Effective treatment for foot fungus. Foot fungus is a fairly common disease; according to statistics, at least up to a quarter of all people on Earth suffer from it. The condition is aggravated by the fact that most people do not even suspect that they are carriers of the fungus, because it settles and grows imperceptibly.
The fungus not only causes aesthetic and physical discomfort, but also synthesizes toxic substances that can accumulate in the body and poison it. That's why it's so important to know how to prevent and fight this disease in order to maintain your health. How does the fungus affect the feet and what contributes to it?
Causes foot fungus
Easy ways for the parasitic fungus to penetrate the skin can be cracks and abrasions between the toes that occur with excessive sweating or, on the contrary, dry feet, any kind of abrasions from the use of very tight shoes, bad wiping of the feet after water procedures. In addition, various endocrine and vascular diseases, varicose veins, diabetes, flat feet, as well as decreased immunity or stress can cause fungal infections.
The fungus is transmitted through close contact with the patient, through objects he used - a towel, a towel, shoes, clothes, manicure devices and even a comb. Especially in this regard, common areas, such as bathrooms and swimming pools, become dangerous. , because heat and humidity are ideal conditions for the growth of the fungus. Once in the nail plate, which is made up almost entirely of keratin, the fungus slowly begins to grow and multiply. It gradually takes the place of the nail, dissolving it and begins to spread further to the surrounding skin. With a fungal infection, cracks and peeling form between the toes and later the skin begins to redden and itch.
Signs of fungus on the feet
The characteristic signs of foot fungus are:
- darkening of the nail
- the platinum of the nails becomes brittle and flakes off
- the shape of the nail itself is deformed
- pain in the tips of the feet
- bad smell
Therefore, in the first manifestations of a fungal infection, it is urgent to take measures to fight the fungus in order to stop it from spreading further along the skin. If the fungus is not treated at all, then it will move from one nail to another and further to nearby areas of the skin, in very advanced cases, even the internal organs are destroyed.
If you suspect you have a fungus, then you can perform such a test at home: dilute the potassium permanganate crystals in warm water to make a purple solution. Dip one foot into warm paraffin 3 times, pausing between layers to allow them to dry. The affected areas of the nail will remain light and the unaffected areas will turn brown.
You can contact a dermatologist - a dermatologist, who will probably send you for an analysis - scraping to determine the type of fungus, after which he will prescribe the necessary treatment.
Treatment of foot fungus folk remedies
You can effectively treat foot fungus using folk remedies, especially this treatment can be successful at the beginning of the disease. Previously, when there were no such powerful antifungal drugs sold in a drugstore, people managed to treat a fungal infection without using folk remedies:
- Treatment of foot fungus with onions. The easiest way to treat it is with onions. Grate the onion head and squeeze its juice and lubricate the areas affected by the fungus on the feet. When the juice dries, the feet do not need to be rinsed, the procedure is best done before bedtime.
- Sea salt. A sea salt solution will help cure the fungus in 10 days. Twice a day - morning and evening, wash your feet in baths with sea salt (1 teaspoon per 1 glass of water). Then soak the cotton in a saline solution, apply the cotton to the area affected by the fungus and hold it until it dries. Then wash your feet with baking soda (the ratio is the same as the sea solution) and dry your feet.
- With garlic. A good result is the treatment of foot fungus with garlic salt infusion. Prepare a solution of table salt (1 teaspoon of salt is taken per 1 liter of water). Take 1 tablespoon of this solution and add 1 large clove of melted garlic to it. Strain and squeeze with a cloth cheese, add 4 more tablespoons of saline to the resulting mixture. Lubricate the areas affected by the fungus with the prepared solution 2 times a day. Each time it is necessary to prepare a fresh solution for treatment.
- Clay processing. Clay is another aid for foot fungus. Dilute the clay powder (sold at a pharmacy) with cold water until the composition of the viscous cream and apply a thick layer on the affected areas, bandage with a linen cloth. You will need to remove the bandage before the clay dries and then rinse your feet with lemon solution (1 tablespoon lemon juice in 1 glass of water). Clay lotions should be done at least 2 times a day, and preferably 3 times, each time preparing a new portion of clay.
- Celandine juice. In summer, if fellante grows in your cottage, then you can use the juice of this plant, as it has a strong antifungal action. It is necessary to pluck the plant, the orange juice will appear immediately on it and you will lubricate the affected areas with it. Just keep in mind that the process is not very pleasant, it will feel itchy, but as the juice is absorbed, it will pass. After a few minutes, smear the area again with juice and do this 3-4 times. You need to repeat the procedure twice a day for a month. In addition, you can prepare for yourself fellant oil, which can also be used against foot fungus all year round, and not just in summer, when this plant is in bloom.
- Treatment with celandine compresses. If you have dry celandine herb, grind it into a powder and mix it with tea tree oil to make a viscous emulsion. Apply daily as a compress to the affected areas of the feet. Keep doing this until the old fungal nail comes off and a new one grows in its place.
- Propolis. Alcoholic propolis tincture is an effective and affordable anti-fungal drug, you can always buy it at a pharmacy. Having antipruritic, anti-inflammatory, bactericidal, regenerative and anesthetic action, propolis is harmful to the fungus. Wet a cotton swab with 20% propolis tincture and apply to the affected area, wrap your feet in polyethylene and fasten everything with a bandage, the procedure is best done at night. After about a month of treatment, the nail that has been infected with the fungus will come off and a new one will grow in its place.
- Apple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar is another effective remedy for foot fungus, lubricate the affected areas several times a day and the fungus will go away. You can do this, for example, while sitting in front of the TV and watching your favorite show. Apply a cotton swab soaked in apple cider vinegar to problem areas of the feet and then, when dry, change to a new one. Over time, the fungus on the feet will go down.
- Herbal balm. You can prepare a therapeutic antifungal herbal balm yourself: pour 0. 5 liters of sunflower oil in an enamel bowl and add 1 tablespoon of chopped dry herbs: mint, compress and golden root (Rhodiola rosea). Put on low heat and heat, but not more than 65 degrees. Turn off the stove and let it boil for 12 hours, strain. Add solutions of vitamin A, E and D oil to the balm, 1 tablespoon each, mix everything and lubricate the affected areas with balm at least 2 times a day. You need to store the balm in the refrigerator, the shelf life is not more than six months.
- Birch tar. Birch tar, which is sold in pharmacies, is another of the strongest enemies of foot fungus. Lubricate the affected areas on the toes and nail plates each time after showering and do not rinse after that. After many such procedures, you will not even notice how the fungus will disappear without a trace. Personally, this method helped me a lot to deal with the foot fungus, which I once picked up while visiting the pool.
If someone in your family has the fungus, then you need to take precautions to prevent infection.
- Until the patient is cured of the fungus, he should not walk around the house barefoot and also sit with his feet on the couch or chairs.
- Before bathing, it should be thoroughly washed with any liquid chlorine product that kills the fungus.
- Scissors, nail files and other pedicure and manicure items should be wiped with alcohol.
- If the fungus is found in one of the spouses, then he should go to bed with clean, ironed cotton socks and change bed linen every week.
- Be sure to groom the shoes by wiping the inside with apple cider vinegar, 40% acetic acid or formalin solution.
Prevention of foot fungus
- Never wear someone else's shoes and when you visit - you are offered slippers. It is better to take a change of shoes with you or go to the room with socks.
- In the cold season, always change your shoes into shoes that can be replaced, do not let your feet overheat, because when the feet sweat it is the mushrooms that start their attack.
- Do not forget to take rubber slippers with you when you visit the solarium, the pool, the sauna, the bath or the therapeutic baths in the sanatorium. In the bathroom, pour boiling water over a counter and a basin, spread a sheet or towel on the shelf, only you can lie down and sit on them.
- Do not walk barefoot in hotels, sports locker rooms, train apartments and other public places, as well as on a beach without slabs. The last precaution is not unnecessary, in the wet hot sand it is a suitable ground for fungal infections, it hides many scales and nail fragments infected with fungi.
- Replace the bath and shower mats with fabric and sponge rubber. Moisture remains in their folds, skin flakes and nail fragments stick and a rubber mat can always be easily bathed in hot water.
- After showering or bathing, wipe your feet thoroughly until they are dry, and be especially careful between your toes so that no moisture remains there and with it the chances of the fungus settling.
- Change socks, stockings or tights every day. Do not let anyone use even temporary files, manicure tools, sponges, towels.
- Do not wear the same pair of shoes for more than two days in a row. Allow it to dry properly during the day.
- When buying shoes, never try them on bare feet.
- Monitor the condition of your feet, take care of your feet properly - take timely measures for sweating, dryness, calluses and prevent cracks in your feet.
- If, however, you suspect that you could catch the fungus when you visit the pool or the beach, then when you return home, treat your feet by wiping them with a cotton swab dipped in 6% table vinegar solution or wash your feet with tar soap. .
Follow these precautions, remember that the disease is always easier to prevent than to treat later.