Today, the fungus has become a fairly common disease, the infection of which often occurs in public places, especially those with high humidity. Parasitic fungi that cause mycosis can infect not only the skin, but also the nails and even the hair. How to treat foot fungus at home?
![healthy feet after fungal treatment](/images/articles/714/healthy%20feet%20after%20fungal%20treatment.jpg)
To fight these fungi, medicine offers various antimicrobial drugs, whose components can destroy the cell membrane of the parasite. However, not all people in the process of treating fungus at home resort to pharmaceutical drugs; there are many folk recipes that help with fungi no worse than medicines. For example, boric acid from foot fungus. It allows you to get rid of nasty diseases quickly.
You can get the fungus in a variety of ways. The disease can be transmitted by direct contact with a sick person, through his belongings or objects with which he has come into contact. Some time after the infection, the skin will start to peel, this is the first symptom of the infection. Somewhat later, the sweating of the feet will increase significantly, resulting in a favorable environment in which bacteria will multiply faster.
The part of the skin affected by the fungus will start to redden and itch, and scales will appear on the skin. Next, the skin will start to crack and pain and itching will appear. If the pathology affects the nails, then their appearance will change, the color will become whitish. If the fungus is not treated, then the nail plate is likely to separate.
Treatment methods, antifungal agents
Today, treating fungus on the feet is not particularly difficult. It is quite possible to get rid of the infection even at home. At the same time, most antifungal drugs are available in pharmacies without a prescription. You can also use the methods of traditional medicine. However, it is recommended to consult a doctor before starting treatment, especially if you have diabetes or a recurrence of the fungus. And keep in mind that you will not be able to cure mycosis quickly, because the fungus will be able to get rid of only after a sufficiently long and thorough treatment.
Drugs sold in pharmacy chains can be presented in very different forms, but most often they are ointments. All antifungal agents are local and intended for external use only. It is necessary to treat with such drugs by applying to the infected parts of the skin of the feet and nails. The duration of the course can be up to one and a half months.
It is often possible to get rid of mycosis much faster than the end of the recommended course, but it is necessary to continue treating mycosis for a certain period of time, because due to premature discontinuation of the drug there is a high risk of disease recurrence.
It should be borne in mind that almost all antifungal agents are not recommended for the treatment of pregnant and lactating women, young children and persons with individual intolerance to the drug.
Recently, external antifungal agents have become widespread. The drugs are designed to stop the growth of bacteria and their growth. They are equally effective in treating nail fungus and foot skin damage. Concentrated products kill fungi. Treatment necessarily involves regular removal of areas of skin or part of the nail infected with the fungus. It is also important that the treatment can be carried out at home.
The preparations are available in the form of nail polish or cream. The duration of treatment directly depends on the size of the affected skin area and the neglect of the disease. The duration of the therapeutic course can be up to one and a half months. The main advantage of the means is the non-absorption of his blood, which means that one should not be afraid of intoxication of the body.
To get rid of the fungus, you will need to apply the cream to the affected foot until breaks are allowed. After the disappearance of the fungus, it is recommended to repeat the procedure several more times, which will strengthen the achieved effect.
Methods of treatment with folk remedies
To cure foot fungus, as well as many other diseases, you can use folk remedies at home. A huge number of different remedies are used against fungi. So, ordinary laundry soap or tar or baths with vinegar help a lot. Celandine or soda treatment also shows good results. In addition, folk remedies often contain a variety of herbs.
However, it must be borne in mind that folk recipes are usually carried only with the initial stages of the disease; it is very problematic to cure liquid mycosis at home without the use of medication.
All methods of traditional medicine are based solely on the external use of various natural remedies, these can be baths or compresses with solutions. The healing process can begin on its own after the first signs of mycosis are detected. However, for an effective cure it is still better to seek medical attention.
Soap in the treatment of disease
Folk recipes for the fight against fungi that contain soap include only tar or laundry soap. The procedure is easily performed at home. It consists of removing dead scales from the skin and peeled nails. To do this, the feet are paired, after which the feet and toes affected by the fungus are thoroughly soaped and rubbed with a stiff brush for at least five minutes.
Laundry soap works better with skin fungus, and in case of nail damage, the use of tar soap is recommended. After the procedure, the feet are washed with running water, continuing to rub them with a brush. The procedure is repeated at least 5 times in a row. After finishing the latter, you must thoroughly dry your feet and apply any moisturizer on them. For the best effect, thin cotton socks can be worn.
The duration of treatment is about a week, the procedures are performed in the morning and evening. You can notice a significant improvement after the third day of treatment with these simple folk remedies. It should be borne in mind that tar or laundry soap are quite effective in the early stages of disease development; neglected mycosis may not be cured in this way.
Soda
Folk recipes very often contain the simplest and most accessible means. One of them is the most common baking soda you will find in any home. Baking soda will help neutralize the burning and itching sensations that are signs of a fungal infection. To do this, take baking soda (about a tablespoon) and dilute with water so that you get a thick paste that will be applied to the affected areas of the skin.
After that, you should wait for the paste to dry (about 10 minutes) and wash your feet with cold water, the soda should be completely removed, soap is not recommended. After a thorough wipe, it is recommended to apply powder or cornstarch to the affected areas of the skin. Foot treatment must be carried out several times a day and continue treatment until the fungus disappears.
![baking soda to treat fungus on the feet](/images/articles/714/baking%20soda%20to%20treat%20fungus%20on%20the%20feet.jpg)
Soda allows you to fight fungus without any side effects. Therefore, soda can also be used to treat children. After the treatment, it is warmly recommended to maintain personal hygiene and use foot soap to wash your feet. You can also use soda or vinegar baths to prevent mycosis.
Celandine treatment
Many folk recipes that allow you to treat mycosis at home consist of celandine. Like many other herbs, celandine is widely used as an antiseptic and medicinal agent. Celandine treatment methods can be very different. For example, trays to which celandine is added in the form of a tincture.
To prepare such a tincture, celandine is poured over water and kept for about two weeks. Celandine can also be used in the form of an alcoholic tincture to wipe the affected areas. If mycosis is found on the hands, celandine baths can be used.
It should be borne in mind that celandine is poisonous, therefore, after all procedures, you must be careful not to leave it on your hands. Use soap for this. Celandine treatment usually lasts about fifteen days. Celandine can also cure fungal infections of the feet and nails affected by the fungus.
Use of other traditional medicine
Traditional recipes for treating athletic feet often contain vinegar. Traditional healers most often recommend the use of wine vinegar. At home, the fight against fungus consists of filling the bath with diluted vinegar and putting your feet in it for five to ten minutes. After that, the feet must be washed thoroughly with soap.
The action of the vinegar solution can be further neutralized by soda which must be dissolved in water. As mentioned earlier, soda baths themselves can be used to cleanse the skin of fungi, and in combination with vinegar, the result should improve. After the procedure, it is recommended to put socks soaked in vinegar on your feet and lie in bed in them.
Soap soda solutions that wipe the affected areas also show good enough results. However, it should be borne in mind that soap and soda solutions are best used not for the treatment of mycosis, but for prevention. Vinegar baths also do an excellent job of preventing it.
Fungi on the hands are much less common than on the feet. The infection usually occurs after frequent hand contact with the affected feet. Mycosis on the hands is treated with almost the same means as on the feet. Since the presence of fungi on the hands is detected faster, the fight against it begins in the earliest stages. Even not very strong means can help perfectly.
The easiest way to get started is to try soda or vinegar baths. In addition, it is recommended to wipe the brushes with vinegar several times during the day. If such baths do not help, you should resort to stronger medications.