Fungus on the legs (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 the fungal microflora on the foot, antimycotic drugs are prescribed, intended for both external and internal use. At the initial stage of the development of the disease, it is appropriate to use alternative methods of treatment.
Why does the fungus appear?
A fungus is an infection that penetrates the skin/nails at home: the use of common personal hygiene products, visits to swimming pools, saunas, beauty salons.
If the virus enters the skin, it is likely that the disease will not enter the subcutaneous cells, as a healthy body has a strong resistance to these microbes.
There are several factors that encourage the development of fungus on the skin or nails:
- Intense sweating of the feet caused by uncomfortable shoes of poor quality;
- Mechanical damage to the legs (scratches, foot wounds, splinters);
- Weakened immunity due to bad habits, serious diseases: AIDS, diabetes, hepatitis, neuroses, flu.
Perhaps the feet are the most delicious place that is parasitized by the fungus. The main reason is that it is the foot that most affects shoes and has hundreds of micro-cracks.
There are several types of ringworm infections that parasitize the toenails, the distance between the toes or the feet.
The method of fighting 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 already experienced the problem of ringworm, and the main reason is that this virus is incredibly resistant to external influences and quickly "jumps" from one infected body to another.
Without proper shoe/clothing dry cleaning, flex can live in it for up to 5 years, being an active infection.
Family members who already have an infected person are especially susceptible to the disease. In this case, you simply cannot do without daily wet cleaning with intensive detergents and chlorine.
How to recognize a fungus?
In the early stages of infection, it is almost impossible to recognize the flexible. Small, almost imperceptible white spots appear on the skin/nails, which do not cause any discomfort.
During evolution, the virus grows, causing the following symptoms:
- Unbearable itching and burning;
- The nail plate becomes rougher and sloppy;
- Fragility and delamination of nails;
- Cracks appear on the feet caused by dry skin;
- In places of itching / on the nails, a white layer appears;
- An unpleasant pungent odor emanates from the feet.
Why is ringworm dangerous?
It appears that ringworm 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 makes negative adjustments to the immune system, psychological and social state of a person and can also cause a number of serious illnesses.
Thus, the following factors can be attributed to the negative consequences of ringworm:
- Social - prohibition of visiting swimming pools, baths, saunas and other places where a health examination is necessary;
- Psychological - itching sensation causes doubt, distorted skin/nails do not allow wearing open shoes, strong foot smell does not allow taking shoes out of the house;
- Physiological - general depletion of immunity, causing infection by viral colds and the appearance of allergies.
Fungus treatment: folk remedies or medication?
Modern medicine has an impressive arsenal of medicines that can treat foot fungus, but don't forget the current methods of traditional medicine, which have been treated by generations of ancestors.
The choice of treatment for this disease depends entirely on the stage of its negligence: if we are talking about the manifestation of all the symptoms described above, then it is more appropriate to pay attention to medical intervention, as its effect will be more noticeable in a 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 from the fungus will be very useful.
Fortunately, treating foot fungus with folk remedies is an absolutely affordable measure, and the ingredients for the remedy can be found in a first-aid kit or refrigerator at home.
Fungus between toes can be cured using the following first aid kit remedies:
- Potassium permanganate (It is necessary to steam the legs and then wrap the infected area with a bandage soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate. For greater efficiency, put on a warm sock and walk with a compress for 5-7 hours or perform the procedure before bed).
- 5% iodine solution (treat infected areas 2-3 times a day).
- Boric acid (take a hot shower, dry your feet, sprinkle the sore spots with boric acid, wrap yourself in warm socks. Repeating the procedure daily for 10 days, you have a real chance to get rid of an annoying disease. Important! Feet must be dry, otherwise acid burns will occur).
- Ammonia (dilute at a ratio of 1 tablespoon to 1 cup, moisten the bandage, wrap the legs overnight).
- Iodine, glycerin, vinegar (mix the ingredients in equal parts, dilute with 2 parts of water. Wash the fungal places with this tincture every day before going to bed).
Simple first aid kit remedies will help eradicate the fungus within 10 to 20 days subject to systematic use.
The pleasant moment is also that the above funds are quite cheap, you can buy them at any drugstore and they will not hit your budget.
Popular ways to deal with dermatomycosis
It has already been mentioned that the fungus is one of the most common diseases, but there are also many measures to influence it, in the knowledge base of traditional medicine. For example, even foods that can be found in your fridge every day can have an intense effect on the virus.
Effective opposition to ringworm is provided by such products:
- Lemon;
- Onion;
- Garlic;
- Apple and wine vinegar;
- Egg;
- Coffee
- Sodium bicarbonate;
- Rowan / nettle leaves.
Let's take a look at each option on how to cure foot fungus with folk recipes in the shortest possible time.
- Lemon.Cut the citrus into thin slices, attach to the infected areas, wrap with cellophane. Keep the compress for 30 minutes and repeat the procedure for 10 days. A striking advantage of this method is that lemon not only destroys mitosis, but also saturates the nail with vitamins, removes white streaks and blocks unpleasant foot odor.
- Onion.Prepare onion porridge, squeeze the juice into a separate container. Apply a thick layer of porridge to the affected area, wrap it in a film and leave for 10-15 minutes. If there is mechanical damage to the skin, add Vaseline oil in a 1: 1 ratio to the porridge. After 15 minutes, wash the compress with hot water, wipe with a towel, apply onion juice and wait until it is absorbed by the skin. Rinse your feet after the juice is not needed.
- Garlic.There are 2 options for the compress: cut the tooth into 2 parts, wrap it in food salt, rub the fungal foci; prepare a porridge, 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 vinegar. 4 tbsp. mix spoons of vinegar with 150 grams of sea salt (possible with additives) and pour 5 liters of hot water. Wait until the water cools down a bit and do a foot bath.
- Wine vinegar.Perhaps the simplest popular treatment for a fungus: Lubricate diseased skin with undiluted wine vinegar. It is necessary to wait until the vinegar is completely absorbed, there is no need to rinse your feet and you can repeat these measures 4 times a day.
- Egg.To prepare the ointment, you need: pour a raw egg with vinegar, cover with plastic wrap, a 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 place it carefully until a homogeneous substance appears. Apply the ointment to clean, dry skin, wrap with a film/bag and keep warm for one hour. After removing the compress, the feet should be washed with warm water.
- Coffee.One of the best and fragrant remedies for foot fungus. Coffee can be used as an exfoliant or as a main ingredient for a foot bath. If you are used to brewing natural black coffee, use the remaining sediment as an exfoliant. Apply the precipitate to the inflamed areas, rub the coffee residues into the skin. The second option is to prepare the coffee and pour it into the bath in the proportion of 2 coffees: 1 water. The second option is more financially expensive. The advantages of coffee are that, after these procedures, the rough skin peels off and the new one acquires a healthy color, softness and smoothness.
- Sodium bicarbonate.A universal remedy suitable for compresses and baths. Prepare a porridge with the addition of soda and water in equal proportions, apply to the nails/feet/distance between the fingers for 20 minutes, wrapped in cellophane. After the specified time, wash with warm water and sprinkle with talcum powder. In addition, you can prepare baths with the addition of sea salt, soda and cedar/eucalyptus/menthol oil or propolis.
- rowan.Rowan, like nettle, has antibacterial properties, so it is recommended to fight athlete's foot. Plant leaves should be collected in ecologically clean areas and only young shoots should be selected. Rub the leaves until soft and apply to the area of inflammation. The compress should be left overnight.
Phytotherapy - a method of fighting the fungus
Effective folk remedies for foot fungus are reflected in herbal medicine guides.
Despite the fact that representatives of science do not particularly approve of alternative medicine methods, herbal medicine deserves some attention and respect, because they clearly indicate its safety and effectiveness.
We will tell you how to get rid of foot fungus with folk remedies using herbs.
Folk remedies for fungus between toes are prepared from decoctions of plants such as celandine, calendula, mint, burdock, sage, wormwood, St. John's wort and dozens of other herbs.
- Celandine.Decoction with 4 tbsp. spoons of dry celandine and 1 liter of water boil for 5 minutes, leave to infuse for 30 minutes. Use 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: a decoction of wormwood, banana, burdock and yarrow is infused for 9 hours and drunk 3 times a day before meals. In just a week, you will be able to get rid of the obvious signs of the fungus.
- Calendula.Pour a packet of marigold flowers (usually 250 grams) with boiling water and leave for 1 hour. Lubricate the inflamed skin with herbal extract 3-4 times a day for a month.
- Burdock.The compress is prepared from fresh burdock leaves. It is necessary to mechanically act on the sheet so that it releases juice (beat it with a hammer / make small cuts) and wrap the legs, apply a bandage, put on warm socks. Leave the lotion overnight.
- Mint, nettle, sage.This folk remedy treatment involves mixing dried herbs and pouring them into a warm sock. It is necessary to use a dry mixture during the day and repeat the complex as often as possible, but at least 3 times a week.
The above folk remedies against fungus are sold in all pharmacies in the form of dried herbs and essential oils. It is recommended to purchase various essential oils and foot baths with the addition of fragrant elixirs.
Folk remedies for foot fungus are effective measures, but they require quite a long use, so their variety must be combined and alternated.
Treatment with folk remedies is the safest, albeit 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 provide several recipes of effective folk remedies, but also a reminder to process all your shoes.
To disinfect shoes from a fungal infection, a 25% vinegar / 30% formalin solution is used. It is necessary to moisten a cotton swab with a solution and clean the shoes from the inside.
Important! You absolutely need to clean every shoe you put on: from bathing slippers to boots. Those pairs of shoes that you wear constantly should be treated at least once a week.