It's no secret that modern people are at risk for onychomycosis every day. Toenail and nail fungus is very insidious and can be caught anywhere. But many have no idea how to recognize it and how to remove it. Infection occurs by obtaining a piece of skin or nail plate from the patient. Since you will notice the first signs of toenail fungus only after a long time, identifying the source itself is not an easy task. In this situation, self-medication is not recommended, it is better to discuss the symptoms and treatment with a dermatologist immediately, otherwise irreversible processes may begin.
The fungus under the nails and on the fingers is one of the most common infectious diseases, the development of which is caused by epidermophytes (microorganisms). It can be recognized by the presence of obsessive itching sensations, as well as the deformation of the toenail. It acquires a yellowish tint and characteristic spots with scales on the surface.
Some people are scared just thinking about this ailment. In the first demonstrations, they look for a lot of literature and, in a panic, they rush to the hospital in search of explanations. After all, they are concerned about:
- How to get rid of toenail fungus?
- Why are toenail fungus dangerous?
- Will it be necessary to remove my toenail in case of fungus?
- What to do if mold appears on the toenails?
In this article we will try to answer the questions posed. Treatment of nail onychomycosis is long-term and requires a competent and responsible approach.
Frivolity and irregular use of pharmaceutical preparations will lead to the lack of adequate results. Therefore, the drug treatment of the fungus must be carried out strictly according to the course prescribed by the specialist.
The treatment regimen for toenail fungus should include topical treatment of the affected areas and taking medications orally (by ingestion).
The main forms and causes of infection
Close communication with a carrier of mycosis or contact with their shoes is a direct path to infection and further treatment of toenail fungus, which is always accompanied by questions: how to beat nail fungus and what are the most effective remedies for nail fungus. Also, a similar nuisance can occur in crowded places, which are extremely convenient for a successful life and the spread of parasites, here the fungus appears very quickly. These include various sports complexes, swimming pools, saunas. But most often, the colonization of the fungus on the feet occurs in lovers of tight and closed models of shoes, as well as in people who suffer from excessive sweating. Doctors say that most types of mushrooms prefer moist conditions with a neutral, slightly alkaline environment.
In some cases, toenail 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 classroom teachers towards their duties, of which they do not follow the elementary rules for processing the tool used.
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 a decrease in the body's defenses and a deviation of the pH of the skin from the norm due to increasing age. The reasons for toenail fungus may be different. But most often, toenail mycosis manifests itself against the background of the following deviations:
- Problems in the work of the gastrointestinal tract;
- Thyroid disorders;
- Endocrinological diseases;
- Adrenal dysfunction.
People addicted to tobacco products and alcoholic beverages are also at risk of becoming the owner of a nail fungus. How to identify toenail fungus? It's very simple. The signs of toenail fungus are a color change towards brown, white, yellowish or other shades. Its color will be influenced by a specific pathogen, it can be a yeast, mold or dermatophyte.
The nail plate will become brittle and start to crumble, then it will become keratinized. After a while, you yourself will see how nail fungus manifests itself. Growths will appear, as they are neglected, they will increase in size and interfere with therapy. Unfortunately, at the first stage, many do not even know about the presence of the disease, the symptoms of toenail fungus are not expressed. But subsequently, it quickly destroys the nail plate, and neglected toenail mycosis already requires complex treatment.
Preventive measures for onychomycosis infection.
You should be aware that fungi are extracellular parasites, distinguished 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 toenail fungus) can occur anywhere, but the easiest way to spread them to the extremities is through family members with onychomycosis who have toenail fungus. Transmission of dermatophytes occurs through sharing household items, but there are many other ways to contract the fungus as well.
Prevention of toenail fungus involves a number of simple conditions:
- Wear only your own shoes;
- If the shoes get wet, they should be dried and only then put back on;
- Remove the porous textured rugs from the bathroom;
- Change your socks regularly for clean ones;
- After bathing, dry your feet with a cloth, paying special attention to the area between the toes;
- Use therapeutic and prophylactic antifungal medications for toenail treatment after water procedures;
- Use personal hygiene products (scissors, files);
- Avoid conditions of increased sweating and dryness, which leads to premature treatment of various injuries to the feet (cracks, abrasions, calluses);
- Increases the body's defenses.
As for public places, in order not to get the toenail fungus, try wearing flip-flops on the beaches and closed-toe shoes in the pools.
When someone who lives with you in the same apartment started treating the emerging nail fungus on your feet, to avoid spreading the infection, be sure to clean the bathroom afterwards. To combat spores, you can use, for example, chloramine in equal proportions with the detergent. After application, the mixture is left for 30 minutes and then removed.
There are many reasons for the appearance of the fungus and you must get rid of it by any means. Treatment of toenail mycosis also provides for special treatment of the patient's bedding, including socks. They can be boiled for about twenty minutes in a 2% solution of soda and soap and then ironed. It is recommended to regularly treat pedicure scissors with alcohol.
The main symptoms of onychomycosis on the legs
How to recognize toenail fungus? In this situation, in the initial stage of the infection, a person faces excessive dryness and characteristic peeling of the feet, which may be accompanied by severe itching and discoloration of the skin to reddish color. In practice, the symptoms of nail fungus differ in a wide variety, typical of each specific case.
The development of the disease can begin with discreet peeling in the folds between the fingers. If there is a lot of sweating, diaper rash appears. Sometimes small itchy blisters are added to the previous ones. The color and shape of the toenails change. Parasitic spores tend to penetrate deeper, while forming a streaked yellowish spot on the nail. You can also recognize toenail fungus by brittle and cracked nail plates, a void forms under them.
It is very important to treat nail onychomycosis, since with a particularly severe course of the disease, the body temperature can rise, and any movement is also difficult.
If you have an itchy, cracked, and dry toenail fungus, start treatment right away.
Seek the help of a dermatologist, he knows what a fungus is and how to accurately determine nail fungus, and he will also tell you what is the best comprehensive treatment. Sometimes, in the beginning, it is enough to use various antifungal foot sprays, powders or gels, however, when you notice the fungus under the toenail, this is already serious.
Not everyone knows that the concomitant diseases of mycoses are eczema and psoriasis, which are even more difficult to eliminate. Therefore, if you still have doubts about whether it is worth it and whether it is possible to cure toenail fungus, remember these two terrible ailments, the consequences of which are more dire.
Treatment of onychomycosis
Today, experts will tell you how to quickly cure toenail fungus and how to properly treat it at home. For this, there are several modern drugs. They should be consumed according to the dose and regularly. Recently, the pulse therapy method has proven to be excellent for treating toenail fungus. Therapy of the disease is carried out in a short time with the use of antifungal agents in shock doses, while 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 you advice on how to treat onychomycosis using various films, varnish coatings or special ointments, the basis of which are fungicidal agents. He will prescribe a competent treatment, even if the nail fungus has already moved from the big toe to others. But, unfortunately, drugs do not always solve the problem and the question of how to treat toenail fungus remains relevant. Indeed, in order to obtain the desired effect and speed up the treatment of nails, it is necessary to initially identify the type of pathogen and the extent of its spread. The test results obtained are guaranteed to tell you how to treat toenail fungus. And only after that you need to start buying expensive drugs.
Sometimes it happens that you have to remove the nail surgically. Don't worry, the removed nail plate will grow back after a while. And this procedure is absolutely painless.
Antifungal agents
To destroy the fungal pathogen, you need to use special tablets and topical agents, gels and varnishes, drugs to remove the affected nail plate. The most suitable medicine will be recommended by a specialist.
Popular recipes
For lovers of traditional medicine, there are also a large number of effective methods and recipes proven over the years. If you are still thinking about how to treat toenail fungus, try some of them.
Treatment with celandine
Celandine is a common herb with a rich set of medicinal properties. In addition to useful substances, it also contains poisonous ones. They are necessary for the treatment of parasitic infections, since they quickly eliminate harmful microorganisms. You can use medicinal 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. Let it dry for about five minutes and repeat the procedure. This must be done at least three times.
- Butter. Treatment with celandine oil is carried out by applying it to the infected areas 1-2 times a day until a state of complete remission. Don't be surprised if the nail surface turns reddish, this is absolutely normal.
- Treatment fee. We need: oregano juice, celandine juice and calendula 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 an insidious infection starts. We really hope that our article will be helpful to you and help you to quickly cope with this disease. Remember that the faster we treat the identified ailment, the more effective the expected result will be. Plus, the right approach to the treatment process will save you precious time and "won't blow you away. "
Be healthy!