It's no secret that modern people are at risk of onychomycosis every day. Fungi on nails and nails are very insidious and can be caught anywhere. But many have no idea how to recognize it and how to withdraw it. Infection occurs by obtaining a fragment of skin or nail plate from a patient. Since you will notice the first signs of fungus on your fingernails only after a long time, recognizing the source itself is not an easy task. In this situation, self-medication is not recommended, it is better to immediately discuss the symptoms and treatment with a dermatologist, otherwise irreversible processes may begin.
Fungus under the nails and on the fingers is one of the most common infectious diseases whose development is caused by epidermophytes (microorganisms). It is recognized by the presence of an obsessive feeling of itching, as well as a deformity of the toenail. It takes on a yellowish tinge and characteristic spots with scales on the surface.
Some people are scared just by the thought of this disease. At the first manifestations, they dig up a lot of literature and run to the hospital in a panic for explanations. Finally, they worry:
- How to get rid of nail fungus?
- Why is nail fungus dangerous?
- Will it be necessary to remove the toenail in case of fungus?
- What to do if mold appears on the nails?
In this article we will try to answer the questions asked. Treatment of nail onychomycosis is long-term and requires a competent, responsible approach.
Recklessness and irregular use of pharmaceutical preparations will lead to a lack of adequate results. Therefore, the treatment of fungi with drugs should be carried out strictly according to the course prescribed by a specialist.
The treatment regimen for detected toenail fungus must include topical treatment of the affected areas and taking the medication orally (by swallowing).
The main ways and causes of infection
Close communication with a mycosis carrier or contact with shoes is a direct path to infection and subsequent treatment of toenail fungus, which is always accompanied by questions: how to beat nail fungus and what are the most effective remedies against toenail fungus. Also, a similar disturbance can occur in crowded places, which are extremely suitable for the successful life and spread of parasites, here the fungus appears very quickly. This includes various sports complexes, swimming pools, saunas. But the most common fungal colonization on the feet occurs in fans of narrow, closed shoe models, as well as in people who suffer from excessive sweating. Doctors say that mostly mushroom species prefer humid conditions with a neutral and slightly alkaline environment.
In some cases, nail fungus appears after the next visit to the beauty salon where you performed the pedicure procedure. This can happen due to the negligent attitude of the salon master towards his duties, from which the basic rules for processing the used tools do not follow.
The appearance of fungus under the nails in childhood is a rare phenomenon; adult men and women are more susceptible to it. This fact is explained by the decrease in the body's defenses and the deviation of the skin's pH from the norm due to increasing age. The reasons why nail fungus appears on the feet can be different. But most often mycosis of the nails on the feet is manifested in the background of the following deviations:
- Problems with the gastrointestinal tract;
- Thyroid disorders;
- Endocrinological diseases;
- Adrenal dysfunction.
People who are addicted to tobacco products and alcoholic beverages also run the risk of becoming owners of nail fungus. How to recognize toenail fungus? It's very simple. Signs of toenail fungus are a change in color towards brown, white, yellowish or other shades. Its color will be affected by a certain pathogen, it can be yeast, mold or dermatophyte.
The nail plate will become brittle and will begin to crumble and then become keratinized. After a while, you will see for yourself how the fungus manifests on your toenails. Growth will occur, as it is neglected, it will increase and interfere with therapy. Unfortunately, in the first phase, many do not even know about the presence of the disease, the symptoms of fungus on the toenails are not pronounced. But after that, it quickly destroys the nail plate, and the neglected toenail mycosis already requires complex treatment.
Preventive measures for onychomycosis infection
You should be aware that all fungi are extracellular parasites characterized by their special vitality. Their spores can withstand extremely low and high temperatures (-60 ° C - + 100 ° C), many of them are not afraid to use chemicals when carrying out disinfection measures at home. As mentioned above, foot infections (the most common nail fungus) can occur anywhere, but the easiest way to get them is on the limbs of family members with onychomycosis who have nail fungus. Dermatophyte transmission occurs by sharing household items, but there are many other ways to obtain fungi.
Prevention of toenail fungus involves a number of simple conditions:
- Use only your shoes;
- If the shoes get wet, they must be dried and only then put on again;
- Remove porous rug textures from the bathroom;
- Change socks regularly for clean ones;
- After bathing, wipe your feet dry, paying special attention to the area between the toes;
- Use therapeutic and prophylactic antifungal drugs to treat toenails after water treatments;
- Use personal hygiene products (scissors, files);
- Avoid conditions of increased sweating and dryness, which leads to untimely treatment of various foot injuries (cracks, scratches, blisters);
- Increase the body's defenses.
As for public places, in order not to pick up the fungus on your toenails, try wearing flip-flops on the beaches and closed shoes on the pools.
When someone who lives with you in the same apartment started treating toenail fungus, to avoid spreading the infection, be sure to clean the bathroom after it. You can use, for example, chloramine in equal proportions with detergent to fight spores. After application, the mixture is left for 30 minutes and then removed.
There are many reasons for the appearance of fungus and you need to get rid of it in any way. Treatment of toenail mycosis also involves special treatment of the patient's canvas, including socks. They can be boiled for about twenty minutes in a 2% solution of soda and soap, and then ironed. Regular treatment of pedicure scissors with alcohol is recommended.
The main symptoms of onychomycosis of the feet
How to recognize nail fungus? In this situation, in the initial stage of infection, the person faces excessive dryness and characteristic peeling of the feet, which can be accompanied by severe itching and a change in skin color to reddish. In practice, the symptoms of nail fungus vary in a wide range, typical for each case.
The development of the disease can begin with unobtrusive peeling of the folds between the fingers. If you sweat a lot, a diaper rash appears. Sometimes very itchy little blisters are added to the above. The color and shape of the toenails change. Parasitic spores tend to penetrate deeper, while on the nail they form a yellowish spot with streaks. You can also recognize the fungus on your toenails by the brittle and cracked nail plates, under which a gap is created.
It is very important to treat nail onychomycosis, because with a particularly severe course of the disease, the body temperature can rise and any movement is also difficult.
If you have a fungus on your toenails that itches, cracks and dries, start treatment immediately.
Seek help from a dermatologist, he knows what a fungus is and how to pinpoint nail fungus, and will also tell you the best comprehensive treatment. Sometimes it is enough to use various antifungal sprays, powders or foot gels at the very beginning, however, when you observe the fungus under the nail, it is already serious.
Not everyone knows that the concomitant diseases of mycosis are eczema and psoriasis, which are even harder to eliminate. Therefore, if you still doubt whether it pays off and whether it is possible to cure toenail fungus, remember these two terrible diseases, the consequences of which are more terrible.
Treatment of onychomycosis
Today, experts will tell you how to quickly cure toenail fungus and how to properly treat it at home. There are various modern remedies for this. They must be consumed according to the dose and regularly. Recently, the method of pulse therapy has proven to be excellent for treating nail fungus. Therapy of the disease takes place in a short time with the use of antifungal agents in shock doses, while the side effects are minimized. It is characterized by fairly long breaks between courses. Pulse therapy is used for critical conditions, when you no longer know how and how to get rid of nail fungus.
Also, a dermatologist will give advice on the treatment of onychomycosis using various films, varnishes or special ointments based on fungicides. He will prescribe competent treatment, even if the nail fungus has already moved from the thumb to others. But, unfortunately, medications do not always solve the problem, and the question of how to deal with toenail fungus remains relevant. In fact, in order to achieve the desired effect and speed up the nail treatment, it is necessary to initially identify the type of pathogen and the extent of its spread. The obtained test results are guaranteed to tell you how to treat toenail fungus. And only after that you should start buying expensive drugs.
Sometimes it happens that you have to remove the nail surgically. Don't worry, the removed nail plate will grow after a while. And this procedure is absolutely painless.
Antifungals
To destroy the fungal pathogen, you need to use special tablets and topical agents, gels and varnishes, medications to remove the affected nail plate. The most appropriate medication will be recommended by a specialist.
Folk recipes
For lovers of traditional medicine, there are also a large number of effective methods and recipes that have been tested for years. If you are still thinking about how to treat nail fungus, try some of them.
Celandine treatment
Celandine is a common plant with a rich array of medicinal properties. In addition to useful substances, it also contains poisonous substances. They are necessary for the treatment of parasitic infections, because they quickly remove harmful microorganisms. You can use herbs in different ways:
- Fresh juice. After you have plucked the celandine, it is necessary to immediately treat the affected skin and nail plates with juice. Allow to dry for about five minutes and repeat the process. This must be done at least three times.
- Butter. Treatment with celandine oil is carried out by applying to the infected areas 1-2 times a day until a state of complete remission. Don’t be surprised if the surface of the nail becomes reddish - this is absolutely normal.
- Treatment fee. We need: oregano juice, celandine juice and marigold tincture (2: 5: 2). All this is mixed with a small amount of boiled water and applied to the nail plates 3-4 times a day.
Now you know how to recognize nail fungus, as well as how to start an insidious infection. We really hope that our article will be useful and help you deal with this disease quickly. Remember that the faster we treat an identified disease, the more effective the expected outcome. In addition, the right approach to the healing process will save you a lot of valuable time and "you won’t fly into a nice kuna".
Be healthy!