2024-04-10 07:00:15
The first signs of a fungal infection
“Most often, a fungal infection can be indicated by hot and itchy feet, as well as peeling skin between the toes and soles, cracks, blisters and redness that have appeared there. Sometimes we hear from patients who visited the pharmacy that they itch these places so much that they even resemble a burning sensation. Meanwhile, white dots appearing on the nails, changes in the color of the nails – yellowish, brownish or greenish can indicate a fungal infection of the nails”, says pharmacist J. Deksnienė.
The pharmacist advises not to ignore the symptoms and to start treatment as soon as possible. Untreated toenail fungus can cause nail deformities and they can fall off. Meanwhile, athlete’s foot can spread to other areas of the skin, causing dermatitis, hives or eczema.
These people are at higher risk of developing a fungal infection
“It is already well known to most people that the risk of foot and nail fungus can be increased by walking barefoot in public places such as gym showers, saunas or swimming pools. However, this is not the only cause of fungal infections. First of all, we need to take care of our immune system and psychological well-being. It is weakened immunity and long-term stress that can become the cause of various infections, including fungal ones,” says pharmacist J. Deksnienė.
In order to prevent fungal infections of the feet and nails, the pharmacist advises to choose shoes responsibly based on the following criteria:
“Increased sweating of the feet can become the cause of a fungal infection. It is often caused by improperly chosen footwear that does not allow the skin to breathe. Avoid closed, tight and toe-pressing shoes. However, it is important to carefully choose open shoes. For example, if you wear open shoes in humid weather, favorable conditions can be created for the fungus to spread. What’s more, when wearing open shoes, we can more easily come into contact with dirty surfaces or get injured – all of this can cause a fungal infection,” says pharmacist J. Deksnienė.
Get treatment right away
If you notice the symptoms of foot and nail fungus, the pharmacist advises not to wait for complications and to start treatment in time.
“Often we have to meet patients who tried to treat foot and nail fungus with folk remedies, but this only encouraged the disease to progress even more. For example, they used tea tree oil. It should be known that tea tree oil, applied regularly to the skin of the nails and feet, can act as a preventive measure. However, it will not eliminate the resulting fungal infection”, says pharmacist J. Deksnienė.
According to the pharmacist, in the face of fungal infections, one should responsibly choose medicinal preparations for their treatment, since different medicines can often be suitable for foot and nail infections.
“Those who have encountered a fungal infection of the feet are advised to use a special anti-fungal cream. It should be applied for 1-2 weeks, once a day on clean skin. The most important thing is to apply the cream not only on the damaged skin area, but also on the feet and between the toes of both legs, so that the fungus does not spread.
And if you have nail fungus, you should use anti-infective preparations every day and be prepared that the treatment will take time – that is, until the condition of the nail is completely restored. If the symptoms of the disease do not disappear, it is necessary to consult a doctor”, says pharmacist J. Deksnienė.
Tips for preventing fungal infection
1. Maintain proper hygiene – wash your feet and between your toes responsibly every day.
2. Use slippers in public places such as saunas, swimming pools, gym showers.
3. Disinfect your feet if you walked barefoot in public places such as saunas, swimming pools or sports club showers.
4. Choose non-restrictive and breathable footwear. It can be both open and closed footwear.
5. Choose cotton socks and change them often, especially if your feet sweat more intensely.
6. Do not share footwear with others.
2024-04-10 07:00:15