The problem of fungal infection of the toenail plates is known to many. According to medical statistics, this disease worries about 20% of the world's population. Only on the territory of our country more than 15 million people suffer from fungi. Therefore, the problem of how to treat nail fungus is extremely topical today. This disease in the medical environment is also called onychomycosis. The disease is more common in the stronger sex. This is due to the fact that they wear closed shoes more often. And this, in turn, prevents the flow of air to the feet, which contributes to the creation of a favorable environment for the rapid reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms.
Important!
The information in this section should not be used for self-diagnosis or self-treatment. In case of pain or other worsening of the disease, diagnostic tests should be prescribed only by a doctor. You should consult a specialist for diagnosis and proper treatment.
Symptoms of the disease
There are about 50 different types of fungi that can infect the human body. Therefore, to determine how to treat toenail fungus, you need to know the exact type of infection. The symptoms of the disease also vary depending on which pathogen caused it. When the patient is infected with a normotrophic fungus:
- there is a change in the color of the nail;
- spots and streaks appear on it;
- observed onycholysis.
In the atrophic type of the disease, the patient notices that his nail is slowly destroyed. The damage occurs at the outer end and moves towards the fold of the nail. At the beginning, only a change in the color of the plate indicates the disease. She becomes:
- gray;
- boring;
- mat.
In the future, there is a complete loss of the nail. In the case of hypertrophic fungus, a thickening of the plaque is observed. This happens due to the increased growth of skin scales. As a result, the nail can thicken up to two millimeters and be seriously deformed. The following symptoms indicate the occurrence of this disease:
- change in the shape of the nail (the side parts are destroyed);
- loss of gloss of the board;
- yellowing of the nails.
Treatment of toenail fungus should be started immediately when signs of lateral and distal lesions appear. These two types of diseases often occur in combination. This disease will be indicated by:
- the appearance of transverse grooves on the nail;
- changing the color of the plate (from blue-green to black);
- roughness of the affected areas.
The disease ends with complete loss of the nail, as well as nail inflammation. Regardless of the type of lesion, there are symptoms that trouble every patient with a fungus:
- itching in the affected area;
- delamination of plates;
- nail breakage and loss.
Causes
Fungus occurs due to tissue damage by mycotic bacteria. In almost 90% of cases, the disease is caused by dermatomycetes. In rare cases, fungi from the genus Candida, as well as mold microorganisms, become pathogenic. Pathogens can penetrate deep into the nail:
- through the dorsal part of the nail;
- below the distal margin;
- through the proximal fold.
In the first case, the fungus penetrates deep into the nail. This route of infection is characteristic of dermatomycetes. In the second case, the lesion occurs directly under the plate. This greatly complicates the treatment of toenail fungus, as it is difficult to act directly on the site of the infection due to its inaccessibility. Infection rarely penetrates through the proximal roller. In order for the fungus to enter the nail, certain conditions are required. Increase your risk of infection:
- mechanical damage to the nail area;
- wearing tight and uncomfortable shoes;
- constant contact with water;
- increased sweating;
- exposure to chemicals on the feet;
- non-compliance with the rules of personal hygiene.
You can get a fungus from a sick person. The causative agents of the disease are perfectly preserved in moist and warm rooms, so the infection most often occurs in showers, swimming pools, water parks and public bathrooms. Fungi can also be transmitted when sharing the following items:
- towels
- washcloths;
- slippers;
- scissors;
- pumice stone
Which doctor treats?
When the first symptoms that indicate the development of the disease appear, it is recommended to seek medical help immediately. Self-treatment is possible, but while trying to cope with the disease yourself, there is a high probability that you will infect all your loved ones, as well as cause the development of complications. Therefore, it is better to trust the professionals. Treatment and diagnosis of nail fungus are carried out by: dermatovenerologist, cosmetologist, podiatrist.
At the first appointment, the patient will be examined. The doctor should study the condition of the nail plate, determine the nature and prevalence of the disease. The patient should say as much as possible about all complaints, state his assumptions about the causes of the disease. In order to decide how to treat toenail fungus, it is important that the doctor conducts a survey. The specialist will ask the patient:
- Have there been similar problems in the past?
- Any other health complaints?
- Have you visited saunas, baths or swimming pools lately?
- Do your relatives suffer from nail fungus?
- Are there chronic diseases?
- How did you try to solve the problem yourself?
It is very important for the doctor to understand what kind of fungus has affected the nail. Diagnostic testing helps in detection. The patient will have a scraping from the affected part, which will be sent for laboratory testing. The study will determine the type of pathogen, as well as study its sensitivity to drugs.
Effective treatment of toenail fungus
You can deal with the disease quickly enough, if you strictly follow all the recommendations of experts. The doctor will create an individual therapy plan for the patient, select medications and indicate their maximum permitted dose. For the treatment of nail fungus, drugs are used in the form of:
- varnishes;
- solutions;
- plasters;
- creams.
It is necessary to apply them regularly. It is important not to mix several products, as their effect is reduced. It is impossible to obtain and use such drugs independently, because they have a number of contraindications. Only a doctor knows how to treat toenail fungus in such cases:
- with lactation;
- during pregnancy;
- in the presence of liver disease;
- in childhood.
It is very important to follow the rules for the use of these drugs. For example, before covering the board with a special anti-fungal varnish, you must:
- remove the affected part of the nail with a file;
- steam the leg;
- degrease the surface of the nail.
The medicine is applied in one layer. Remove it weekly with a simple nail polish remover. Then reapply. Some types of such products can be coated on top with ordinary nail polish. The duration of therapy depends on the type of pathogen, the spread of the disease, as well as the individual characteristics of the patient's body.
What is the best treatment?
The sooner a person consults a doctor, the easier and faster the problem will be solved. However, not all people immediately go to the hospital when the first signs of fungus appear. Many try to cope with the disease on their own, which leads to the disease going to an advanced stage. In this case, it will not be possible to cure it quickly. The patient will need a long and serious therapy, during which he will have to:
- take anti-fungal tablets;
- use means for topical application;
- wear band-aids all the time.
The doctor will determine how to treat toenail fungus in an advanced stage according to the extent of the lesions. If the plate is completely involved, then its removal is prescribed. Surgical methods can be used for this. However, most often the nail can be removed with the help of special preparations. The way to use them is as follows:
- A thick layer is applied to the steamed and well-dried leg.
- From above, the nail is fixed with plaster.
- After 4 days, it is removed, and the affected nail is scraped with manicure tools.
In this way, the fungi can be completely removed. Over time, a new and completely healthy nail will grow in place of the affected nail. If the therapy was carried out correctly and to the end, then you can completely get rid of the disease and do not worry about relapses.
Prevention of re-infection
Even after defeating the disease, there is a chance to face the problem again if certain rules are not followed. In this case, the treatment of toenail fungus will have to start all over again. Reinfection can be prevented by strict adherence to the following prevention methods:
- Keep your feet dry, don't walk in wet shoes.
- Don't wear other people's shoes.
- Use closed disposable slippers in saunas and bathrooms.
- Do not walk barefoot on the beach.
- Wear only socks made of natural fabric.
It is important to abandon uncomfortable and too tight shoes in which the feet sweat a lot. Also, disease prevention includes strengthening the immune system. If the body's defenses are fully working, even if the fungus penetrates the nail plate, they will solve the problem on their own. Therefore, it is very important:
- eat properly and nutritiously;
- avoid hypothermia;
- play sports;
- adhere to the regime of work and rest;
- treat all diseases in a timely manner.
Important!
Remember that only a qualified doctor can make an accurate diagnosis, determine the causes and nature of the disease and prescribe effective treatment.