Not all of us have a trip to a public bath or a swimming pool, and sometimes a visit to a pedicure room, as well as trying on a new pair of shoes, ended with positive emotions. Some, after the listed activities, after a while, began to feel discomfort in the area of ​​the foot, or rather, between the toes. These unpleasant sensations manifested themselves in the form of burning and itching. What is this? It's simple - it's a foot fungus or, in other words, mycosis. ? Let's now talk about foot fungus, the symptoms of which everyone should know, because no one is immune from this disease.

Don't panic. Foot fungus is easy to treat, especially at an early stage of development. There are a number of methods for eradicating this fungal infection.

What are the symptoms of mycosis, or foot fungus? After all, not always burning and itching can be caused by the occurrence of foot fungus. The main symptoms of this unpleasant disease are manifested in reddening of the skin, its peeling, the appearance of blisters with a liquid that has an unpleasant odor, the formation of cracks in the interdigital arches, but also, of course, intolerable itching and burning.

Having found all these signs, you should immediately contact a dermatologist, he will prescribe the correct drug treatment. Help relieve discomfort with foot fungus ethnoscience(Of course, you need to agree on the treatment with your doctor).

Folk remedies for foot fungus

• An excellent folk remedy for combating mycosis, or foot fungus, are baths based on herbal decoctions from a string, violets. They dry your skin and soothe itching.
• A bath containing baking soda and sea salt is also very effective. These procedures must be done daily for 2 weeks, preferably several times a day.
• Compresses of garlic, Kalanchoe leaves, crushed mint and salt also have a positive effect in the treatment of foot fungus.

Unfortunately, in many cases, treatment with folk remedies is not enough to completely get rid of the foot fungus.

Hygiene for foot fungus

When treating foot fungus, do not forget about the rules of personal hygiene, namely:

• change socks every day (clean ones must be ironed),
• shoes, from the inside, wipe once a week with vinegar - 9%,
• indoor shoes should be comfortable.

How to protect yourself from fungus?

It should be remembered that it is easier to prevent any disease than to cure, so you need to follow a number of simple rules on how to protect yourself from the fungus:

• Try on shoes with toes only;
• Use the swimming pool, sauna, bathhouse only in shoes specially designed for these events;
• Do not wear tight and uncomfortable shoes for a long time, but rather give them up altogether;
• Watch your personal hygiene;
• Lead healthy image life, eat healthy foods (an increase in blood sugar and yeast levels can provoke the appearance of foot fungus);
• Most importantly, strengthen your own immunity, and then your feet will not have to recover for a whole month after mycosis, this is how much time it takes to fully recover.

In the meantime, if you find yourself with a foot fungus, the symptoms of which we described above, go to the article "Fungus Treatment".

Often, to avoid fungus on the nails, it is worthwhile to maintain proper hygiene. Here we are talking about the fact that it is necessary to avoid risk factors from which you can get the fungus, as well as to properly care for your nails.

A person who becomes infected with a fungus of nails and hands can also infect his entire family, as well as those close to him, as he becomes a carrier of the fungus. Medical research speaks for itself: more than 50% of infections occur in the family. Therefore, hand and nail hygiene is a very relevant and significant issue. In order for infection with a fungus, it is not necessary to follow some basic rules that are recommended for caring for personal belongings. Compliance with them will help reduce the risk of family members contracting the fungus.

Many rules regarding the hygiene of nails and hands must be observed not only for those who have already become infected with the fungus, they are also necessary for healthy people. It is necessary to wear only your own shoes, and in no case measure or wear someone else's, since you never know suddenly this person has nail fungus. In any public places ah you need to wear rubber slippers. This rule especially applies to saunas, swimming pools, baths, as well as the beach, you should not take off your shoes for a minute. Shoes should be washed and dried after each visit. After you have taken a shower or bath, it is important to wipe your hands and feet dry, especially the areas between the toes, and also treat with antifungal drugs.

It is also better to walk in closed slippers in the apartment, and treat the nails of the hands and feet with antifungal ointments so that the spread of the fungus does not go further. It is important to wash the clothes of a person already sick with a fungus separately. It is also advisable to allocate a separate shelf for things so that fungal spores do not get on the clothes of healthy family members. After a sick person has taken a bath, it must be treated with an antifungal and disinfectant, and then thoroughly rinse everything off with hot water. Wear rubber gloves on your hands before washing the bathroom. In addition, hygiene in case of nail fungus is very important, therefore, it is necessary to ventilate the room, and also do wet cleaning more often, preferably once every two days. Otherwise, if you do not do the cleaning, then you can get infected with the fungus again, since the spores of the fungus remain in the room. Gloves, as well as socks, must be stored in a special box so that they are not scattered throughout the apartment. Also, the rules of hygiene include the fact that it is necessary to avoid such pedicure and manicure salons in which there is no sterilization of tools and devices. Do not apply varnish on nails, as well as their build-up on for a long time, since if the nail does not breathe, then it does not form a large number of pathogenic bacteria and fungal infection spreads. For prevention, as well as to strengthen the immune system, it is necessary to use fermented milk products that allow you to fight against fungus on the nails.

After the treatment has been successfully completed, all the belongings of the sick person must be thrown away so that re-infection does not occur. These things include: socks, shoes, washcloths, slippers, gloves. Shoes can not be thrown away, but simply disinfected with Chlorhexidine, after which you can safely wear them and not be afraid to become infected with the fungus again.

If a person has not contracted the fungus, but someone is still sick in the house, then he is very lucky. But it is better to follow some recommendations. Do not wear other people's clothes and shoes, take changeable shoes to places of large crowds of people, avoid tight shoes, since your feet sweat very much in them, manicure and pedicure should be done only in proven salons.

Routine nail hygiene is not always sufficient to protect a person from fungus. To completely prevent infection with nail and hand fungus, it is necessary to use special antifungal agents. These are even the same drugs that are intended to treat the fungus. But in addition, there are special antifungal sprays, as well as aerosols, with which it is easy to treat skin and nails. Nowadays, special sprays-powders are gaining popularity, which are not only an antifungal agent, but they also fight against skin sweating.

You need to know that nail fungus always starts on the skin, so it is possible to prevent nail infection. It is necessary to immediately begin treatment of the fungus on the skin with antifungal agents, as well as to carry out the prevention of nails. These procedures can be done without a doctor's supervision. If it is noticed that the defeat of the nail fungus has begun, then you cannot do without the help of a doctor.

In case of infection with a fungus, you need to contact a dermatologist as soon as possible, and also pass the necessary tests.

It is worth remembering that healthy nails, as well as skin - a guarantee of health and the absence of fungal diseases. The use of antifungal agents is necessary in order to avoid fungus.

Often simple rules hygiene can prevent infectious diseases nails, since unkempt unkempt nails often cause mycotic infection. The following are simple hygiene practices that are beneficial to both those with fungus and healthy individuals.

• regular daily washing of hands and feet with detergents protects against diseases, getting rid of dirt, which is the environment for the comfortable existence of microbes.
• it is important to regularly clean the areas under the nail bed, because this is where the greatest number of bacteria accumulates. It is recommended to do this with a soft brush.
• treat sweating in time, since high humidity and heat are the favorite environment of the fungus. And it is also imperative that after taking a shower, visiting the pool, thoroughly dry your skin with a towel, paying special attention to the interdigital spaces.
• dry, cracked skin is vulnerable to the penetration of various kinds of infections into its layers. To avoid excessive dryness, it helps to take softening baths (1-2 times every 1-2 weeks), then apply special nutrients.
• the use of protective gloves will protect the hands from harmful effects household chemicals... If working with rubber gloves for a long time, you should use additional thin cotton gloves to prevent excessive sweating and injury to the skin;
• you should never wear someone else's shoes. Fitting in the store is carried out on the toe;
• when visiting public places, for example, a swimming pool, sauna, beach, gym, be sure to wear removable rubber slippers, sneakers, trainers. Use antimycotic drugs after each such visit.
• Properly sized footwear made of natural materials prevents microtraumatization of the epithelium of the feet and nail plates, protects against sweating, and does not interfere with air ventilation.

Intensive care is especially relevant in the formation of cornification, calluses, as well as in the summer, when open areas of the body are daily exposed to overdrying and exposure to damaging external factors. Bath procedures must be carried out at least once a week. Lubrication with cream or balm - daily, preferably at night, then put on a cotton sock.

When carrying out the following cosmetic procedures It is important to take into account that too deep cuts damage the skin. Even small wounds can trigger the development of bacterial purulent and fungal infections.

The hygiene of manicure and pedicure is as follows:

1. Cut, file nails carefully, without touching the areas of the nail rollers and the bed. On the legs, the cut of the free edge should be done in a straight line, in contrast to the rounded shape on the hands.
2. The free edge must be trimmed on the hands at least 1 time per week, on the legs at least 1 time per month. Saw until irregularities and roughness are eliminated.
3. Before starting the manipulations, it is necessary to disinfect the instrument, as well as the adjacent adjacent areas to be treated.
4. The resulting burrs due to keratinization of the epithelium and microcracks initiate inflammation. Therefore, they should be carefully cut off with nail scissors or tweezers, after softening the skin with a soapy bath. Then rub in with cosmetic oil or cream.
5. Cut the cuticle as it grows back. However, in order to avoid additional injuries, the cuticle can be gently moved with a special stick with a blunt end. First you need to lubricate the nail cosmetic oil to make the cuticle soft and pliable.

Additional hygiene measures for fungus

People with onychomycosis and those at home need to observe the following hygiene principles:

1. After visiting the sick bathroom, it is necessary to treat it with a disinfectant in gloves, then an antifungal.
2. Disinfect sanitary equipment, bathroom mat, kitchen sink at least once a week.
3. Wear only personal slippers and shoes; when visiting public places, always have a change.
4. Ventilate the room at least 1 time a day, with high humidity - more often, but at least 1 time in 2 days.
5. It is beneficial for healthy family members to regularly treat areas of possible infection (hands, feet) with an antifungal agent.

Personal care

1. Personal belongings in the closet should be stored on separate shelves, in separate drawers.
2. The patient's belongings must be washed separately. Store in a separate container before washing to prevent the spread of infection to non-contaminated surfaces and belongings of healthy family members.
3. Iron clean things, including socks, at the highest possible temperature.
4. Change bed linen at least once a week.

What to do with socks

Socks should only be made from natural fabrics. Synthetics make the skin sweat, which promotes the growth and proliferation of fungal cells.

Change of socks is required daily!

Washing and ironing socks only at high temperatures - at least 90 °. The fungus remains resistant to temperatures below 70–75 °. Therefore, boiling the socks for about 5 minutes is effective.

Upon recovery, for hygiene purposes, it is appropriate to completely get rid of socks, stockings, tights, shoes that were worn by the patient during treatment. For re-infection, only a few viable cells are enough, which can exist on these things for a long time. An alternative in this situation, if a complete replacement is not possible, is the disinfection of products.

Disinfection of shoes

Ignoring disinfection can trigger a relapse. The source of infection in this case is the shoes themselves, on which the fungus could settle, the settled spores and the remaining microscopic particles of the patient's skin.

Disinfection and disinfection is carried out using:

• antifungal sprays;
• self-preparation solutions;
• special devices.

Hygienic baths

Bath preparation is useful as a wellness nail treatment, as well as a supplement to antifungal medication regimen.

Purpose of the water procedure:

• softening of the skin and nail plate, especially with hyperkeratosis;
• impact on sources of infection (fungi, bacteria).

Bath mix recipes include simple ingredients: salt, soda, herbs, essential oils, pharmacological antifungal medicinal substances.

Limb massage is an additional measure aimed at stimulating blood circulation and improving the supply of nutrients to the nail plate. Massage increases the effectiveness of antimycotic therapy, the speed of recovery. Increases the resistance of the immune system of the nail and near nail tissue to pathogens. Useful during manicure and pedicure procedures.

To successfully treat onychomycosis and prevent recurrence of infection, it is extremely important to follow the rules of personal hygiene and disinfect shoes. These activities consist in the periodic processing of things with special chemicals and the use of UV devices.

The importance of the procedure

Disinfection- one of the keys to successful treatment and prevention of nail fungus. The need to treat wardrobe items with antimicrobial drugs is especially relevant for the following groups of people:

• undergoing antifungal therapy... Without disinfection, the risk of re-infection is high, since fungal spores will infect the patient, nullifying the results of treatment;
• previously undergone fungal diseases on foot;
• in contact with infected people;
• visiting places with a high risk of infection(pool, baths, gyms, etc.).

General processing rules

Common remedies for the destruction of fungal infections in shoes at home are drugs of various compositions and forms of release: solutions, sprays, wet wipes, uv devices.

Disinfection rules

• The fight against infection should be aimed at its destruction.
• Processing should be regular, at least twice a month, and some preparations can be disinfected daily.
• Shoes should be handled for all people living in the house.

Before packing for storage, you can put a cotton pad soaked in oil of carnation or pine into well-dried shoes. This good remedy preventing the appearance of infection will additionally relieve an unpleasant odor.

It is necessary to disinfect not only shoes, but also socks, laces and insoles.

The procedure for treating shoes with disinfectants

• A solution of chemicals carefully wipe the inside of the shoe without forgetting about hard-to-reach places.
• Also disinfect insoles on both sides.
• Invest in shoes drug-soaked cotton pads and put things v plastic bag , hermetically closed and kept few hours.
• Then the shoes are good ventilate and dry.

Special antifungal sprays with regular use completely get rid of pathogenic microflora... Their use eliminates the possibility of re-emergence of the infection, eliminates the unpleasant odor, and gives an additional antiseptic effect for the skin of the legs.

The drug is intensive sprayed inside the shoe and follow the recommendations specified in the instructions.

Disinfectants for shoes

Antifungal solutions

Overview of professional shoe disinfectants

Disinfection 40% acetic acid- a fairly effective procedure, but after it a specific smell remains, which is extremely difficult to get rid of. In addition, there is a possibility of damage to the elements of the shoes made of rubber.

You can use a lower concentration of vinegar, but the effectiveness of the procedure will be questionable.

You can find out how the treatment of shoes with vinegar essence is done by watching this video:

Hydrogen peroxide is another product that has been successfully used to disinfect footwear. The processing method is the same as described above.

To exclude contact with an infected surface and more effective treatment, disinfectants can be poured into a bottle with a spray bottle.

Antiseptic wet wipes

These products are commonly used to disinfect feet, but they can also be used to treat shoes. Napkins convenient on one-off occasions, when you have to use shoes issued when visiting baths, solariums, swimming pools. They provide the same protection against infection as other antifungal agents.

Ultraviolet devices

Ultraviolet rays emitted during the operation of the device destroy fungal spores and other infectious agents. This method is absolutely safe. Heating up to a temperature of about 70 degrees, some models of devices absorb excess moisture simultaneously with disinfection.

Timson UV device

1. Timson. According to the manufacturer, for 6-8 hours the device is able to destroy practically 100% spores of fungi of the genus Candide and Trichophyton.
2. Xenelight. A powerful device that has a depressing effect on the DNA of fungi and eliminates them by 99.9% in five minutes... You can process the shoes of all family members in an hour. The device has gas-discharge germicidal lamps and a desiccant. The device is powered by batteries. It takes 4-6 hours to dry shoes with Xenelite.

Interesting information about the Xenelight UV device is presented in the video:

Steam or cold treatment

In addition to chemicals disinfection, many try to disinfect garments exposure to low or high temperatures... Shoes are treated with a jet of hot steam or placed in the freezer. Such methods are not suitable for every type of footwear, as, getting rid of the infection, they can damage the material of the product.

Additional preventive measures

The treatment and disinfection procedures prescribed by the doctor are not enough to fight the fungus. It is necessary to carefully keep your shoes clean... Shoes should be comfortable, suitable for size, good air permeability. After each return from the street, it is necessary to remove dirt and dust from it, and dry it.

In addition to caring for wardrobe items, you should carefully maintain personal hygiene, for the slightest changes on the surface of the nail, consult a doctor, do not use other people's things, as well as not offering your own.

Disinfection and prophylaxis procedures can significantly increase the effectiveness of treatment and prevent the occurrence of relapses. To help those suffering from nail fungus, many medications and disinfectants for shoes: antiseptic sprays, solutions, napkins, uv devices.

To completely get rid of the fungus on your nails, you will need to be patient. Great patience! The fact is that it will not be enough to apply even the most active, modern, effective drug 3-5 times - as a rule, the process of treating nail fungus lasts from 6 to 12 months.

Why is nail fungus dangerous?

If no therapy is carried out, then the fungus will quickly spread over all the nail plates, then begin to "settle" on the skin surface. In addition to being harmful to nail fungus outward appearance legs and arms, he, along with his progression, delivers a lot of common problems. For example, with the development of nail fungus, the following may be present:

1. Disorders of the psychoemotional background - the patient cannot bare his legs on the beach, in a sauna or steam bath, pool, and even in the summer period he has to wear either closed shoes or socks.
2. Weakening of the immune system - the body's forces are directed only to the fight (and unsuccessful!) With the nail fungus, so all viruses and bacteria do not meet any resistance. This leads to the development of allergies, frequent illnesses somatic nature, virus infection.
3. There is a high probability of infection of close relatives and even friends / acquaintances. The fact is that fungal spores have tremendous vitality even outside the human body, so the spread of the fungus in the family is common.
4. Appear pain when walking. Moreover, at the initial stage of the development of the disease under consideration, non-intense pain in the legs (feet) is noted only when walking, and if the progression of the process continues and no therapeutic measures are taken, then the pain will bother the person at rest.

Many people believe that the treatment of the fungus can be carried out without any expert advice - advertising of antimycotic drugs is everywhere, instructions for use are available in every unit of the product. Why do doctors insist that when the first signs of fungus appear on the nails, it is imperative to visit a medical institution and undergo a specific examination?

First, the doctor scrapes material for laboratory research from the affected area of ​​the nail - it is established specific species(strain) fungus.

Secondly, specialists in the laboratory find out the sensitivity of the established type of fungus to various drugs.

Thirdly, only a doctor, based on the results obtained, can choose a really effective drug.

Note:each type of fungus can show sensitivity to completely different drugs, and in this case, its susceptibility to specific active substances that make up antimycotic drugs will be clarified.

Fungal strains can develop, in principle, on any part of the human body - in the hair, on skin, nail plates of the fingers of the upper and lower limbs... As a rule, the fungus on the skin is manifested by the appearance of areas with a reddened integument, with a flaky surface, with a bloom of various colors.

A fungal infection can appear in the groin, on the palms, even inside the auricle - there are no obstacles for the disease in question. All strains of fungi are distinguished by their ability to spread - that is why doctors insist on timely referral to a professional medical help when the first signs of fungal infection appear.

Medications for the treatment of fungus - an overview

A fairly large assortment of antimycotic (antifungal) agents is presented on the pharmaceutical industry market - some of them can only destroy a colony of fungi, some also contribute to softening and removing the damaged nail plate.

All drugs that are intended for the treatment of fungus are divided into several main groups:

1. Tablets and capsules for oral administration (by mouth). They have a general effect on the body, destroy all the consequences of the development of a fungal disease and help to strengthen the immune system.
2. Gels, emulsions, ointments, creams are topical medicines that are applied directly to the affected nail plate or to the skin surface. Such external drugs act exclusively locally.
3. Nail polishes - such medicines contain active substances that have a detrimental effect on the fungal colony. Varnish is applied to diseased nail plates several times a day; it is advisable to use this type of drug at the initial stage of treatment of the disease in question.
4. Creams, emulsions for softening the nail plate - these preparations do not contain antifungal substances, therefore, these creams and emulsions should not be considered as medicines. They are used as part of complex therapy, they are intended only to get rid of a damaged, deformed nail.

Note:if the nail fungus is in a state of neglect, the process is actively spreading, then doctors consider it advisable to prescribe immunomodulating agents to patients. With this degree of development of the disease in question, it is necessary to restore, stabilize and strengthen the immune system for the treatment to be truly effective.

Folk remedies in the treatment of nail fungus

There is, and is actively spreading "among the people", various folk remedies for the treatment of nail fungus. Doctors claim that the use folk remedies leads only to the progression of the disease, patients do not seek professional medical help on time, and the result is a neglected nail fungus. But in this case, its treatment will be very long, and aggressive methods will be needed, up to surgical intervention (doctors simply remove the affected nail plate).

Many folk remedies that are recommended by healers and ubiquitous grandmothers can burn the skin surface, which will only aggravate the situation. And some recipes include components that can cause a severe attack of an allergic reaction in a patient.

Doctors recommend not to experiment and seek help from specialists for the treatment of nail fungus, but if there is a desire to use any folk remedies within the framework of therapy, then let them be only an additional remedy, and not the main one.

It has been scientifically confirmed that drugs rarely have the ability to penetrate into the thickness of the nail plate - the effect of antimycotic (antifungal) drugs is limited to the surface layer of the nail. Therefore, doctors recommend paying attention to laser treatment of the fungus - the laser beam is able to penetrate into all layers of the nail plate, it has a destructive effect directly on the mycelium and the body of the fungus itself. The result is the folding and death of the fungus - it also consists of a protein, which, under the influence of high temperatures, folds.

Note:laser treatment of nail fungus is quite expensive, but the effectiveness of such therapy is at a very high level. A few procedures are enough to completely get rid of nail fungus.

If nail fungus is being treated, then you need to remember about the hygienic rules - without observing them, the effectiveness of even specific, well-chosen therapy will be reduced. What can be attributed to the peculiarities of hygiene during the treatment of nail fungus:

Fungus of the nails is a very unpleasant disease, which implies treatment under the control and strictly in accordance with the prescriptions of doctors. But the patient must know - it is necessary to apply complex therapy, which will reduce the duration of treatment at times. Many patients stop carrying out medical procedures when the signs of the disease in question disappear - this is a big mistake! Only a doctor, through periodically conducted laboratory research scrapings from the affected nail plate, can accurately tell the patient about stopping treatment.

Tsygankova Yana Aleksandrovna, medical commentator, therapist of the highest qualification category