The skin between the toes on the toes is often subject to fungal infection. This problem is common among people leading an active lifestyle and is quite burdensome and unpleasant. Considering the high relevance of mycoses of the foot, they should be given increased attention.
Causes of itching and peeling in interdigital folds
Toes itch and peel due to various pathological processes - allergic reactions, scabies, eczema - but for many people such symptoms arise from a fungal infection. The epithelium becomes wet and cracks with mycosis of the feet, 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 places with high humidity (baths, saunas, swimming pools, beaches) through infected shoes, rugs, benches, etc. Fungal spores are found in large quantities in the horny scales of the epidermis, with whichand are transferred.
Predisposing factors
A number of local and general factors contribute to skin lesions, increasing the likelihood of developing a fungal infection between the fingers. The first include the following:
- Excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis).
- Incorrectly selected shoes (uncomfortable, made of synthetic materials).
- Anatomical features 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 decrease 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. In addition, the role of meteorological conditions (high temperature and humidity) and the virulence of the pathogen 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 mycosis look like?
Mycosis 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:
- Squamous.
- Intertriginous.
- Dyshidrotic.
The squamous form begins with mild redness and slight peeling. They may be limited to only certain areas or become widespread. This form often goes unnoticed by the patient himself, and therefore is the most dangerous in epidemiological terms. At first, the fungus affects one foot, but later it can spread to the healthy side.
As it progresses, the squamous form can turn into a dyshidrotic form, which is 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-chambered blisters, which, after opening, leave eroded foci surrounded by a rim of exfoliated epidermis. Spreading to the lateral surfaces of the foot, the process combines with the intertriginous form. As epithelialization occurs, the areas dry out, again turning into squamous ones.
Foci of fungal infection are often accompanied by itching. It comes from the interdigital folds in the most common form - intertriginous, which occurs independently or against the background of squamous. Usually the process begins between the IV and V (less often III and IV) toes. Cracks appear there, surrounded by a rim of exfoliated epidermis. The fungus can spread to other folds, fingers, and the back of the foot. Later, weeping occurs with painful erosions.
The disease is characterized by a long course with periodic exacerbations that occur in the warm season. 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 mycosis of the foot, which indicates the unity of pathological processes.
Diagnostics
The disease has a rather characteristic clinical picture, so initial diagnosis is carried out based on the results of a medical examination. To identify the pathogen, microscopy and culture of scrapings from the affected skin are used. The presence of a systemic pathology that contributes to the development of mycosis is confirmed by additional methods - a biochemical blood test (glucose, hormonal spectrum, immunogram), ultrasound examination of the lower extremities, etc.
How to treat the sore?
To effectively get rid of fungus, you must first eliminate the conditions that create favorable conditions for its development. If your foot itches and feels sore, 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 mycosis of the foot, attention is paid to giving up bad habits, a healthy diet (reducing animal fats, sweets, including fresh vegetables, fruits, lactic acid products in the diet), hardening.
In addition to general recommendations that have a therapeutic and prophylactic focus, 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 drugs that act against fungus on the toes. For the squamous form, the doctor prescribes various creams and ointments, which include various antimycotics. If there are dense foci of hyperkeratosis on the soles, treatment begins with exfoliating procedures using salicylic, lactic acids, resorcinol, and collodion. At night, a medicine intended for external use is placed under the bandage. It contains salicylic acid, which has anti-inflammatory, keratolytic and antiseptic properties, and in the morning you take a soap and soda bath, after which the horny masses will be removed better.
If your skin gets wet and cracks
External treatment of the dyshidrotic form with weeping and cracks begins with lotions with 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 wound healing, eliminate inflammatory manifestations and fight pathogenic microorganisms. After the acute inflammatory process has been eliminated, anti-fungal ointments and pastes are applied to the affected areas. For secondary pyoderma, drugs with antibacterial components are prescribed.
In case of mycotic lesions of the skin of the feet, external therapy 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 broad spectrum of action against fungi that cause diseases of the skin, hair and nails, a drug for the treatment of fungal infections, an antifungal drug. When allergizing the body, antihistamines (an antihistamine drug 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 from folk remedies?
Some traditional medicine methods can be an addition to 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 tbsp. ).
- Potassium permanganate (1 g per 2 l).
- Decoction of calendula flowers (250 g per 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 on your own; it is better to consult a doctor, undergo diagnostics and receive treatment with a guaranteed result.