The therapy of fungal infections on 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, know how to treat fungus on the legs at home and how to properly perform the necessary procedures.
General rules
Therapeutic and hygienic measures should be carried out regularly, treatment cannot be stopped until the complete elimination of the fungus. The duration of the healing process depends on the degree of neglect of the disease and the area of the lesion.
For a successful outcome of the treatment and prevention of the infection of others, it is recommended to follow the basic rules:
- For the entire period of treatment, you should refuse to visit swimming pools, saunas, beaches, pedicure rooms.
- The patient must have individual means for the hygienic treatment of the feet: lime, 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 must always be kept dry. 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, powders and powders.
- Particular attention is paid to hosiery. It is best to choose natural cotton socks. 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.
The keratinized skin of the fingers and soles of the feet must be constantly removed with a suitable 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 from natural materials should be preferred to prevent excess moisture build-up.
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. The procedures for steaming the feet in hot water with the addition of various active ingredients are a preparatory stage before the application of the main antifungal drugs.
Foot baths can be applied twice a day or every day before bedtime. The duration of the procedure depends on the composition of the bath, but does not exceed the half-hour threshold.
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 must 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 15-20 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 dry celandine grass. You can buy it at the pharmacy or make it yourself.
The decoction is prepared at the rate of 8 tablespoons of herb per 2 liters of boiling water, then cooled to a temperature of 50 ° C and placed in a convenient container. The feet must 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 baths with vinegar essence.
Vinegar is taken at the rate of 100 ml of essence per 2 liters of hot water. The approximate duration of the procedure is one third of an hour. Such a home remedy for mushrooms can significantly speed up the treatment carried out by modern pharmaceutical products.
soda and salt
The solutions of salt and soda for soaking the feet allow you to fight the fungus on the feet in the initial stage. There are many options for making 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 mint oil and tea tree essential oil, 2 tablespoons of soda, 2 tablespoons of sea salt. The duration of steaming is half an hour. The duration of the treatment is 14 days.
- In warm water, mix 1 tablespoon with a slide of soda and coarse salt, add a couple of 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 rubbing them or rinse with clean water.
The salt helps to strengthen the nails and regenerate the epidermal tissues, while the soda softens the skin, cleansing and disinfecting the surface of the feet. Salt solutions with an iodine mixture have a pronounced fungicidal effect.
Steaming the feet with vodka, ammonia, propolis, strong coffee, birch tar, hydrogen peroxide, and garlic juice are of great help.
Wraps, rubs, lotions
You can remove the fungus on the legs with the help of compresses and various rubs according to recipes of alternative medicine. 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.
- Evenly apply 35% salicylic ointment to the lesions of the fungus, wrap with cling film. Change the bandage once a day.
- Pass a few cloves of garlic in a press, mix with an equal amount of butter until the mixture is smooth. Apply the resulting mass to the sore spot, wrap with a film, leave overnight. Garlic stings, but it is a good way to quickly cure foot fungus.
- Onion gruel 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 swab dipped in a weak solution of vinegar essence.
- Alcohol compresses help with foot fungus. A small piece of linen fabric 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-made gruel is used for foot wraps before going to bed.
- If the fungus is localized in the interdigital folds, 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 smell and other symptoms.
The method of rubbing the affected skin with birch tar, an alcoholic solution of iodine, garlic juice, tea tree oils and celandine helps to quickly get rid of the fungus on the legs at home.
It is recommended to use many local pharmaceutical antifungal drugs in the form of compresses if the mycosis has reached an advanced stage.
Medicinal antifungals
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 antifungals are prescribed for drug therapy of a fungus in an 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 may take several months to remove the fungus, and not everyone can buy expensive drugs.
Preparations for external use are available in the form of creams, gels, ointments, sprays, varnishes and solutions. Famous pharmaceutical companies produce a whole range 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 particular type of infectious agent.
Antifungal drugs contain fungistatic substances: sertocanazole, 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 the treatment is carried out continuously according to the attached instructions.
Personal hygiene rules as a prevention against fungus on the legs
Foot fungus prevention is, first of all, personal hygiene measures aimed at preventing infection, creating a hostile environment for microorganisms.
It is important to remember that fungal lesions of the feet can proceed for a long time, almost without manifesting themselves, they are characterized by a chronic relapsing course.
Pathogenic microorganisms affecting the foot are unusually tenacious, they love moisture, wet 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;
- Make a pedicure in a timely manner on a regular basis using tools that have undergone adequate disinfection treatment, using modern auxiliary and care products;
- Wash your feet with warm soapy water every day, 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 whole foot;
- Fight sweaty feet
- Use antifungal foot powders as needed: antifungal cosmetics and medicinal creams, gels, nail polishes;
- Walking 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 go barefoot - wear flip-flops (rubber slippers, waterproof slippers);
- Do not 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 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 the shoes with antifungal powder or aerosol;
- In summer, wear light and 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 (natural fibers or special synthetic fibers);
- Wash the socks to kill the fungal spores in very hot water twice; rinse socks thoroughly after washing from detergent so as not to worsen the condition of the skin;
- For the correct hygienic-sanitary state of sinks, showers, bathtubs, washbasins, wash them regularly, 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;
- Pay special attention in the presence of fungal diseases in families;
- Helping elderly family members to comply with dermatologists' prescriptions and the necessary sanitary and hygienic requirements aimed at treating this disease.
Giving up bad habits is a significant contributor to foot fungus prevention
Bad habits (excessive alcohol consumption, smoking, drug addiction), improper wakefulness - sleep, work - rest, inappropriate behavior in stressful situations usually lead to a severe 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 is formed for infection and the development of infection in a generalized dangerous 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 mushrooms do not like an acidic environment; a slightly acidic environment (pH 5, 5) is sufficient to stop the growth of fungi. For preventive purposes, it is recommended periodically to:
- Treat feet with diluted lemon juice or fermented milk products (kefir, curdled milk, etc. )
- Bathe with salt water (2 tablespoons of salt in 0. 5 liters of water) or light water with vinegar (1 cup of table vinegar in 3-4 liters of water) or carbonated water (1 tablespoon of baking soda in 1 liter of water).
Almost every person has had a fungal infection and knows that it is very difficult to get rid of it. To cure the disease, it is necessary 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 takes root perfectly in hot and humid places: in bathrooms, saunas, showers. You can get infected when you visit public places barefoot, when you try on shoes and during a pedicure, with insufficient sterilization of instruments.
On a note!
Mycosis develops with a weakened immune system and when an infection gets into 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 in the initial stage. Usually, the infection does not manifest itself in any way, then itching, unpleasant odor of the feet, peeling and discoloration of the nail appear. As soon as you notice any of these symptoms, contact a dermatologist immediately. 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 stage, the doctor will prescribe medications and alternative methods that can be used at home to treat mycoses.
Medicines for the treatment of fungi
There are various drugs to eliminate mycoses. You can quickly cure your feet from a fungus using modern pharmaceuticals. They kill the causative agent of the disease and prevent further reproduction of the infection. Medicines are available 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 the 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 remove the fungus from the soles of the feet, it is better to use ointments, it is convenient to use suspensions on the skin between the fingers and creams and nail polishes.
Important!
The scheme of use of drugs depends on the type of pathogen and the depth of the lesion. It may take 9-12 months to defeat late-stage mycosis.
Folk remedies for the treatment of fungus on the legs
Traditional recipes help get rid of mycosis at the initial stage of the development of the disease. Numerous home remedies for foot fungus treatment allow for the use of common and easy-to-find products in every home.
The main thing is to follow the recommendations for use and not to stop 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. L. salt and soda. Warm up your legs for 10-15 minutes, treat your feet and toes with pumice stone and your nails with a soft file. Thereafter, continue with further care.
Iodine
An alcoholic solution of iodine is a powerful antiseptic, with a pronounced antifungal effect. It destroys the protein structures that constitute the causative agent of mycosis.
Before using recipes with iodine, be sure to test for an allergic reaction. Many people suffer from intolerance to this medicine. 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. L. iodine in 5 liters of warm water, support the feet for 20 minutes and dry them well with a towel. The 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 5-10 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 fight a fungal infection.
Hydrogen peroxide bath against nail fungus. Pour 100 ml of 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, trim the nails.
Apply a 3% peroxide solution to a gauze bandage and apply it for 30-40 minutes on the injured area. The procedure must be repeated twice a day.
Vinegar
Mycosis has a protein structure, so it fears deviations from the normal level of acidity. Acetic acid destroys the cells of the causative agent of the disease, as a result of which it turns out to remove the fungus on the legs.
For the treatment, 9% apple cider vinegar is used diluted with water in equal proportions. Dampen a sock or cotton ball (depending on the size of the affected area) and put it on or rest 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 every day for a month or until full recovery.
Pour 1 egg 30 g of water and vinegar, mix thoroughly. 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 get rid of many diseases, including the skin. A home remedy for the fungus with celandine will effectively eliminate the disease in the initial stage of development and will be an effective type of therapy for removing an old form of mycosis. This poisonous plant inhibits the activity of the causative agent of the disease, as a result of which fungal cells die. In folk recipes, both flowers and leaves of celandine are used.
Apply fresh celandine juice on cracks, damage and rashes. It clears the infection and helps speed up the healing process. Treat your feet every three days until the symptoms of the disease are completely eliminated.
Pour dried 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 softens the skin and relieves swelling.
Thoroughly mix the dry celandine and tea oil until you get a slurry. Apply the resulting mass to the affected area of the leg and fix with a bandage. The compress is done before going to bed. Rinse your feet in the morning with warm water.
Fungal infection is the most common type of disease, affecting approximately 20% of the world population. Getting rid of the disease is not that easy, but with the right 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 a number of ways to get rid of mycoses 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.