The fungal lesions of leather and nail plates are the most common dermatological diseases, according to statistical data of the World Health Association. They deliver a lot of inconveniences to a person, fetterize their domestic life, violate the usual biorhitm. Fungus treatment is long and expensive. Therefore, previous diagnoses are made, faster can begin treatment, avoiding the development of complications.
What is a fungus on the legs?
The skin of the skin of the legs and nails is an infectious disease that affects the upper layer of the epidermis of the feet and the nail plates of the fingers of the feet. Onicycosis (medical name for pathology) occurs due to skin lesions such as microorganisms such as mold, yeast, type of candida, dermatomycetes, dermatophytes. Microorganism data groups can live and multiply in the human body, gradually affecting healthy cells. Very often, the fungus is found in men, since its microflora, more suitable for the development of fungal infections.
In a medical classification, there are about 50 different types of fungi. Approximately 85% of fungal lesions are caused by dermatomycetes. Candida fungi become the cause of the disease, approximately 10% - 12% of cases. The remaining small percentage falls to the microphic mold microorganisms, which actively multiply with the breach of personal hygiene rules.
The intensity of the propagation and the degree of progression of fungal diseases depend on many factors: a climate that promotes the reproduction of this type of bacteria; social conditions of human residence; age criteria; individual characteristics of the body; immunity. Most of the time, people face a fungus, after 50 years, since their level pH is much weaker and cannot suppress this type of microorganisms.
The reasons for the formation of the fungus in the legs
The penetration of mythical organisms in the skin leads to the development of fungal infection. Due to the presence of proteolytic enzymes, fungi easily penetrate the surface tissues of the epidermis, and the protein structure allows them to develop and actively maintain in their place.
The body's immune system can independently suppress the pathogenic environment, but sometimes this is not enough. On the surface of the skin, they contain special bacteria that support the acid-base balance. The alkaline environment is unfavorable for the development of fungal infections, so the mycelium, which is found in healthy skin, dies after a while. But there are a number of factors that allow fungi to accustom the skin:
- mechanical damage to the skin (cuts, scratches, burns);
- Aggressive exposure to domestic chemicals, reducing the acid-base balance of the skin (frequent intake of a shower with shampoos or gels, feet deodorants, prolonged contact with water);
- in the long term that use synthetic materials, causing active sweating (synthetic socks, barefoot shoes);
- Hyperhidrosis: greater sweating associated with the individual characteristics of the body;
- The anatomical characteristics of building the foot, such as flat feet or narrow gaps between fingers (worsens the quality of hygiene in these areas), which contributes to the bad aeration of the feet;
- Too fast growth of the nails, growing nails on the skin;
- varicose diseases;
- the climatic characteristics of the region (moderate or cold climate, in which you must constantly use closed heat shoes);
- Immune and hormonal changes related to age;
- the presence of pathologies that affect the state of the immune system (diabetes, HIV infection, obesity, dystrophy);
- Taking antibiotics, cytostatic agents, contraceptives;
- Frequent use of antiseptic agents (gels, napkins, special solutions for skin processing).
The penetration of the fungus in the nail plates of the fingers of the feet, occurs as follows:
- The fungus penetrates from the free edge of the nail (which is cut). Therefore, the development of the disease begins under the nail itself, gradually deforming the free edge and extending deeply in healthy areas. This form of the fungus is the simplest and easily eliminated.
- Dorsal media (of the cuticle). This method of damage to nail plates is less common. It is characteristic only for dermatomicetov. The dorsal defeat implies the rapid destruction of the nail plate as quickly as possible.
- For damage to the proximal roller. This is the rarest and most severe way of the fungus of the nail. The disease leads to the destruction of the phalanx structure in the nail. If the treatment does not start on time, you can lose the nail forever, since it will not be able to grow again. The use of ointments, gels and liquids in this form of the fungus is absolutely ineffective.
In a large group of risks, there are people who often visit public places: sports clubs, public showers, swimming pools, beaches with bodies of water, saunas or bathrooms. In addition, people who acquire shoes and clothes that already use or change it with friends or acquaintances have a lot of risk.
Fungus symptoms of feet and nails on the legs
The symptoms and the course of the disease depend mainly on the type of microorganisms that caused this disease. Another factor is the age that the elderly, more pronounced will be the symptoms, and the process of damage to the skin and the nail accelerates significantly.
Despite the individual course of the disease, with respect to the type of bacteria and characteristics of the body, there are general symptoms by which a fungal infection can recognize:
- In the presence of a fungus in the skin of the legs, tissue compaction occurs, especially in the phalanges of the fingers. As a general rule, the skin lights, dries, begins to take off. Pelado is accompanied by unpleasant itching. The omen of the injury of the nail plates is the inflammation of the roller almost meaningless. The fungus that affects the skin of the nail roller is accompanied by an inflammatory process. When the skin is pressed, a person feels pain, there are discomfort when wearing closed shoes.
- If it is the nails, the symptoms appear gradually. First, you can notice small changes in the color of the nail, it becomes more muddy and is covered with a white mist. If the cause of the fungus became dermatomycetes, it begins to divide. In addition, the color of the nail plates is produced, they become more yellow, after which they begin to compact. After sealing, the deformation of the nail occurs, the nail phalanx begins to rotate, the nail begins to color gradually.
In the process of developing the disease, a person feels a bit of pain and itching, there is the desire to scratch under a clove. In addition, for the fungus of the skin, an unpleasant sour smell, which is very tangible in a tight and closed space.
Skin fungus treatment and leg nails
The treatment of skin and nail plates is significantly different. Therefore, the presence of both types of fungi implies complex therapy. For the treatment of skin fungi, ointments, gels or creams are used more frequently:
- Sulfuric ointment. Destroy the protein membranes of fungi, avoiding their reproduction. The ointment perfectly relieves itching and eliminates inflammation.
- Zinc ointment. It is often used in the skin fungus treatment complex, accelerating the wound healing process.
- Salicylic ointment. This tool is effective for all types of skin fungi. The treatment course is only 2 weeks.
For the treatment of more serious forms of fungal infections caused by the miletic mold, use medications to take inside. The essence of this treatment is based on two principles:
- Destroy the fungus in the active development phase.
- Stop the growth of pathogenic microflora.
Before starting treatment, you must go through all the necessary medical studies and determine the type of microorganisms that caused the fungus. Only on the basis of this data, the doctor can prescribe an effective treatment.
Prevention and treatment of legs in the legs with popular remedies
As already mentioned, the formation of a fungus in the skin of the feet and nails of the legs is associated with the fall of the natural level of the alkaline equilibrium PH5. 5. It is the alkaline balance that avoids the development of pathogenic microflora. Therefore, the treatment of the fungus with popular remedies, precisely directed to increase the skin-base balance of the skin. Effective home fight methods can be attributed to the following:
- An alkaline bath. In three liters of warm water, dissolve a tablespoon of ordinary stone salt (even better iodized) and bastard soft drinks. Sumerja in a leg solution, after having previously cleaned the skin and sustain for 15 minutes.
- Bathroom based on vinegar and iodine. Add to a basin with warm water, half a glass of table vinegar and 10 drops of iodine. Lower the legs for 15 minutes. In the absence of time, you can simply moisten two cotton swabs in vinegar and clean each foot with the nails. If the skin has foci of fungal infection, they must be lubricated with iodine so that the fungus does not spread.
- Lemon juice. Existenta the juice of a lemon and add a pinch of salt. Moisten a cotton swab in the juice and treat all the affected areas of the skin and also the nails. Repeat the procedure three times a day.
These procedures will serve as excellent fungus prevention for people who lead an active lifestyle, visit sports complexes, swimming pools. For preventive purposes, a procedure per week is sufficient. For the treatment of simple fungal infection forms, therapy is carried out daily, for a week. Even if such methods do not help eliminate the fungus, they can slow the development of pathogenic microorganisms, for their visit to the dermatologist.