The fungus on the fingers of the legs is a problem that bothers many.Itching, burning and unsightly type of skin and nails is only a small part of it.The disease is dangerous with complications that are even more difficult to cure.However, it is possible to cope with the problem, if you seriously treat the treatment of fungal infection (mycosis).
Why does the fungus occur on the feet?
Fungi is one of the types of infectious agents that affect the skin.These are difficult and extremely tenacious microorganisms.Therefore, fungal diseases require a serious and integrated approach to treatment.
Fungi have their favorite habitats on the skin.First of all, it is the skin of the toes and nails.The reason for this is understandable - the feet are usually inside the shoes, inside which a lot of moisture and dirt accumulates, as well as very hot.Therefore, fungi that live on the feet has a lot of food and a favorable microclimate for propagation.Some types of complex fungi often affect the skin, and other types of mushrooms, for example, yeast and mold, prefer nail plates.Perhaps simultaneous infection with several types of fungi at once.
Contribute to the development of fungi on the fingers:
- reduced local and general immunity;
- poor foot hygiene;
- inconvenient and cramped shoes;
- irregular change of socks or stockings;
- wearing socks or a stocking of synthetic materials that do not pass the air;
- regular hypothermia or overheating of the feet;
- circulatory disorders in the legs;
- varicose veins;
- chronic diseases of the cardiovascular system, diabetes mellitus;
- a long course of treatment with antibiotics;
- increased sweating of the legs;
- lack of vitamins and mineral elements in the body;
- mechanical damage to the skin, corns, trauma of the feet;
- Excessive physical weight on the legs;
- An irregular haircut of nails on the legs.
The most important of these factors are reduced immunity and blood circulation in the legs.A decrease in immunity can occur due to different reasons.Usually these are severe chronic diseases, primarily infectious ones.Also, immunity can decrease due to HIV, taking immunosuppressants, with cancer.A violation of blood circulation in the fingers of the legs is no less important-due to diseases of blood vessels, blood, diabetes, smoking.
Stop mycoses can develop in men and women.In adults, they appear more often than in children.
Some types of fungi are constantly inhabited on the skin and are activated only under adverse circumstances, for example, fungi of the genus Candida.And other species are transmitted from person to person.Infection can occur when visiting the gym, bath, shower, if at the same time a person does not use personal shoes.Also, people who put on someone else's shoes or socks, or allow other people to use them, subject themselves to a significant risk of infection.Often, infection occurs when using the same towels, manicure supplies, etc.Factors that increase the likelihood of infection are cuts on the surface of the skin, deformation of the nail plates.
Symptoms of fingers mycosis
The main symptoms of foot mycosis are itching and burning.Redness of the skin, small bubbles, increased peeling and coarsening of the skin, an unpleasant odor can also be observed.The first symptoms of skin mycosis can be confused with simple irritation, gratitude.
Symptoms of onychomycosis
The fungus can affect not only the skin, but also the nails.The last variety of mycosis is called onychomycosis.The main symptom of onychomycosis is a change in the structure and type of nail, its increased brittleness.The nail turns yellow, furrows and cracks appear on its surface, the nail plate thickens and deforms.If you do not treat treatment, the nail will gradually exfoliate from the nail bed and collapse.
What does the fungus look like on your finger: photo
You should not make a diagnosis on your own, by photographs.The diagnosis should be made by a qualified dermatologist.
Only he can determine the type of fungus.To do this, he may need not only an external examination of the feet, but also laboratory tests of skin scrapings.
However, the presence of signs, at least remotely resembling the photographs depicted in the photographs, is an occasion for concern and seeing a doctor.
Treatment of the disease is comprehensive and is carried out at home under the supervision of a doctor.
Fungus on the little finger
The fungus can affect the skin of any finger of the foot.But the little fingers on the leg are most vulnerable to the infection.The little finger in tight shoes is often compressed, due to which scuffs occur on the skin and blood circulation is disturbed.With damage to the finger of the little finger, the disease develops very quickly, faster than on any other nail.When infected with a little finger, the infection can very quickly touch on other fingers.
The fungus on the little finger is treated in the same way as the fungus in other areas of the skin.With onychomycosis of the finger of the little finger, the most rational output can be the removal of its nail plate.This operation will not cause much inconvenience to the patient, because the nail on the little finger quickly grows.However, while the nail does not grow again (this can take 3-4 months), it is necessary to use antifungal drugs to prevent re-infection.
How to treat the fungus on the fingers?
Treatment of mycosis should begin at the first alarming symptoms.First of all, you need to contact a dermatologist for diagnosis.Before starting therapy, it is necessary to establish the fact of the presence of mycosis and the type of pathogenic microorganisms.To this end, the doctor will take a scraping from the skin or cut off a piece of nail (with damage to the nail).Blood tests, blood for sugar are donated.Micosis of the skin of the feet must be differentiated from:
- other infectious skin diseases;
- allergic reactions;
- dermatoses caused by diabetes, vascular diseases, stress and nerve diseases.
For the treatment of mycoses on the legs, local products (sprays, ointments, creams) are most often used.Only in severe cases can the doctor prescribe antimicotic tablets.Most often used tablets with fluconazole, itraconazole, terbinafine.
Treatment is based on the use of antimycotic agents.This type of drugs contains substances that kill mushrooms (fungicidal) or stop their reproduction (fungistatic).
What antimycotic agents are most often used:
- Clotrimazole,
- Ketokonazole,
- TERBINAFINE,
- Nistatin,
- Mikonazole,
- Environment,
- Fluconazole.
Local drugs with antibacterial, anti -inflammatory and keratolytic properties are also used.Antibacterial agents are prescribed if suppuration occurs, that is, bacterial is attached to a fungal infection.Anti -inflammatory drugs cope well with unpleasant symptoms - itching and burning.However, they do not affect the cause of the disease - pathogenic microorganisms.Keratolytic agents include zinc, sulfur and sulfuric ointment.They accelerate the regeneration of skin tissues due to the acceleration of exfoliation of the dead epidermis.
For therapy of mycosis of the stop, baths with antiseptic agents - solutions of potassium permanganate, iodine, salt, dietary soda, boric acid are also used.Baths are best done before bedtime for 20 minutes.To prevent infection with spores, you need to treat healthy areas of skin with chlorhexidine, iodine, hydrogen peroxide, potassium permanganate.For the thechomicosis therapy, varnishes with antimycotic substances are used - looceril, exoderil, Batrophen.These varnishes must be applied to the nail plate.
Ointments and creams must be applied to pre -washed and clean skin with the frequency indicated in the instructions for the product.The area of application of the ointment should be slightly larger than the area of visible damage.To apply the nail on the nail plate, the nail must be steamed, the uneven edges should be sanded with a file, and the surface of the nail should be degreased with an alcohol -containing solution.
In folk medicine, decoctions of medicinal plants are used to get rid of mycosis on the legs - chamomile, calendula, sage, St. John's wort, mint, vinegar, onion and lemon juices.
What to do if the fungus does not pass on the finger?
Treatment of mycosis is a long and difficult process.Fungal microorganisms are very tenacious, and in a couple of days it is impossible to get rid of them.Sometimes many months of careful therapy are needed.At the same time, it is impossible to interrupt therapy for a single day.Treatment of onychomycosis cannot be completed until a new, healthy nail plate grows.
It is also important to consider other factors associated with the development of the disease.Failure to comply with skin hygiene and the optimal temperature regime of the feet can reduce all therapeutic efforts to zero.This means that it is necessary to regularly wash the surface of the skin of the feet, avoid overheating or hypothermia.It is also important to avoid mechanical damage to the skin, excessive load on the feet, cuts and injuries.Excess weight increases pressure on the feet, so if you suffer fullness, you should think about losing weight.
If the patient constantly wears shoes infected with a fungus, then no potent drugs will help here, because the place of dead microorganisms will immediately occupy new ones.Therefore, it is necessary to get rid of all factors that contribute to re -infection.You can not go to someone else's shoes, socks.Socks must be thoroughly washed and changed regularly.The inner surface of the shoes should be thoroughly sprayed with anti -inflicted agents.
With stubborn mycosis, it is necessary to analyze the general state of health.Perhaps this will help to identify the causes of impaired immunity and blood circulation in the legs.Therefore, it is possible to undergo a complete examination and exclude problems with the heart, blood, vessels, organs of the endocrine system.
Finally, it is possible that microorganisms simply developed resistance to the antimycotic agent used.Then it will be necessary to change the drug.Perhaps, systemic antimicotic drugs in tablets will be necessary.The dosage of the drugs should be selected by a dermatologist.