Onychomycosis is a disease that is contagious but more difficult to treat.This is not only a cosmetic problem, but also causes unpleasant and painful feelings in a person.According to statistics, every 10th inhabitant of the planet suffers from it, and you may be at risk too.Causes of the disease, factors for the development of onychomycosis and how to defeat the fungus on the toenails?
What does nail fungus look like and why does it occur?
The disease is caused by dermatophytes, yeasts and molds.According to statistics, one in 10 people on the planet suffers from this disease.
Where to buy toenail fungus?The main risk zone is swimming pools, baths, saunas.You can get infected by using someone else's shoes, socks, or during a pedicure procedure.Onychomycosis is more likely to affect individuals suffering from obesity, diabetes, anemia, gastrointestinal, hormonal, immune, and cardiovascular diseases, as well as chronic diseases such as long-term steroids, antibiotics, and chemotherapy.
Heat and humidity promote spore development.The main ways of infection are wounds, microcracks and other skin lesions in the area of the fingers.Mycosis develops when the nail plate is damaged - if we shorten or break it, fungi easily penetrate inside.Wearing tight shoes also weakens the fabric, as do nail acrylics, gels, and polishes.
Establishing a diagnosis
Visual manifestations of the disease are already the second stage of the disease.The first evidence of infection - itching, burning - is most often associated with excessive drying of the skin, a side effect of taking bad soap or medicine.Timely diagnosis and starting treatment allows to get rid of the problem quickly and effectively.
How to diagnose the disease yourself
The main symptom is external changes, especially in the initial stage of the disease.The first signs usually appear on the free edge (front) or sides of the nail plate.At the beginning of onychomycosis, there may be an unpleasant sensation during physical activity.Patients describe paresthesia (numbness), pain, restlessness, and loss of fitness.Characteristic external changes include the following symptoms:
- discoloration - white, yellow, brown, greenish, gray spots appear on the tips of the nails;
- peeling and delamination of the fabric, its fragility clearly increases;
- thickening of the stratum corneum, symptoms characteristic of excessive keratosis;
- unpleasant foot odor.
Fungal infections are more common on the feet than on the hands.They can be limited to one finger or cover everything.However, the disease usually affects the first and fifth toes, which are closest to the shoes.
How is fungus diagnosed in a medical clinic?
The method of self-diagnosis is not always effective, because there are a number of diseases in the anamnesis that resemble fungal infections.These include:
- Psoriasis may look similar, but the characteristic feature of this disease is that it affects symmetrically.Characteristic signs are the appearance of white spots due to the accumulation of air, redness of the socket, thimble (dent) syndrome, loss of brightness, roughness.In addition, the patient has typical skin lesions.
- Candidiasis.It is characterized by the appearance of purulent discharge, as well as painful sensations when pressing on the affected area.The disease is more common in women, especially in people who must wear closed, airtight shoes in hot, humid places.To develop this type, it is necessary to receive damage to the finger in the nail area.Leakage: Slab follicles become swollen, very red and painful.
- Trophic changes caused by mechanical damage.The problem is usually concentrated in the proximal part of the plate (i.e. at its base).
- Lichen.It is characterized by typical lesions on the skin and mucous membranes.The plate affected by lichen is usually covered with yellow-white stripes.
In addition, depending on the pathogen causing the problem and the duration of infection, there are different types and forms of nail fungus.The clinic determines the type of disease and prescribes the treatment regimen based on the tests.
Treatment methods
Treatment of onychomycosis should begin immediately after the problem is detected.If you delay the treatment, a complication may arise: infection of the neighboring fingers, the transition to the chronic form and the progressive course of the disease.Therefore, if you notice any suspicious changes or use time-tested traditional methods, always make an appointment with your doctor.
Folk remedies for fungus
In the early stages of the disease, home remedies are useful to fight fungal infection.To get rid of mushrooms, you can try the following recipes:
- Tea tree oil.The mixture is a powerful natural antiseptic and fungicide.Drops are applied to the affected area twice a day.The duration of the course is 21 days.
- Apple cider vinegar.Foot baths are prepared from it, mixed with water in equal parts.
- Iodine for fungus.An old proven way to get rid of fungal nail infections.How to use: apply 1-2 drops of the composition to the damaged area once a day.To prevent infection of neighboring fingers, it is recommended to lubricate them with iodine, but less often - once every 2-3 days.
- Lister's Mouthwash.It contains a small amount of alcohol, which has an antiseptic and harmful effect on the treatment process.
- Lemon juice.It is applied as a compress for 30 minutes.to affected areas.
Food restrictions during treatment have a positive effect.You should exclude sweets and starchy foods from your daily diet, increase the amount of protein (beef, fish, poultry) and fermented milk products (yogurt, kefir, cottage cheese).Fruits should also be sugar-free (lemon, grapefruit, sour apple, raspberry, cherry).The diet is necessary to strengthen human immunity and reduce the concentration of the nutrient medium for the fungus - simple sugars that are formed in the body when consuming easily digestible carbohydrates.
Modern drugs and procedures
Unfortunately, home remedies for fungal infections are often ineffective.This is due to the fact that the disease has already passed into a progressive form.To get rid of it, you need to consult a doctor.The effectiveness of medical therapy depends on the duration of the course, which lasts several months even after the elimination of visual symptoms.But patients forget that after the cosmetic effect, it is necessary to continue the course.This leads to relapse and the need for early treatment.
In the early stages, when tissue changes are small, fungicidal ointment will help.In advanced cases, oral medications are usually prescribed.Athlete's foot tends to recur, so follow your doctor's advice after healing.In general, the duration and regimen depends on the type of nail infection, the clinical course, the number of infected nails and the degree of damage to the plaque.In some cases, a systematic approach combining several methods is required.The combination of systemic and local effects increases the effectiveness of therapy.
Topical antifungal ointments
Topical drugs should be used only when the lesion occupies less than half of the distal part of the plate and the patient does not tolerate systemic treatment.Ointments and suspensions include amorolfine, ciclopirox and bifonazole, urea.They are used daily for 5-12 months.The last option for topical treatment of onychomycosis is bifonazole in combination with 40% urea solution.
However, external means cannot help complete healing because they do not penetrate the tissues enough.It turned out that although the latest generation ointments cover all layers, they still have low effectiveness when used as a single preparation.However, these agents may be useful as adjunctive therapy, to prevent relapse in patients who are completing oral medications or have previously received oral medications.
Antifungal tablets
Oral treatment is almost always necessary for ringworm.New generation antifungal drugs, such as itraconazole or terbinafine, have recently replaced old generic drugs in the treatment of nails.The effectiveness of these products is explained by their ability to penetrate the nail plate a few days after the start of the course.By using them, you can afford a shorter treatment time with a high recovery rate and fewer side effects.Terbinafine (international name, you need to look for commercial analogues in the pharmacy), fungicides (to kill the pathogen) treat the disease and prevent the further spread of spores.These drugs work against both yeast viruses and dermatophytes, the most common causes of nail fungus.
Surgical treatment of onychomycosis
This method can also be used to treat fungal nail infections.This involves mechanical and chemical removal of the infected nail plate (using 40-50% urea).This is a painless and useful method when the growth is too thick and interferes with the patient's comfort.
Nail plate removal for onychomycosis should be considered as adjunctive therapy in patients treated with oral agents.The combination of oral, topical (lubricant) and surgical treatment of the fungus leads to the highest cure rate and is also the cheapest option (lowest number of relapses, short course).
Laser therapy
A new method that shows the greatest efficiency.You can completely get rid of the problem with only 4 sessions of irradiation with a "cold" laser.The only drawback of such an effect is the relatively high cost of the procedures.
Principles of prevention
Once you know what causes athlete's foot, it's easier to prevent it.You can avoid the problem by following simple recommendations.Basic rules to prevent fungi:
- Avoid damaging the skin in the toe area.
- Do not break the edges, but cut them with well-sharpened scissors.
- Use only your own towels and personal hygiene items (scissors, sanding files, and whetstones).
- After washing your feet, dry the skin between your toes thoroughly.
- Do not walk barefoot in public places.
- Wear cotton socks and shoes made of breathable materials.
- If your feet sweat excessively, change your socks and shoes often.
- Use pedicure services in approved facilities where instruments are disinfected and sterilized according to established protocol.
- Do not use shoes or slippers that have been worn by others.
You should take care of your feet and keep them clean.After taking bath procedures, it is recommended to treat the skin with antiseptic cosmetics.Wet shoes should be dried after a day until they are completely dry - you should not wear shoes that are even slightly wet.Despite the precautions taken, if any changes characteristic of the disease appear, you should immediately consult a doctor.