Onychomycosis is a disease that infects quickly, but is much more difficult to treat.This is not only a cosmetic problem, but also causes unpleasant, painful sensations in a person.According to statistics, every 10th inhabitant of the planet suffers from it, and you may also be at risk.What are the causes of the disease, factors for the development of onychomycosis and how to defeat toenail fungus?
How does toenail fungus occur and why does it occur?
The disease is caused by dermatophytes, yeasts and molds.According to statistics, every 10th person on the planet is affected by this disease.
Where can you get toenail fungus?The main risk area is swimming pools, baths, saunas.You can get infected by using someone else's shoes, socks or during a pedicure procedure.Onychomycosis more often affects people suffering from chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, anemia, gastrointestinal, hormonal, immune and cardiovascular disorders, as well as long-term steroid, antibacterial and chemotherapy.
Heat and humidity encourage spore development.The main routes 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 cut or break it, the fungus easily penetrates inside.Wearing tight shoes also weakens the fabric, as do acrylics, gels, and nail polishes.
Making 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 due to excessive drying of the skin, bad soap or a side effect of taking medication.Timely diagnosis and initiation of treatment allows you to quickly and effectively get rid of the problem.
How to diagnose the disease yourself
The main symptom is external changes, especially in the early stages of the disease.The first signs usually appear on the free edge (front) of the nail plate or on the side.At the beginning of onychomycosis, it can be an unpleasant sensation during physical activity.Patients describe paresthesia (numbness), pain, discomfort and loss of physical fitness.Characteristic external changes include the following symptoms:
- discoloration - spots of white, yellow, brown, greenish, gray appear on the edges of the nails;
- peeling and delamination of the tissue, its fragility clearly increases;
- thickening of the stratum corneum, symptoms characteristic of excessive keratosis;
- 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, due to the closest proximity to the shoes.
How is the fungus diagnosed in the clinic?
The self-diagnosis method is not always effective, because there are a number of diseases that in their anamnesis are similar to a fungal infection.These include:
- Psoriasis may look similar, but the characteristic of this disease is that it affects symmetrically.Characteristic signs are the appearance of white spots due to air accumulation, redness of the socket, thimble syndrome (indentation), loss of shine, 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 often have to wear closed, airtight shoes in hot and humid areas.To develop this type, it is necessary to get an injury to the finger in the nail area.Leakage: Flat follicles swell, become very red and painful.
- Trophic changes caused by mechanical damage.The problem is usually concentrated in the proximal part of the plate (ie, at its base).
- lichens.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, there are different types and forms of nail fungus depending on the pathogen that caused the problem and the duration of the infection.The clinic determines the type of disease and prescribes a treatment scheme based on the tests performed.
Methods of treatment
Treatment of onychomycosis should begin as soon as the problem is detected.If you delay treatment, a complication may occur: infection of adjacent fingers, transition to a chronic form and progressive course of the disease.Therefore, always make an appointment with your doctor if you notice suspicious changes or use time-tested traditional methods.
Folk remedies for the treatment of fungus
In the initial stages of the disease, home remedies to fight the fungal infection are useful.To get rid of the fungus, you can try the following recipes:
- Tea tree oil.The mixture is a powerful natural antiseptic and fungicide.It is applied drop by drop on the affected area 2 times a day.The duration of the course is 21 days.
- Apple cider vinegar.Foot baths are prepared from it, mixed in equal parts with water.
- Iodine for fungus.An old tried and tested way to get rid of fungal nail infections.How to use: Apply 1-2 drops of the composition to the affected area once a day.To prevent infection of the adjacent fingers, it is recommended to lubricate them with iodine, but less often - once every 2-3 days.
- Listerine mouthwash.It contains an antiseptic and a small amount of alcohol, which have a detrimental effect on the healing process.
- Lemon juice.It is applied as a compress for 30 minutes.to the 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 unsweetened (lemon, grapefruit, tart apples, raspberries, cherries).The diet is necessary to strengthen human immunity and reduce the concentration of the nutrient medium for fungi - simple sugars that are formed in the body when consuming easily digestible carbohydrates.
Modern drugs and procedures
Unfortunately, treating yeast infections at home is often ineffective.This is due to the fact that the disease has already entered a progressive form.To get rid of it, you should consult a doctor.The effectiveness of medical therapy depends on the duration of the course, which takes several months even after the elimination of visual symptoms.But patients forget that they need to continue the course after the appearance of the cosmetic effect.This leads to relapse and the need for treatment from the beginning.
In the early stages, when tissue changes are minor, fungicidal ointment will help.In advanced cases, oral medications are usually prescribed.Fungus on the legs is prone to relapses, so after recovery, follow the doctor's recommendations.In general, the duration and order depends on the species that infected the nails, the clinical course, the number of infected nails and the degree of damage to the plate.In some cases, a systematic approach combining several methods is necessary.The combination of systemic and local effects improves the effectiveness of therapy.
Topical antifungal ointments
Topical drugs should be used only in cases where the lesion occupies less than half of the distal part of the plate and when the patient cannot tolerate systemic treatment.Ointments and suspensions include amorolfine, ciclopirox and bifonazole, urea.They are used daily for 5-12 months.The last option for local treatment of onychomycosis is bifonazole in combination with 40% urea solution.
But external means cannot help complete healing because they do not penetrate enough into the tissues.It was found that although the latest generation of ointments cover all layers, they still have low efficiency when used as a single preparation.However, these agents may be useful as adjuvant therapy to supplement oral medications or to prevent relapse in patients previously on oral medications.
Antifungal tablets
Oral treatment is almost always necessary for ringworm.New generations of antifungal drugs, such as itraconazole or terbinafine, have recently replaced older generic drugs in the treatment of toenails.The effectiveness of these products is explained by their ability to penetrate the nail plate in just a few days after the start of the course.Using them, you can afford a shorter duration of therapy with a high recovery rate and fewer side effects.Terbinafine (international name, you need to look for commercial analogues in the pharmacy), fungicides (kill the pathogen) treat the disease and prevent the subsequent 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.It 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 very thick and interferes with the patient's comfort.
Removal of the nail plate in onychomycosis should be considered as adjuvant therapy in patients treated with oral agents.The combination of oral, local (lubricant) and surgical treatment of fungus leads to the highest cure rate and at the same time is the cheapest option (lowest number of relapses, short course).
Laser therapy
A new method showing the greatest effectiveness.In just 4 sessions of irradiation with a "cold" laser, you can completely get rid of the problem.The only drawback of this type of impact is the relatively high cost of the procedures.
Principles of prevention
Once you've learned what causes foot fungus, it's easier to avoid the condition.By following simple recommendations, you can prevent the problem.Basic rules for protection against fungus:
- Avoid injury to the skin in the area of the toes.
- Do not break off the ends, just cut them with a pair of well-sharpened scissors.
- Use only your own towels and personal hygiene products (scissors, sanding files and sharpeners).
- After washing your feet, dry the skin between your toes well.
- 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 locations where tools are disinfected and sterilized according to established protocol.
- Do not use shoes or slippers that have been previously 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 cosmetics with an antiseptic effect.Wet shoes should be dried to a completely dry state after a day's wear - you should not wear even slightly damp shoes.If, despite the precautions taken, changes characteristic of the disease appear, you should immediately consult a doctor.