The fungus between the toes is a disease that is very easy to pick up.But getting rid of him is far from so easy.The disease can last for years, often a bacterial infection joins it.When the first symptoms appear, it is very important to contact a dermatologist, and not to self -medicate.
Why is 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, often sweating due to high physical exertion.These include banners, swimmers, employees of hot workshops and so on.Children are sick much less often (not more than 4%), but the incidence increases dramatically in adolescence.
The disease is caused by various species of dermatophilic fungi: red trichophyton, interdaltsev trichophytone and some types of epidermophytons.All these pathogens are distinguished by a high degree of survival in the environment.They can last a long time on the floors in the bathhouse and sauna, bath equipment, linen, in shoes.
You can get infected in a bath, sauna, pool, less often on the beach.Therefore, it is so important to observe hygiene rules: use only an individual towel, do not walk barefoot in public places, using individual shoes for this.
Once on the surface of the body, mushrooms produce enzymes (keratinase) that decompose keratin - the protein of surface skin layers.This allows infection to penetrate the epidermis and multiply there.Mushroom cell membranes contain substances (manners) that can inhibit local immunity.Manins also suppress the reproduction of the surface cells of the epidermis, due to which their desquamation and purification are disturbed, which as a result leads to a prolonged and chronic course of the disease.
Factors contributing to the spread and implementation of fungus
Such factors include:
- shoes that squeeze the legs that violate blood circulation and do not pass air;
- playing sports and heavy physical labor;
- trauma of the feet with a violation of the skin;
- impaired immunity, for example, against the background of diabetes, prolonged administration of certain drugs (glucocorticoid hormones), HIV infection;
- Violation of blood circulation in the feet of the feet against the background of atherosclerosis of the lower extremities, flat feet and so on.
If a person has normal general and local immunity, the fungus will not be able to overcome the protective barrier of the skin and infiltrate the skin.All factors suppressing skin immunity allow pathogenic fungi to be introduced into the epidermis without hindrance, causing a pathological process.
Symptoms of infection
When introducing pathogenic fungi into the skin, primarily areas with thin and delicate skin are affected by interdigital gaps.It is here that the infection begins, which can then spread to the entire foot.The first thing an infected person experiences is itching and burning between the toes.
Itching can be very strong, or may be insignificant or even completely absent and appear only against the background of sweating of the feet 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 sluggish bubbles appear between the fingers, filled with transparent liquid, which quickly open, forming erosion.And this type of disease can be complicated by the addition of a bacterial infection.
The most characteristic of the hidden course of the fungus between the toes, which is characterized by periodically occurring itching.Often such patients do not suspect the presence of infection and spread it among others.
How the disease flows
The fungus can manifest itself in different ways.The following forms of the disease are distinguished:
- Intriginal- the most common;It manifests itself in the form of itching and burning between the toes, dryness, cracks with the release of the lug and the subsequent development of maceration (loosening of the skin under the influence of the liquid);Inflammation often passes to the plantar surface of the feet and almost never to the back;Bacterial infection often joins;
- Dyshidrotic- with the advent between the fingers of the stops of the sluggish, bursting 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 to the entire foot, leg and even the body;
- erased- flows unnoticed;Occasionally, a slight itching arises;A moderate thin peeling appears between the toes (most often between 1 and 2 or 5), very small, unnoticed by the patients of cracks.
The fungus in interdigital gaps can occur as an independent disease or is a manifestation of a general infection.Often the fungus switches to nail plates with the development of onychomycosis.Sometimes there is a combined lesion of the skin of the feet and skin in the area of large folds on the body, as well as the hands.In the latter case, the infection often develops on the principle of "two feet - one brush."
How to identify an infection
The diagnosis is made on the basis of an examination of a dermatologist and is confirmed by laboratory research:
- The microscopy method- under a microscope, the skin elements (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- sowing of biological material taken from the lesion, to nutrient media;Ground mushrooms are easy to identify, but they do not always give growth in laboratory conditions, so it often remains to focus only on the microscopy method.
The basic principles of treatment
For the treatment of the fungus of interdigital gaps, antifungal drugs are used.If the disease does not proceed for long, does not progress, then external funds are used.In severe fungal infections with a tendency to spread or develop microbial eczema, antifungal drugs of general (system) action are used.
The external use of antifungal agents requires preliminary preparation.Pathologically altered skin elements are removed from the surface of the skin: peeling, destroying places, and the remains of bursting bubbles.They try to relieve inflammation and swelling of tissues if possible.
Conduct the following procedures:
- If there is a pronounced inflammation and swelling of the tissues, lotions are prescribed with 2% solutions of boric acid, special ointments;If it does 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 petroleum jelly, and then bath baths with a 2% soda solution are performed.
Only after cleansing is the main treatment are performed.If there is a suspicion of mixed fungal-bacterial infection, combined ointments are used, which include antifungal, antibacterial and anti-allergic components.
Drug therapy
The most modern drugs for the treatment of such diseases are drugs, the active acting substance of which is terbinafine, which is part of the external use products produced by various pharmaceutical companies under their trading names.These are 1% 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 many times higher than the concentration causing the death of fungi.Moreover, it does not penetrate the middle and deep layers of the skin and does not have a systemic effect on the body.A 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 the feet daily for 7 days.Usually this is enough to completely go through all the symptoms of infection.If necessary, a dermatologist can extend the course of treatment.
With the ineffectiveness of external treatment and common, often recurrent 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 edema of tissues.With severe allergic and inflammatory processes, glucocorticoid hormones are included in complex treatment.
Folk remedies against interdalcial fungus
Folk remedies can also be effective if they are used correctly.Traditional medicine recommends that before starting antifungal treatment, preparatory treatment for the cleansing of pathologically altered areas of the surface of the feet.Cleaning is carried out 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 the legs for the legs with a celandine infusion of a large (a third of a glass of crushed grass per liter of boiling water), and then lubricate the dried surface of the feet with 10% tincture of propolis.
- Method 2.Add 20 ml of ammonia to a glass of water, moisten the bandage, wrap your fingers first, and then the whole foot (do not tighten!) And leave until drying;The duration of treatment is 14 days.
- Method 3.Foot baths with vinegar (for 2 liters of water - 100 ml of table vinegar).They are held daily before bedtime for 14 days.After the procedure, dry your legs and slightly sprinkle them with boric acid.
- Method 4.Necessary baths with a touch of shafts (20 g Mahorka per 1l boiling water, insist 3 - 4 hours in a thermos).Do daily before bedtime for four weeks.After the procedure, the legs must dry themselves.In the morning, wash your feet with water.
- Method 5.Wash the feet with household soap, thoroughly washing between the fingers.Dry your legs and grease the skin with celandine juice.Do this every day for 14 days.
- Method 6.Daily legs for legs with 2% soda solution.After the bath, dry the legs with a towel well and grease with garlic oil.In the morning, wash them with soap.Garlic oil: mix a teaspoon of crushed garlic from 100 g of butter until a homogeneous mass is obtained.
- Method 7.Take an equal amount of apple cider vinegar and freshly squeezed carrot juice.Apply the resulting mixture to the affected areas of the skin of the feet several times a day for a month.
How to warn the infection
To prevent the disease, you need:
- wear rubber shales in a bath, sauna, pool, on the beach;
- never wear someone else's shoes, do not use someone else's towel and bath accessories;
- In the warm season, put on shoes or sandals from light natural materials that pass air and absorb moisture;
- To conduct a pedicure, use only individual or disposable tools.
To prevent re -infection should be:
- treat the inner surface of the shoes with disinfectant solutions, for example, formalin solutions or vinegar essence;Two days after such processing, the death of all infectious pathogens occurs.
The fungus between the toes is well lend itself to therapy with modern antifungal agents and folk 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 use items.