Mycosis is a fungal infectious skin disease. It is usually treated with an antifungal cream, which gives good results, but not in the long run. The following tips can help prevent fungus between the toes that comes back after treatment.
Who can get mycosis and how can it be prevented?
Mycosis is a fungal infection that affects the legs. This condition is very common - one in four people has an interdigital fungus on their leg. Once this disease is started, it can be very difficult to treat. Fungal pathogens (fungi) are often found in small amounts on human skin where they usually do not cause damage. However, under favorable conditions, they can penetrate the epidermis, multiply and cause infection. Favorable conditions for fungi are between warm, moist and airless skin surfaces such as the toes.
Almost anyone can get mycosis. But it is more common in those who sweat more, or in those who wear thick shoes and socks, which also causes excessive sweating of the feet. Mycosis can spread from person to person. For example, it may occur in a public shower used by athletes or swimmers. Tiny flakes of fungus-infected skin can fall off during a fall. As soon as a small patch of infection begins to form, it tends to spread along the skin. About where else to pick mushrooms, they wrote here.
What are the symptoms of foot fungus?
The skin between the little toes is usually affected first. The first signs of a fungus when an infection has just formed on the skin are smaller. The manifestation becomes noticeable when the rash begins to spread, the skin itches and peels. Cracks and inflammation may appear on it. A large split (crack) between the toes can become enlarged and can be very painful. Tiny scales on infected skin can come off. If your interdigital mycosis is not treated, the rash may spread gradually throughout the leg. In some cases, it extends to the sole. Often, the infection causes peeling of the entire foot and side of the foot. Sometimes mycosis causes large blistering rashes all over the sole. In this case, we are dealing with foot fungus.
Is mycosis between the fingers serious?
Usually not. Most people successfully treat itchy toes before the infection spreads. Sometimes the infection spreads to the skin of other parts of the body. These are usually moist and airless areas such as the groin. In general, fungi, including the feet on the feet between the toes, do not spread deeper, but only on the surface of the skin. However, other microbes (bacteria) can get into cracks left over from neglected or untreated mycosis. It can sometimes cause a more severe infection of the foot or legs.
Sometimes the infection spreads to the nail - it can be cured. But in this case, it takes several weeks to take the antifungal pills to clear the infection of the nails to get rid of the fungus.
Therefore, treatment of the interdigital fungus on the legs is best done in a timely manner as soon as the first symptoms appear.
Mycosis treatment
Treatment of fungus between the toes usually involves the use of various antifungal creams and sprays. You can buy local antifungals at your nearest pharmacy or get a prescription. To treat fungus between the toes, the antifungal agent should be applied directly to the affected area, ie the skin of the feet. There are different types and brands of medicines. They are usually sold in the form of creams, but can also be sprays, liquids and powders. The preparations cleanse the skin very well from fungal infections. However, there is no evidence that one remedy would be better than the other.
The required amount of drug should be used. It depends on the different treatments, so read the instructions carefully before treating the fungus between your toes. Inflammation often goes away fairly quickly, but may need to be treated for 1-2 weeks after the rash has stopped. This is needed to completely eliminate the fungi on the skin - which prevent relapse.
If you have encountered this disease for the first time and do not know how to cure the fungus on your feet and do not make a mistake in choosing the medicine to treat, it is better to see a doctor.
For skin, especially inflamed skin, your doctor may prescribe an antifungal cream in combination with a mild steroid ointment. They are usually used for up to seven days. You may only need to use one antifungal cream for a while afterwards. Anabolic steroids reduce inflammation in a short time and can relieve itching and redness. However, the steroid does not completely eliminate the fungus between the toes and therefore the steroid cream alone should not be treated.
Antifungal tablets between the toes are sometimes prescribed to adults if the infection is severe and cannot be cleaned with creams. Tablets are also needed if the infection is found on many parts of the skin outside the feet.
However, the treatment of interdigital fungi with the above procedures is not the same for everyone.
Antifungal tablets are not always recommended for pregnant or breast-feeding women or for patients with liver disease. Some people may be prescribed another drug that interacts with antifungal pills. Children are not usually given antifungal medication.
While skin fungus between the toes can spread from person to person, in the case of fungus, you don’t have to stay away from work, school, or sports. However, in public places such as a swimming pool or sauna, try to keep your feet until the rash goes away. Also, do not try to scratch the damaged skin as this may spread the infection to other areas.
The following tips can prevent recurrent mycosis:
- Wash your feet daily and dry the skin between your toes thoroughly after washing. Perhaps this is the most important point. Wear socks if your feet are not completely dry. Wet skin between the toes is an ideal medium for fungi.
- Do not use other people's towels in public changing rooms! Towels should be washed as often as possible.
- Change socks daily. Fungi can grow on skin plates in unwashed socks. Cotton socks and leather shoes are in many ways better than sweat-increasing nylon socks and shoes made of artificial materials.
- Try changing different shoes every 2-3 days, this will allow each pair to dry completely after wear.
- Wear slippers or plastic sandals in public changing rooms and showers. This will prevent your feet from touching the floor, which may have flakes of skin from other people.
- When you’re at home, walk barefoot for as long as possible - without shoes and socks to let the air reach your feet. This may not be practical for some people.
- If mycosis persists, you can prevent regular prevention of one of the antifungal sprays or creams. It can be used daily as a preventative measure.