathogen and its susceptibility to antifungal drugs. To do this, a piece of dermis is removed from the damaged area and examined under a microscope. To check for malignant cells in the tissue, a sample is taken from the damaged area for a biopsy.
What to treat?
There are many fungal diseases, and in order to differentiate them and prescribe the correct treatment, laboratory tests are performed.
To heal foot fungus and prevent recurrence, you will need to contact a healthcare professional for advice and diagnostic steps. If the diagnosis is correct, you can start treatment, which uses both systemically and locally acting drugs.
Treatment is effective in the uninitiated stage, and then during treatment you can apply it topically in the form of creams, ointments and sprays. Foot fungus can also be treated with home remedies. If the disease has affected the deeper layers of the dermis and nail plate, systemic medications are recommended to combat the fungus.
Treatment with folk remedies can only be effective in combination with the use of drugs, otherwise the disease threatens the development of dangerous complications.
medical treatement
Effective and effective medicines must be prescribed by a doctor. If you self-treat and ignore expert advice, you can develop serious complications that the most effective remedies won't deal with right away.
folk remedies
Treating foot fungus with folk remedies at home should be done with the consent of your doctor. It is important to know that powerful medicines are used to treat foot and nail fungus, allowing the use of folk remedies as adjunctive therapy, as it is ineffective to fight the disease at home on your own. There are various recipes using herbs with antibacterial, antiseptic and wound healing properties. Folk remedies for fungi are affordable and inexpensive, but you should consult your doctor about which home remedies are better to use and which formula is appropriate in your particular situation. The best recipes are as follows:
- A decoction containing chamomile, plantain and inherited herbs. Mix ingredients 1 tablespoon at a time. l. Pour everything into a saucepan, add 1 liter of hot water, bring to a boil, and simmer for 10 minutes. After the broth, strain and wash the affected hands, feet, and other parts of the body before bed. The nature of the procedure is to do it regularly, then this method will be effective and help to treat the fungus faster.
- An infusion of onion and St. John's wort. Peel the onion and cut into 4 pieces. St. John's wort must be dry. Pour in the onion and 50 grams of St. John's wort in 2. 5 liters of boiling water. Wrap the container with the stock and let it sit for a day. At night, apply the dressing from the infusion to the affected area.
prevention
The best preventive measure against fungi that can prevent disease is to strengthen the body's protective properties. This method is low cost, but the most efficient and effective. Medications and alternative treatments must be agreed upon with a doctor, and any self-medication can lead to dangerous complications that are harder and longer to manage.