It is no secret that modern people are at risk of onychomycosis every day. Toenails and nail fungus are very insidious and can be infected anywhere. But many people do not know how to identify it and how to withdraw it. Infection occurs by taking fragments of the skin or nail plate from the patient. Since you only notice the first signs of toenail fungus after a long time, determining the source itself is not an easy task. In this case, self-administration is not recommended, and it is best to discuss the symptoms and treatment with a dermatologist immediately, otherwise an irreversible process may begin.
The fungus under the nails and on the fingers is one of the most common infectious diseases, and its development is caused by the epidermophyton (microorganism). It can be recognized by the presence of compulsive itching and deformation of the toenails. It obtains characteristic spots of yellowish color and scales on the surface.
Some people are scared when they think of this disease. He first showed the signs, turned out a large amount of literature, and ran to the hospital in a panic to explain. After all, what they worry about is:
- How to get rid of toenail fungus?
- Why is toenail fungus dangerous?
- If fungus appears, do I need to remove my toenails?
- What to do if toenail mold appears?
In this article, we will try to answer the questions raised. The treatment of nail onychomycosis is long-term and requires capable and responsible methods.
Reckless and irregular use of pharmaceutical preparations can lead to lack of proper results. Therefore, the medical treatment of fungus should be carried out in strict accordance with the course of treatment prescribed by the specialist.
Treatment options for nail fungus detected on the feet must include topical treatment of the affected area and oral medication (by swallowing).
Main ways and causes of infection
Close communication with a fungal disease carrier or contact with his shoes is a direct way to infect and treat toenail fungus. This is always accompanied by questions: how to combat toenail fungus and what is the most effective treatment for toenail fungus. In addition, similar nuisances may occur in crowded places, which is very convenient for a successful life and the spread of parasites, where fungi will appear soon. These include various sports venues, swimming pools, and saunas. But in most cases, the colonization of fungus on the feet occurs in people who like tight, closed shoes, and people who sweat too much. The doctor said that most types of fungi prefer a humid environment with a neutral and slightly alkaline environment.
In some cases, toenail fungus will appear after your next visit to the beauty salon where you performed the pedicure procedure. This may be due to the negligent attitude of the salon owners to their duties, and they do not abide by the basic rules of handling tools.
Fungus under the nails in childhood is a rare phenomenon; adult men and women are more susceptible to infection. The explanation for this fact is the decline of the body's defenses and the deviation of skin pH from normal due to age. The causes of nail fungus on the feet may vary. But in most cases, toenail mycosis manifests in the context of the following deviations:
- Problems in gastrointestinal work;
- Thyroid disease;
- Endocrine diseases;
- Adrenal dysfunction.
People who are addicted to tobacco products and alcoholic beverages may also become owners of nail fungus. How to identify toenail fungus? this is very simple. Signs of toenail fungus are changes in color to brown, white, yellow, or other shades. Its color is affected by specific pathogens, it can be yeast, mold or dermatophytes.
The nail plate will become brittle and start to crack, and then become keratinized. After a while, you will see for yourself how toenail fungus manifests. Growth will occur, and when they are ignored, their size will increase and interfere with treatment. Unfortunately, in the first stage, many people do not even know the existence of the disease, and the fungal symptoms on the toenails do not show up. But then, it quickly destroys the nail plate, and the neglected toe nail fungal disease already requires complex treatment.
Preventive measures for onychomycosis infection
You should know that any fungus is an extracellular parasite, and they are known for their special vitality. Their spores can withstand extremely low and extremely high temperatures (-60°C-+ 100°C), and many of them are not afraid to use chemicals when disinfecting at home. As mentioned above, foot infections (the most common toenail fungus) can occur anywhere, but the most susceptible way to infect the limbs is from a family member suffering from toenail fungus onychomycosis. The spread of dermatophytes occurs through sharing household items, but there are many other ways to infect the fungus.
Preventing toenail fungus involves many simple conditions:
- Use only your own shoes;
- If the shoes get wet, they must be wiped dry before putting them on;
- Take out the porous texture floor mat from the bathroom;
- Change socks regularly to clean the socks;
- After bathing, dry your feet and pay special attention to the area between your toes;
- Use curative and preventive antifungal drugs to treat toenails after water surgery;
- Use personal hygiene products (scissors, files);
- Avoid increased sweating and dryness, which can lead to delayed treatment of various injuries to the feet (cracks, abrasions, calluses);
- Increase the body's defense capabilities.
As for public places, in order to avoid the fungus on the toenails, try to wear flip-flops on the beach and fit shoes in the pool.
When people who live in the same apartment with you start to treat nail fungus on their feet, in order to avoid the spread of infection, be sure to clean the bathroom afterwards. For example, to combat spores, you can use chloramine in the same proportion as the detergent. After application, let the mixture sit for 30 minutes and then take it out.
There are many reasons why fungus appears, and you need to get rid of it in any way. The treatment of toenail mycosis also provides special treatment for the patient's bed sheets (including socks). They can be boiled in a 2% soda and soap solution for about 20 minutes and then ironed. It is recommended to treat the pedicure scissors with alcohol regularly.
The main symptoms of leg onychomycosis
How to recognize toenail fungus? In this case, in the initial stage of infection, a person will face excessive dryness and characteristic peeling of the feet, accompanied by severe itching and skin discoloration to reddish. In practice, the symptoms of nail fungus are diverse, and each specific case is typical.
The development of the disease can begin with inconspicuous peeling in the folds between the fingers. If you sweat a lot, you will get diaper rash. Sometimes very itchy small blisters are added to it. The color and shape of the toenails will change. Parasitic spores tend to penetrate deeper and form streaked yellow spots on the nails. You can also identify toenail fungus by the fragile and cracked nail plate, which creates a gap underneath.
Treatment of onychomycosis is very important, because the course of the disease is very serious, the body temperature will rise, and any exercise is also very difficult.
If your toenail fungus is itchy, cracked, and dry, start treatment immediately.
Seek help from a dermatologist. He knows what fungus is, how to accurately judge nail fungus, and will tell you the best comprehensive treatment. Sometimes a variety of antifungal sprays, powders or gels on the feet are sufficient at first, but when you look at the fungus under the toenails, this is already serious.
Not everyone knows that the accompanying diseases of fungal diseases are eczema and psoriasis, which are more difficult to remove. So, if you still doubt whether it is worth it, whether it is possible to cure toenail fungus, remember these two terrible diseases, the consequences are even more terrible.
Treatment of onychomycosis
Today, an expert will tell you how to quickly cure toenail fungus and how to treat it properly at home. For this, there are various modern medicines. They must be eaten according to the dosage and on a regular basis. Recently, pulse therapy has proven to be an excellent treatment for toenail fungus. The use of shock doses of antifungal agents can treat the disease in a short time while minimizing side effects. Its characteristic is that the rest time between courses is quite long. Pulse therapy is used in critical situations, when you no longer know how and how to get rid of nail fungus.
In addition, dermatologists will provide advice on how to use various films, varnish coatings or special ointments (based on fungicides) for the treatment of onychomycosis. Even if the nail fungus has been transferred from the big toe to the other toes, he will prescribe effective treatments. Unfortunately, drugs do not always solve the problem, and how to deal with toenail fungus is still very important. In fact, if you want to achieve the desired effect and make the nail treatment faster, you must first determine the type of pathogen and the degree of transmission. The test results obtained are guaranteed to tell you how to treat toenail fungus. Only after that should you start buying expensive drugs.
Sometimes, you must have your nails removed surgically. Don't worry, the removed nail plate will grow back over time. And this process is absolutely painless.
Antifungal agent
In order to eliminate fungal pathogens, you need to use special tablets and topical agents, gels and varnishes, and medicines to remove the affected nail plate. Experts will recommend the most suitable medicine.
Folk recipes
For traditional medicine enthusiasts, there have been a large number of effective methods and recipes over the years. If you are still thinking about how to treat toenail fungus, try some of them.
Celandine treatment
Celandine is a common herb with rich medicinal value. In addition to useful substances, it also contains toxic substances. They are necessary to treat parasitic infections because they can quickly eliminate harmful microorganisms. You can use herbs in different ways:
- fresh fruit juice. After picking celandine, the affected skin and nail plate must be treated with juice immediately. Let it dry for about five minutes, and then repeat the process. This must be done at least three times.
- butter. For treatment with celandine oil, apply it to the infected area 1-2 times a day until complete relief. Don't be surprised if the nail surface turns red-this is absolutely normal.
- Treatment costs. We need: oregano juice, celandine juice and calendula tincture (2: 5: 2). All of these are mixed with a small amount of boiling water and applied on the nail plate 3-4 times a day.
Now you know how to recognize nail fungus and how an insidious infection starts. We really hope that our article will be useful to you and help you deal with this disease quickly. Remember, the faster we treat a certain disease, the more effective the expected result will be. In addition, the correct method of the treatment process will save you a lot of precious time and "without spending a penny".
health!