Yeast infection is an infectious disease of the skin caused by a fungus. Usually treatment with an antifungal cream is applied, which gives good results, but not for long. The tips below can help prevent fungus between the toes, which may reappear even after treatment.
Who can be infected
The disease is very common - one in four people have interdigital fungus on their feet. If this disease is started, its treatment can be very cumbersome.
Fungi are often found in small amounts on human skin where they are not harmful. However, under favorable conditions, they penetrate the epidermis, multiply and cause infection. Favorable conditions for fungus are hot, moist, airless areas of the skin, such as between the toes.
Almost anyone can get athlete's foot. But it's more common in people who sweat more, or in those who wear thick shoes and socks, which also causes excessive sweating on the feet.
Yeast infection can be passed from person to person. For example, this can happen in a public shower used by athletes or swimmers. Small flakes of skin infected with fungus may fall out while showering. Once a small area of infection begins to grow, it tends to spread along the skin.
What are the symptoms
The skin between the little toes will usually be the first to be affected. The first signs of a fungus, when infection has just formed on the skin, are minor. The manifestation will become noticeable when the rash begins to spread, the skin will begin to itch and scaly. Cracks and inflammation will appear on it. Large cracks in the skin between the toes can enlarge, which can be very painful. The tiny flakes of infected skin will peel off.
If your interdigital yeast infection is not treated, the rash will gradually spread all over your leg. In some cases, it extends to the sole. Often the infection causes peeling of the entire sole and sides of the foot. Sometimes the yeast infection causes large, blistering rashes all over the plant. In this case, we are dealing with a foot fungus.
Is that bad
Usually no. Most people successfully treat itchy toes before the infection spreads. Sometimes the infection spreads to the skin of other parts of the body. These are usually moist, airless areas, such as the groin.
Usually, fungi, including the fungus on the feet between the toes, do not spread deeper, but only on the surface of the skin. However, other microbes (bacteria) can enter the cracks left by neglected or untreated yeast infection. It can sometimes cause more serious infections of the foot or leg.
Sometimes the infection spreads to the nail - it can be cured. But in this case, to get rid of the fungus, it will take several weeks of taking antifungal pills to get rid of the nail infection. Therefore, treatment of interdigital fungus on the legs is best done in a timely manner, as soon as the first symptoms begin to appear.
Treatment of fungal infection
Treatment of the fungus between the toes usually involves the application of various antifungal creams and sprays. You can buy topical antifungals at your nearest drugstore or get a prescription.
To treat the fungus between the toes, it is necessary to apply the antifungal agent directly to the affected area, that is, the skin of the feet.
They are usually sold as creams, but they can also be sprays, liquids, and powders. These preparations are very effective in cleaning the skin from fungal infections. However, there is no evidence that one remedy is better than another.
During treatment, the inflammation often seems to go away quite quickly, but you may need treatment for 1 to 2 weeks after the rash is gone. This is necessary to completely remove the fungus on the skin - which will prevent relapses.
If this is the first time you have suffered from this disease, and you do not know how to cure the fungus on the feet and do not make a mistake in choosing a drug for treatment, consult a doctor.
For skin, especially inflamed skin, your doctor may prescribe an antifungal cream together with a mild steroid ointment. They are generally used for no more than seven days. You may need to continue using one antifungal cream for a while afterward.
Anabolic steroids reduce inflammation and relieve itching and redness in a short time. However, the steroid does not completely eliminate the fungus between the toes and therefore steroid cream alone should not be used for treatment.
Antifungal pills for fungus between the toes are sometimes prescribed for adults if the infection is severe and cannot be removed with creams. Tablets are also needed if the infection is found in many areas of the skin other than the feet.
However, this treatment for interdigital fungus is not the same for everyone.
Antifungal pills are not always recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women, or for people with liver disease. Children usually do not receive antifungal medication.
While fungus on the skin between the toes can spread from person to person, you don't need to stray away from work, school, or sports if you have fungus. However, in public places like a swimming pool or sauna, try to keep your legs covered until the rash subsides. Also, try not to scratch the damaged skin, as this can spread the infection to other places.
The following tips can prevent recurrent yeast infection:
- You should wash your feet every day and dry the skin between your toes well after washing. This is perhaps the most important point. Wear socks if your feet are not completely dry. Moist skin between the toes is an ideal breeding ground for fungi.
- Do not use other people's towels in public locker rooms. Wash the towels as often as possible.
- Change your socks every day. Fungi grow in flakes of skin in unwashed socks. Cotton socks and leather shoes are in many ways better than nylon socks and shoes made from man-made materials that increase perspiration.
- Try to alternate between different shoes every 2-3 days, this will allow each pair to dry completely after wear.
- Wear flip flops or sandals in public locker rooms and showers. This prevents your feet from coming into contact with the ground, which can contain skin scales from other people.
- When you are at home, go barefoot for as long as possible - no shoes or socks so that the air reaches your feet. However, this may not be practical for some.
If the yeast infection persists, you can prevent recurrence by regularly applying one of the antifungal sprays or creams as a preventive measure.