The fungus between the toes is a very easy disease to pick up.But getting rid of it is far from so easy.The disease can last years, usually a bacterial infection joins it.When the first symptoms appear, it is very important to get in touch with a dermatologist and not self -assert.
Why the fungus develops between the toes
The fungus between the toes is the most common type of fungal infection, which occurs in 70% of the population of our planet.This disease is especially common among people who are constantly in a humid or hot environment, usually sweating due to high physical effort.This includes banners, swimmers, hot workshop employees, and so on.Children are sick with much less frequency (no more than 4%), but the incidence increases dramatically in adolescence.
The disease is caused by various species of dermatophilic fungi: red trichophyton, interdaltsev tricophone and some types of epidermodes.All these pathogens are distinguished by a high degree of survival in the environment.They can last a long time on the floor in the bathroom and sauna, bath equipment, linen, shoes.
You can be infected in a bath, sauna, pool, with less frequency on the beach.Therefore, it is so important to observe the rules of hygiene: use only an individual towel, not walking barefoot in public places, using individual shoes for this.
Once on the surface of the body, mushrooms produce enzymes (keratinase) that break down keratin - the protein of the surface skin layers.This allows the infection to penetrate the epidermis and multiply there.Mushroom membranes contain substances that can inhibit local immunity.Manins also suppresses the reproduction of cell surface cells, because their peeling and purification are disturbed, which, as a result, leads to a prolonged and chronic course of the disease.
Factors that contribute to the propagation and implementation of fungi
These factors include:
- shoes that tighten the legs that violate blood circulation and do not air;
- Practicing sports and heavy physical work;
- foot trauma with a violation of the skin;
- Impaired immunity, for example, against the backdrop of diabetes, prolonged administration of certain medications (glycocorticoid hormones), HIV infection;
- In violation of blood circulation on the feet against the bottom of the atherosclerosis of the lower extremities, boring feet and so on.
If a person has general immunity and normal place, the fungus will not be able to overcome the protective barrier of the skin and infiltrate the skin.All factors that suppress skin immunity allow pathogenic fungi to be introduced into the epidermis without impediment, causing a pathological process.
Infection symptoms
When introducing pathogenic fungi into the skin, areas mainly with thin and delicate skin are affected by interdigital gaps.This is where the infection begins, which can spread to the whole foot.The first thing that an infected person experiences is itching and burning between the toes.
The itching can be very strong, or may be insignificant or even completely absent and appear only at the bottom of the feet sweating or a decrease in immunity.Significant itching, dryness, painful cracks in interdigital spaces contribute to the addition of bacterial infection and the development of purulent processes.
Sometimes slow bubbles appear between their fingers, full of transparent liquid, which open rapidly, forming erosion.And this type of disease can be complicated by the addition of a bacterial infection.
The most characteristic of the hidden fungus course between the toes, which is characterized by itching periodically.Often these patients do not suspect the presence of infection and spread it among others.
How the disease flows
The fungus can manifest in different ways.The following forms of the disease are distinguished:
- Intriginal- The most common;It manifests itself in the form of itching and burns between the toes, dryness, cracks with the release of the terminal and the subsequent development of maceration (loosening skin under the influence of liquid);Inflammation usually passes to the plantar surface of the feet and almost never to the back;Bacterial infection usually unites;
- Dishydrotic- With the advent between the fingers of the slow bubbles, the formation of erosion, the introduction of bacterial pathogens and the development of the pathological process according to the type of eczema, which spreads throughout the foot, leg and even the body;
- erased- flows unnoticed;Occasionally, a small itch arises;A moderate thin peel appears between the fingers (most often between 1 and 2 or 5), very small, unnoticed by crack patients.
Fungus in interdigital gaps can occur as an independent disease or is a manifestation of a general infection.Often the fungus changes to nail plates with the development of onicomycosis.Sometimes there is a combined lesion of the skin of the feet and skin in the area of large folds in the body, as well as the hands.In the latter case, the infection usually develops with the principle of "two feet - a brush".
How to identify an infection
The diagnosis is based on the examination of a dermatologist and is confirmed by laboratory research:
- The microscopy method- Under a microscope, the elements of the skin (scales) taken from the lesion are examined;This is the most common method, it allows you to identify a fungal infection, but cannot determine the type of fungus;
- Microbiological examination- Sow of biological material taken from the lesion, to nutrients;Ground mushrooms are easy to identify, but do not always offer growth in laboratory conditions, so it usually remains to focus only on the microscopy method.
The basic principles of treatment
For the treatment of fungus of interdigital gaps, antifungal medications are used.If the disease does not proceed long, it does not progress, the external funds will be used.In serious fungal infections tend to spread or develop microbial eczema, antifungal drugs of general action (system) are used.
External use of antifungal agents requires preliminary preparation.Pathologically altered skin elements are removed from the surface of the skin: peeling, destroying locations and the scraps of bursting bubbles.They try to relieve inflammation and swelling of the tissues if possible.
Perform the following procedures:
- If there is a pronounced inflammation and swelling of the tissues, the lotions are prescribed with 2% boric acid solutions, special ointments;If you do not help, corticosteroid ointments are prescribed in short courses;
- In the presence of scales and crusts, the affected areas of the body surface twice a day are lubricated with salicylic vaseline and then bathing baths with a 2%soda solution are performed.
Only after cleaning the main treatment is performed.If a mixed fungal infection is suspected, combined ointments are used, including antifungal, antibacterial and anti-allergic components.
Drug therapy
The most modern drugs for the treatment of such diseases are medicines, whose active substance is terbinafine, which is part of external products produced by various pharmaceutical companies under their trade names.There are 1% of creams, gels, sprays and solutions for external use.
This substance easily enters the epidermis.Already 4 hours after applying its concentration, its concentration is sufficient to suppress the vital activity of the infection.The concentration of the product accumulates in the skin gradually and after therapy is often greater than concentration, causing the death of fungi.Also, it does not penetrate the middle and deep layers of the skin and has no systemic effect on the body.One feature of the antifungal agent is that it has an antibacterial effect, suppressing the vital activity of most pathogenic bacteria.Therefore, for the treatment of fungal-bacterial infection, additional antibacterial therapy is not always required.
Cream, spray and gel are applied to pathologically altered areas of feet per day for 7 days.Generally, this is enough to go through all symptoms of infection.If necessary, a dermatologist can extend the course of treatment.
With the ineffectiveness of external treatment and common, often recurring forms of the disease, antifungal drugs of general action are prescribed.
With the development of microbial eczema, complex treatment is prescribed, which includes antifungal drugs, antibiotics and desensitizing agents that reduce allergic mood, inflammation and tissue edema.With severe allergic and inflammatory processes, glucocorticoid hormones are included in complex treatment.
Folk remedies against interdalcial fungi
Popular remedies can also be effective if they are used correctly.Traditional medicine recommends that, before starting antifungal treatment, preparatory treatment for the cleaning of pathologically altered areas of the feet surface.Cleaning is performed in the same way as before drug treatment.After that, fixed assets are used to suppress the vital functions of mushrooms.
- Method 1.Twice a day, for 2 to 3 weeks, make your legs to your legs with a large celandine infusion (one third of a glass of grass crushed per liter of boiling water) and then lubricate the dry surface of the foot with 10% dye of purposes.
- Method 2.Add 20 ml of ammonia to a glass of water, moisten the bandage, wrap the fingers first and then the whole foot (do not tighten!) And leave until dry;The duration of treatment is 14 days.
- Method 3.Baths with vinegar (for 2 liters of water - 100 ml of table vinegar).They are kept daily before bed for 14 days.After the procedure, dry the legs and sprinkle slightly -with boric acid.
- Method 4.Necessary baths with a touch of axles (20 g of mahorka for 1l of boiling water, insists in 3 to 4 hours in a thermos).Do it daily before bed for four weeks.After the procedure, the legs should dry.In the morning, wash your feet with water.
- Method 5.Wash your feet with domestic soap, washing well between your fingers.Dry the legs and grease the skin with Celandine juice.Do this every day for 14 days.
- Method 6.Daily legs for 2%soda solution.After bathing, dry your legs with a towel and grease with garlic oil.In the morning, wash them with soap.Garlic Oil: Mix a teaspoon of 100 g butter shredded garlic until a homogeneous mass is obtained.
- Method 7.Take an equal amount of apple cider vinegar and squeezed carrot juice.Apply the resulting mixture to affected areas of the skin of the feet several times a day for a month.
How to warn the infection
To avoid the disease, you need:
- Use rubber shale in a bath, sauna, pool, on the beach;
- Never use someone else's shoes, do not use someone else's towel and bath accessories;
- In the hot season, place shoes or sandals of light natural materials that pass the air and absorb moisture;
- To perform a pedicure, use only individual or disposable tools.
To avoid re -infection, it must be:
- Treat the inner surface of shoes with disinfectant solutions, for example, formaline solutions or vinegar essence;Two days after this processing, all infectious pathogens occur.
The fungus between the toes is well provided to therapy with modern antifungal agents and folkloric methods.But it is very important to make every effort so that there is no re -infection, including through your own shoes and other personal items.