It is no secret that modern people run the risk of being infected with nail fungus every day. Toenail and fingernail fungus is very insidious and can be caught anywhere. But many have no idea how to recognize it and how to withdraw it. Infection occurs by obtaining a fragment of the skin or nail plate from the patient. Since you will only notice the first signs of toenail fungus 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 immediately discuss the symptoms and treatment with a dermatologist, otherwise irreversible processes may begin.
Fungus under the nails and on the fingers is one of the most common infectious diseases, the development of which is provoked by epidermophytes (microorganisms). It can be recognized by the presence of obsessive sensations of itching, as well as deformation of the toenail. It acquires a yellowish tint and characteristic spots with scales on the surface.
Some people are scared just by the thought of this disorder. At the first demonstrations, they find a lot of literature and, panicked, they run to the hospital for explanations. After all, they are worried about:
- How to get rid of toenail fungus?
- Why is toenail fungus dangerous?
- Will it be necessary to remove the toenail in case of fungus?
- What to do if toenail mold appears?
In this article we will try to answer the questions posed. The treatment of nail fungus is long-term and requires a competent and responsible approach.
Frivolity and irregular use of pharmaceutical preparations will lead to a lack of adequate results. Therefore, the drug treatment of the fungus should be carried out strictly according to the course prescribed by the specialist.
The treatment regimen for nail fungus detected on the feet should include topical treatment of the affected areas and taking medications by mouth (by swallowing).
The main routes and causes of infection
Close communication with a mycosis carrier or contact with his shoes is a direct route to infection and subsequent toenail fungus treatment, which is always accompanied by questions: how to defeat toenail fungus foot and what are the most effective remedies for toenail fungus. In addition, a similar nuisance can occur in crowded places, which are extremely convenient for 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 shoe models, as well as in people suffering from excessive sweating. Doctors state that most types of mushrooms prefer humid 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 salon masters to their duties, from which they do not follow the elementary rules for processing the tool used.
The onset of fungus under the nails in childhood is an infrequent 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 an increase in age. The reasons why nail fungus appears on the feet can be different. But most often, mycosis of the toenails manifests itself against the background of the following deviations:
- Problems in the work of the gastrointestinal tract;
- Disorders of the thyroid gland;
- endocrinological diseases;
- Adrenal dysfunction.
People with an addiction 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 to brown, white, yellowish, or other shades. Its color will be affected 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 will see for yourself how toenail fungus manifests itself. Growths will appear, as they are neglected, 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 the fungus on the toenails are not expressed. But subsequently, it quickly destroys the nail plate, and the neglected mycosis of the toenails already requires complex treatment.
Preventive measures for onychomycosis infection
You should be aware that all fungi are extracellular parasites, which are 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 previously mentioned, foot infections (the most common toenail fungus) can occur anywhere, but the easiest way to get it on the limbs is from family members with onychomycosis who have toenail fungus. Transmission of dermatophytes occurs through sharing household items, but there are many other ways to obtain the fungus as well.
Toenail fungus prevention involves a number of simple conditions:
- Use only your shoes;
- If the shoes get wet, they must be dried and only after put on;
- Remove porous textured mats from the bathroom;
- Change your socks regularly with clean ones;
- After bathing, dry your feet, paying special attention to the area between the toes;
- Use therapeutic and prophylactic antifungal drugs for the treatment of toenails after water procedures;
- Use personal hygiene products (scissors, files);
- Avoid conditions of increased sweating and dryness, which lead to premature treatment of various foot injuries (cracks, abrasions, calluses);
- It increases the body's defenses.
As for public places, in order not to collect the fungus on the toenail, try to wear flip-flops on the beaches and closed shoes in swimming pools.
When someone living with you in the same apartment has started treating emerging toenail fungus on your feet, in order to avoid spreading the infection, be sure to clean the bathroom after it. To combat spores, you can use, for example, chloramine in equal proportions with the detergent. After application, the mixture is left for 30 minutes, then removed.
There are many reasons for the appearance of the fungus, and you need to get rid of it by any means. The treatment of mycosis of the toenails also involves special treatment of the patient's underwear, including socks. They can be boiled for about twenty minutes in a 2% solution of soda and soap, then ironed. It is recommended to regularly treat pedicure scissors with alcohol.
The main symptoms of onychomycosis in the legs
How to recognize toenail fungus? In this situation, in the initial stage of infection, a person is faced with excessive dryness and peeling characteristic of the feet, which can be accompanied by severe itching and discoloration of the skin to reddish. In practice, the symptoms of nail fungus differ in a wide variety, typical for each specific case.
The development of the disease can begin with a discreet peeling in the folds between the fingers. If there is a lot of sweating, diaper rash appears. Sometimes small, very itchy blisters are added to the above. The color and shape of the toenails change. Parasitic spores tend to penetrate deeper, forming a yellowish patch with streaks on the nail. You can also recognize toenail fungus by brittle and cracked nails, a void forms under them.
It is very important to treat onychomycosis of the nails, since with a particularly severe course of the disease, the body temperature can rise, and any movement is also difficult.
If you have itchy, cracked and dry toenail fungus, start treatment immediately.
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 the best comprehensive treatment. Sometimes at first it is enough to use various antifungal sprays, powders or gels for the feet, however, when you observe the fungus under the nail, this is already serious.
Not everyone knows that the concomitant diseases of mycosis are eczema and psoriasis, which are even more difficult to remove. Therefore, if you still doubt 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 terrible.
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 various modern drugs. They must be consumed according to the dosage and regularly. Recently, the wrist therapy method has proven excellent for the treatment of toenail fungus. Disease therapy occurs in a short time with the use of antifungal agents in shock doses, while side effects are minimized. It is characterized by rather long breaks between courses. Pulse therapy is used for critical conditions, when it is no longer known how and how to get rid of nail fungus.
In addition, a dermatologist will give advice on how to treat onychomycosis using various films, varnish coatings or special ointments, the basis of which are fungicidal agents. She will prescribe competent treatment, even if the nail fungus has already moved from the big toe to others. But, unfortunately, medications don't always solve the problem, and the question of how to deal with toenail fungus remains relevant. In fact, to obtain the desired effect and speed up the nail treatment, it is necessary to initially identify the type of pathogen and the extent of its spread. The obtained test results are guaranteed to tell you how to treat toenail fungus. And only after that you should start buying expensive drugs.
Sometimes it happens that you have to surgically remove the nail. 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, it is necessary to use special tablets and topical agents, gels and varnishes, medicines to remove the affected nail plate. The most suitable medicine will be recommended by a specialist.
Folk recipes
For lovers of traditional medicine, there are also a large number of effective methods and recipes that have been proven over the years. If you are still thinking about how to treat toenail fungus, try a few.
Celandine treatment
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, as they quickly eliminate harmful microorganisms. You can use medicinal herbs in several ways:
- Fresh juice. After tearing off the celandine, it is necessary to immediately treat the affected skin and nails 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 nails 3-4 times a day.
Now you know how to recognize nail fungus and how an insidious infection begins. We really hope that our article will be useful to you and help you to quickly cope with this disease. Remember that the faster we treat the identified disorder, the more effective the expected outcome. Also, the correct approach to the treatment process will save you a lot of precious time and "don't fly in a big penny".
Be healthy!