Fungus on the feet (foot) 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 feet, antifungal drugs are prescribed, which are intended for external and internal use. In the initial stage of the development of the disease, it is appropriate to use alternative methods of treatment.
Why do mushrooms appear?
Fungus is an infection that enters the skin / nails in a domestic way: using common personal hygiene products, visiting swimming pools, saunas, beauty salons.
If the virus enters the skin, it is likely that the disease will not enter the subcutaneous cells, since 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:
- Intense sweating of the feet caused by uncomfortable shoes of low quality;
- Mechanical damage to the feet (scratches, wounds on the feet, thorns);
- 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 mold. The main reason is that it is the foot that touches the shoes the most and has hundreds of microcracks.
There are several types of worm infections that parasitize the toenails, the distance between the toes or the feet.
The method of counteraction against fungi, 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 experienced the problem of ringworm, and the main reason is that this virus is very resistant to external influences and quickly "jumps" from one infected body to another.
Without proper dry cleaning of shoes/clothing, fleas can live on it for up to 5 years, being an active infection.
Family members who already have an infected person are particularly susceptible 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 flexibility. On the skin / nails appear barely visible white spots of small size, 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 smoother;
- Brittleness and distortion of nails;
- Cracks appear on the feet caused by dry skin;
- In places of itching / on the nails, a white layer appears;
- A strong unpleasant 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 they make negative adjustments to the immune system, psychological and social condition of a person and can also cause a number of serious diseases.
So, the following factors can be attributed to the negative consequences of mycosis:
- Social - prohibition of visiting swimming pools, baths, saunas and other places where a sanitary examination is required;
- Psychological - the feeling of itching causes self-doubt, distorted skin / nails do not allow wearing open shoes, a strong wind from the feet does not allow removing shoes outside the house;
- Physiological - general weakening of immunity, provoking infection with viral colds and the appearance of allergies.
Fungus treatment: folk remedies or medications?
Modern medicine has an impressive arsenal of drugs that can treat toenail fungus, but do not forget about the current methods of traditional medicine, which were treated by several generations of ancestors.
The choice of treatment for this disease depends entirely on the stage of its neglect: if we are talking about the manifestation of all the symptoms described above, then it is more appropriate to pay attention to medical intervention, since its effect will be morevisible 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 for mushrooms will be very useful.
Fortunately, the treatment of foot fungus with folk remedies is an absolutely affordable measure, and the ingredients for the remedy can be found in a first aid kit at home or in the refrigerator.
Fungus between the toes can be cured using the following remedies from the first aid kit:
- 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, wear a warm sock and walk around 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, spray the sore spots with boric acid, wrap yourself in warm socks. Repeating the procedure every day for 10 days, you have a real chance to get rid of an annoying disease. Eimportant! Your feet must be dry, otherwise acid burns will occur).
- Ammonia (dilute in the proportion of 1 tablespoon to 1 cup, wet the bandage, wrap the legs at night).
- Iodine, glycerin, vinegar (mix the ingredients in equal parts, dilute with 2 parts of water. Wash the places of mold with this solution every day before going to bed).
Simple remedies from the first aid kit will help to eradicate the fungus within 10 to 20 days, subject to systematic use.
The nice moment is also that the above funds are quite cheap, you can buy them at any pharmacy and they will not hit your budget.
Folk ways to deal with dermatomycosis
It has already been mentioned that mold is one of the most common diseases, but there are also many measures to influence it, based on the knowledge of traditional medicine. For example, even those foods that can be found in your refrigerator every day can have an intense effect on the virus.
Effective countermeasures against mycosis are provided by such products:
- Lemon;
- onion;
- Garlic;
- Apple and wine vinegar;
- Eggs;
- Coffee
- Baking soda;
- Rowan leaves / nettle.
Let's take a closer look at each option on how to cure a foot fungus with folk recipes in the shortest possible time.
- Lemon.Cut the citrus fruits into not too thin slices, attach them to the infected areas, wrap them in cellophane film. Keep the compress for 30 minutes and repeat the procedure for 10 days. A wonderful advantage of this method is that lemon not only destroys mitosis, but also saturates the nail plate with vitamins, removes white lines and blocks the unpleasant smell from the feet.
- Onions.Prepare the onion grain, squeeze the juice into a separate container. 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 in a ratio of 1: 1 to wheat. After 15 minutes, rinse the compress with hot water, wipe with a towel, apply the onion juice and wait until it is absorbed into the skin. Rinse the feet as the liquid is not necessary.
- Garlic.There are 2 options for the compress: cut the clove into 2 parts, wrap it in edible salt, rub the mushroom foci; prepare a gruel, add equal amounts of butter, apply to the skin. In any case, keeping the garlic on your feet for more than a quarter of an hour is not recommended, 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 tablespoons. mix a tablespoon 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 take a foot bath.
- Wine vinegar.Perhaps the simplest popular treatment for a fungus: lubricate the diseased skin with undiluted wine vinegar. It is necessary to wait until the vinegar is completely absorbed, there is no need to rinse the feet and you can repeat such measures 4 times a day.
- Eggs.To prepare the oil, you need: pour a raw egg with vinegar, cover with cling film, a plastic cap and put in a cool dark place. Wait until the eggshell is completely dissolved, add 1 teaspoon of butter to the jar and carefully place it until a homogeneous substance appears. Apply the ointment to dry and clean skin, wrap it in a film/bag and keep it warm for an hour. After removing the compress, the feet should be washed with warm water.
- Coffee.One of the best and aromatic remedies for foot fungus. Coffee can be used as a scrub or as the main ingredient for a foot bath. If you are used to brewing natural black coffee, then use the remaining sediment as a scrub. Apply the precipitate to the inflamed areas, rub the coffee grounds on the skin. The second option is to brew coffee and pour it into the bath in a ratio of 2 coffee: 1 water. The second option is more expensive financially. The advantages of coffee are that after such procedures, the rough skin will peel off, and the new one will acquire a healthy color, smoothness and softness.
- Baking soda.A universal remedy that is suitable for compresses and baths. Prepare a gruel by adding soda and water in equal proportions, apply to the nails / feet / the distance between the toes for 20 minutes, wrapped in cellophane. After the specified time, rinse with warm water and sprinkle with talcum powder. In addition, you can prepare baths 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 athlete's foot. Plant leaves should be collected in ecologically clean areas and only new growth should be selected. Rub the leaves into a soft state and apply to the area of inflammation. The compress should be left overnight.
Phytotherapy - a method to fight fungi
Effective folk remedies for athlete's foot are reflected in herbal medicine guides.
Despite the fact that representatives of science do not particularly approve of alternative medicine methods, herbal medicine deserves attention and respect, because they clearly demonstrate their safety and effectiveness.
We will show you how to get rid of foot fungus with folk remedies using herbs.
Folk remedies for toenail fungus are prepared from decoctions of herbs such as celandine, calendula, mint, burdock, sage, wormwood, St. John's wort and dozens of other herbs.
- Celandine.Boil with 4 tbsp. spoon of dry celandine and 1 liter of water boil for 5 minutes, leave for 30 minutes to infuse. Use the baths every day before going to bed for at least 21 days.
- Sagebrush.Wormwood is also used for bathing, but there is a more effective remedy: a decoction of wormwood, plantain, burdock and yarrow is injected for 9 hours and drunk 3 times a day before meals. In just one week, you will be able to get rid of visible signs of fungus.
- Calendula.Pour a package of calendula flowers (usually 250 grams) with boiling water and leave for 1 hour. Apply herbal extract to the inflamed skin 3-4 times a day for a month.
- Burdock.The compress is prepared from fresh burdock leaves. It is necessary to act mechanically on the sheet so that it releases the liquid (beat with a hammer / make small cuts) and wrap the legs, put on a bandage, wear warm socks. Leave the lotion on overnight.
- Mint, nettle, sage.This treatment with folk remedies involves mixing dry herbs, 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 folk remedies against fungi are sold in any pharmacy both in the form of dry herbs and in the form of essential oils. It is recommended to buy some essential oils and make foot baths with the addition of aromatic elixirs.
Folk remedies for toenail fungus are effective measures, but they require long-term use, so their variety should 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 the provision of a number of recipes for effective folk remedies, but also a reminder to process all your shoes.
To disinfect shoes from a fungal infection, a solution of 25% vinegar / 30% formalin is used. It is necessary to wet a cotton swab with a solution and wipe the shoes from the inside.
Important! You must wipe absolutely all the shoes you wear: from slippers to boots. Those pairs of shoes that you wear constantly should be treated at least once a week.