Onychomycosis can affect men and women of all ages. Not all patients understand how dangerous nail fungus is. Many consider this problem purely cosmetic. Therefore, there are times when women mask the fungus under extended nails, and some men simply ignore this problem. Unfortunately, this attitude can cause serious harm to he alth.
Onychomycosis
WHO experts claim that about 25% of the world's population is affected by nail fungus. At the same time, a few decades ago, the problem was not so acute. Researchers suggest that the benefits of modern civilization contributed to the spread of the disease. For example, beauty salons and sports complexes.
Gyms, swimming pools, baths and spas should help improve human he alth. But it turned out that warm showers and changing rooms have become real breeding grounds for pathogenic fungi. That's where the parasites eagerly awaitmeeting with the new owner.
Immediately after infection, the fungus does not manifest itself. First, it must be fixed in the human body. Over time, the first symptoms begin to appear. The fight against the disease must begin as soon as the pathology is diagnosed. Otherwise, the treatment may drag on for several long months.
What is dangerous nail fungus for the human body, doctors are well aware. Unfortunately, this pathology can threaten with serious complications, especially if the person's immunity is weakened. Therefore, medical attention should be sought at the first suspicious symptoms.
Causes of disease
Any person can get infected with a fungus. But in people with a weakened immune system or various chronic pathologies, the chances of getting sick are much higher. The causes of the appearance of fungus on the nails are different for everyone, the main factors include:
- Poor-quality processing of manicure instruments.
- Injury to the nail.
- Shoes made of synthetic materials or too tight.
- Endocrine disorders.
- Deterioration of blood circulation in the limbs.
- Poor personal hygiene.
- Varicose.
- Hyperhidrosis.
- Using someone else's shoes.
- Using hormonal contraceptives or long-term antibiotic treatment.
- Avitaminosis.
- Slowdown in the body of metabolic processes.
- Fungal lesions of the skin. These patients are at high risk of being diagnosed with onychomycosis.nails.
- Walking barefoot in locker rooms.
- Hormonal imbalance.
- Wrong diet. Especially the predominance of sweets and refined foods in the diet.
- HIV
How does nail fungus get infected? The infection is introduced through scratches, chafing and even diaper rash. In addition, spores can get under the nail fold from the side of the free edge of the plate. The fungus is able to exist on the skin for several hours and even days, waiting for a favorable moment for its activation.
Symptoms and stages
It is almost impossible to immediately notice how the fungus begins on the nails. The first two or three days there are no symptoms of infection. Then a slight itching begins in the affected area or near it. Gradually develops dryness and peeling of the skin, as well as hyperemia. In the event that a person’s immunity is strong, this stage can last up to several months and even years.
If the infection continues to develop, the affected nail begins to turn yellow. Small cracks may form on the plate, often extending to the skin.
In the event that the patient does not start treatment at this stage, other symptoms appear. For example, the lower part of the plate becomes more and more loose, while the nail itself becomes thinner and more stratified.
At the last stage, painful cracks begin to appear on the skin. Nails are deformed and destroyed, often they turn black and thin out an unpleasant odor. At this stage, complete loss of the nail is possible.
Types of fungus
Smite the nailsplates are not capable of all types of fungi. Without the help of doctors, the patient is not able to independently classify the pathogen, which means that self-treatment may be ineffective. This is what is dangerous about nail fungus: while the patient will be unsuccessfully treating onychomycosis, time will be lost. The infection will have time to affect the surrounding tissues and internal organs.
Doctors distinguish the following types of fungus that can affect the nail plates:
- Dermatophytes. Most often, infection occurs during contact with an infected person or through contact with soil containing spores. The microorganism rarely infects people with strong immunity. First, only the tip of the nail becomes infected, then the plate is completely affected.
- Yeast mushrooms. Contact with a carrier is not necessary for infection. Candida is present on the skin and mucous membranes of most people, the pathology begins to progress if the immune system weakens. Often the disease fades for no apparent reason and escalates again.
- Mold mushrooms. There are more than 40 species of this microorganism. It is difficult to diagnose and treat, it can destroy the entire nail plate in the shortest possible time. In addition, it is able to penetrate the body and affect internal organs and systems.
Diagnosis
Onychomycosis is best treated at the first stage of its development. In order for the doctor to prescribe the most effective drug, he must know the type of parasite. Therefore, the doctor may prescribe the following diagnostic procedures:
- Antibiogram of contents from the nail canal.
- Skin or nail scraping to test for parasitic fungi.
- Bacteria culture with antimycoticogram.
Possible Complications
Onychomycosis does not have a harmful effect on the body at the initial stage of its development. Therefore, people who have not encountered this pathology before do not understand how dangerous nail fungus is, they ignore the first symptoms and delay treatment. Doctors are aware of cases when patients sought help already when almost all the nail plates were destroyed.
An advanced form of nail fungus can undermine the patient's he alth. The danger of the disease lies in the possible complications. These include:
- Irreversible nail changes.
- Paronychius.
- Exacerbation of eczema and dermatitis.
- General intoxication of the body.
- Exacerbation of chronic inflammatory diseases.
- Decreased immunity.
- The entry of pathogens into damaged skin.
- Penetration of the fungus into nearby internal organs.
Use of pharmaceutical preparations
At home, the treatment of nail fungus can be carried out only after consulting a doctor and making a diagnosis. The doctor will prescribe a treatment regimen and a dose of the drug. Most often, onychomycosis is treated with topical drugs. The most effective are:
- "Lamisil". Used once or twice a dayday. It is effective both for combating advanced pathology and for prevention. The duration of treatment depends on the stage of the disease. Not recommended for children under 12.
- "Nizoral". Contains ketoconazole. Treatment can last from two to four weeks. The cream is most effective in the early stages of the disease.
- Clotrimazole. This drug should be applied three times a day. Clotrimazole is able to completely rid the patient of the fungus in just two weeks.
- "Exoderil". The medicinal substances that make up the cream destroy the cell membrane of the parasite, and it dies. The drug quickly relieves itching and hyperemia. Not intended for pregnant and lactating.
- "Mikozan". The ointment is applied with an applicator strictly to the affected areas, twice a day. To enhance the effect, it is recommended to process the surface of the nail plate with a nail file.
Treatment of advanced stages of onychomycosis may require systemic drug treatment, which involves taking drugs by mouth. In rare cases, the doctor may resort to surgery and remove the nail plate.
Recipes of traditional medicine
Treatment of nail fungus at home can be done using traditional medicine recipes. The most suitable treatment option should be selected with a dermatologist. This will help avoid complications and increase the effectiveness of treatment.
The following methods have worked well:
In a liter of hot water dissolve in the dining rooma spoonful of soda and sea s alt. The legs are dipped into the liquid and held until it cools down. Repeat daily, at least twice a day. After the bath, the affected areas are smeared with iodine
- Tar soap is crushed into crumbs and mixed with a small amount of water. The resulting foam is applied to the affected areas and kept for at least 20 minutes.
- Pass a few cloves of garlic through the press. The resulting slurry is used for compresses. Manipulation is repeated twice a day. The compress should be kept for at least 30 minutes.
- Horseradish root is crushed with a meat grinder. The pulp is applied to the problem area and covered with cling film. This compress is left all night.
- A small piece of kombucha is applied to the affected nail and fixed with a bandage. The compress is left until the morning.
Prevention
Prevention helps to avoid infection with onychomycosis. Treating toenail fungus can be expensive and time-consuming. Therefore, it is better to do everything to prevent infection.
You can protect yourself by observing the following rules:
- Attentive attitude to he alth. Treat any scratches, blisters and abrasions with an antiseptic and seal with a band-aid.
- Daily quality hygiene. For hyperhidrosis of the legs, special drying agents with antibacterial and antifungal effects should be used.
- Use custom shoes.
ExceptIn addition, in places where you can become infected with an illness, maximum caution should be exercised. For example, it is better to enter the shower room of the gym in rubber slippers.
