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 of the feet, antimycotic drugs are prescribed, which are intended for external and internal use. In the initial stage of development of the disease, it is advisable to use alternative methods of treatment.
Why does fungus appear?
Fungi is an infection that enters the skin / nails in a household way: using ordinary personal hygiene products, visiting swimming pools, saunas, beauty salons.
If the virus gets on the skin, there is a chance that the disease will not get into the subcutaneous cells, because a healthy body has a powerful resistance to such microbes.
There are a number of factors that stimulate the development of fungus on the skin or nails:
- Intense sweating of the feet caused by uncomfortable shoes of low quality;
- Mechanical injuries on the legs (scratches, wounds on the legs, thorns);
- Weakened immunity due to bad habits, serious diseases: AIDS, diabetes, hepatitis, neuroses, flu.
Perhaps the feet are the most delicious place where the fungus parasitizes. The main reason is that it is the foot that affects the shoes the most and has hundreds of microcracks.
There are several types of ringworm infections that are parasitic on the toenails, between the toes, or on the feet.
The method of counteracting the fungus, whether we are talking about medical intervention or traditional medicine, depends entirely on the site of the infection.
According to statistics, more than 60% of the population has encountered 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 dry cleaning of shoes/clothes, the flex can live in them 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 fungi?
In the first stages of infection, it is almost impossible to recognize flexible. Barely noticeable white spots of small size appear on the skin / nails, which do not cause discomfort.
During evolution, the virus grows, causing the following symptoms:
- Unbearable itching and burning;
- The nail plate becomes rougher and sloppy;
- Brittleness and delamination of nails;
- Cracks appear on the legs caused by dry skin;
- A white coating appears in the places of itching / on the nails;
- An unpleasant pungent odor is emitted 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 it brings 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 - ban on 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, strong smell from the feet does not allow taking off clothes outside the home;
- Physiological - general depletion of immunity, provoking infection with viral colds and the appearance of allergies.
Treatment of fungus: folk remedies or drugs?
Modern medicine has an impressive arsenal of drugs for the treatment of foot fungus, but do not forget about the modern 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 more noticeable ina 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 the fungus will be very useful.
Fortunately, the treatment of foot fungus with folk remedies is a completely affordable measure, and the ingredients for the remedy can be found in a home medicine cabinet or refrigerator.
Fungus between the toes can be cured with the following remedies from the medicine cabinet:
- 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 effectiveness, put on a warm sock and walk 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, sprinkle the sore places with boric acid, wrap yourself in warm socks. By repeating the procedure every day for 10 days, you have a real chance to get rid of the annoying disease. Important! Your feet must be dry, because otherwise acid burns will occur).
- Ammonia (dilute in a proportion of 1 tablespoon per 1 cup, moisten the bandage, wrap your legs overnight).
- Iodine, glycerin, vinegar (mix the ingredients in equal parts, dilute with 2 parts of water. Wash the fungal areas with this tincture every day before going to bed).
Simple remedies from the first aid kit will help eliminate the fungus within 10 to 20 days, when used systematically.
The nice thing is that the above means are quite cheap, you can buy them in any pharmacy and they will not hit your budget.
Folk methods for dealing with dermatomycosis
It has already been mentioned that fungi are one of the most common diseases, but in the knowledge base of traditional medicine there are also many measures for their influence. For example, even those foods that you can find in your refrigerator every day can have an intense effect on the virus.
Effective countermeasures against mycosis are provided by such products:
- lemon;
- Onions;
- Garlic;
- Apple and wine vinegar;
- an egg;
- coffee
- Baking soda;
- Rowan/nettle leaves.
Let's take a closer look at each option, how to cure foot fungus with folk recipes in the shortest possible time.
- Lemon.Cut the citrus into not very thin slices, attach to the infected areas, wrap with cellophane film. Keep the compress for 30 minutes and repeat the procedure for 10 days. An amazing advantage of this method is that lemon not only destroys mitosis, but also saturates the nail plate with vitamins, removes white streaks and blocks the unpleasant smell from the feet.
- Onion.Prepare the onion mash, squeeze the juice into a separate container. Apply a thick layer of porridge on the affected area, wrap it 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 the slurry. After 15 minutes, wash off the compress with hot water, wipe with a towel, apply onion juice and wait for it to absorb into the skin. Rinse your feet after the juice is not necessary.
- Garlic.There are 2 options for a compress: cut the clove into 2 parts, roll it in food salt, rub the fungal foci; prepare porridge, add oil 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. mix 4 tablespoons of vinegar with 150 grams of sea salt (maybe with additives) and pour 5 liters of hot water. Wait until the water cools down a bit and make a foot bath.
- Wine vinegar.Perhaps the simplest folk treatment for 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 your feet and you can repeat these measures 4 times a day.
- An egg.To prepare the ointment, you need: pour one raw egg with vinegar, cover with cling film, a plastic lid and put in a dark cool place. Wait for the moment when the egg shell is completely dissolved, add 1 teaspoon of oil to the jar and carefully place until a homogeneous substance appears. Apply the ointment to dry, clean 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 athlete's foot. Coffee can be used as a scrub or as the main ingredient in a foot bath. If you are used to brewing natural black coffee, use the remaining grounds as a scrub. Apply the residue to the sore spots, rub the coffee residue into 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, softness and tenderness.
- Baking soda.A universal tool that is suitable for compresses and baths. Prepare a paste by adding soda and water in equal proportions, apply to the nails / feet / the distance between the fingers 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, which is why it is recommended to fight mycosis. The leaves of the plants should be collected in ecologically clean areas and only young plants should be selected. Grind the leaves to a pulp and apply on the affected area. The compress should be left overnight.
Phytotherapy - a method of combating fungi
Effective folk remedies for the treatment of foot fungus are reflected in herbal medicine guides.
Despite the fact that representatives of science do not particularly approve of the methods of alternative medicine, herbal medicine deserves some attention and respect, as they clearly show their safety and effectiveness.
We will tell you how to get rid of foot fungus with folk remedies with herbs.
Folk remedies for the treatment of fungus between the toes are prepared from decoctions of plants such as calendula, calendula, mint, burdock, sage, wormwood, St. John's wort and dozens of other herbs.
- yellow flowers.A decoction with 4 tablespoons of dried celandine and 1 liter of water is boiled for 5 minutes, leave for 30 minutes to infuse. Use baths every day before going to bed for at least 21 days.
- Wormwood.Wormwood is also used for baths, but there is a more effective remedy: a decoction of wormwood, plantain, burdock and yarrow is brewed 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 boiling water over a package of calendula flowers (usually 250 grams) and leave for 1 hour. Lubricate the inflamed skin with herbal extract 3-4 times a day for one month.
- burpThe compress is prepared from fresh burdock leaves. It is necessary to mechanically act on the leaf so that it releases the juice (hit with a hammer / make small cuts) and wrap the legs, apply a bandage, put on warm socks. Leave the lotion on overnight.
- Mint, nettle, sage.This treatment with folk remedies involves mixing dry herbs, pouring 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 purchase several essential oils and take foot baths with the addition of aromatic elixirs.
Folk remedies for the treatment of foot fungus are effective measures, but they require long-term 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.
Fungus shoe care
The answer to the question: "How to treat fungus? " is not only to provide a number of recipes for effective folk remedies, but also a reminder to process all your shoes.
A 25% vinegar/30% formalin solution is used to disinfect shoes from fungal infection. It is necessary to moisten a cotton pad with a solution and wipe the shoes from the inside.
important! You should wipe absolutely all the shoes you wear: from bath slippers to boots. Those pairs of shoes that you wear all the time should be treated at least once a week.