Nail fungus

Nail fungus is a dermatological disease that affects more than 20% of humanity and causes not only aesthetic damage, but can also cause problems with human health and immunity.

Characterized by a change in the color of the nail plate, its deformation and crumbling, in medicine this pathology is called onychomycosis. An infection occurs when a fungus from the dermatophyte class enters under a healthy nail. It multiplies rapidly, damaging soft tissues and creating spots on white and yellow nails, which further provokes deformation and death of the nail. When a nail is touched, with premature treatment, the fungus is transferred to the healthy surface. All of this brings significant concerns into a person's life. In this article, we will understand the causes, symptoms, how to cure such a fungus and, most importantly, how to avoid this unpleasant disease.

Causes of toenail fungus

The main reason for the appearance of fungi is a weak human immune system. When the body's protective functions do not function well, the risk of infection with infections, viruses and bacteria increases significantly. A fungus on the toes occurs more often than on the hands, due to high humidity and lack of necessary air circulation.

Also at high risk are:

• People with poor hygiene. Do not allow intense sweating of the feet, wet and dirty socks, barefoot walking without slippers;
• Persons with pathology of internal organs and blood vessels, carriers of HIV. Diabetes mellitus and blood clots in the veins provoke poor blood circulation in the legs;
• People who ignore tight and uncomfortable shoes. Even small corns, microcracks and calluses on the feet can provoke fungal infection;
• People in the period of hormonal changes in the body, the elderly;
• People trying on shoes in stores without socks available. After all, there is a risk that a person infected with the fungus will try these shoes on in front of you.

Fungal infections love humid and warm environments, as well as open wounds and scratches where they can multiply immediately.

Public places like hotels, gyms, swimming pools, locker rooms, showers and saunas are the favorite home of fungal infections. If a person likes to walk barefoot there, the risk of infection is one hundred percent. It should be remembered that fungal infections are contagious and are easily transmitted by household means or by contact with a person.

Stages and symptoms of fungus

Sadly, the fungus is an infection that develops rapidly. Like the roots of a tree, it grows under a person's skin, destroying tissues and surfaces. Usually, the fungus starts its activity with the little finger or thumb, eventually touching all the nails.

In general, there are early, moderate, and advanced stages, but we will understand a little more about the course of the disease using medical terms:

1. Infection stage - the fungus sticks to the flakes of dead skin, eventually crawling up to the nail plate. It is not accompanied by any symptoms;
2. Normotrophic phase - the natural color of the nail fades and turns yellow at the edges, thickening towards the corners. Small white streaks or dots may appear. There is a specific smell and a sense of unease;
3. Hypertrophic stage - the nail turns completely yellow, deformed, the surface is irregular and ribbed. In most cases, the entire nail plate thickens, and the lip itself becomes loose and exfoliates;
4. Atrophic stage - dull yellow or gray nails. The pieces of the nail fall off, the nail bed has an unhealthy appearance, a loose surface;
5. Stage - onycholysis - the whole nail plate becomes very thin and then disappears. Fungi can move on neighboring, still healthy nails.

The skin around the nail itself is usually red and wrinkled. The patient notices itching between the fingers, cracks are observed, accompanied by pain. Often, in the final stage, the fungus, being introduced into the nail bed, dies under the influence of immunity. But if the body's protective functions are weakened or treatment is not carried out, blood poisoning can occur.

Types of mushrooms

The most well-known among the causative agents of onychomycosis are the fungus - dermatophytes. They affect more than 85% of infections. And, accordingly, Candida (yeast) class fungi and mold fungi are much less common among pathogens. Also, sometimes there are cases of nail infection with several types at once.

Let’s take a closer look at each type.

Dermatophyte fungi

There are many types of this mushroom. They are popular because they can adapt to any microclimate. Living on land cover, can easily infect animals and humans through direct contact on the surface, as well as through the "carrier and infected" relationship. However, this type of infection occurs rarely and usually the disease is preceded by several factors.

The most popular types of dermatophytes:

• Trichophyton rubrum - first infects the tip of the nail, then reaches the base smoothly. The nail breaks down, becomes yellow, thick and lethargic. The surrounding skin is extremely dry, red and cracked;
• Trichophyton mentagrophytes is the main lover of a humid and warm microclimate. They are usually infected in public places, such as showers, swimming pools and saunas. It often causes damage to the big toes and the surrounding area. The skin becomes inflamed, itchy and inflamed lumps form.

It is difficult to cure a fungus that has managed to reach the base of the nail plate. In this case, there will most likely be a complete loss of it.

Candida fungus

Yeast or Candida is present in normal amounts in the body of all people, but, under a number of causes, they can multiply rapidly and cause disease.

Mostly known to women. Because a large part of them had to face a disease such as thrush during their lifetime, provoked by this particular type of fungus from the Candida class.

In cases where Candida has appeared on the nails, it can be safely assumed that the infection occurred at home, through a certain thing that the infected person had previously used (towels, washing cloth, shoes). And it forms, unlike dermatophytes, initially at the base and most commonly found on fingernails.

mold fungi

The most dangerous type of mushrooms. It is able to damage not only the skin, but also quickly affect the whole body.

Infection occurs due to destruction of the nail, exposure of the nail bed. The good news is that infection with this type of fungus occurs in extremely rare cases. But if this has still happened, it is very difficult to treat with conventional medicines and requires special tools for nail fungus.

Diagnosing

Since the external symptoms of nail fungus can be similar to other diseases (such as lichen, psoriasis, keratoderma), to confirm the diagnosis of fungal infection and determine the pathogen, the doctor prescribes such studies:

• Nail plate microscope - the lab makes a scraper from the nail and treats it with a special substance to destroy keratin. This procedure is necessary for easier and more accurate observation under a microscope. This analysis also has a drawback. With its help, it is impossible to determine the type of pathogenic fungi. Based on the results obtained, broad-spectrum antifungals are prescribed;
• Cultural type of study - in the laboratory the material obtained from the nail scratch is immersed for cultivation in the Sabouraud nutrient medium, where the fungi develop rapidly. The fungus is determined by the growth rate, color and shape of its colonies. Also, using this method, the sensitivity of antibodies to drug treatment is determined. The disadvantage is that the test result has to wait for 3-5 days;
• Purpose of DNA Diagnosis - Nail scratches are studied for the presence of DNA cells in dermatophyte or yeast fungal infections. The most dangerous type of mold fungus can not be determined by this method. The diagnostic result is ready after 1-2 days, and the disadvantage is the high price of the method due to the use of special equipment.

Treatment Methods

If you are wondering which doctor to contact for such a disease, there is only one answer - you need a dermatologist.

In the initial stage, if it was possible to identify the infection immediately, external treatment will suffice. But if the infection is not detected immediately and the visit to the doctor is delayed for a long time, complex therapy of a more serious nature will be needed. In particularly severe cases of the disease, the nail plate is removed. Sometimes treatment is delayed for six months, to prevent this, we strongly recommend that you pay attention to the disturbing symptoms in a timely manner and seek professional help immediately.

What kind of treatment you need will be determined through diagnosis, as it is important to determine which fungus caused the infection. Medications in the treatment of nail fungus are divided into 2 groups:

• Preparations with local action - this group includes therapeutic ointments, creams, varnishes and gels. They are usually used in the initial stage of treatment, when the disease was detected in time;
• Antifungals are systemic antifungal drugs that are used orally. Available in the form of tablets and capsules that can eliminate fungal activity. They have the ability to block the spread of mycosis, have a long-term effect, which prevents the recurrence of the disease.

These groups of drugs can be prescribed individually, or they can be tools of complex therapy, depending on the nature and severity of the infection.

Doctors also give additional recommendations:

• Use only personal hygiene products and household items (washing cloth, towels, dishes, etc. );
• Follow a personal diet prescribed by a doctor;
• Handle and ventilate the shoes so that during treatment the fungus does not create a favorable environment for reproduction;
• Make sure you take vitamin complexes to strengthen your immune system. both during and after treatment.

Antifungal ointment

In the treatment of toenail fungus it is important to use topical preparations, only in cases when the lesion is not serious and occupies less than half of the nail plate. Or in cases of individual intolerance to the components of systemic drugs. After all, medicines such as antifungal ointments do not penetrate enough into the tissues, and therefore do not have the ability to cure a person effectively and completely. But as an adjunct therapy to relieving external symptoms and preventing them, they are excellent.

It should be remembered that first, the affected part of the nail is cut and then not only the nail but also the soft tissue, the areas around it should be treated with ointment.

Local therapy will be effective with the participation of such tools for nail fungus:

• Hypoallergenic medicine with a minimum of side effects, well tolerated by the body. The composition contains such a non-toxic compound as a polyene antibiotic (a group of tetraene polyenes). The ointment is applied in a thin layer on the affected areas, usually in a course of 2 to 4 weeks, depending on the stage of the disease;
• A preparation capable of penetrating deep into the skin has a preservative effect. Also use in a thin layer, on dry affected areas. The course is at least two months.

Special varnish

Nail polishes for toenail fungus are the most convenient tool to use, but are also suitable only in the early stages of fungal infection. You should only use them two to three times a week, applying them to the affected nails. Here are examples of proven and effective varnishes:

• The active component of the varnish is a morpholine derivative, which can rapidly destroy up to 10 types of infectious agents, destroying them at the cellular level. The remedy is applied, by steaming the nails in advance, in a course until complete remission;
• The active substance of the varnish is able to eradicate 58 species of fungal pathogens. The course of treatment is 3 months, with a gradual decrease in the frequency of use per week (the first month the varnish is applied every other day, then twice a week and in the last stage only once a week).

ethnoscience

Folk remedies cope well with the symptoms of fungal infections, but they work only in combination with medications.

There are many natural components, natural remedies and treatment methods that do not require large expenses. It can be a variety of herbs, potassium permanganate, iodine and vinegar for baths, solutions, tea trees and eucalyptus oils. But since nail fungus is a complex and long-term disease, they also require the approval of your dermatologist. After all, there is a great risk of allowing complications and then losing the nail completely and permanently.

Often, the following alternative methods are recommended to relieve symptoms:

• Rub the garlic on the affected areas of the nails;
• Soak your feet in water with washing powder;
• Baking soda lotions, diluted with water (to achieve a thick consistency and apply on the nail for 20 minutes, then rinse with warm water);
• Invest in herbal socks such as: nettle, mint, chamomile, sage, propolis (change the content of socks every day).

Below we will get acquainted in more detail with the rest of the popular methods.

Vinegar bath

Vinegar baths are one of the best folk remedies for nail fungus.

Apple cider vinegar and wine vinegar are suitable for recipes. At the same time, it is important to observe the correct proportions and use only a natural product, without any chemical additives.

• Recipe # 1: Soak your feet once or twice in water mixed with apple cider vinegar in a one-to-one ratio. The duration of the procedure is approximately 20 minutes, and it is better to extend the course of treatment for 2 weeks with daily baths;
• Recipe number 2: Dilute 5 tablespoons of 9% wine vinegar in 2 liters of hot water. Steam your feet for at least 30 minutes and then clean the softened corneal layer of the nail plate with a stick. After that, it is recommended to immediately apply an antifungal agent. Extend the course of the procedure for a month, using the baths every day, and preferably 2 times a day.

Tea tree oil

An effective antifungal agent obtained by pressing the oil from the leaves of the tea plant. Used around the world to treat other pathologies, in the form of acne, scabies and scabies. Recommended for use in the following ways:

1. Steam the feet and lubricate the affected area of skin and nails with tea tree oil in the amount of five to ten drops, using a cotton swab. No need to rinse. Course of the procedure: 3 times a day, for at least two weeks;
2. Add 5-10 drops of oil to a liter of hot water and keep your feet in such a bath for about half an hour. The course can last 2 months.

Tea tree oil is not recommended for pregnant women.

Iodine treatment

The most famous and cheapest method recommended by dermatologists worldwide. The secret of this tool is that iodine has the ability to fold proteins. And as we know, pathogens have a protein structure because they feed on keratin - a type of fibrillar protein.

How to treat feet with iodine?

• Method number 1:

  Apply a drop of iodine solution 5% on the affected nail 2 times a day and once a day on adjacent and healthy nails. After about a week, a painful sensation will appear in the form of a burning sensation, which means that the destruction of fungal pathogens has begun. The course of treatment can take a month until complete recovery;

• Method number 2:

  Boil the feet in a bath of hot water, baking soda and salt for 30 minutes (1 liter of water, 1 tablespoon baking soda, 2 tablespoons salt). Remove keratinized areas with scissors and dry the feet. Then apply 3 coats of iodine solution to each affected area of the nail (apply 1 coat, wait until completely dry and apply the next). Course of the procedure: 1 time per day for a month.

Children can be exposed to nail fungus

As you may have guessed, a disease such as toenail fungus can develop not only in adults but also in children.

Kids can get the fungal causative agent anywhere. Get infected through contact with an already infected person, through a domestic case of poor hygiene, which we discussed above, or when you get hurt by dirt entering the wound, which can later develop as an infection.

In children, nail fungus can easily affect one or more toes and feet. The first symptoms appear as small white or yellow spots on the nails. Infection can occur slowly, eventually spreading throughout the nail and completely changing its color. In addition, there is a deformation of the nail plate and crumbling of the nail, accompanied by excruciating pain.

Symptoms of nail fungus in children

Let's take a closer look at the symptoms of nail fungus infection in children:

• There is a thickening of the nail plate;
• Nail deformity, accompanied by its fragility;
• In appearance, the nails become dull, weak, without a natural shine;
• If the fungus actively develops its vital activity under the nail, the nail plate may become brown, green or dirty yellow;
• With the complications of the disease, an unpleasant odor emanates from the nail.

Causes of nail fungus in children

The cause of infection, as in adults, lies mainly in the defeat of parasites - dermatophyte fungi. This type of mushroom loves warm and humid environments and is found in large numbers in public places like showers, baths and swimming pools, where it is easily caught. The nail bed is a comfortable habitat for such a parasite, where they can even pass through invisible cuts.

Children are at risk of becoming infected more often because their immune system is not yet strong enough and due to ignoring the rules of hygiene.

Treatment of nail fungus in children

Methods of treating nail fungus in children are usually not much different from treating the same fungus in adults. It is recommended to pay attention to the symptoms in a timely manner and consult a doctor to get a prescription for medication. It is good to use topical creams, ointments and varnishes, but their effectiveness in developing the infection will be very small. Therefore, medications for oral use are often attached to the treatment. Such systemic remedies should be taken for a long time, until the healthy nail completely replaces the infected one. However, such drugs have a range of side infections, which can appear in the form of skin rashes, damage to internal organs. Their use is prohibited for children with liver pathology, heart problems. But all this is individual, so it is so important not to self-medicate and find a qualified dermatologist.

In general, it is not so difficult to treat fungal nail disease in children as to prevent it. To do this, it is worth talking more often with children about the rules of hygiene.

Nail fungus, photo