Medicinal and alternative treatment of fungus between the fingers

What does fungus look like on fingers?

Initially, the disease affects the area between two or all fingers on the hand. It is impossible for mycosis to be present on only one finger. Usually the pathological process originates on the little finger, between the middle and ring fingers.

Bubbles and cracks form on the skin in the interdigital area, which subsequently become inflamed. Outwardly, it looks like irritation in the interdigital space on the hands. This does not bring noticeable discomfort, so a person may not see a doctor for a long time.

After some time, the bubbles do not disappear. Many of them burst. In this case, the redness will be more severe, and the skin may swell, become loose and excessively moist.

At the next stage of fungal development, the skin dries out. The weakening of symptoms calms the patient, and he reschedules his visit to the dermatologist. However, such joy does not last long. Dry skin begins to crack and itch. There is a burning sensation. Often the symptoms are complemented by peeling and peeling of the skin. In this case, a white coating appears in the interdigital area.

Infection with interdigital fungus occurs through bodily contact with a carrier of the infection (using his objects) and neglect of hygiene rules.

Gradually, the skin thickens, becomes denser and acquires a bluish-red hue. In some patients, blisters continue to form, which subsequently transform into weeping eczema.

If treatment is not carried out for a long time, the fungus will not disappear on its own, but will become chronic. In this case, the symptoms of the disease will be the same, but they will become more blurred.

This fungus is considered more dangerous, because in this case patients often refuse treatment. At the same time, it is easier to treat fungus between the fingers than when the fungus has already developed on the fingers and other parts of the hand.

In the most severe situations, mycosis completely affects the entire hand. The skin on it turns red, itches, swells, cracks and peels. Nail plates affected by the fungus change their structure and turn yellow.

Summing up

Mycosis is a rather unpleasant disease, the symptoms of which can cause serious discomfort. Treatment of various forms of fungal pathologies takes a lot of time and material resources. For this reason, it is worth making some efforts in observing personal hygiene and preventive measures.

If the disease nevertheless overtakes you, you should immediately begin to treat it, but be seriously patient. If you do not complete treatment or take inappropriate treatments, you may face the fact that the disease will arise again, but it will develop much more seriously. Fungus is a rather serious illness that should not be trifled with. It is almost impossible to cure it with folk remedies; they are used only to eliminate unpleasant symptoms. Treatment will require high-quality and very serious treatment.

Causes of fungal infection

There are a huge number of reasons why fungus appears on the hands between the fingers.

Infection can occur:

• during direct bodily contact between a healthy person and a sick person (handshake);
• upon contact with things that a sick person had previously been in contact with;
• by transferring the infection from one infected area of ​​the body to another (for example, from the toes to the toes);
• while swimming in the pool or visiting the bathhouse.

The likelihood of infection increases if there are injuries on the hands - wounds, abrasions, scratches.

However, infection with fungi does not mean illness. Often an infected person does not get sick or experience any unpleasant symptoms of the disease. Such people are carriers of infection.

The pathology begins to progress with a decrease in immunity. This usually happens in the following cases:

• in the presence of endocrine disruptions, serious pathologies of internal organs;
• during age-related changes;
• with insufficient blood circulation;
• if a person has bad habits, eats incorrectly;
• if a person is often exposed to stressful situations.

Preventive measures

If there is a person in the family suffering from mycosis, it is important to follow certain preventive measures. It is necessary to prevent the fungus from spreading to a person living nearby. If a person is healthy, visiting swimming pools or saunas should only be worn in special shoes. If mycosis has already affected your arms or legs, you should temporarily refrain from visiting these institutions, as there is a risk of infecting visitors.

Not only shoes should be individual, but also hygiene items and care products. You should not stay in wet clothes or shoes for a long time. A humid environment is an ideal environment for the proliferation of a variety of microorganisms. If you experience increased sweating, you must adhere to certain hygiene rules. For example, after taking a bath or shower, all areas affected by fungus should be wiped very thoroughly, or even better, sprinkled with talcum powder.

The danger of mycosis

Interdigital fungus is a dangerous condition.

The symptoms of the disease may differ in each individual case. It is recommended to contact a specialist at the first unpleasant manifestations to establish an accurate diagnosis and prescribe the correct therapy.

If left untreated, it can lead to the following consequences:

• spread of infection (fungus on the fingers spreads to nearby skin, and then to internal organs);
• decreased immunity;
• addition of a bacterial infection;
• exacerbation of chronic diseases;
• allergic reactions;
• intoxication of the body (during the process of vital activity, mushrooms produce harmful substances, which then enter the blood).

Diagnostics

Many patients consider themselves experts in fungal infection and diagnose themselves by comparing their own symptoms with photos on the Internet.

The result of incorrect identification of the type of fungus is treatment with the wrong drug.

Knowing what a fungus looks like is not enough to make an accurate diagnosis.

A reasonable solution is to consult a dermatologist at the first symptoms.

The doctor will order laboratory tests to determine the type of causative agent of the disease.

The most informative analysis is bacterial seeding of skin scrapings into a nutrient medium.

Additionally, a blood test is prescribed to identify concomitant inflammatory processes in the body.

IMPORTANT! A necessary element of the examination is differential diagnosis with diseases such as psoriasis, allergic dermatitis, eczema, and neurodermatitis. Treatment of these ailments requires a completely different approach, and the use of antifungal agents may aggravate the patient's condition.

How to treat fungus on hands and between fingers

Treatment of fungus between the fingers is a long and complex process. To achieve really good results, dermatologists advise using antimycotic drugs of both local and systemic action.

Pills

Interdigital mycosis, as well as fungus on the fingers, is most often treated with the following medications:

1. Terbinafine. This is an antifungal agent that destroys fungal spores on the skin and nails. The dosage of the drug is 250 mg (1 tablet) per day. The duration of therapy depends on the type of pathology and its severity.
2. Fluconazole. This is one of the most powerful antifungal agents. Suppresses the synthesis of sterols (these are important components of microorganism membranes). The dosage of Fluconazole for interdigital fungus is 1 capsule, which should be taken once a week. Duration of treatment – ​​6 months.
3. Ketoconazole. This is a broad-spectrum medicine. It is effective not only against interdigital fungus, but also against mycoses of hair and nails. As in the previous case, Ketoconazole should be taken 1 capsule once a week. The course of therapy is 6 months.
4. Griseofulvin. This drug belongs to the group of antibacterial drugs with antifungal action. It is prescribed if Trichophyton or Microsporum were found in the patient's skin. It is recommended to take Griseofulvin for interdigital fungus according to the following regimen: 7 tablets daily for a month, and then another 6 tablets every 2 days for a month.

These drugs have a rather aggressive effect on the body. They are not recommended to be taken:

• in the presence of pathologies of the kidneys and liver;
• during pregnancy;
• during breastfeeding.

Self-medication is strictly not recommended. An antifungal drug is prescribed by a dermatologist and only after a medical examination.

Use for children should be approached with extreme caution. Here it is especially important to observe the dosage of the medicine.

Folk recipes

If you want to cure fungus between your fingers, you should not neglect folk remedies. They do not have a toxic effect on the body and are quite effective and can speed up the healing process.

For this purpose, you can use the following means:

1. Vinegar. They need to treat the interdigital area. This should be done using sterile cotton wool in the morning and evening.
2. Soda-salt solution. The medicine is prepared very simply: 1 tbsp. l. salt mixed with 1 tbsp. l. soda, after which everything is dissolved in 2 liters of warm, pre-boiled water. You need to completely immerse your hands in the prepared solution. The duration of the bath should be 15 minutes. For each procedure, you must use a fresh solution. The procedure must be performed until all symptoms of the fungus disappear.
3. Clay powder. Need 1 tsp. Dilute the clay in 200 ml of liquid, and then drink it all. To achieve good results, you can also make lotions with this product. To do this, you need to smear the area between your fingers with clay and leave everything as is for 15 minutes. After the specified time has passed, wash off the clay with lemon juice. The procedure can be performed up to 10 times a day.
4. Lemon and onion. The skin in the interdigital area on the hands must be rubbed every day with the juice of the listed products. To enhance the effectiveness of the juice, you can add salt and crushed mint leaves to it. The finished mixture should be applied to the affected areas for 1 hour.

Local remedies

Local medications include creams and ointments for fungus between the fingers. Most often, doctors prescribe the following medications:

1. Zalain. In mild forms of the disease, it is able to cure the patient in just 2-4 weeks. The drug contains sertaconazole nitrate. It destroys not only pathogenic fungi, but also their spores. To achieve a therapeutic effect, the ointment should be applied to the affected area in the morning and evening.
2. Exoderil. This is an effective remedy that has a wide spectrum of action. To get a noticeable result, it is enough to use the ointment once a day. It should be applied only to the affected areas. The duration of treatment should be 2-6 months. This depends on the degree of neglect of the pathology.
3. Lamisil. It is a universal drug. Thanks to it, the stage of sterol biosynthesis changes, resulting in a deficiency of building substances in the fungus. This leads to the rapid death of fungi.
4. Nizoral. This medicine has a strong antifungal effect. It is especially effective when affecting the upper layers of the skin.

Skin care

The actions of pathogenic microflora can cause severe harm to the skin. To prevent the situation from getting worse, you need to stop using moisturizing and nourishing hand creams, since the fungus loves moisture.

To speed up recovery from mycosis between the fingers, you need to follow the rules of hygiene. For these purposes, it is better to use mild detergents with a low alkali content, such as baby soap.

After washing, dry your hands thoroughly with a towel. It is especially important to blot the affected area. Diseased areas are treated with antimycotic drugs according to the instructions.

Treatment prognosis and infection prevention

The prognosis for interdigital fungus on the hands is favorable. With the right approach to the problem, recovery occurs within a few weeks, or at most a few months. It depends on the severity of the problem.

It is very simple to prevent interdigital fungus on healthy hands. To do this you need:

• use only personal towels and manicure tools, and children only use their own toys;
• refuse to shake hands if a person has symptoms of fungus on their hands;
• if possible, avoid touching handrails and door handles in public places with bare hands;
• observe the rules of hygiene;
• Immediately treat wounds on your hands with antibacterial agents.

You also need to monitor your immune system. It is very important to avoid stress, eat right, exercise, exercise, sleep enough hours, and treat illnesses in a timely manner. The fungus will not affect an absolutely healthy person.