Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Treat infections with drugs
• Method 2 of 3: Take care of your skin
• Method 3 of 3: Try natural remedies
• Tips
• Warnings

If you have a fungal or ringworm skin infection, such as tinea corporis or tinea pedis (athlete's foot), don't worry. Although unsightly and often itchy, most fungal infections are fairly easy to treat. The two main forms of medical treatment are antifungal creams (applied directly to the infection) and oral drugs. Good skin hygiene is also important in the treatment of a fungal infection. After talking to your doctor about your fungal skin infection, you can also choose to try some natural remedies to speed up medical treatment.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Treat infections with drugs

1. Look for a rash, dry skin, and other symptoms of a fungal infection. Most types of fungal infections cause infected skin to flake, dry out, and turn red. Most fungal infections are also itchy and can cause discomfort. Some types of fungal rashes - such as a vaginal yeast infection or vaginal candidiasis - have little or no outward symptoms. In these cases, itching and discomfort are the main complaints.
   • For example, ringworm on your face or body looks like circles of about 1 cm on your skin. These circles are usually red, raised and scaly, with raised edges. Ringworm on your feet, or swimmers' eczema, manifests as itchy, scaly, dry white skin between your toes.
   • Lip fungus is accompanied by slightly larger, annoyingly itchy red patches in the groin area.
2. Apply an over-the-counter anti-fungal cream for most skin fungal infections. Topicals are the best way to treat most fungal infections. Anti-fungal creams should be applied directly to the infected skin, usually 2-3 times a day, and they will heal an infection within a week. Always read the directions on the package carefully and apply the cream as directed.
   • Buy an over-the-counter antifungal cream from the pharmacy. Most large pharmacies have a specific "anti-fungal" department.
   • A few common antifungals are Lamisil (safe for people over 12 years old), Daktarin, and Canesten. The latter two are also suitable for the treatment of children with fungal infections. Use these medications as directed on the package or by your doctor.
   • The best-known types of over-the-counter antifungal creams include miconazole, clotrimazole, and flucanozole.
3. If the infection does not clear up with the cream, talk to your doctor. Most mild infections clear up relatively quickly with an anti-fungal cream. If your infection lasts for more than three weeks - or if it grows to a larger area of ​​your body - make an appointment with your doctor. Show the infection and how long it lasts and whether it is painful. Ask for a prescription to help get rid of the infection.
   • Also make an appointment if you have a fungal infection on your scalp or a similarly hard-to-reach area.
4. If necessary, have a laboratory diagnosis made of the infected skin cells. In some cases, it is difficult to determine whether or not a rash is caused by a fungal infection. In these cases, the doctor will take a skin sample from the affected area and send it to a medical lab for analysis. For example, the doctor can scrape skin cells off your toes if you suspect athlete's foot.
   • If you have a vaginal yeast infection, the doctor will take a sample of the skin cells of your vaginal wall and cervix.
5. Take anti-fungal tablets for major infections or those above the jawline. It would be impractical to apply a cream to your entire back or both legs, for example. If you have a fungal rash that covers more than 12 by 12 inches from your body, the best treatment option will be a tablet. You may also need oral medications to treat fungal infections on your face or scalp. Read the directions carefully and take the oral tablets as directed.
   • In many cases, your doctor will ask you to continue taking oral medications for up to two weeks after the rash has cleared.
   • If you have a vaginal yeast infection, the doctor may prescribe soft medicated granules to be placed in the vagina to help fight the infection.
6. Talk to your doctor about the side effects of oral medications. Some people experience side effects from oral medications. In most cases, the side effects are relatively mild and are limited to stomach complaints and skin irritation, for example. Ask your doctor how to prevent or manage these side effects. For example, the doctor may recommend a medication for your stomach and a medicated lotion for irritated skin.
   • If you experience severe abdominal pain after taking an oral antifungal medication, contact your doctor or go to an emergency room.
7. Treat scalp infections with selenium sulfide shampoo. If you have a fungal scalp infection, look for a medicated shampoo with selenium sulfide, such as Selsun Blue or Head & Shoulders. Follow the directions on the package or ask your doctor for advice on how to use these shampoos.
   • Selenium sulfide shampoos are safe for children. If you suspect your child has a fungal scalp infection, take them to their doctor or pediatrician for a diagnosis.
   • You can also use selenium sulfide shampoo to treat a fungal rash on other parts of your body, such as swimmers' eczema. Apply the shampoo to the affected area in the shower and let it sit for a few minutes before rinsing it off. Your symptoms should be gone in about four weeks.
   • If your symptoms worsen or do not improve after a few weeks, contact your doctor.

Method 2 of 3: Take care of your skin

1. Dry your skin thoroughly after showering. If you have a yeast infection - or if you want to avoid getting one - shower once a day. After showering, dry your skin thoroughly with a clean, dry towel. It is especially important that your skin folds or those areas where you sweat quickly are completely dry. Think of places such as your armpits and groin.
   • Fungi like moist skin, so if your skin is still wet when you put on your clothes, you run the risk of getting an infection.
   • Keep your feet clean and dry and don't share socks or shoes with other people.
2. Wear a loose-fitting fabric that wicks moisture away from your skin. Loose, loose-fitting cotton or linen shirts are a good clothing choice if you have a fungal infection on your skin. It is important that your infected skin can dry out, and baggy clothing will make this easier. Clothes that are loose will not chafe and will not irritate infected skin, giving it a chance to heal.
   • Do not wear tight-fitting clothes and garments made of non-breathable fabrics. Leather is a great example of a substance to avoid.
3. Wash your sheets, clothes, and towels weekly to remove stubborn mold. While you're treating a fungal skin infection, it's important to keep the fabrics around you as clean as possible. Fungi can linger in any substance that frequently comes into contact with your body. However, even if the infection subsides, you can catch the infection again by sleeping on unwashed sheets, for example.
   • This is also an important step to prevent the infection from spreading to other people. Mold is relatively easy to transfer, and you run the risk of infecting friends, roommates and family members if you don't keep your towels, sheets, and clothes clean.
   • You can also protect your feet by wearing slippers in a shared bathroom or shower, such as the showers at the gym or in and around the pool.

Method 3 of 3: Try natural remedies

1. Coat a fungal infection with coconut oil twice a day. In addition to many other uses, coconut oil contains fatty acids that can kill some types of yeast and other fungal infections. Dab two fingers in a jar of coconut oil so that they are covered with a thin layer of the oil.Rub your fingers over fungal skin until the area is completely covered. Repeat this twice a day for best results.
   • If you have a vaginal yeast infection, soak a tampon in warm coconut oil before inserting it.
   • The anti-fungal properties of coconut oil have been proven in a study conducted by the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
2. Apply ground garlic under your nails to treat infected nail beds. It's not uncommon for fungal infections to affect the skin just below your fingernails and toenails. To treat infections in this hard-to-reach area, use the flat edge of a kitchen knife to crush 1-2 cloves of garlic. Press the crushed garlic under the infected nails and leave it there for 20-30 minutes before washing your hands or feet.
   • Medical studies have shown that garlic has natural antibiotic properties that help fight fungal infections.
3. Drink diluted apple cider vinegar to fight fungal infections. Apple cider vinegar is full of healthy antimicrobials that can fight fungi and help clear up your infection. Mix apple cider vinegar and water in a ratio of 1: 1 and drink about 250 ml every day. This should help prevent the infection from spreading and help heal the infection quickly.
   • Apple vinegar is also packed with healthy nutrients such as phosphorus, potassium and calcium. However, its anti-fungal properties are largely anecdotal.
   • You can buy apple cider vinegar at any health food store, supermarket, or health food store. It may also be available for purchase at major drug stores.
4. Eat plain yogurt with active cultures for breakfast. Yogurt with active bacteria cultures is high in probiotics, which can improve the health of the beneficial bacteria in your digestive tract. A healthier gut will make your body more capable of fighting infections, including fungal infections.
   • Buy yogurt at the supermarket or health food store. Check the yogurt's label and make sure it contains active Lactobacillus strains before purchasing.
   • Like the apple cider vinegar, yogurt's antifungal properties are largely anecdotal and stem from yogurt's ability to improve overall gut health.

Tips

• Some of the most common fungal infections are ringworm, swimmer's eczema, itching, and thrush tinea versicolor (dark spots on light skin).
• Fungal infections of the skin can affect both children and adults in different forms. The different infections differ in the degree of discomfort they cause. Some are very itchy and unpleasant, while others are barely noticeable.
• If the weather is warm and you often have sweaty feet at the end of the day, try changing the shoes you wear every 2-3 days. Wearing the same shoes for too many days in a row can cause a fungal infection.

Warnings

• Fungal infections of the skin can show very similar symptoms to other skin conditions, such as seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis, atopic eczema, contact eczema or even Lyme disease. If you have the symptoms of a yeast infection, it is important to get an accurate diagnosis from your doctor so that you can treat it appropriately.
• Do not rely on natural remedies as a substitute for medical treatment. While natural remedies can complement medicine, they should never be used in place of a visit to a doctor.
• Fungal infections under fingernails or toenails are difficult to treat. Even with medications, they can take up to a year to go away.