Therapy of mycotic foot infections using local preparations is carried out on an outpatient basis. For a quick recovery, it is important to follow medical recommendations, know how to treat leg fungus at home and how to correctly carry out the necessary procedures.
General rules
Therapeutic and hygienic measures must be carried out regularly, treatment cannot be stopped until the fungus is completely eliminated. The duration of the recovery process depends on the degree of neglect of the illness and the area of the injury.
For a successful outcome of treating and preventing the infection of others, it is recommended to follow the basic rules:
- During the entire treatment period, you must refuse to visit swimming pools, saunas, beaches, pedicure rooms.
- The patient must have individual means for the hygienic treatment of the feet: files, pumice stone, soap, towels, etc.
- Shoes must be thoroughly disinfected and dried. The insoles and the inner surface of the shoes can be treated with special solutions or sprays.
- Feet should always be kept dry. The causative agents of fungal diseases actively multiply in a warm and humid environment. After the water procedures, the feet should be wiped with a clean towel, and with excessive perspiration of the legs, use talcum powder, powders and powders.
- Special attention is paid to socks. It is better to choose socks made of natural cotton. This material absorbs moisture well and provides normal ventilation of the skin of the feet. Socks should be changed as often as possible and used products should be boiled.
- Drug treatment is carried out strictly in accordance with the instructions of the attending physician after confirmation of the diagnosis with the results of laboratory tests on the infected material.
The keratinized skin of the toes and soles of the feet must be constantly removed with a special foot brush or pumice stone. Otherwise, cracks can form, through which the fungus will penetrate into the deep layers of the epidermis and into the bloodstream.
Comfortable shoes made from natural materials should be preferred to prevent excess moisture build-up.
foot baths
Therapeutic baths are an indispensable item in the treatment of fungal diseases of the legs at any stage of the development of the infectious process. The procedures for boiling the feet in hot water with the addition of various active ingredients are a preparatory step before the application of the main antifungal drugs.
Foot baths can be applied twice a day or daily at bedtime. The duration of the procedure depends on the composition of the bath, but does not exceed the limit of half an hour.
healing herbs
For antifungal foot baths, decoctions of medicinal herbs are used:
- plantain;
- absinthe;
- burdock;
- milkweed;
- yarrow;
- marigold flowers.
Herbs can be combined or steamed separately. For the best effect, the decoction must be strong enough. The required amount of vegetable raw materials should be poured with boiling water. As soon as the temperature of the decoction becomes tolerable for the skin, you can put your feet in the bath and steam your feet for 15 to 20 minutes.
Celandine
Celandine preparations are often used in the fight against leg fungus. For the preparation of foot baths, the use of dry celandine grass is recommended. You can buy it at a pharmacy or make it yourself.
The decoction is prepared at the rate of 8 tablespoons of grass per 2 liters of boiling water, then cooled to a temperature of 50 ° C and placed in a convenient container. Feet should be kept in the bath until it cools down. The course of treatment is 20 days.
Vinegar
An acidic environment has a detrimental effect on the pathogenic microflora that causes mycoses. As an effective treatment for foot fungus at home, folk remedies use vinegar essence baths.
Vinegar is taken at the rate of 100 ml of essence per 2 liters of warm water. The approximate duration of the procedure is one third of an hour. Such a home remedy for fungus can significantly speed up the treatment performed by modern pharmaceuticals.
soda and salt
Salt and soda solutions for wetting your feet allow you to fight foot fungus at the initial stage. There are many options for preparing foot baths with salt and soda at home. The simplest and most effective recipes:
- In two liters of warm water, dissolve 2 tablespoons of table salt and baking soda, soak your feet for up to 20 minutes.
- To two liters of boiling water, add a similar amount of strong decoction of oak bark, a few drops of peppermint oil and tea tree essential oil, 2 tablespoons of soda, 2 tablespoons of sea salt. Steam duration is half an hour. The duration of treatment is 14 days.
- In warm water, mix 1 tablespoon with a slide of soda and coarse salt, add two tablespoons of liquid soap with antibacterial effect (tar can be used). Steam your feet in the prepared solution for up to half an hour, at the end of the procedure, let your feet dry without drying or rinsing with clean water.
Salt helps to strengthen nails and regenerate epidermal tissues, and soda softens the skin, cleaning and disinfecting the surface of the feet. Saline solutions with an iodine mixture have a pronounced fungicidal effect.
Steaming feet with vodka, ammonia, propolis, strong coffee, birch tar, hydrogen peroxide and garlic juice are of great help.
Compresses, rubbing, lotions
You can remove leg fungus with the help of compresses and various rubs according to alternative medicine recipes. The procedure is performed after careful treatment and vaporization of the legs.
The healing mass is applied to the affected area, fixed with a gauze bandage and isolated from above with clean socks. As long as there are no aggressive substances in the composition of the compress, the dressing is left overnight.
The most popular recipes for homemade antifungal compresses for the treatment of foot fungus:
- Finely chopped fresh rowan leaves are applied to infected skin, covered with a burdock leaf on top and wrapped in cellophane.
- Apply 35% salicylic ointment evenly to the fungus lesions, wrap with plastic wrap. Change the dressing once a day.
- Pass a few cloves of garlic through a press, mix with an equal amount of butter until smooth. Apply the resulting mass to the sore spot, wrap with a film, leave overnight. Garlic will sting, but it's a good way to quickly cure foot fungus.
- Onion porridge is used for compresses in its pure form, you just need to change the bandages as soon as possible. If the itching becomes unbearable, you can dilute the onion with petroleum jelly in a 1: 1 ratio.
- Nighttime acetic compresses have good results. It is most convenient to use a cotton pad soaked in a weak solution of vinegar essence.
- Alcohol wraps help with foot fungus. A small piece of linen cloth soaked in an aqueous solution of ammonia is wrapped around a sore leg and insulated with polyethylene. The course is designed for 7-10 days.
- Mashed potato sprouts insist on vodka for a day. Ready porridge is used for compresses on the feet before going to bed.
- If the fungus is located in the creases between the toes, you can apply a paste of peppermint grass and salt to the affected skin. This remedy perfectly fights the manifestations of itching, removes an unpleasant odor and other symptoms.
The method of rubbing the affected skin with birch tar, an alcoholic iodine solution, garlic juice, tea tree oils and celandine helps to quickly get rid of leg fungus at home.
Many local pharmaceutical antifungal medications are recommended to be used in the form of compresses if the ringworm has reached an advanced stage.
Medicinal antimycotic agents
The fastest way to cure a fungal infection is with the right combination of folk remedies and antifungal drugs. Medicines for fungal diseases are divided into two main groups: for local and systemic use.
Oral antimycotics are prescribed for drug therapy of a fungus in an advanced form in the absence of contraindications. Taking pills is associated with a risk to the liver, they should only be taken in the dosage prescribed by the doctor.
The choice of local drugs depends on the species of agent causing the disease and the patient's financial capacity. It can take several months to remove the fungus and not everyone can afford expensive medication.
Preparations for external use are available in the form of creams, gels, ointments, sprays, varnishes and solutions. Well-known pharmaceutical companies produce a whole series of products for the complex treatment of fungi.
Regardless of the form, brand and price category, the main difference is the type of active ingredient in the drug. It is this criterion that determines the effectiveness of the drug in relation to a certain type of infectious agent.
Antifungal drugs contain fungistatic substances: sertocanazol, bifonazole, ketoconazole, oxiconazole, terbinafine, cyclopyroxalamine, amorolfine.
It is easier to defeat the fungus on the legs with the help of local preparations in the early stages of the development of the disease, when the first signs of infection appear, if treatment is carried out continuously in accordance with the attached instructions.
Personal hygiene rules to prevent leg fungus
The prevention of foot fungus is, above all, personal hygiene measures aimed at preventing infection, creating an environment hostile to microorganisms.
It is important to remember that mycotic lesions of the feet can continue for a long time, almost without manifesting, they are characterized by a chronic relapsing course.
Pathogenic microorganisms that affect the foot are unusually tenacious, moisture-loving, moist and unventilated interdigital folds of the feet, the lower and lateral surfaces of the sole.
Below is a short list of personal hygiene practices (well known but not always followed) to avoid catching this compulsive infection:
- Keep your feet dry and cool;
- Get a timely pedicure regularly using tools that have undergone proper disinfection treatment, using modern auxiliary and care products;
- Wash your feet with warm soapy water daily, use antibacterial soap if necessary, wash your feet several times a day;
- Dry your toes from base to tip, the skin between the toes, the entire foot;
- fight sweaty feet
- Use antifungal foot powders if necessary - antifungal cosmetic and medicinal creams, gels, nail polishes;
- Walking barefoot, barefoot at least at home, in the countryside;
- Keep your toes slightly apart;
- In changing rooms, showers, gyms, gyms and other public places, do not go barefoot - wear flip flops (rubber flip flops, waterproof flip-flops);
- Do not use someone else's sponge, washcloth, towel, slippers (even within the family);
- In case of infection, separate a towel for the affected area or use disposable paper towels;
- Wear comfortable, well-fitting shoes made of leather and other natural materials;
- Avoid rubber and plastic shoes - a favorable environment for the growth of dermatomycetes;
- Keep shoes clean and dry, ventilate them, treat the inside of shoes with an antifungal powder or aerosol;
- In summer, wear light, well-ventilated shoes;
- Change your sneakers in a timely manner; if they can be washed, wash them at least once a month;
- Change socks (knee socks, stockings, tights) more often, especially in case of hyperhidrosis, if necessary - more often;
- Wear socks made of hygroscopic materials (special natural or synthetic fibers);
- Wash socks to kill mold spores in very hot water twice; rinse the socks well after washing the washing powder so as not to worsen the condition of the skin;
- For the good sanitary and hygienic state of sinks, showers, bathtubs, basins, wash them regularly, use special products;
- Do not self-medicate, see a doctor in the early stages of a fungal disease; do not expose others to the risk of infection;
- Be especially careful in the presence of fungal diseases in homes;
- Help elderly family members to comply with dermatologists' prescriptions and the health and hygiene requirements necessary for the treatment of this disease.
Giving up bad habits is a significant contribution to the prevention of foot fungus
Bad habits (excessive alcohol consumption, smoking, drug addiction), inadequate wakefulness - sleep, work - rest, inappropriate behavior in stressful situations often lead to a severe decrease in immunity, circulatory disorders.
Irrational unbalanced diet, excessive consumption of light carbohydrates, physical inactivity - to obesity. Against the background of weakened immunity, circulatory disorders and obesity, a favorable climate is formed for infection and the development of infection into a dangerous generalized disease.
This indicates an urgent need to give up bad habits.
Folk and pharmaceutical remedies for the prevention of foot fungus
When choosing folk remedies for the prevention of foot fungus, it should be remembered that fungi do not like an acidic environment; to stop the growth of fungi, a slightly acidic environment (pH 5. 5) is sufficient. For preventive purposes, it is advisable to periodically:
- Treat your feet with diluted lemon juice or fermented dairy products (kefir, buttermilk, etc. )
- Take baths with salt water (2 tablespoons of salt in 0. 5 liters of water) or water with light vinegar (1 cup of table vinegar in 3 to 4 liters of water) or soda water (1 tablespoon of baking soda sodium in 1 liter of water).
Almost everyone has had a fungal infection and knows that it is very difficult to get rid of. To cure the disease, you need to spend a lot of time, effort and money, especially at an advanced stage of disease development. Consider how to treat leg fungus at home to forget about the disease as soon as possible.
What you need to know about fungi
Foot fungus is a contagious infectious disease that affects a person's skin and nails. Most often, this disease affects adults and the elderly. The infection takes root perfectly in warm and humid places: in baths, saunas, showers. You can get infected when visiting public places barefoot, when trying on shoes, and during a pedicure, with insufficient sterilization of instruments.
On a note!
Ringworm develops with a weakened immune system and when an infection gets into sores or cuts.
The quickest way to get rid of the fungus is to start treatment when the first signs of the disease appear. It is quite difficult to diagnose ringworm on your own, especially at the early stage. Usually, the infection does not manifest itself in any way, so there is itching, unpleasant foot odor, peeling and discoloration of the nail. As soon as you notice any of these symptoms, immediately contact a dermatologist. He, after a visual examination and tests, will be able to confirm the exact diagnosis and then write a detailed treatment plan.
If you don't start fighting the disease, you can be completely nailless. In the initial phase, the doctor will prescribe medicines and alternative methods that can be used at home to treat ringworm.
Medicines for the treatment of fungi
There are several medications to eliminate ringworm. You can quickly cure the feet of a fungus using modern pharmaceuticals. They kill the disease-causing agent and prevent further reproduction of the infection. Medications come in different release forms, depending on the location of the fungus and the size of the affected area, the type of remedy is selected.
Before using remedies for the treatment of fungus, consult a doctor, he will tell you how to quickly get rid of foot fungus at home, taking into account your condition and possible contraindications.
Important!
It is undesirable to self-medicate, if the means used are not suitable, complications may arise and the situation may worsen.
To remove fungus from the soles of the feet, it is better to use ointments, it is convenient to use suspensions on the skin between the toes, and nail creams and varnishes.
Important!
The drug use schedule depends on the type of pathogen and the depth of the lesion. It can take 9 to 12 months to defeat advanced stage ringworm.
Folk remedies for the treatment of leg fungus
Traditional recipes help to get rid of ringworm at the initial stage of the development of the disease. Numerous home remedies for treating toe fungus allow for the use of common products that are easy to find in every home.
The main thing is to follow the recommendations for use and not stop therapy until a stable result is obtained.
Important!
Before using ointments and compresses, the legs must be steamed in a bath of salt or soda. To do this, add 1 tablespoon to 1 liter of hot water. I. salt and soda. Warm up your legs for 10-15 minutes, treat your feet and toes with a pumice stone, and your nails with a soft file. After that, continue with additional care.
Iodine
An alcoholic iodine solution is a powerful antiseptic, with a pronounced antifungal effect. It destroys the protein structures that are the causative agent of ringworm.
Before using recipes with iodine, be sure to test for an allergic reaction. Many people suffer from intolerance to this medication. The drug should not be used by people with thyroid disease.
Before going to bed, you can use an iodine bath. To do this, dissolve 3 tbsp. I. iodine in 5 liters of hot water, support your feet for 20 minutes and dry your feet well with a towel. Treatment is carried out on alternate days.
Mix alcohol and iodine in equal proportions, apply the resulting liquid only to the affected areas, contact of the solution with healthy tissues can cause epidermal burns. Treat your feet for 5-10 days before bed.
Hydrogen peroxide
The tool is known for its antiseptic properties and ability to soften fabrics. It is used in countless recipes, including to fight a fungal infection.
Bath with hydrogen peroxide against nail fungus. Pour 100 ml of hydrogen peroxide into 2 liters of warm water, steam the feet for 15-20 minutes, then dry and treat the skin with a pumice stone or brush, cut the nails.
Apply a 3% peroxide solution to a gauze bandage and apply it for 30 to 40 minutes to the injured area. The procedure must be repeated twice a day.
Vinegar
Ringworm has a protein structure, therefore, it is afraid of deviations from the normal level of acidity. Acetic acid destroys the cells of the disease-causing agent, due to which it ends up removing the fungus on the legs.
For treatment, 9% apple cider vinegar diluted in water in equal proportions is used. Wet a sock or cotton (depending on the size of the affected area) and put it on or place it on your foot. The compress is kept for 20 minutes, the procedure is repeated twice a day for 10 days.
Mix 70% vinegar and vegetable oil in equal proportions. Rub the resulting mass daily for a month or until full recovery.
Pour 1 egg 30 g of water and vinegar, mix well. Lubricate the affected areas of the leg with this remedy every other day until the fungus manifestations are completely eliminated.
The tool should be used with caution: before use, it is recommended to apply a greasy cream to healthy areas of the skin to protect the integument from burns.
Celandine
Medicinal herbs help to get rid of many diseases, including the skin. A home remedy for fungus with celandine will effectively eliminate the disease at the early stage of development and will be an effective type of therapy to remove an old form of ringworm. This poisonous plant inhibits the activity of the disease-causing agent, due to which mycotic cells die. In folk recipes, celandine flowers and leaves are used.
Apply fresh celandine juice to cracks, damage and rashes. It eliminates the infection and helps speed up the recovery process. Treat the feet every three days until the symptoms of the disease are completely eliminated.
Pour dry celandine with a glass of boiling water and boil over low heat for 10 minutes. Pour the resulting liquid into a container and lower the legs to steam for 20 minutes. This bath soothes the skin and relieves swelling.
Mix the dry celandine and tea oil well until you get a paste. Apply the resulting mass to the affected area of the leg and fix it with a bandage. The compress is made before going to bed. Wash your feet in the morning with warm water.
Fungal infection is the most common type of disease, affecting about 20% of the world population. Getting rid of the disease is not so easy, but with the right therapy it is possible. Treating a leg fungus at home is most effective at the early stage of the development of the disease. There are numerous ways to eliminate ringworm at home: pharmaceutical preparations or folk recipes. It is better to start therapy only after consulting a doctor, he will help you choose the most effective treatment.