Therapy of fungal infections in the feet with the use of local preparations is carried out on an outpatient basis. For a speedy recovery, it is important to follow medical recommendations, to know how to treat leg fungus at home, and how to correctly perform the necessary procedures.
General rules
Therapeutic and hygienic measures must be carried out regularly, treatment can not be stopped until the fungus is completely eliminated. The duration of the recovery process depends on the degree of neglect of the disease and the area of \u200b\u200bthe lesion.
For a successful result of treatment and prevention of infection of others, it is recommended to follow the basic rules:
- During the entire period of treatment, 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 completely disinfected and dried. Insoles and the inner surface of shoes can be treated with special solutions or sprays.
- Feet must be kept dry at all times. The causative agents of fungal diseases actively multiply in a warm and humid environment. After water procedures, the feet should be wiped with a clean towel, and with excessive sweating of the legs, use talcum powder, powder and powder.
- Particular attention is paid to stockings. It is better to choose socks made of natural cotton. Such 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 according to the instructions of the attending physician after confirming the diagnosis with the results of laboratory tests of the infected material.
Keratinized skin on the fingers and soles must be constantly removed with a special foot brush or pumice stone. Otherwise, cracks may form, through which the fungus will penetrate into the deep layers of the epidermis and into the bloodstream.
Comfortable shoes made of natural materials should be preferred to avoid the accumulation of excess moisture.
foot baths
Therapeutic baths are an indispensable element in the treatment of fungal diseases of the legs at any stage of the development of the infectious process. Procedures for steaming the feet in hot water with the addition of various active ingredients are a preparatory stage before applying the main antifungal drugs.
Foot baths can be applied twice a day or daily before going to bed. The duration of the procedure depends on the composition of the bath, but does not exceed the threshold of half an hour.
healing herbs
For antifungal foot baths, decoctions of medicinal herbs are used:
- plantain;
- wormwood;
- 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 must be poured with boiling water. As soon as the temperature of the decoction is tolerable for the skin, you can put your feet in the bath and steam your feet for 15-20 minutes.
Celandine
Celandine preparations are often used in the fight against fungus on the legs. For the preparation of foot baths, it is recommended to use dried celandine grass. You can buy it at a pharmacy or prepare 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 suitable container. The 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, home remedies use vinegar scented 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 carried out by modern pharmaceuticals.
soda and salt
Salt and soda solutions for soaking the feet allow you to fight foot fungus at the initial stage. There are many options for preparing salt and soda foot baths 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 essential oil of tea tree, 2 tablespoons of soda, 2 tablespoons of sea salt. The duration of steam cooking is half an hour. The duration of treatment is 14 days.
- In warm water, stir 1 tablespoon with a little soda and coarse salt, add a couple of tablespoons of liquid soap with an antibacterial effect (tar can be used). Steam the feet in the prepared solution for up to half an hour, at the end of the procedure, let the feet dry without wiping 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. Salt 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 very helpful.
Compresses, frictions, lotions
You can get rid of the fungus on the legs with the help of compresses and various rubbing according to alternative medicine recipes. The procedure is carried out after careful treatment and steaming of the legs.
The healing mass is applied to the affected area, fixed with a gauze bandage and isolated from above with clean socks. Provided that there are no aggressive substances in the composition of the compress, the bandage 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 the infected skin, covered with a burdock leaf on top and wrapped in cellophane.
- Apply 35% salicylic ointment evenly to the lesions of the fungus, wrap it with cling film. Change the bandage 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 it with a film and leave it overnight. Garlic will sting, but it is 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 often as possible. If the itching becomes unbearable, you can dilute the onion with petroleum jelly in a 1: 1 ratio.
- Night acetic compresses show good results. It is more convenient to use a cotton pad moistened 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 foot compresses before bedtime.
- If the fungus is located in the interdigital folds, you can apply a suspension of peppermint and salt on the affected skin. This remedy perfectly fights the manifestations of itching, eliminates an unpleasant odor and other symptoms.
The method of rubbing the affected skin with birch tar, an alcohol solution of iodine, garlic juice, tea tree and celandine oils helps to quickly get rid of the fungus on the legs at home.
The use of many pharmaceutical local antifungal drugs in the form of compresses is recommended if the mycosis has reached an advanced stage.
Medicinal antifungal agents
The fastest way to cure a fungal infection is with the right combination of home remedies and antifungal medications. Drugs 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 advanced form in the absence of contraindications. Taking tablets is associated with a risk to the liver, they should be taken only in the dose indicated by the doctor.
The choice of local drugs depends on the species of the causative agent of the disease and the financial capabilities of the patient. It can take several months to get rid of the fungus, and not everyone can afford expensive drugs.
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 fungus.
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 particular type of infectious agent.
Antifungal drugs contain fungistatic substances: Sertocanazole, Bifonazole, Ketoconazole, Oxiconazole, Terbinafine, Ciclopiroxalamine, 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 the treatment is carried out continuously according to the attached instructions.
Personal hygiene rules as prevention of fungus on the legs
Prevention of foot fungus is, first of all, personal hygiene measures aimed at preventing infections, 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 themselves, they are characterized by a recurrent chronic 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 getting this compulsive infection:
- Keep your feet dry and cool;
- Timely and regularly perform a pedicure using tools that have undergone proper disinfection treatment, using modern care and auxiliary products;
- Wash your feet with soap and warm water daily, use antibacterial soap if necessary, wash your feet several times a day;
- Dry the toes from the base to the 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;
- Go barefoot, barefoot at least at home, in the countryside;
- Keep your toes slightly apart;
- In changing rooms, showers, gyms, fitness clubs and other public places, do not walk barefoot: wear flip flops (rubber slippers, waterproof slippers);
- Don't use someone else's sponge, washcloth, towel, slippers (even within the family);
- In case of infection, separate a separate towel for the affected area or use disposable paper towels;
- Wear comfortable, well-fitting shoes made from leather and other natural materials;
- Avoid rubber and plastic shoes - a favorable environment for the growth of dermatomycetes;
- Keep shoes clean and dry, air them out, treat the inside of the shoes with an antifungal powder or spray;
- In summer, wear light, well-ventilated shoes;
- Change your slippers in a timely manner; if they can be washed, wash them at least once a month;
- Change socks (knee-high 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 fungal spores in very hot water twice; rinse the socks well after washing with washing powder so as not to worsen the condition of the skin;
- For the correct sanitary and hygienic condition of sinks, showers, bathtubs, sinks, wash them periodically, use special products;
- Do not self-medicate, consult a doctor in the early stages of a fungal disease; do not expose others to the risk of infection;
- Take special care in the presence of fungal diseases in homes;
- Help older relatives to comply with the prescription of dermatologists and the health and hygiene requirements necessary for the treatment of this disease.
Giving up bad habits is an important contribution to the prevention of foot fungus
Bad habits (excessive alcohol consumption, smoking, drug addiction), improper wakefulness - sleep, work - rest, improper behavior in stressful situations often lead to a serious decrease in immunity, circulatory disorders.
Unreasonable unbalanced diet, excessive consumption of light carbohydrates, physical inactivity - to obesity. Against the background of weakened immunity, circulatory disorders and obesity, a favorable climate for infection and the development of infection into a generalized dangerous disease is formed.
This indicates an urgent need to give up bad habits.
Folk and pharmacy remedies for the prevention of foot fungus.
When choosing home remedies for the prevention of foot fungus, it should be remembered that fungi do not like acidic environments; to stop the growth of fungi, a slightly acidic environment (pH 5. 5) is enough. For preventive purposes, it is recommended periodically:
- Treat feet with diluted lemon juice or fermented milk products (kefir, curdled milk, 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 sparkling water (1 tablespoon of baking soda in 1 liter of water).
Almost everyone has experienced a yeast infection and knows that it is very difficult to get rid of. To cure the disease, you have to spend a lot of time, effort and money, especially at an advanced stage of the development of the disease. Consider how to treat a fungus on the legs at home in order to forget about the disease as soon as possible.
What you need to know about mushrooms
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 perfectly takes root 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.
In a note!
Mycosis develops with a weakened immune system and when an infection enters wounds or cuts.
The fastest 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 mycosis on your own, especially at the initial stage. Usually the infection does not manifest itself in any way, then itching, unpleasant foot odor, peeling and discoloration of the nails appear. 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 do not start to fight the disease, you can be completely left without a nail. At the initial stage, the doctor will prescribe alternative drugs and methods that can be used at home to treat mycoses.
Drugs for the treatment of fungus.
There are several drugs to eliminate mycosis. You can quickly cure the feet of a fungus using modern pharmaceuticals. They kill the causative agent of the disease and prevent further reproduction of the infection. Medicines come in different forms of release, 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 fungus on your feet 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 appear, and the situation may worsen.
To eliminate the fungus from the soles of the feet, it is best to use ointments, it is convenient to use suspensions on the skin between the fingers, and creams and varnishes for the nails.
Important!
The scheme of drug use depends on the type of pathogen and the depth of the lesion. It can take 9 to 12 months to beat mycosis in the advanced stage.
Folk remedies for the treatment of fungus on the legs
Traditional recipes help to get rid of mycosis at the initial stage of the development of the disease. Numerous home remedies for toe fungus treatment allow 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 interrupt therapy until a stable result is obtained.
Important!
Before using ointments and compresses, the legs must be steamed in a salt or soda bath. To do this, add 1 tablespoon to 1 liter of hot water. salt and sodaHeat the legs for 10-15 minutes, treat the feet and fingers with a pumice stone, and the nails with a soft file. After that, continue with more attention.
Iodine
An alcoholic solution of iodine is a powerful antiseptic, with a pronounced antifungal effect. It destroys the protein structures that make up the causative agent of mycosis.
Before using recipes with iodine, be sure to take an allergic reaction test. Many people suffer from intolerance to this drug. The drug should not be used by people with thyroid disease.
Before going to bed, you can use a bath with iodine. To do this, dissolve 3 tbsp. yoyodo in 5 liters of hot water, rest your feet for 20 minutes and dry them well with a towel. Treatment is carried out every other day.
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 to 10 days before going to bed.
Hydrogen peroxide
The tool is known for its antiseptic properties and the ability to soften tissues. It is used in numerous recipes, including to combat a fungal infection.
Bath with hydrogen peroxide against nail fungus. Pour 100 ml of peroxide into 2 liters of warm water, steam your feet for 15-20 minutes, then dry and treat the skin with a pumice stone or brush, cut your 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
Mycosis has a protein structure, therefore it is afraid of deviations from the normal level of acidity. Acetic acid destroys the cells of the causative agent of the disease, due to which it turns out to eliminate the fungus on the legs.
For the treatment, 9% apple cider vinegar diluted with water in equal proportions is used. Moisten a sock or cotton pad (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 complete 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 manifestations of the fungus 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 eliminate many diseases, including skin. A home remedy for fungus with celandine will effectively eliminate the disease at the initial stage of development and will be an effective type of therapy for eliminating an old form of mycosis. This poisonous plant inhibits the activity of the causative agent of the disease, due to which fungal cells die. In folk recipes, both flowers and leaves of celandine are used.
Apply fresh celandine juice to cracks, damage, and rashes. It removes the infection and helps speed up the recovery process. Treat the feet every three days until the symptoms of the disease completely disappear.
Pour dried celandine with a glass of boiling water and simmer for 10 minutes. Pour the resulting liquid into a container and lower the legs there to steam for 20 minutes. This bath softens the skin and relieves bags.
Thoroughly mix dried celandine and tea oil to a suspension. Apply the resulting mass to the affected area of the leg and fix it with a bandage. The compress is done before bedtime. Rinse your feet in the morning with lukewarm water.
Fungal infection is the most common type of disease, affecting approximately 20% of the world's population. Getting rid of the disease is not so easy, but with proper therapy it is possible. Treatment of a fungus on the legs at home is most effective at the initial stage of the development of the disease. There are numerous ways to eliminate mycosis at home: pharmaceutical preparations or folk recipes. It is best to start therapy only after consulting a doctor, he will help you choose the most effective treatment.