Unbearable itching and redness of the skin between the toes, pain when walking are the first symptoms of the most common dermatological problem - fungal skin lesions. Vegetation through the sensitive epithelium of the skin, the fungal mycelium "spreads" gradually over the entire plantar surface of the feet, causing unpleasant wet and flaky areas, painful cracks and deformity of the nails.
Malignant fungus and related factors
The causative agent of the disease is dermatogenic fungi, among which the genus Trichophyton is considered the most common. They live almost everywhere - in swimming pools and beaches, in human shoes and in animal hair, but the disease is not always caused. An important factor is the creation of an infection gate through which the dermatologist can penetrate to a sufficient depth.
Fungus between the legs occurs when the skin's barrier functions weaken:
- When wearing tight, closed shoes. This is especially true during the hot season, when the sweat that is released creates wetting conditions for the skin, becoming the home of many microorganisms.
- Abrasives and scratches are ready gates for the entry of the fungus. If you have them, you should not risk trying on someone else's shoes on your bare feet while walking barefoot in the pool, sauna and Turkish bath.
- An effective treatment for toenail fungus should be sought after by fans of cheap pedicures in salons with a dubious reputation. The process itself involves cutting the skin and cleansing the skin, and non-sterile instruments can easily be "enriched" with fungus.
Fungus between the legs: symptoms and complications
The appearance of the fungus on the feet between the legs can not be described categorically, as the disease has different forms, each of which is characterized by specific manifestations:
- The dehydrating fungus of the foot is characterized by three stages - redness, formation of bubbles with liquids and drying of the crust, exfoliation. As a rule, all three phases coexist in the same areas of the skin. The scam of the dehydrating form of dermatomycosis lies in its high resemblance to eczema. For an accurate diagnosis, a laboratory smear test is required.
- The plaque form is characterized by redness and severe flaking of the skin.
- Plaque-hyperkeratotic lesion causes severe itching and burning, seals and scaling scales appear a little later.
- In the transgenic form, the manifestations are so typical that you do not even have to look at what the fungus looks like between the fingers of the photo: severe itching, burning accompanied by peeling and formation of painful cracks and quite large foci often appear epidermal exfoliation.
- Endogenous and dehydrating forms of dermatomycosis require attention and sensitive methods of treatment, because the secondary microflora can easily penetrate into foci and cracks that will lead to the appearance of abscesses. Despite the chronic course, they have intense inflammatory processes, which require the use of emollient ointments and anti-inflammatory baths.
Drug treatment
In the arsenal of modern medicine, there are certain drugs to treat fungus between the fingers. Among them are topical ointments and tablets that destroy the fungus from the inside. As a rule, a specialist selects a drug based on an analysis of the degree of development of the disease, its form and coverage. Systemic treatment using pills is used only in advanced cases, when the skin of the whole foot is involved in the process and characteristic changes are detected in the nail plates.
Antifungal ointments have been divided into many generations. But it should be understood that even the most effective treatment for fungus between the fingers does not guarantee your rejection if you ignore the rules of personal hygiene and certain precautions.
Throughout the treatment, a gentle pedicure should be performed at least once a week. Then the frequency can be reduced to once every two weeks.
Since the fungus can survive on socks and shoes, they also need to be treated. To do this, use chlorine-containing liquids, such as bleach.
If you are thinking about how to get rid of fungus between your legs, remember 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 treatment selected by a specialist and careful observance of all hygiene rules can guarantee a speedy recovery from the disease.
Treatment of the fungus between the legs with folk remedies
Traditional medicine has collected many recipes to fight the fungus, including both products from kitchen cabinets and many exotic herbs and medicines. The most accessible among them are:
- Iodine, daily lubrication of the lesions with which it brings visible results in a week.
- Hydrogen peroxide, which gained popularity thanks to the works of a famous doctor. Its ability to destroy the fungal cell membranes and form a membrane on the surface of damaged skin guarantees rapid relief from the disease.
If you have spent a lot of money and are thinking about how to cure the fungus between your feet, then you should also try the effect of vinegar. Despite the fungus living in a slightly acidic environment, it does not tolerate an increase in pH. Lubrication of the affected areas with a solution of vinegar and water 9% in a ratio of 1: 8 gives positive results within 2-3 weeks.
The most popular remedies in folk medicine - onions and garlic - also have antifungal action. The gruel made from them is mixed with Vaseline in a ratio of 1: 1 and applied to the affected skin before going to bed.
You have not decided how to deal with the fungus on the feet between the toes, do not forget about its destruction in shoes and personal hygiene items. This guarantees the absence of recurrences in the near future.