Mycosis is an infectious skin disease caused by a fungus.Treatment with an antifungal cream is usually used, which gives good results, but does not last long.The following tips will help prevent toe fungus from recurring even after treatment.
Who can be infected?
The disease is very common - one in four people have interdigital fungus on their feet.If this disease is neglected, its treatment can be very difficult.
Fungi are often found in small amounts on human skin, where they do no harm.But under favorable conditions, they penetrate the epidermis, multiply and cause infection.Favorable conditions for fungi are warm, moist, airless areas of the skin, such as between the toes.
Almost anyone can get athlete's foot.But it is more common in individuals who sweat more or who wear tight shoes and socks, which causes excessive sweating of the feet.
Mycosis can be transmitted from person to person.For example, this can happen in a public shower used by athletes or swimmers.Small flakes of skin infected with the fungus may fall off when showering.Once a small site of infection begins to develop, it usually spreads throughout the skin.
What are the symptoms?
The skin between the little toes is usually the first to be affected.The first signs of the fungus are small, when the infection has just appeared on the skin.The onset will be noticeable when the rash starts to spread and the skin starts to itch and become scaly.Cracks and inflammations will appear on it.Large cracks in the skin between the toes can grow and become very painful.Small flakes of infected skin peel off.
If interdigital mycosis is not treated, the rash will gradually spread over the entire foot.In some cases, it extends to the sole.Often the infection causes peeling all over the heel and sides of the foot.Sometimes mycosis causes a large blister rash along the heel.In this case, we are dealing with athlete's foot.
How serious is this?
As a rule, no.Most people successfully treat itchy toes before they become infected.Sometimes the infection spreads to the skin of other parts of the body.These are usually moist and airless areas such as the groin.
Typically, fungi, including toenail fungus, spread only on the surface of the skin, not deeper.However, other microbes (bacteria) can enter the cracks left by neglected or untreated mycosis.Sometimes this can lead to more serious foot or leg infections.
It happens that the infection spreads to the nail - it can be treated.But in this case, to get rid of the fungus, you need to take antifungal tablets for several weeks to clear the infection from your nails.Therefore, it is better to treat interdigital fungus on the feet in time, as soon as the first symptoms begin to appear.
Treatment of mycosis
Treatment of toenail fungus usually involves the use of various antifungal creams and sprays.You can buy topical antifungal medications at your local pharmacy or by prescription.
To treat the fungus between the toes, it is necessary to apply an antifungal agent directly to the affected area, that is, to the skin of the feet.
They are usually sold as creams, but can also be available as sprays, liquids, and powders.These medicines are very good for clearing the skin from fungal infections.However, there is no evidence that one tool is better than another.
During treatment, it often happens that the inflammation goes away quite quickly, but you may need therapy for 1-2 weeks after the rash disappears.This is necessary to completely eliminate the fungus on the skin - this will prevent relapse.
If you encounter this disease for the first time and do not know how to treat foot fungus and do not make a mistake in choosing medicine for treatment, consult a doctor.
For skin, especially inflamed skin, your doctor may prescribe an antifungal cream along with a mild steroid ointment.They are usually used for no more than seven days.After that, you should continue to use only one antifungal cream for a while.
Anabolic steroids reduce inflammation and provide short-term relief from itching and redness.However, steroids do not completely eliminate toenail fungus, and therefore steroid cream alone should not be used for treatment.
Antifungal tablets for toenail fungus are sometimes prescribed for adults if the infection is severe and does not clear up with creams.If the infection is located in many places of the skin, in addition to the feet, tablets are also needed.
However, this treatment for interdigital fungus is not suitable for everyone.
Antifungal tablets are not always recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women or people with liver disease.Children are usually not prescribed antifungal medication.
Although toenail fungus can be passed from person to person, you don't need to stay away from work, school, or sports if you have it.However, try to cover your legs in public places, such as swimming pools or saunas, until the rash is gone.Also, try not to scratch the broken skin as this can spread the infection to other areas.
The following tips can help prevent foot recurrence:
- Wash your feet every day and dry the skin between your toes thoroughly after washing.This is perhaps the most important point.Wear socks if your feet are not completely dry.The moist skin between your toes is an ideal place for fungus to grow.
- Do not share other people's towels in public changing rooms.Towels should be washed as often as possible.
- Change your socks every day.Fungi multiply on skin flakes in unwashed socks.Cotton socks and leather shoes are better in many ways than nylon socks and shoes made of synthetic materials, which increase sweating.
- Try to change different shoes every 2-3 days, this will allow each pair to dry completely after wearing.
- Wear flip-flops or sandals in public changing rooms and showers.This prevents your feet from coming into contact with the floor, which may have flakes of other people's skin on it.
- When you're at home, walk barefoot as much as possible—shoes or no socks—to let the air reach your feet.However, this may not be practical for some.
If your athlete's foot keeps coming back, you can prevent it from coming back by regularly using one of the antifungal sprays or creams as a preventative measure.