The skin between the toes is often prone to fungal infection. This problem is common among people leading an active lifestyle and is quite tedious and unpleasant. Given the great importance of foot fungus, they deserve increased attention.
Causes of itching and peeling in the interdigital folds
Toes itch and peel due to various disease processes – allergic reactions, scabies, eczema – but for many people, these symptoms come from a fungal infection. The epithelium becomes moist and cracks with foot fungus, which is a separate nosology in dermatology. It is caused by pathogenic fungi that affect smooth skin and nail plates. The infection is caused by several pathogens:
- Trichophyton (T. rubrum, T. interdigitale, T. violaceum).
- Epidermophyton (E. floccosum).
- Mold fungi.
Mycosis is a contagious disease that is transmitted from one person to another in very humid places (baths, saunas, swimming pools, beaches) through shoes, carpets, benches, etc. infected. Fungal spores are found in large quantities in the horny scales of the epidermis, with which and are transferred.
Predisposing factors
A number of local and general factors contribute to skin damage, increasing the risk of developing a fungal infection between the fingers. The former include the following:
- Excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis).
- Poorly selected shoes (uncomfortable, made of synthetic materials).
- Anatomical characteristics of the foot (flat feet, tight folds).
- Presence of abrasions and diaper rash.
- Injuries (mechanical, chemical).
The role of systemic disorders is explained by a reduction in the resistance of the skin barrier and a weakening of the immune defense. Neurotrophic, vascular and endocrine metabolic diseases (polyneuropathy, angiopathy, atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus, hypovitaminosis) have a negative impact. Additionally, the role of weather conditions (high temperature and humidity) and pathogen virulence is noted.
Mycosis of the foot with skin lesions between the toes is caused by a fungus and develops against the background of local or systemic disorders.
What does a yeast infection look like?
The fungus begins in the skin of the interdigital folds, but then spreads to other parts of the foot: the sole, back and lateral surfaces. In clinical practice, there are several forms of fungal infection:
- Scaly.
- Intertriginous.
- Dyshidrotic.
The scaly form begins with slight redness and slight peeling. They may be limited to certain areas or become widespread. This form often goes unnoticed by the patient himself and is therefore the most dangerous from an epidemiological perspective. Initially, the fungus affects one foot, but then it can spread to the healthy side.
As it progresses, the scaly form can transform into a dyshidrotic form, characterized by an acute course with allergization of the body and the formation of blisters on the arch of the foot. Merging, they form multi-chamber blisters, which, after opening, leave eroded foci surrounded by a rim of exfoliated epidermis. Extending to the lateral surfaces of the foot, the process combines with the intertriginous form. As epithelialization occurs, the areas dry out and turn into scaly areas again.
Foci of fungal infection are often accompanied by itching. It arises from the interdigital folds in the most common form - intertriginous, which occurs independently or against the background of squamous. Usually the process begins between IV and V toes (less often III and IV). Cracks appear there, surrounded by a rim of exfoliated epidermis. The fungus can spread to other folds, to the fingers and to the back of the foot. Later, crying occurs with painful erosions.
The disease is characterized by a long course with periodic exacerbations that occur during the hot season. The bacterial flora penetrates more easily through the loosened stratum corneum of the epidermis, so the intertriginous form can be complicated by streptococcal infection with the development of erysipelas and thrombophlebitis.
Damage to the interdigital spaces often occurs in combination with other forms of foot mycosis, which indicates the unity of pathological processes.
Diagnostic
The disease has a fairly characteristic clinical picture, so the initial diagnosis is made based on the results of a medical examination. To identify the pathogen, microscopy and culture of swabs from the affected skin are used. The presence of systemic pathology contributing to the development of mycosis is confirmed by additional methods - a biochemical blood test (glucose, hormonal spectrum, immunogram), ultrasound of the lower extremities, etc.
How to treat the wound?
To effectively get rid of the fungus, you must first eliminate the conditions that create favorable conditions for its development. If your foot itches and hurts, it is recommended to pay attention to the following recommendations:
- Wear comfortable, breathable shoes.
- Wear cotton socks.
- After showering and bathing, dry your feet.
- Use personal slippers in public places.
When treating foot mycosis, special attention is paid to giving up bad habits, eating a healthy diet (reducing animal fats, sweets, including fresh vegetables, fruits, products based onlactic acid in the diet), hardening.
In addition to general recommendations of a therapeutic and prophylactic nature, traditional medicine actively uses means of drug correction, without which it is not possible to cure mycosis. Therapy can be external or systemic.
Effective creams and ointments
It is necessary to fight the infection with specific medications that act against fungus on the toes. For the scaly form, the doctor prescribes various creams and ointments, which include various antimycotics. If there are dense foci of hyperkeratosis on the soles of the feet, treatment begins with exfoliation procedures using salicylic, lactic acids, resorcinol and collodion. At night, a medicine intended for external use is placed under the dressing. It contains salicylic acid, which has anti-inflammatory, keratolytic and antiseptic properties, and in the morning you take a bath with soap and soda, after which the horny masses will be better removed.
If your skin is wet and cracked
External treatment of the dyshidrotic form with oozing and cracks begins with lotions based on boric acid and potassium permanganate. The interdigital spaces are treated with solutions of aniline dyes, a product for external use intended for the treatment of various skin diseases. The solution contains components that promote rapid healing of wounds, eliminate inflammatory manifestations and fight pathogenic microorganisms. After the acute inflammatory process is eliminated, antifungal ointments and pastes are applied to the affected areas. For secondary pyoderma, drugs containing antibacterial components are prescribed.
In case of mycotic lesions of the skin of the feet, external treatment with antifungal agents, antiseptics and antibiotics is of decisive importance.
Pills
If local agents are ineffective, it is necessary to switch to drugs for internal use. Among the antifungal drugs prescribed are an antifungal drug, an antifungal drug that has a wide spectrum of action against fungi that cause skin, hair and nail diseases, a drug for the treatment of fungal infections, an antifungal drug. During body allergies, antihistamines (an antihistamine intended for the treatment of allergic reactions) and desensitizing agents (calcium gluconate, sodium thiosulfate, magnesium sulfate) are used. Streptococcal infections can be cured with antibiotics that do not have an activating effect on the microbial flora.
What can be done with folk remedies?
Some traditional medicine methods can complement standard therapy. To treat foot fungus, baths using simple and affordable remedies are often used:
- Apple cider vinegar (1 glass per 3 liters of hot water) and soda (5 tablespoons).
- Potassium permanganate (1 g per 2 l).
- Decoction of calendula flowers (250 g for 2 l).
It is recommended to soak your feet in the prepared solution for 20 minutes. Additionally, you can apply a drop of tea tree essential oil to the skin between the toes and then put on cotton socks.
Fungus between the toes is a problem that affects many people. To get rid of it as quickly as possible, you should not look for possible solutions yourself, it is better to consult a doctor, get diagnosed and receive treatment with guaranteed results.