It is no secret that modern humans are at risk of becoming infected with onychomycosis every day. Fingernails and toenail fungus are very insidious and can be caught anywhere. But many have no idea how to recognize it and how to attract it. Infection occurs by taking a fragment 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 immediately discuss the symptoms and treatment with a dermatologist, otherwise irreversible processes may begin.
Fungi under the nails and on the fingers are 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 itching sensations as well as by deformity of the toenails. Gains a characteristic yellow tinge and scaly spots on the surface.
Some people are just scared of the thought of this disease. At the first manifestations, they dig up a lot of literature and, in panic, run to the hospital for explanations. Above all, they are concerned about:
- How to get rid of toenail fungus?
- Why are toenail fungus dangerous?
- Will it be necessary to remove the toenails in case of fungus?
- What to do if toenail fungus appears?
In this article we will try to answer the questions posed. Treatment of nail onychomycosis is long-term and requires a competent, responsible approach.
Mildness and improper use of pharmaceutical preparations will lead to lack of proper results. Therefore, drug treatment of fungi should be carried out strictly according to the course prescribed by the specialist.
The treatment regimen for exposed toenail fungus on your feet should include local treatment of the affected areas and taking medication by mouth (by swallowing).
The main ways and causes of infection
Close communication with a mycosis carrier or contact with his shoes is a direct route to infection and subsequent treatment of nail fungus, which is always accompanied by questions: how to defeat toenail fungus and what are the most effective meansfor toenail fungus. Also, a similar concern can occur in crowded places, which are extremely suitable for successful life and the spread of parasites, here the fungus appears very quickly. These include various sports complexes, swimming pools, saunas. But more often colon fungus on the foot occurs in lovers of tight, closed shoe models, as well as in people suffering from excessive sweating. Doctors say that mainly mushroom species prefer moist conditions with a neutral and slightly alkaline environment.
In some cases, toenail fungus appears after the next visit to the beauty salon where you performed the pedicure procedure. This may be due to the negligent attitude of the salon masters towards their duties, from which they do not follow the basic rules for processing the tool used.
The onset of fungus under the nails in childhood is a rare phenomenon; adult men and women are more sensitive to it. This fact is explained by a decrease in the body's defenses and a deviation of the skin pH from the norm due to increasing age. The reasons why nail fungus appears on the feet can be various. But more often, toenail mycosis is manifested against the background of the following deviations:
- Problems in the work of the gastrointestinal tract;
- Thyroid disorders;
- Endocrinological diseases;
- Kidney dysfunction.
People with an addiction to tobacco products and alcoholic beverages also run the risk of becoming owners of a nail fungus. How to identify toenail fungus? Summer very simple. Signs of toenail fungus are a color change towards brown, white, yellow 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 begin to crumble, then become keratinized. After a while, you will see for yourself how toenail fungus manifests itself. Increases will appear, as they are neglected, they will increase in size and interfere with therapy. Unfortunately, in the first stage, many do not even know about the presence of the disease, the symptoms of toenail fungus are not expressed. But then, it quickly destroys the nail plate and neglected nail fungus on your feet already requires a complex treatment.
Preventive measures for onychomycosis infection
You should be aware that any 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 performing disinfection measures at home. As mentioned above, foot infections (the most common toenail fungus) can occur anywhere, but the easiest way to get it on the limbs is from onychomycosis family members who have toenail fungus. Dermatophyte transmission occurs through the sharing of household items, but there are many other ways to get the fungus as well.
Preventing toenail fungus involves a number of simple conditions:
- Use only your shoes;
- If the shoes get wet, they should be dried and only then put back on;
- Remove porous-textured floor mats from the bathroom;
- Change socks regularly to clean ones;
- After washing, wipe dry feet while paying special attention to the area between the toes;
- Use therapeutic and prophylactic antifungal drugs to treat toenails after water procedures;
- Use personal hygiene products (scissors, files);
- Avoid conditions of increased sweating and dryness, which leads to premature treatment of various foot injuries (cracks, scratches, calluses);
- Increase the body's defenses.
As for public places, in order not to get fungus on your toenails, try wearing flip flops and indoor pool shoes.
When someone living with you in the same apartment started treating nail fungus on their feet, in order to avoid spreading the infection, be sure to clean the bathroom behind it. To fight spores, you can use, for example, chloramine in proportions equal to the detergent. After application, the mixture is left for 30 minutes, then removed.
There are many reasons for the appearance of fungus and you should get rid of it by all means. Treatment of toenail mycosis also provides for a special treatment of the patient’s linen, 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 foot onychomycosis
How to recognize toenail fungus? In this situation, in the initial stage of the infection, a person experiences excessive dryness and characteristic skin of the feet, which may be accompanied by severe itching and reddening of the skin. In practice, the symptoms of nail fungus vary in a wide variety, typical for each specific case.
The development of the disease can begin by modest peeling in the folds between the toes. 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 toenails vary. Parasitic spores tend to penetrate deeper, forming a yellow spot with stripes on the nail. You can also recognize toenail fungus from brittle and broken nail plates, a gap forms under them.
Summer very important to treat nail onychomycosis, as with a particularly severe course of the disease, body temperature can rise, and any movement is also difficult.
If you have a fungus on toenails that itches, cracks and is dry, start treatment immediately.
Seek help from a dermatologist, he knows what a fungus is, and how to accurately diagnose nail fungus, and will also show you the best comprehensive treatment. Sometimes at first it is enough to use sprays, powders or various antifungal gels for the feet, however, when you observe the fungus under the toenails, this is already serious.
Not everyone knows that the diseases associated with mycoses are eczema and psoriasis, which are even more difficult to get rid of. Therefore, if you still doubt whether it is worth it and whether it is possible to cure toenail fungus, do not forget these two terrible diseases, the consequences of which are more terrible.
Treatment of onychomycosis
Today, experts will show you how to quickly cure toenail fungus and how to properly treat it at home. For this, there are various modern medicines. They should be consumed in accordance with the dose and regularly. Recently, the pulse therapy method has proven to be excellent for treating toenail fungus. The therapy of the disease is developed in a short time with the use of antifungal agents in shock doses, while the side effects are minimized. It is characterized by quite 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 advice on how to treat onychomycosis using various films, coatings with special varnishes or oils, the basis of which are fungicidal agents. He will prescribe competent treatment, even if the nail fungus has already shifted from the thumb to the others. But, unfortunately, medicines do not always solve the problem, and the question of how to deal with toenail fungus remains important. In fact, in order to get the desired effect and do the quick treatment of the nails, it is necessary to first identify the type of pathogen and the degree of its spread. The test results obtained are guaranteed to show you how to treat toenail fungus. And only after that you should start buying expensive medicines.
Sometimes it happens that you have to remove the nail surgically. Do not 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 local agents, gels and varnishes, medicines 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 beneficial 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 plants in different ways:
- Fresh juice. By removing celandine, it is necessary to immediately treat the affected skin and juicy nail plates. Allow to dry for about five minutes and repeat the procedure. This should be done at least three times.
- Butter Celandine oil treatment is performed by applying it to the infected areas 1-2 times a day until a state of complete remission. Do not be surprised if the surface of the nails becomes 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 our article is helpful to you and helps you cope with this disease quickly. Remember that the sooner we treat the identified disease, the more effective the expected result. In addition, the correct approach to the treatment process will save you a lot of valuable time and "do not fly on a nice penny".
Be healthy!