Toenail fungus is a common disease that begins as a white or yellow spot at the tip of the nail. The fungus infects both fingernails and toenails. As the infection penetrates deeper, the nail plate becomes discolored, thickens and begins to crumble from the edges. The disease may affect several nails, but usually not all.
If you do not suffer from the symptoms of a fungal infection and do not experience discomfort, onychomycosis (the correct medical name for this ailment) can be left untreated. If there is a pain syndrome, and there are signs of thickening of the plates, you should pay close attention to onychomycosis of the nails. Treatment at home is quite safe. Inexpensive drugs that are sold in pharmacies without a prescription will help you. The only negative is that even with effective treatment, the fungus can return.
If the infection has spread to the areas between the toes and the skin of the feet, the diseasecalled tinea pedis (mycosis).
Symptoms
Onychomycosis - what is it and how to determine if you have this disease? First, find out if you have characteristic symptoms. Usually, an ailment is diagnosed in cases where one or more nails:
- thickened;
- became brittle, began to crumble, acquired jagged edges;
- deformed;
- faded, lost their shine;
- darkened.
Infected nails may separate from the nail bed, a symptom of the disease called onycholysis. This condition is characterized by soreness in the fingertips and a slight unpleasant odor.
Try to eliminate onychomycosis nails yourself. Home treatment is effective for most patients. If it does not help, it is better to consult a doctor. Patients diagnosed with diabetes should see a specialist immediately.
Reasons
The skin is parasitized by a special fungus - a dermatophyte that causes onychomycosis. What it is? A fungus is a microscopic organism that does not depend on sunlight for survival. Some microorganisms of this type are beneficial to humans, but most lead to diseases and infections.
Fungi:
- live in warm, humid environments, including pools and showers;
- capable of penetrating the skin through microscopic, invisible to the naked eyecuts, as well as as a result of a slight separation of the plate from the nail bed;
- may cause he alth problems if your hands are often warm and wet.
Arms and legs
Toenail onychomycosis is more common than handnail infections because:
- toenails are often found in a dark, warm, damp environment (in shoes) that provides ideal conditions for fungus to thrive;
- toes receive less blood than fingers, making it difficult for the immune system to recognize and destroy the infection in time.
Risk factors
You may be at risk for onychomycosis of the nails if you:
- Relate to older age groups. Over the years, the blood flow becomes less intense, while the nails are forced to coexist with potentially dangerous fungi for many years. In addition, older people's nails grow more slowly.
- Suffer from profuse sweating.
- Be male, especially if you have a family history of fungal infections.
- Working in wet conditions or in a position that requires frequent handwashing.
- Wear socks and shoes that don't let air through your skin and don't absorb sweat.
- Living with a carrier of a fungal infection.
- Walk barefoot in public places with high humidity (pools, gyms, showers).
- Sufferingtinea pedis.
- Minor nail damage or skin disease (such as psoriasis).
- If you have diabetes or circulatory problems, or if you have been diagnosed with a weakened immune system or (in children) Down's syndrome.
Complications
There are a number of complications that can cause onychomycosis. What it is? These are usually other serious infections triggered by a severe case of infection with the fungus. How to determine the severity of the disease? If your fingers hurt, your nails are deformed, you should consult a doctor, otherwise such symptoms may remain for life. Other infections affect the body when the immune system is weakened by drugs, diabetes or other ailments.
With diabetes, there is a risk of circulatory disorders and innervation of the legs. The risk of contracting a bacterial skin infection is also great. If you have diabetes and suspect fungal changes in the appearance of your nails, seek medical advice as soon as possible.
Diagnosis
First of all, the doctor examines the affected nails. He may take a sample of plaque from under the nails and send the material to the laboratory for analysis to determine the specific type of fungal infection.
Other ailments, such as psoriasis, often have the same outward signs as onychomycosis of the nails. Infection can also be triggered by microorganisms such as yeast and bacteria. Knowing the exact cause of the disease will finallydetermine the optimal course of therapy.
Onychomycosis: treatment (drugs)
If home treatment and conventional pharmacy antifungal agents have not coped with the infection, you should visit a doctor and start a new course of therapy. Drugs for onychomycosis are divided into the following groups:
Antifungal drugs for oral administration. According to the results of scientific research, it turned out that the most effective drugs for the fungus are Terbinafine and Itraconazole. They contribute to the growth of a he althy nail and the gradual replacement of the infected area with a normal nail plate. Preparations of this type are taken for a course of six to twelve weeks, but the final result will become apparent only when a he althy nail grows back completely. Clearing the infection often takes four months, and even longer, as onychomycosis becomes more difficult to overcome as the disease spreads
Home treatment, even with drugs recommended by doctors, is less effective if the patient is over 65 years old, so older people are advised to combine this group of drugs with topical ointments. Also be aware that oral medications can cause side effects ranging from skin rashes to liver problems. You may need to take blood tests periodically to monitor your body's response to medication. You will not be prescribed these drugs if you have liver disease or heart failure with congestion, orthe need to regularly take specific medications.
- Anti-fungal nail polish. If you have onychomycosis, drugs to fight the infection may include a special nail polish called Cyclopirox. It is applied to the nail plates and surrounding skin once a day. After a week of application, you need to wipe off the accumulated layers of varnish with alcohol and start applying again. You may have to use the product every day for a year.
- Medicinal nail cream. A doctor may prescribe an antifungal cream (ointment) that must be rubbed into infected nails after steaming. You can increase the effectiveness of the drug by thinning the nail plates - so the cream will quickly get through the nail to the fungus. To make nails thinner, you can use an over-the-counter drug - any lotion with a high urea content. Sometimes special tools are used for this purpose.
Other treatments
For a patient diagnosed with onychomycosis of the nails, treatment (drugs, folk remedies) is simply necessary. But what if non-invasive techniques just don't work?
If your nail is severely affected by a fungal infection, your doctor will suggest removing the nail. A new he althy nail usually grows at the site of removal, but this process can take more than a year. Sometimes surgery is combined with the use of "Cyclopirox", which helps to heal the nail bed.
There are other therapies that can cure onychomycosis. What it is? This is the effect of laser and light for medical purposes. The effect of these procedures has not yet been fully studied, but they really help to improve the condition of patients with onychomycosis and practically do not require the use of additional drugs.
Things you can do yourself
If you have discovered that you have onychomycosis of the nails, treatment (drugs and procedures) can be carried out with relative safety at home, without going to clinics and medical centers.
Try the following:
- Use over-the-counter antifungal nail creams and ointments. As a rule, there are always several products from different manufacturers in stock. If you notice that white spots have appeared on the surface of the nail, scrape them off, soak the nails in water, dry them and apply a medicated cream or lotion to them. If dermatophytosis of the feet complicates your onychomycosis of the nails, drugs should be selected in a complex way: cream for the nail plates, powder or spray for the skin of the legs. Remember to keep your feet dry and clean.
- Remember the rule of regular manicure and pedicure. Polish, trim, correct and reduce the thickness of nails. These simple procedures will help relieve pain. Taking care of your nails just before applying the antifungal helps the medication penetrate deeper.
Usefulhint
Before grinding off thick layers, you can carry out a simple procedure to soften the nails. Before going to bed, apply urea cream to infected nails and cover with a bandage. Wash off in the morning with soap and water. Repeat every day until the nails soften. The skin of the fingers should be treated with Vaseline.
Folk remedies
The following alternative medicines are especially effective in fighting fungus:
- Ceryngium extract. In one of the scientific studies, the effectiveness of the eryngium extract was equated with the effectiveness of Cyclopirox. The substance is applied to the affected nails once every three days during the first month and twice a week during the second month of treatment.
- Tea tree oil. It is applied to the nails twice a day, but the effectiveness of the oil has not yet been scientifically proven. Nevertheless, many recommend it as the optimal folk remedy for the treatment of onychomycosis.
