Mycosis is an infectious skin disease caused by a fungus. Antifungal cream is usually used, which gives good results but does not last long. The following tips will help prevent toe fungus, which can recur even after treatment.
Who can get infected
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 also cause excessive sweating of the feet.
Mycosis can spread from person to person. For example, this could happen in a public shower used by athletes or swimmers. Small flakes of skin infected with the fungus may fall off while showering. Once a small spot of infection begins to form, it usually spreads along the skin. You can read about where else to catch mushrooms here.
What are the symptoms
Usually the skin between the little toes is affected first. The first signs of the fungus, when the infection has just developed on the skin, are slight. The appearance becomes noticeable when the rash begins to spread and the skin becomes itchy and scaly. Cracks and inflammation appear on it. Large cracks in the skin between the toes can become enlarged and very painful. Small flakes of infected skin come off.
If interdigital mycosis is not treated, the rash will gradually spread over the entire foot. In some cases, it extends to the soles of the feet. The infection often causes scaling over the entire sole and sides of the foot. Sometimes mycosis causes large vesicular rashes on the soles of the feet. In this case, we are dealing with athlete's foot.
How serious is this?
As a general rule, no. 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.
Typically, fungi, including toenail fungus, do not spread deeper, but only on the surface of the skin. However, other microbes (bacteria) can enter the cracks left by neglected or untreated mycosis. Sometimes this can cause a more serious foot or leg infection.
It happens that the infection spreads to the nail - it can be cured. But in this case, to get rid of the fungus, you need to take antifungal tablets for several weeks to remove the infection from your nails.Therefore, it is better to treat interdigital fungus on the feet in time, as soon as the first symptoms appear.
Treatment of mycosis
Treatment for toenail fungus usually involves the use of various antifungal creams and sprays. You can buy topical antifungals at your local pharmacy or get a prescription.
To treat the fungus between the toes, an antifungal agent must be applied directly to the affected area, i. e. the skin of the foot. There are various medicines that help against fungal infections.
They are usually sold in the form of creams, but they can also be sprays, liquids and powders. These drugs are very good at clearing the skin of fungal infections. However, there is no evidence that one treatment is better than another.Gentler medicines should be used for children.Other options are undecenoic acid or tolnafta, which are used only as directed by a doctor.
During the treatment, it often happens that the inflammation goes away quite quickly, however, therapy may be needed for 1-2 weeks after the rash has stopped. This is necessary in order to completely eliminate the fungus on the skin - which prevents relapse.
- Clotrimazole preparations: 2-3 times a day for at least four weeks.
- Preparations with miconazole nitrate: apply twice a day and continue for 10 days after the skin has returned to normal.
- Preparations with econazole nitrate active ingredient: apply twice a day until the skin returns to its normal state.
- Medicines belonging to the group of triazoles: apply twice a day for seven days. To cure toenail fungus, you need to continue using the medicine for a few more days if the symptoms are more severe. Not recommended for children.
- Preparations containing terbinafine hydrochloride: apply once or twice a day for seven days. Not recommended for children.
- Preparations with undecenoic acid: apply twice a day and continue for a week after the skin has normalized.
If you encounter this disease for the first time and do not know how to cure athlete's foot and do not make a mistake when choosing a drug for treatment, consult a doctor.
For skin, especially inflamed skin, your doctor may prescribe an antifungal cream combined 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 after that.
Anabolic steroids reduce inflammation and relieve itching and redness in a short period of time. However, the steroid does not completely eliminate the toe fungus, so 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 go away with creams. Tablets are also needed if the infection is found on the skin in many places besides the feet.
However, this interdigital fungus treatment is not suitable for everyone.
Antifungal tablets are not always recommended for pregnant or lactating women or people with liver disease. Children are not usually prescribed antifungal medication.
Although toenail fungus can spread from person to person, you don't have 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 goes away.Also, try not to scratch the broken skin, as this can spread the infection to other areas.
The following tips can prevent the recurrence of athlete's foot:
- You should wash your feet daily and dry the skin between the toes thoroughly after washing. This is perhaps the most important aspect. Wear socks if your feet are not completely dry. The moist skin between the fingers is an ideal place for fungus to grow.
- Do not share towels in public changing rooms. Towels should be washed as often as possible.
- Change socks daily. Fungi grow in flakes of skin in unwashed socks. Cotton socks and leather shoes are better in many ways than nylon socks and shoes made of artificial materials that increase sweating.
- Try to change shoes every 2-3 days so that each pair is completely dry after wearing.
- Wear slippers or sandals in public changing rooms and showers. This prevents your feet from coming into contact with the floor, which may contain flakes of other people's skin.
- When you are at home, walk barefoot as much as possible - without shoes or socks - to allow air to reach your feet. However, this is impractical for some.
If athlete's foot keeps coming back, you can prevent it from coming back by regularly using an antifungal spray or cream as a preventative. As a preventive measure, you can use various preventive creams daily.