Unbearable itching and redness of the skin between the toes, cutting pain are the first symptoms of the most common dermatological problem while walking - fungal damage to the skin. Through the delicate epithelium of the skin, the fungal mycelium gradually "spreads" to the entire plantar surface of the foot, causing unpleasant wet and scaly areas, painful cracks, and deformation of the nails.
Malignant fungi and related factors
The causative agent of the disease is dermatomycete fungi, among which the most common is the genus Trichophyton. They live almost everywhere - on pools and beaches, on people's shoes and on animal hair, but the disease is not always provoked. An important factor is the creation of an infection gate through which dermatomycetes can penetrate to a sufficient depth.
Fungus occurs between the toes when the skin's barrier functions are weakened:
- When wearing tight, closed shoes. This is especially true during the hot season, when the excreted sweat creates the conditions for skin maceration, becoming the habitat of many microorganisms.
- Abrasions and scratches are ready to enter the gate fungi. If you have this, you should not risk trying on someone else's shoes on bare feet, walking barefoot in the pool, sauna and steam bath.
- An effective remedy for fungus between the toes should be sought by lovers of cheap pedicures in salons of dubious glory. The procedure itself involves cutting the cuticles and scraping the skin, while non-sterile instruments may be "enriched" with fungus.
Fungus between the fingers: Symptoms and complications
How the fungus looks between the toes can not be uniquely described, as the disease has several forms, each of which is characterized by special manifestations:
- Dyshidrotic foot fungus is characterized by three stages - redness, bubble formation with liquid and drying crusts, peeling. Typically, all three phases coexist in the same areas of the skin. The insidious form of the dichroic form of dermatomycosis lies in its high resemblance to eczema. A laboratory smear test is required for accurate diagnosis.
- The flat cell shape is characterized by redness and severe exfoliation of the skin.
- Flat - hyperkeratotic lesions cause severe itching and burning, peeling rings and scales appear a little later.
- In congenital form, the manifestations are so characteristic that you do not even have to look at how the fungus looks between the fingers: severe itching, burning accompanied by peeling and painful cracks, and fairly large foci often appear epidermal scaling.
- Intertriginal and dyshidrosis forms of dermatomycosis require caution and delicate methods of treatment because the secondary microflora easily penetrates the weeping foci and cracks, leading to the formation of abscesses. Despite the chronic course, they have pronounced inflammatory processes that require the use of emollient ointments and anti-inflammatory baths.
Medication treatment
In the arsenal of modern medicine there are a number of drugs for the treatment of fungi between the toes. Among them are both local ointments as well as tablets that destroy the fungus from within. Typically, the specialist selects the drug based on an analysis of the degree of disease development, its shape and coverage. Systemic therapy using pills is used only in advanced cases, when the whole foot skin is involved in the process and characteristic changes in the nail plates are detected.
Antifungal ointments have been divided into several generations. It should be understood that even the most effective means of finger fungus can not be destroyed if you ignore the rules of personal hygiene and a number of precautions.
Throughout the treatment, a gentle pedicure should be performed at least once a week. After that, the frequency can be reduced to once every two weeks.
Since fungi can survive on socks and shoes, they also need treatment. To do this, use chlorine-containing liquids, such as bleach.
If you are thinking about how to get rid of fungus between your toes, remember that you need to change your socks every day. For two or three days in a row, wearing clothes already maintains traces of sweat in which the parasites live and multiply.
Only a combination of therapy courses selected by a specialist and careful observance of all rules of hygiene will ensure a speedy recovery from the disease.
Treatment of fungus between the fingers with folk remedies
Traditional medicine has collected numerous recipes for fighting fungi, including both products from the kitchen cabinet and very exotic herbs and medicines. The most available of them are:
- Iodine, daily lubrication of lesions, with visible results in one week.
- Hydrogen peroxide, which gained popularity thanks to the works of a famous doctor. Its ability to destroy the fungal cell membrane and form a film on the surface of damaged skin allows for rapid release of the disease.
If you spend a lot of money and are thinking about how to arrange the mushrooms between your fingers, then you should also try the vinegar effect. Despite the fungus living in a slightly acidic environment, it does not tolerate an increase in pH. Lubrication of the affected areas with 9% vinegar and water solution in a ratio of 1: 8 gives positive results in 2-3 weeks.
Antifungal action has the most popular remedies in folk medicine - onions and garlic. The intestines prepared from them are mixed with oil jelly in a ratio of 1: 1 and applied to the affected skin before bedtime.
You have not decided how to treat the fungus between the toes, do not forget to destroy it on shoes and personal care items. This is what ensures the absence of recurrences in the near future.