Nail fungus is an intractable disease, so diagnosing the symptoms at an early stage of the disease will greatly speed up the course of your treatment. Also, when the first signs of the disease are detected, you can protect your family/loved ones from infection, as in most cases (70-80%) nail and skin fungi are transmitted between family members.
How symptoms appear
![itchy feet with nail fungus](/images/articles/706/itchy%20feet%20with%20nail%20fungus.jpg)
First of all, nail fungus is manifested by an unpleasant odor and itching. If you've started to notice that your feet are frequently emitting an unpleasant odor (with a timely change of socks and proper hygiene), that's a good reason to see a doctor to diagnose the condition.
![yellow nails due to fungal infection](/images/articles/706/yellow%20nails%20due%20to%20fungal%20infection.png)
The next symptom of the fungus is a change in the color of the nail plate. In this case, the nail is most often damaged at the edges. Small ridges and whitish spots appear, which eventually begin to increase in size.
![nail damage from plaque with fungus](/images/articles/706/nail%20damage%20from%20plaque%20with%20fungus.jpg)
If proper measures are not taken, the plaque will continue to deform and the fungus will damage new areas of the nail until it is completely infected.
Another characteristic symptom of onychomycosis is discoloration of the nail plate. As a result of exposure to fungal spores, it can acquire a wide variety of shades. In most cases it is brown and yellow, but when exposed to mold or yeast fungus, it can also take on a darker color.
Also, one of the signs of the disease is a change in the structure of the nail. It can change shape very quickly and start to fall apart.
Other features of the disease
The fungus is a very insidious disease, as the spores of this infection remain in the human body for most of life and enter the active phase only in a few cases:
- Decreased level of immunity
- Diabetes
- Skin diseases
- Mechanical damage to the skin of the legs/arms or nails.
So, you should be more careful if you have one of these signs. If you've damaged your nail at a nail salon or wear tight shoes, it's wise to use one of the many prophylactic antifungal agents and apply it to the damaged areas no more than once a week.
What to do if you encounter the symptoms of a fungus?
- If you find symptoms of onychomycosis, be sure to go to the hospital to see a dermatologist and have the appropriate tests done. There are more than 50 types of pathogenic fungi for the human body, and if you start treatment on your own, with a high degree of probability, it will be ineffective and you will waste precious time.
- After passing all the necessary tests, follow the prescribed prescription exactly and carry out all the procedures to treat the fungus in time. Remember that folk remedies are best takenin complexwith antifungal medications, and be sure to consult your doctor about this.
All! These are all the actions that are required of you when you detect the first signs of onychomycosis. Do not try to self-diagnose and, in addition, prescribe treatment.