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 "catch" the infection if you wear someone else's shoes or neglect hygiene rules, as well as when visiting swimming pools, saunas, etc. Contributing to the appearance of toenail fungus can be diabetes, poor circulation in the legs, low immunity, damaged nails, excess weight and excessive sweating. How to determine nail fungus, what symptoms signal the manifestation of the disease? Let's talk about that in this article.
Nail fungus usually appears on the feet, less often on the hands, but it can spread from foot to hand and from finger to finger. This disease may seem mild, but it is very "survivable", causing physical and psychological disorders. The treatment of the fungus is a very meticulous and time-consuming process, if the disease is not detected in time or the symptoms are ignored, serious violations can occur: the fungus quickly strengthens in the nails and penetrates the internal organs, where it can cause serious 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 foot fungus
As a rule, there are no significant changes in the early stages, but if you miss the moment, 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 nail structure. 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 when it comes into contact with shoes.
- Itching and burning of the skin. The skin near the infected nail becomes red and itchy.
- Falling off the nail. In advanced stages, nails infected with a fungus may peel off.
There are 4 stages of nail fungus:
- The early stage of nail fungus is almost never diagnosed (only clinically). Almost imperceptible white streaks 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 (you can recognize it). The nail turns yellow, becomes cloudy and crumbles.
- The third is manifested in a noticeable deformation of the nail and sometimes its partial detachment. In addition, the skin around the fingers starts to itch, burn, and peel.
- The fourth is the busiest. Affected skin begins to burst, become wet, and if left untreated, sores appear that do not heal.
Causes of fungi
So why does the fungus appear? Microorganisms called fungi (dermatophiles) are responsible for the damage done 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 the passage of air or synthetic socks, and also if you do not drying feet after washing, nail damage - when the nail is cut under the root, wearing tight shoes, which only contributes to the weakening of the nail, such as acrylic or gel varnishes.
So how are nails affected by fungus? They are yellow, lost their luster, crumbling and partially exfoliating. If you have seen all of these nail fungus symptoms or some of them, immediately consult a specialist as self-treatment is just a waste of precious time.
By itself, the nail fungus will not go away, it will reach 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 the causes of nail fungus
So the first symptoms are recognized and you've 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, normotropic mycosis (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 fungus-affected skin. To treat the nail, antifungal varnishes are used, the principle of their action is based on penetrating deeply 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 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 pills and taking them, testing is necessary so that the doctor can monitor the course of treatment and its effects on the body.
There are also cases where specialists prescribe local medication along with antifungal pills. This occurs in the most severe forms of the disease or in patients of mature age, where the recovery process is slower. As a result of such therapy, the course of treatment is significantly shortened.
Folk remedies against fungi
Along with drug treatment, traditional medicine is also widely used to combat the fungus.
Inadequate treatment is a step towards the worsening of the disease! It should be remembered that folk remedies do not cure nail fungus, but they can only alleviate the condition and relieve the symptoms. They can be used as additional support for medical treatment.
No treatment (medicine or folklore) will be effective if you don't follow certain hygiene rules, that's what the advice for preventing fungus is all about.
Prevention of nail fungus
Preventing nail fungus is a fairly simple task, considering some standard hygiene requirements that everyone can and should follow:
- Wear socks or tights made from natural fabrics and change them every day, and if your feet get wet during the day (several times a day), you need to wash them, dry them and change your socks for dry socks.
- Change shoes frequently. If you wear the same shoes every day, always check (before you go out) to see if they are dry from the previous hike. Remember that a humid environment favors the formation of fungi.
- When visiting a manicure and pedicure master, make sure the tools are in proper shape 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, don't 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.
- Only use your own personal care products, as shared items are a surefire path for fungus. You must have your own toiletries (towel, brush, comb, scissors); Also, when going to public places (bathroom, swimming pool, sauna, gym) you should only wear your own shoes (even in the shower).
Prevention is the easiest way to prevent fungus! By following the simple rules (above) regularly, you won't have to get rid of "stubborn" nail fungus for a long time and painfully. Personal hygiene: the key to health.
In short
So, how to determine nail fungus? You need to study the appearance of the nail, as well as pay attention to the symptoms and signs of the fungus. If, however, nail fungus is present, it is urgent to contact a dermatologist or mycologist, but do not self-medicate, so as not to waste precious time. To treat the fungus with medication only (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 much you think they are trifles and some of them can be neglected) to avoid such an unpleasant disease as nail fungus and not face it.