Nail fungus (nail mycosis) is an infectious disease that affects every 5 adults on our planet. Infection occurs very quickly and occurs through pathogenic fungi. You can "pick up" the infection if you wear someone else's shoes or neglect the rules of hygiene, as well as when visiting pools, saunas, etc. Contribute to the appearance of fungus on the toenails can be diabetes, poor circulation in the legs, low immunity, damaged nails, excess weight and excessive sweating. How to determine the nail fungus, what symptoms signal the manifestation of the disease? We will talk about this in this article.
Nail mycosis usually appears on the feet, less often on the hands, but it can move from foot to hand and from one finger to the next. This disease may seem mild, but it is very "survivable", causing physical and psychological inconvenience. Treatment of the fungus is a very painstaking and lengthy process, if the disease is not detected in time or the symptoms are ignored, then serious violations can occur: the fungus quickly strengthens on the nails and penetrates into the internal organs, where it can cause severe damage. Therefore, in order to diagnose and recognize toenail fungus in time, it is necessary to know the first signs of toenail fungus. What are they?
Signs of fungus on the feet
As a rule, there are no significant changes in the initial stages, but if you miss the moment, then diagnosis and treatment will become a problem. So how do you recognize nail fungus? Signs or symptoms of nail fungus include the following:
- Changing the structure of the nail. The nail changes color (turns yellow), becomes brittle, rough and cloudy.
- Painful sensations in the lesion. The site of the appearance of the fungus hurts on contact with shoes.
- Itching and burning on the skin. The skin near the infected nail becomes red and itchy.
- Falling out of the nail. In advanced stages, nails infected with a fungus can peel off.
There are 4 stages of nail fungus:
- The initial stage of nail fungus is almost never diagnosed (only medically). Barely noticeable white stripes appear on the nail plate, which indicates the presence of a fungus.
- The second is characterized by a change in the appearance of the nail plate (you can recognize it yourself). The nail turns yellow, becomes cloudy and crumbles.
- The third is manifested in a noticeable deformation of the nail, and sometimes its partial detachment. Also, the skin around the fingers begins to itch, burn and peel off.
- The fourth one is the busiest. The affected skin begins to burst, get wet and, if left untreated, non-healing wounds appear.
Causes of fungus
So why does the fungus appear? Microorganisms called fungi (dermatophiles) are responsible for the damage to the body by the fungus. And a certain environment allows them to multiply, so the reasons for the occurrence of the fungus include moisture and heat, which are formed as a result of wearing shoes that do not allow air to pass through, or synthetic socks, and also if you do not wipe your feet dry after washing, damage to the nail - when the nail plate is cutunder the root, wearing tight shoes, which only contributes to the weakening of the nail, like acrylic or gel varnishes.
So what do nails affected by fungus look like? They are yellow, have lost their luster, crumbling and partially exfoliating. If you have seen all these symptoms of nail fungus or some of them, you should immediately consult a specialist, since self-treatment is just a waste of precious time.
By itself, nail fungus will not go away, it will hit your body step by step, weakening it. That is why one of the main and most important symptoms of toenail fungus is its systemic nature.
Treating Causes of Nail Fungus
So, the first symptoms are recognized, and you have come to the doctor. A dermatologist or mycologist must first determine the type and extent of the disease (by taking a sample of the affected tissues) and make a diagnosis, and then prescribe treatment. According to the degree of damage to the nail, normotrophic mycosis is distinguished (when the color of the nail changes), hypertrophic mycosis (clouding of the nail and its thickening is added to the color change), atrophic mycosis (in addition to the change in color and deformation, crumbling of the nail and its detachment appear).
Treatment begins with local preparations - these are ointments, patches and creams. Most often they are used to restore the skin affected by the fungus. To treat the nail, antifungal varnishes are used, the principle of their action is based on penetrating deep into the nail plate and eliminating fungal pathogens. On the surface of the nail, these drugs form a film that prevents a new infection from attacking.
In severe cases of the disease and the ineffectiveness of treatment with local drugs, the dermatologist prescribes antimycotic tablets. It is worth noting that, in terms of their spectrum of action, they have a very serious effect on the body and have a number of side effects. When prescribing oral tablets and while taking them, it is necessary to take tests so that the doctor can monitor the course of treatment and their effect on the body.
There are also cases when specialists prescribe local drugs along with antimycotic tablets. This occurs in the most severe forms of the disease or in patients of mature age, in which the recovery process is slower. As a result of such therapy, the course of treatment is significantly reduced.
Folk remedies against fungus
Along with drug treatment, traditional medicine is also widely used in the fight against fungus.
Improper treatment is a step towards aggravating the disease! It should be remembered that folk remedies will not cure nail mycosis, but can only alleviate the condition and ease the symptoms. They can be used as additional support for medical treatment.
No treatment (drug or folk) will be effective if you do not follow certain rules of hygiene, this is what advice for the prevention of fungus consists of.
Prevention of nail mycosis
Preventing nail fungus is a fairly simple task, given some standard hygiene requirements that everyone can and should follow:
- Wear socks or tights made of natural fabrics and change them every day, and if your feet become wet during the day (several times a day), you need to wash them, wipe dry and change your socks to dry ones.
- Change your shoes often. If you wear the same shoes day in and day out, always check (before going out) to see if they are dry from the previous walk. Remember that a humid environment promotes the formation of fungus.
- When visiting a manicure and pedicure master, make sure that the tools are in the proper form and condition. Feel free to ask a specialist to disinfect all equipment.
- Low immunity is a prerequisite for the appearance of a fungus. Enrich your diet with healthy foods: eat more fruits and vegetables - they are rich in vitamins, do not be lazy to eat garlic and nuts.
- Apply antiseptics. The most common among them is tea tree oil (a natural antiseptic), they can be used to treat nails and the skin around them.
- Use only your personal hygiene products, as shared items are a sure way for fungus. You must have your own toiletries (towel, brush, comb, scissors); also, when going to public places (bathhouse, swimming pool, sauna, gym), you must use only your own shoes (even in the shower).
Prevention is the easiest way to avoid fungus! By following the simple (above) rules regularly, you will not have to long and painfully get rid of "stubborn" nail mycosis. Personal hygiene: the key to health.
Summing up
So, how to determine the fungus on the nails? You need to study the appearance of the nail, as well as pay attention to the symptoms and signs of the fungus. If, nevertheless, nail mycosis is present, it is urgent to contact a dermatologist or mycologist, but do not self-medicate, so as not to miss precious time. To treat the fungus only with medication (under the supervision of a doctor), folk remedies can be used as an adjuvant therapy. And most importantly: you must follow the rules of personal hygiene (no matter how you think that these are trifles and some of them can be neglected) in order to avoid such an unpleasant ailment as nail fungus and not face it.