Fungus is the common name of a group of infectious diseases by fungi, which develop in the skin (athlete's foot) or nails (onychomycosis).
There are many types of fungi that are parasitic in the human body. That the cause of many unpleasant symptoms and complicate the life of a person. The most frequent infection by fungi of the genus Candida.
Causes of fungal infection
The cause of nail fungus – infection by microorganisms. The penetration of microorganism in the human body occurs through a previously damaged nail or skin.
Reasons for such damage can be:
- Mechanics of the injury.
- Exposure to chemical agents and aggressive (caustic detergents, etc.).
- Wearing clothes and shoes made of poor quality synthetic materials that do not absorb moisture and is not breathable.
- Sweating, providing an optimal environment for the growth and reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms.
- Deformity of the foot, causing the deterioration of ventilation, which leads to contamination of mycosis.
- The high rate of growth of the nail, which can damage the skin.
- The low level of personal hygiene.
- The reduction of the protective properties of the immune system.
- Varicose veins or disease.
- The climatic conditions (high humidity).
- Old age. In the elderly, this disease occurs very bushland.
- Prevention of occupational risks.
- Comorbidities.
Antibiotics, corticosteroids and cytotoxic drugs that disrupt the microflora natural to the person, which protects the human skin from the adhesion of infections.
Of special danger are wooden floors and benches. The spores of the fungus to penetrate the tree and begin to multiply there. Remove reach the surface of the wood by fungi is very difficult. This requires a regular treatment with a special disinfectant.
Symptoms
The symptoms of foot fungus may vary, depending on the form, but the common are itching and abnormal deformation of the skin.
Symptoms scaly form of fungus infection
Due to the formation of the stratum corneum, there is a seal of the dermis. This form is also called "athlete's foot" and "lignum fungus", because of the deformation of the epithelium there is a thickening of the foot.
In this form of foot fungus person most often experiences the following symptoms:
- Part of the foot (sole) is covered with a thick layer of dermis, it creates the kind of lead at the foot of the Shoe.
- The Cornea becomes rough and covered with a thick layer of calluses that begin to break and hurt.
- Rough skin, begins to take off. The affected skin look as if sprinkled with flour.
- The patient feels constantly itchy and bothersome itching.
- There is a thinning of the nail plate where the nail starts to break and crumble.
Symptoms dyshydrotic forms
Since the skin of the foot is rather thick, the first of these bubbles are not visible, other manifestations of the disease in this stage is not observed.
You can see the appearance of small bubbles in the areas with thinner skin (between the fingers of the feet or hands).
Later the bubbles start to itch, the patient is experiencing severe, irritating itching. At some point the bubble burst, the skin starts to peel off from the surface of the epidermis is exfoliation of the thin plates of keratinized layer of skin.
Symptoms intertriginosny forms
Intertriginous form of fungus (or interdigital) is one of the most common and unpleasant type of pathology. The infection affects the interdigital area.
The skin often between the fingers of the feet are affected fissure, or ulcer, surrounded by scaly skin nekrotizirovannah greenish color.
When it is done mukovidnoe peeling, the fingers look as if sprinkled with flour.
The itching is, but that is easy to answer, it is not unbearable and does not cause discomfort. In rarer exudative skin is covered with vesicles that contain fluid inside.
The symptoms of onychomycosis
Onychomycosis is a common fungal disease of the Horny layer of the dermis (the nail plate). Immediately after contact with the skin fungus begins to proliferate actively, to hit the skin and cause itching.
The man tries to get rid of him, starts to comb the affected areas, the skin is injured, covered with small cracks and scratches, moreover, the risk of contracting bacterial or viral infection.
Hypertrophic onychomycosis
In hypertrophic onychomycosis of the nail plate begins to deform. It is obvious, in the way it changes color, loses its brightness, thickened and partially destroyed. Allows the person great discomfort, especially if it has to go more difficult or uncomfortable shoes.
Normal onychomycosis
In this onychomycosis nail plate is not deformed and does not change its shape and structure. Only change the nail color from normal to yellowish-brown. Maintains normal nail Shine.
Atrophic onychomycosis
In this case, the nail color changes to brown color, the nail becomes thinner and gradually separates from the bed of the nail plate.
The diagnosis of the disease
In the majority of cases, the fungus can be diagnosed by the symptoms alone. The doctor may make a diagnosis after the examination of the skin and nails, as well as after the medical history.
Also the doctor may take a sample of skin or nail, cut it with a shovel. Special tests will help to determine the type of fungi, and to pick up medicines and to assess the effectiveness of treatment. In some situations, you may need a skin biopsy.
Therapy of mycosis on the feet
Below is a look at the most popular of the tools and methods for the treatment of the fungus.
The therapy of nail mycosis
When the disease is at an early stage, it is rational to use only external preparations, for example, antimycotic varnishes, solutions, ointments and gels. There is a wide selection of various drugs.
The treatment can be carried out by means of a serum. There are patches, the main effect of which is aimed at peeling off the damaged nail plate.
Therapy of mycosis between fingers
It is better to use combination therapy, using external products, and medications for internal use.
If the fungus has not had time to spread over the whole surface of the foot, can only be resolved by external media.
In the majority of cases, the specialist assigned a local remedy (ointment) that contains fungicidal and fungistatic components.
The therapy of the yeast infection at home how to cure fast
Below is a look at the most popular and effective ways and means for the treatment of athlete's foot at home.
Soda
In order to overcome the nail fungus at home helps in a popular tool like soda paste.
In order to prepare it you only need a little bit of baking soda, lemon juice and water. Take the necessary to treat all affected surfaces the amount of soft drink.
Place in a glass bowl. Slowly, add a small amount of water at ambient temperature is necessary to form a homogeneous slurry.
After obtaining a homogeneous mass, apply it on the affected areas. After the mass is evenly distributed on the nail plate, sprinkle in a small amount of lemon juice.
The result will be a chemical reaction, during which you will feel a slight burning sensation. Wait 5 minutes and rinse with abundant warm water and thoroughly dry the feet with a clean towel. Repeat this procedure every two days until, until you grow a healthy nail plate.
Therapy with hydrogen peroxide
For the treatment of fungal can help you compress with the use of hydrogen peroxide. For their manufacture, you only need hydrogen peroxide and cotton or a cotton swab. For this reason, a cotton swab impregnated with a solution of hydrogen peroxide and applied to the affected nails.
Compress fixed with polyethylene, thus creating the greenhouse effect. Compress the hands held up to 20 minutes, legs compress keep for about an hour. The course of treatment lasts for two weeks and it depends on how they developed the disease.
The overlay compress you have to repeat 2 times a day. After removing the compress, rinse thoroughly to your nails with hot water, dry and treat with medications antifungals.
Therapy with iodine
For the treatment of the fungus with iodine should buy on the pharmacy's usual 5% alcohol solution of iodine.
Dampen with iodine cotton swab or cotton swab and apply with precision to the affected areas 2 times a day, morning and evening.
Try not to get in the healthy skin areas. In this case, a healthy skin will be damaged to change the color of brownish-yellow and covered cracks.
This means that you may not use in the presence of hypersensitivity to iodine.
Vinegar
The most effective folk remedy for the treatment of stroke is considered as a stream of Apple or vinegar, you can also use them to concentrate. For the manufacture of compresses using a mixture of a 9% vinegar solution and hot water. 1 part vinegar to take 8 parts of water.
2 tablespoons 70% of vinegar mixed with 2 tablespoons of vodka and three egg whites (instead of eggs you can take the glycerin). All these ingredients are mixed until homogeneous and applied to the affected areas twice a day. Store in the refrigerator no more than 3 days.
You can mix Apple cider vinegar with any vegetable oil (sea buckthorn, olive, sunflower, peach) in the proportion of one to one.
The use of these compositions in the same way. To do so, a cotton humid swab or gauze. Swab applied to the affected area.
A compress moistened with the medicinal mixture as the drying. To keep it need half an hour to an hour, after which the poultice is removed, the foot washed thoroughly with hot water, dry.
Repeat the procedure needs at least 1 once a day for two weeks.
Be careful when the treatment with compresses of vinegar. When the first signs of Allergy or skin lesions should immediately discontinue the treatment and contact your doctor.
Celandine
For the treatment of the fungus actively apply the oil of celandine. Carry out the procedure suggested 1 time per day, before sleeping. Before use, prepare a soda bath (1 tablespoon of baking soda to 3 liters of water) and the steam on his toes or fingers are affected by fungus.
After that, fingers carefully wiped with a clean towel. In the affected areas using a cotton swab or a cotton swab to apply the oil of celandine.
For the success of the treatment of the need to carry out the procedure regularly until the complete recovery.
During the treatment, the nail plate will change colour to orange. However, celandine can cause very strong allergic reaction, so be careful.
Ointment of medicinal herbs
With the treatment of fungi in glasses ointment of herbs. For this you have to grind the thyme to a powder. 1 part take powder of 4 parts vaseline. During the treatment you can apply garlic inside, in order to ensure comprehensive treatment.
Ointment of honey and eucalyptus
To prepare this ointment you need to take 15 g of liquid honey, 15 g of softened butter, 1.5 teaspoons of vinegar. This mixture is mixed until smooth and add 25 drops of essential oil of eucalyptus or tea tree.
Stir the mixture again until a smooth dough and keep in the refrigerator for three days. The finish of the composition should be applied to the affected areas once a day.
Prevention
- First you need to control the hygiene of the skin, in risk of destruction fungal infection (the skin of the hands, feet, nail plates). Thoroughly wash the skin of the feet and hands with soap and water daily, after brushing, carefully clean the skin. Especially in the folds.
- Wear socks and shoes made of natural materials (cotton, linen). These materials provide adequate ventilation and absorb the excess moisture. Change socks every day to clean, as they can accumulate pathogenic microorganisms.
- The shoes should be of materials breathable. You should not squeeze, RUB or cause any discomfort. For the summer fits most shoes in the open air with piercing.
- Regularly treat the inside of the Shoe, especially one that can't be washed, special agents, antibacterial. Let the shoes dry after the treatment.
- Need to wash underwear at a temperature below 60 °C. the maximum antimicotic and antibacterial effect clothes must be of iron.
- Single use rubber shoes in an easy processing of materials during your visit in public showers, saunas, baths and swimming pools.
- Do not wear someone else's shoes, towels and bathrobes. Do not use other people for personal hygiene.
- Do not start with the fungus. To start the treatment when the first symptoms. The sooner treatment begins, the easier it will be to cure.
- Observe carefully a certain doctor plan treatment. If you finish the treatment before fully cured fungi, you may experience a relapse.
Conclusion
Nail fungus is a complex and common disease, which is very easy to get infected. To avoid this, follow the rules of prevention. However, if you are infected – it is necessary to consult a doctor who will help you choose the right individual treatment and get rid of this problem.