Fungus on the feet (feet) is one of the most common mycoses. According to statistics, every fifth person is a carrier of the causative agent of this disease. To combat fungal microflora on the foot, antimycotic drugs for external and internal use are prescribed. It is advisable to use alternative treatment methods in the initial stage of the disease.
Why does the mushroom appear?
A fungus is an infection that enters the skin / nails through household means: using common personal hygiene products, visiting swimming pools, saunas, beauty salons.
If the virus gets on the skin, it is likely that the disease will not spread to the subcutaneous cells, because a healthy body has a strong resistance to such microbes.
There are a number of factors that stimulate the development of fungi on the skin or nails:
- profuse sweating of the feet caused by uncomfortable low-quality shoes;
- Mechanical damage to the legs (scratches, wounds on the legs, thorns);
- Weakened immunity due to bad habits, serious diseases: AIDS, diabetes, hepatitis, neuroses, flu.
Perhaps the feet are the most delicious place to be parasitized by the fungus. The main reason is that the foot has the most impact on the shoes and there are hundreds of micro cracks.
There are several types of ringworm infection that parasitize the toenails, toes, or between the toes.
The method of combating the fungus, regardless of whether we are talking about drug intervention or traditional medicine, depends entirely on the site of infection.
According to statistics, more than 60% of the population has encountered the problem of ringworm, and the main reason is that this virus is incredibly resistant to external influences and is quickly "thrown" from one infected body to another.
Without proper dry cleaning of the shoe/clothing, flex can live as an active infection for up to 5 years.
Family members who already have an infected person are especially vulnerable to the disease. In this case, you simply cannot do without daily wet cleaning using intensive detergents and chlorine.
How to recognize a mushroom?
In the early stages of infection, it is almost impossible to recognize the fluke. Small white spots appear on the skin / nails that do not cause any discomfort.
During evolution, the virus grows and causes the following symptoms:
- Unbearable itching and burning;
- The nail plate becomes rougher and neater;
- Brittleness and delamination of nails;
- Cracks appear on the legs caused by dry skin;
- A white coating appears on the itchy places / nails;
- An unpleasant pungent smell comes from the feet.
Why is mycosis dangerous?
It seems that mycosis is a fairly harmless infection that does not pose a threat to human life.
Undoubtedly, the fungus between the toes cannot be fatal, but it negatively affects the immune system, the psychological and social condition of a person, and can cause a number of serious diseases.
Thus, the following factors can be attributed to the negative consequences of mycosis:
- Social - it is forbidden to visit swimming pools, baths, saunas and other places where sanitary inspection is required;
- Psychological - a feeling of itching creates self-doubt, distorted skin / nails do not allow wearing open shoes, strong smell from feet does not allow to remove shoes outside the house;
- Physiological - the general depletion of immunity, which causes infection with a viral cold and the appearance of allergies.
Fungus treatment: folk remedies or medicine?
Modern medicine has an effective arsenal of drugs that can treat foot fungus, but do not forget the methods available in traditional medicine, which have been treated by several generations of ancestors.
The choice of treatment for this disease depends entirely on its stage of neglect: if we are talking about the manifestation of all the symptoms described above, it is more appropriate to focus on medical intervention, because its effect will be more noticeable. short time.
If the disease has recently parasitized the skin and the virus has not had time to spread through the legs, then folk recipes for the fungus will be very useful.
Fortunately, the treatment of foot fungus with folk remedies is completely affordable, and the ingredients for the medicine can be found in the home first aid kit or in the refrigerator.
Fungus between the toes can be treated using the following tools from the first aid kit:
- Potassium permanganate (it is necessary to steam the feet, then wrap the infected area with a bandage soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate. For greater effectiveness, wear warm socks and walk with a compress for 5-7 hours or perform the procedure before going to bed).
- 5% iodine solution (treat infected areas 2-3 times a day).
- Boric acid (take a hot shower, dry your feet, sprinkle boric acid on painful places, wrap yourself in warm socks. By repeating the procedure every day for 10 days, you have a real chance to get rid of an annoying disease. Important! Feet must be dry, because oppositeacid burns will occur).
- Ammonia (dilute 1 tablespoon to 1 glass, moisten the bandage, wrap your legs overnight).
- Iodine, glycerin, vinegar (mix the ingredients in equal parts, dilute with 2 parts of water. Wash the fungal areas with this tincture every day before going to bed).
Simple tools from the first aid kit will help to eliminate fungus in 10-20 days, provided they are used systematically.
The good thing is that the above funds are quite cheap, you can buy them at any drugstore and they will not exceed your budget.
Folk methods to fight dermatomycosis
It has already been mentioned that fungus is one of the most common diseases, but in the knowledge base of traditional medicine there are also many measures to influence it. For example, even foods that can be found in your refrigerator every day can have a strong effect on the virus.
Effective fight against mycosis is provided by such products:
- lemon;
- onion;
- garlic;
- apple and wine vinegar;
- eggs;
- Coffee
- Baking soda;
- Rowan leaves / nettle.
Let's consider each option in more detail to treat a fungus on the feet with folk recipes as soon as possible.
- Lemon.Cut the citrus into not too thin slices, stick them on the infected areas, wrap them in cellophane film. Keep the compress for 30 minutes and repeat the procedure for 10 days. The surprising advantage of this method is that lemon not only destroys mitosis, but also saturates the nail plate with vitamins, removes white streaks and prevents unpleasant odor from the feet.
- onions.Prepare the onion gruel, squeeze the water into a separate bowl. Apply a thick layer of gruel to the affected area, wrap with a film, leave for 10-15 minutes. If there is mechanical damage to the skin, add petroleum jelly to the oatmeal in a ratio of 1: 1. After 15 minutes, wash the compress with hot water, wipe it with a towel, wait until the onion juice is absorbed into the skin. You don't need juice, then wash your feet.
- garlic.There are 2 options for the compress: cut the cloves into 2 parts, roll them in table salt, rub the mushroom foci; prepare gruel, add butter in equal proportions, apply to the skin. In any case, it is not recommended to keep garlic on your feet for more than a quarter of an hour, as its juice can cause burns. Wash the compresses with warm water, repeat the procedure at intervals of at least 8 hours.
- Apple cider vinegar. 4 tbsp. mix a tablespoon of vinegar with 150 grams of sea salt (possible with additives) and pour 5 liters of boiling water. Wait for the water to cool down a little and take a foot bath.
- Wine vinegar.Perhaps the simplest folk remedy for a fungus: lubricate the diseased skin with undiluted wine vinegar. You need to wait until the vinegar is completely absorbed, you don't need to rinse your feet, and you can repeat such measures 4 times a day.
- egg.To prepare the ointment, you need: pour a raw egg with vinegar, cover with cling film, plastic lid and put in a cool, dark place. Wait for the moment when the eggshell is completely dissolved, add 1 teaspoon of butter to the jar and put it carefully until a homogeneous substance appears. Apply the ointment to dry, clean skin, wrap it with a film / bag and keep it warm for an hour. After removing the compress, feet should be washed with warm water.
- Coffee.One of the best and fragrant remedies for foot fungus. Coffee can be used as the main ingredient for a scrub or foot bath. If you are used to brewing natural black coffee, use the remaining grounds as a scrub. Apply the precipitate to the inflamed areas, rub the coffee residue on the skin. The second option is to brew coffee and pour it into the bath at a ratio of 2 coffee: 1 water. The second option is financially more expensive. The advantages of coffee are that after such procedures, the rough skin is peeled off, and the new one will acquire a healthy color, softness and tenderness.
- Baking soda.A universal tool suitable for compresses and baths. Prepare gruel by adding soda and water in equal proportions, apply for 20 minutes on cellophane-wrapped nails/feet/toes. After the indicated time, wash with warm water and sprinkle with talcum powder. In addition, you can prepare a bath with the addition of sea salt, soda and cedar oil / eucalyptus / menthol or propolis.
- Rowan.Rowan, like nettle, has antibacterial properties, so it is recommended to fight foot. Plant leaves should be collected in ecologically clean areas and only young growth should be selected. Make the leaves into a mucilage and apply to the inflamed area. The compress should be left overnight.
Phytotherapy - a method of combating fungi
Effective folk remedies for athlete's foot are reflected in herbal medicine instructions.
Although scientists do not particularly approve of alternative medicine methods, herbal medicine deserves some attention and respect because they clearly demonstrate their safety and effectiveness.
We will tell you how to get rid of foot fungus with folk remedies using plants.
Folk remedies for fungus between the toes are made from decoctions of plants such as calendula, calendula, peppermint, burdock, sage, wormwood, St. John's wort and dozens of other herbs.
- Celandine.Broth with 4 tbsp. spoons of dry celandine and 1 liter of water are boiled for 5 minutes, leave to brew for 30 minutes. Use the baths every day before going to bed for at least 21 days.
- Sagebrush.Wormwood is also used for baths, but there is a more effective remedy: decoction made from wormwood, plantain, burdock and leaves is brewed for 9 hours and drunk 3 times a day before meals. You will be able to get rid of the obvious signs of fungus in just one week.
- Calendula.Pour a package of calendula flowers (usually 250 grams) with boiling water and leave for 1 hour. Lubricate the inflamed skin with plant extract 3-4 times a day for a month.
- burdock root.The compress is made from fresh burdock leaves. It is necessary to mechanically move the sheet so that it releases the juice (beat with a hammer / make small cuts) and wrap the legs, apply a bandage, put on warm socks. Leave the lotion on overnight.
- Mint, nettle, sage.With folk remedies, this treatment involves mixing dry herbs and pouring them into a warm sock. It is necessary to wear a dry mixture during the day and repeat the complex as soon as possible, but at least 3 times a week.
The above-mentioned folk remedies against fungi are sold in every pharmacy in the form of both dry herbs and essential oils. It is recommended to take foot baths with the addition of several essential oils and fragrant elixirs.
Folk remedies for athlete's foot are effective measures, but they require long enough use, so their variety should be combined and alternate.
Treatment with folk remedies is the safest, although it is a long-term method that does not cause allergic and inflammatory reactions.
Shoe care for fungus
The answer to the question: "How to treat a fungus? " is not only to present a number of recipes for effective folk remedies, but also a reminder to process all your shoes.
A solution of 25% vinegar / 30% formalin is used to disinfect shoes from fungal infection. It is necessary to moisten a cotton swab with a solution and wipe the shoes from the inside.
It is important! You should completely remove all the shoes you wear: from slippers to boots. Those pairs of shoes you wear all the time should be treated at least once a week.