Almost every third person has a nail fungus on your feet. The disease is called onychomycosis and causes delamination and crumbling of the nail plate. In onychomycosis can occur at any age require timely and proper treatment under expert guidance.
What is onychomycosis?
Onychomycosis - fungal infections of the nail plate. The disease can be caused by fungi dermatophytes or microspores. Fungi, which adversely affect the construction of the Foundation of the nail keratin and gradually eating it, cause of the deformation changes.
The following types of onychomycosis:
- Normal scars. The colour change of the nail, streaks and stains.
- Of hypertrophic scars. Not only the color change, but also easy to deformation. Most often, the nail becomes deformed with the edges.
- Onicholocheskiy. The nail is completely destroyed, atrophy and rejected.
Fungal infection may cause deformity of the nail at the free edge, the sides and rear of the cushion. As the disease process that affects the entire nail plate.
Reasons
Fungus on the toe nail appears not only due to low immunity. About 70% of people infected with a sick person, and this is often relative. The minimum height the skin of the feet, falls on the household items, which are in contact with the healthy tissue of the nail or the skin, to infect a healthy person.
The infection occurs most commonly with:
- Washcloths.
- Sponge.
- Towels.
- Carpets.
- Shoes.
- Manicure accessories.
When you visit the beach, saunas and baths without running Shoes there is a high risk of infection with a fungus of the feet. High humidity and temperatures, infection occurs much more frequently.
Especially attentive it is necessary to be in public places where people walk barefoot. Fungus resistant to low and high temperatures and sand on the beach to maintain their viability for several months.
The smallest of sores and abrasions on the leg by contact with infected objects can cause onychomycosis. It is not necessary to continue wearing the shoes for other people, even if it is the external manifestation of the fungus are detected. They can be carriers of pathogenic organisms, and with strong immunity, the disease does not manifest itself.
Characters
In the initial phase of the fungus on the feet is manifested by dryness and peeling. In this time people will not notice visible changes to the nail plate, but he suffers from the itching and burning sensation in the fingers. Gradually increased sweating, in rare cases, blisters and corns. With the introduction of the fungus on the nails is beginning to change its color, become brittle and cracked.
Nail under the microscope contains a mixture of and the void. Feet become smelly, but General symptoms increasing.
In severe cases, the body temperature increases and is severe painthat does not move normally. It looks like fungus on their feet, and what the changes characteristic largely depends on the type and power of the human immune system.
Fungus dermatophytes appear yellow longitudinal stripes, the yeast may cause flaking of the nail plate yellowing. Mold – cause surface damage to the nail plate, which can be yellow, brown, blue or green.
Description of the disease in different types of fungi, which is different, but common symptoms.
These include:
- The colour change of the nail plates.
- Itching and burning sensation of the skin on the toes.
- Stripes and spots under the nails.
- In the collapse and destruction of the nail at the sides.
- Redness of the skin around the nail.
- Hyperkeratosis (thickening of the nail).
The disease begins with injury to the nail of the little finger or big toe, after which there is infection of all the plates. There is cornification of the nail, it thickens and crumbles. Fungal infections, which usually affect adult men and the elderly, and children are very rare.
Treatment, dealing with the dermatologist or mycologist. For an accurate diagnosis is not enough visual checks and necessary laboratory investigations. For this small part of the nail sent to microscopic examination. Upon detection of the fungus to establish his opinion by seeding in nutrient broth.
Despite the fact that most of the diseases of the nail plates in the adult, it is a fungus, there are many diseases with similar symptoms. The defeat of the nail fungus can cause similar symptoms but requires different treatment. This is the felon, or an acute purulent inflammation of the fingers, which require surgery.
How to treat nail fungus?
Do not expect that the fungus will pass on its own. The longer a person suffers from this disease, the harder it will be to further treatment.
The duration of treatment and choice of medication depends on:
- The stage of the disease.
- The degree of damage to the nail.
- Clinical forms of the disease.
In the initial stage of nail fungus and the foot may require the use of local drugs, which may be in the form of:
- Solutions.
- Ointments fungus.
- Creams.
- The polishes.
Use preparations for external use, preferably after keratolytic treatment of the nail plate.
Before each treatment, using medicinal products, it is necessary to:
- To make soap-soda bath. In a small bath add a tablespoon of baking soda and salt and 50 g of soap. Keep your feet in the solution for about 15 minutes.
- For the treatment of damaged nail. With a special nail file the top layer of the nail deteriorated, so the drug is better absorbed.
- The use of medicines. Medication is applied to clean, dry nails and the skin around them.
When you use the solutions, ointments and creams, the drug is used 2-3 times a day, be happy – 2 times per week. The course of treatment by the doctor depending on the existing damage.
If the nail plate is completely shocked, and local medication will not have a positive effect, we recommend to combine them with the system antimykotika.
Systemic medications have a long list of contraindications and should be designated by the attending physician. Most of them are prohibited to take during pregnancy and lactation, in childhood and in chronic diseases of the liver and kidneys.
In severe cases, the under-nail fungus may require removal of the nail plate. The procedure can be done as surgically, and with the help of the keratolytic, which containing salicylic acid and urea.
Removal of the affected nail keratolytic patches differs depending on your comfort. After the steam foot patch gently applied to the affected nail plate and sealed with adhesive plaster. In a few days the plaster is removed, cut on the affected areas of the plate, which causes one of the antifungal drugs. The procedure can be performed several times.
During treatment, it is important to exclude the risk of repeated self-infection. The entire Shoe is treated with a special disinfectant solution. From socks that were worn before treatment, it is better to get rid of. In the future, each month, the other treatment footwear and clothing. If you refuse this procedure, after a short time, the fungus may reappear.
Symptoms and fungus treatment is completely individual, and at the first sign of this disease, you should consult with your doctor. Only he will be able to make an accurate diagnosis and select effective medication. Otherwise, the fungus will spread to other nails and completely destroy them.