Currently, approximately 25% of the world's inhabitants suffer from fungal infections. Often the disease is expressed on the legs. The fungus of the nail on the big toe delivers many unpleasant moments, depriving a person of a normal, quiet life. In addition, it can spread to neighboring areas. How to cure a fungus on the big toe? What medicines are most effective? Answers to these questions in our article.
Reasons for appearance
Fungus on the skin of the big toe can be picked up in public places (baths, saunas, swimming pools, water parks and other institutions where people walk without shoes). It should be noted that fungal spores often get on the skin of people, but not everyone becomes infected. For infection to occur, the microorganism needs to enter the skin cells, gain a foothold there and begin to multiply. This is facilitated by wounds and microcracks. We may not see them, but to fungus they are doors wide open.
It is also possible to become infected with it if one of the family members is already sick with mycosis. This is observed if people do not follow the rules of personal hygiene, share a towel, sleep in the same bed, share shoes and socks.
The risk of fungus infection in public places is reduced if a person has a strong immune system.
Mycosis on the toenail can also appear after trying on shoes in stores or on the market, if you do it on a bare foot.
Other factors contributing to fungal infection:
- Lack of foot hygiene.
- Excessive sweating (sweat is a great breeding ground for fungi).
- Flat feet.
- Wearing tight shoes.
- Old age (over the years, blood circulation is disturbed in people, immunity weakens).
- Performing a pedicure with undisinfected instruments.
More often, the fungus first appears on the skin of the thumb, since it is easier for it to develop in the soft layers of the dermis. If the disease is not treated, it goes to the nails. However, in some cases, onychomycosis is the primary disease, and already from the affected nail plate, microorganisms spread to the skin.
Signs
Microorganisms that infect the nail plate secrete enzymes that contribute to its destruction. Thus, the fungus prepares space for its own reproduction and growth of colonies. Symptoms depend on the stage of the disease.
Mycosis of the skin is manifested in severe itching. This is the very firstsign. Then a bubble appears, filled with light exudate. The bubble bursts, and a deep crack forms in its place. It is extremely painful, it even hurts a person to walk in shoes. In addition, the wound continues to itch. Dry, flaky skin forms around it. The crack may heal, but soon reappear.
On the nail plate, the disease does not manifest itself at first. It is possible to suspect from separate whitish spots and stripes that there is a nail fungus on the big toe. The photo above shows what the affected area looks like.
At the second stage, the nail fades (sometimes turns yellow), significantly thickens and curves. It can often grow into the skin, causing pain when walking and local inflammation.
At the third stage of onychomycosis, the nail becomes loose, it hurts to cut it. In some patients, it may flake off the skin. At this stage, the patient poses a significant threat to others, as his nail plate becomes a receptacle for fungal spores, which are easily dispersed over surfaces.
Classification
There are three stages in onychomycosis:
- First - there is no texture change, tone modifications are not visible enough: stripes, specks may appear.
- Second - the plate becomes yellowish, stops shining, an unpleasant smell comes from the feet.
- Third - the plate loses its own texture, becomes loose, exfoliates from the nail bed.
Pothe color of the nail, you can figure out which fungus occupied it:
- Yellowish spots indicate a dermatophyte lesion, while the changes are limited to areas in the center of the plate and along the edges.
- The location of changes along the edges and flaking indicate the defeat of fungi of the yeast family.
- The darkening of the plate indicates a lack of blood circulation in the finger and the attachment of molds.
Treatment
The success of treating toenail fungus depends entirely on how soon it is started. At the initial stages, local remedies can help to cure mycosis, and only surgical therapy can help in the later stages and an ingrown nail.
Medicines
Thumb nail fungus is treated with special varnishes, ointments and preparations taken orally. In the initial stages, the disease can be cured within 1-2 months, in the later stages it may take six months or even a year.
Lucky
The action of therapeutic varnishes is associated with a softening of the plate and a disinfecting result. The varnish penetrates the nail plate and destroys the fungus. The following drugs have similar qualities:
- "Loceryl" - a remedy for fungus of the toenail based on amorolfine, eliminates 10 types of fungi and their spores. Used twice a day until the nail plate is completely restored.
- "Betrafen" is a medical preparation based on cyclopyraxolamine. Apply once every 2 days for one week, then twice a week until the nail plate is restored.
- "Demikten" is a drug based on formic acid. It is used for fungal infections of the foot and nail, that is, it can also be used for the treatment of foot skin fungus. In addition, "Demicten" helps to get rid of cracks in the heels and remove the overthrow. Apply every day of restoration of the nail plate.
Ointments, creams and sprays
Such funds are used for dermatomycosis and onychomycosis. They are quite effective, and adverse reactions are extremely rare. It is recommended to apply these funds once or twice a day. These medicines include:
- "Kreolin" - therapy is effective even in advanced cases. The drug penetrates the skin and nail plate, destroys adult fungi and spores. This action is due to ichthyol and alkali included in this tool. Treatment is carried out once a day. The drug is produced in the form of a liquid solution.
- Ointment "Lamisil" - therapy with the drug lasts up to 6 months, the result is determined by the effect of terbinafine, which inhibits the metabolism of fungi. Apply once a day. The medicine is also produced in the form of a spray, which should be sprayed into the shoes of a patient with athlete's foot.
- "Iodinol" - the use of this substance helps to remove the affected plate. Produced in the form of a solution. It should be moistened with cotton wool and applied to the nail plate, making a compress. The course of treatment is 5 days.
Oral drugs
Pills for the treatment of fungus of the big toe are used in the later stages. With mycosis, only complex treatment can help. Oral medications include tablets and capsules:
- "Fluconazole" - the package includes 1 capsule. Use one capsule per week for 2-6 weeks.
- "Mycozoral" - the daily dose is 1 tablet. If there is no result, the dose should be increased to 2 tablets.
- "Terbinafine" - ringworm will recede for six months, take 1 pill per day.
How to remove a nail
In case of fungus on the big toe, the removal of the nail plate can give an effective result. To do this, use means that help soften the nail: patches, ointments, creams. Effective substances that can get rid of the fungus are:
- "Mycospor" - a cure for fungus on the big toe, reviews of which are mostly positive. Available in the form of an ointment. The kit includes patches and a scraper. The ointment should be applied to the nail, sealed with a plaster and kept for a day. Next, remove the patch, place the foot in warm water and remove the top layer of the nail with a scraper. Dry and reapply the ointment.
- "Onychoplast" - used to remove the nail with a fungus on the big toe. Nails need to be steamed in a hot bath, carefully remove the top layer of the nail, apply to the platemeans "Onychoplast", and stick a patch on top. It cannot be removed for 2 days.
Hardware pedicure
This is not a cosmetic procedure, but a medical one. Perform it in medical institutions. Hardware pedicure is done with a special nozzle with a grinding coating. With the help of this procedure, you can get rid of the fungus on the big toe. The photo shows the implementation of a hardware pedicure.
How the procedure works:
- The affected area is disinfected.
- Soften with special medicines.
- Remove the outer layer with nozzles.
The procedure is performed very carefully, gradually removing the layers. If the he althy part of the nail is affected, this can provoke further spread of the fungus.
The advantages of this method are:
- Quick removal of the affected parts of the nail.
- No pain.
- Getting good penetration for medicinal ointments and varnishes.
But this type of pedicure has disadvantages:
- Allergic reactions may occur.
- There is a risk of infection.
Laser
Laser technology is much more promising than other methods of fungus removal. The beam heats and destroys harmful microorganisms without touching he althy tissue.
Removal of nail plates by laser lasts several minutes. If more than one finger is infected, the laser procedure will take longer. To remove a nail with a fungus,Several sessions may be needed, depending on the extent of the lesion. He althy nails will grow back only after six months.
Surgical treatment
With this kind of procedure, the diseased nail is completely removed. Use this method only in cases where other methods could not help get rid of the disease. Removal of the nail on the big toe can destroy the fungus only if after the operation the patient undergoes complex treatment prescribed by the doctor.
Surgery is contraindicated:
- People with poor blood clotting.
- Having infectious and other diseases in the acute stage.
- Anaesthetic intolerant.
- For diabetics.
- Having immune diseases.
- With dilated veins and permeable capillaries.
How the operation is performed
The procedure itself is painless for the patient, as it is performed with anesthesia. The nail and the skin around it are treated with iodine. The doctor inserts a special tool under the nail plate and isolates it from the skin. If a small area of the nail is affected, only that part is removed.
After the procedure, antibiotic medicine is applied to the wound and bandaged. The healing process takes several weeks. Requires ligation. The process of growing a new nail can take several months.
Possible consequences:
- Cut, pain after the procedure.
- Infection.
- Irregular nail growth.
Recovery
Usually, the doctor provides personalized advice on wound care. However, there are some general tips:
- Bed rest after surgery for at least 1 month.
- An open wound must be treated regularly, new sterile dressings applied, medications (ointments, creams) used.
- The doctor prescribes medicines after the procedure (anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antifungal).
Prevention
To reduce the risk of infection with onychomycosis, you need to follow the relevant recommendations:
- You can get fungus in a beauty salon. This happens in case of insufficient sterilization of manicure-pedicure instruments. You should visit salons that have a good reputation and a large number of positive reviews.
- Accessories for a pedicure done at home, it is advisable to have your own, and not use someone else's.
- If your feet sweat a lot, you should dust them with talcum powder or powder, and wipe them dry after taking a bath or shower.
- It is recommended to take vitamins that increase immunity.
- Frequent pedicure operations thin the nail plate, break its structure, which contributes to fungal infection.
- Acetone nail polish remover can also damage the nail plate.
- It is forbidden to wear someone else's shoes.
- Drying towel must be personalized.
- Cracks in the feet are a risk condition for the appearance of mycosis, so they must be treated in a timely manner.
Folk remedies
Those who are interested in how to treat a fungus on the big toe should remember that there are traditional medicine methods that also show good results.
More commonly used recipes are:
- Lotions based on table vinegar. Take half a glass of water, glycerin and vinegar, mix. In the resulting liquid, a gauze napkin is moistened and applied to the nails affected by the fungus for 25 minutes. The procedure should be repeated 2 times a day.
- Coffee bath. Brew coffee (preferably natural) in such a way that the drink comes out strong, then wait until it cools down a bit. The legs must be lowered into the mixture for 25 minutes. The operation is required to be carried out daily for 5 days.
- Iodine. It is a cheap drug, but is considered a strong antiseptic. They lubricate the affected areas with a cotton swab. It is necessary to carry out the procedure for a week, then make a gap of 7 days and start the course again.
- Baths with sea s alt. Add a tablespoon of s alt to a bowl of warm water and dip your feet into it for 20 minutes.
- Headband with horseradish. It is necessary to take fresh horseradish roots, grate them on a fine grater. For a compress, a teaspoon of grated mass is enough. It is necessary to apply a bandage at night.
- Compress and potato bath. You need potato peels. They need to be washed and boiled, mashed. Use the broth in which the cleanings were cooked for a bath. After thatApply the prepared puree to the affected nails. Bandage. When the product has cooled, rub internal lard into the nails.
Folk remedies have an effect only in the initial stages of the disease. They can be used as a prophylaxis and in complex therapy.
Reviews
People suffering from fungi on their feet write that ointments, varnishes, sprays and any other external means help only with ringworm in the initial stage. They are not suitable for the treatment of onychomycosis, since they are not able to kill all the spores of the fungus. Therefore, during treatment, after a visible improvement, relapses are sure to occur.
Patients are advised not to spare shoes, socks, tights and throw them away during or after therapy.
Also, patients are advised to wear socks at home all the time to those people who have caught the fungus. Otherwise, the spores of the fungus will spread throughout the apartment.
According to those who are trying to get rid of nail fungus, this disease is very difficult to treat. The course of therapy should be long. The most effective means for oral use, but they all have many adverse reactions and contraindications.
Among the products for external use, Mikozan and Creolin deserve good reviews. Complaints cause "Lamisil" and "Exoderil". All patients agree that it is better to take preventive measures than to treat the disease.
