Nail fungus or onychomycosis (medical name) is a disease that occurs when the nail plate is affected by a fungal infection. Onychomycosis affects 5 to 15% of people. The risk of its development increases with age, although the fungus is often detected in children. Every 10 years of life, the incidence increases 2. 5 times. If in children it is 3%, then in older people it is already 50-60%.
Pathogens
Onychomycosis is caused by microorganisms from the Fungi kingdom. The world of mushrooms is diverse, and not all of them are as pleasant as champignons, chanterelles or honey mushrooms, which we usually see on our tables. There are species of microscopic parasites that feed on plant, animal, and human tissue.
The causative agent of onychomycosis eats the protein keratin, which is part of the nail plate, hair, and the top layer (keratin) of the skin. About 50 representatives of parasitic fungi are known that can cause this disease.
They are divided into three groups:
- Dermatophytes. They account for 80% of onychomycosis cases. They are characterized by high survival and viability. Found naturally in soil;
- Mushrooms are like yeast. Among them is Candida albicans (microorganism of the genus Candida), known to women, which causes thrush or vaginal candidiasis. Fungi such as yeast are 5 times more likely to affect nails than toenails. Toxic and affects the functioning of the whole body;
- Mold fungi. Onychomycosis caused by mold is rare. But it is the most dangerous, it develops quickly, it can completely destroy the nail plate and spread to neighboring tissues.
Onychomycosis affects fingernails and toenails, but toenail fungus is more common on feet. This is due to the fact that hands are given more attention, they are washed more often during the day, and treated with antiseptics. It is always open and well ventilated except in winter when we wear gloves. And your feet are always covered in street shoes, house slippers, tights, socks, and more sweat. These factors create ideal conditions for the development of foot fungus, because heat and moisture are its best "friends".
The causative agent of onychomycosis penetrates the nail from different directions. The most common way is from above, from the side of the free edge of the nail plate. It is also possible to introduce it from the side from the lateral ridge or from below from the cuticle and nail growth zone.
Onychomycosis is most dangerous near the cuticle. In this case, the fungus slows down or stops the division of onychoblasts - the cells of the growth zone under the lower nail fold. Nails stop growing long, and the infected area may not heal. Pathological changes in the structure and destruction of the nail occur.
Fungus rarely penetrates directly into the nail plate. First, their spores enter the skin around the nail or the space between the fingers through micro-cracks, cuts, abrasions, abrasions, and calluses. Then the colony begins to grow, the pathogen moves towards the nail plate, penetrates it and begins to become a parasite.
Why does onychomycosis appear?
Fungi live in warm and moist places, and wherever such conditions exist, they are easily infected with it. For example, if you walk barefoot in a public bath, swimming pool, bathroom or gym locker room, your chances of getting infected are high.
Some diseases contribute to the development of onychomycosis:
- diabetes. In diabetic patients, fungus is 3 times more common. Excess glucose in the blood creates favorable conditions for fungi to function. In the absence of sugar control and keeping it within normal limits, blood vessels suffer. The longer the disease, the more affected the blood supply to the feet (diabetic foot syndrome). Wounds heal worse, infections occur more easily;
- Poor blood circulation in the lower leg caused by varicose veins, atherosclerosis (narrowing of the lumen, blockage of arteries), thrombophlebitis (formation of blood clots in the vein lumen);
- Weak immunity, immunodeficiency (HIV), damage to the immune system. Reduces the body's resistance to any infection;
- Psoriasis. 90% of people suffering from psoriasis experience changes in the nail plate. Grooves form on it, turbidity is present, indentations appear, and detachment of the nail plate appears. These factors increase the chance of fungal infection by 1. 5 - 2 times;
- Hyperhidrosis, or excessive sweating of the feet, often causes onychomycosis in men;
- The presence of a focus of fungal infection in other parts of the body.
Risk groups include the elderly.
The causes of onychomycosis are often associated with the characteristics of the profession and improper foot care:
- poor foot and nail care, lack of daily hygiene procedures due to neglect of personal hygiene rules or difficulties in their implementation (in bedridden patients or patients with limited mobility);
- work in damp and humid areas (greenhouses, greenhouses, vegetable shops), often wear rubber gloves or rubber shoes;
- professional sports;
- wearing uncomfortable, tight, narrow shoes or shoes made of artificial materials (leather), which create a "greenhouse effect" and interfere with normal air exchange.
Predisposing factors for the development of onychomycosis include trauma to the nail or surrounding tissue, taking antibacterial drugs or hormones.
In women, a common cause of fungus is the prolonged use of gel polish. It creates a closed space between the nail plate and the coating, where the fungal infection successfully develops. It is not recommended to use gel polish on toenails; it is better to use ordinary decorative polish. Also, in women, onychomycosis appears after an unsuccessful manicure or pedicure in a salon where high-quality disinfection of instruments is not carried out and sterility is not maintained.
Signs of onychomycosis
Often, the fungus infects the big toe.
The following changes in the nail plate indicate a fungal infection:
- dullness, yellowness, loss of smoothness and luster;
- itching, redness, peeling of the surrounding skin;
- delamination, fragility, fragility;
- unpleasant smell;
- structural violation, thickening;
If you find yourself with at least one of the signs listed, you should immediately see a doctor who treats nail fungus. This can be a podiatrist, dermatologist or mycologist.
Mandatory examination by a podiatrist to check for onychomycosis is required after injury to the nail or surrounding skin. If there are predisposing factors (varicose veins, diabetes, atherosclerosis, weak immunity, excessive sweating of the feet, etc. ), it is recommended to do a medical pedicure once a month, where the doctor will carefully examine the nails and skin. feet and identify changes at an early stage.
Is nail fungus dangerous?
Onychomycosis is a disease that causes more psychological discomfort than physical disease. To understand what we are talking about, just look at the photos of toenail fungus on the Internet. It is characterized by a slow course and does not cause pain, fever or other symptoms that require immediate medical attention.
People are in no rush to treat nail fungus. After all, when the affected area is small, you can paint it with varnish, wear socks or closed shoes in front of strangers. And the problem of psychological discomfort is temporarily solved. But, unfortunately, everything is not so simple. If you do not destroy the fungal infection, it will not disappear anywhere, but will continue to affect the nail. And onychomycosis is contagious. An infected person poses a danger to his family and others.
How to prevent infection?
The best cure for nail fungus is prevention.
To protect yourself from infection, you must:
- use medical disinfectants with GOST inscriptions (capable of killing onychomycosis, tuberculosis, hepatitis, HIV);
- monitor the condition of the feet and nails, the main rule is that the feet should be clean and dry;
- take care of shoes, regularly disinfect and dry them; it is convenient to use an electric dryer for drying;
- treat your feet with a drying agent or antiperspirant if your feet sweat a lot;
- in swimming pools, saunas and gym locker rooms, do not walk barefoot, but wear rubber slippers with closed toes;
- wear comfortable shoes made of natural and breathable materials;
- Do not use other people's towels, shoes or manicure accessories.
These tips will help you prevent onychomycosis and keep your nails healthy and well-groomed. They are effective not only for the prevention of fungus, but also other problems: calluses, corns.
Characteristics of onychomycosis treatment
Advertising on TV promises to easily and quickly cure nail fungus using antifungal (fungicidal) creams, solutions and varnishes. We are promised that "Medicines Lamesil, Exaderil, Mikazan, Mecoderil and others penetrate deep into the nail structure, effectively destroy the fungus, and return the nail to its previous appearance in 2-3 applications. "But why this toenail fungus self-treatmentgives good results in maximum 10% of cases? Because these drugs themselves are only effective in the early stages of the fungus, when the symptoms are not yet clear and almost invisible.
Manufacturers often lie by saying that the drug is produced in Europe and contains good active ingredients. In practice, the most effective drug for nail fungus (onychomycosis) is a drug containing Clotrimazole. Most of the drugs are advertised very well and are expensive, but do not contain the necessary ingredients. You cannot buy a specific drug in a regular pharmacy, even if the required name is written on it; the chemical composition will not contain it, because its production is very expensive.
This medication is used in podiatry centers and on properly prepared nails. We do not have the right to write the name of the medicine, but you can ask us any question here.
Antifungal medications are the mainstay of treatment for onychomycosis. Without them, no matter how much we want to, we will not be able to beat the infection. But they must be used correctly and thoughtfully. Medicines for nail fungus should be used on nails that have been treated and prepared before so that they have the desired therapeutic effect.
The first thing you should do if you suspect onychomycosis is consult a doctor who will confirm or deny the diagnosis. If necessary, he will prescribe additional examinations and treatments. Choosing medicine for nail fungus based on reviews from the Internet, advice from friends, or advertising on TV will lead to wasted time and money spent on unnecessary medicines. The same results will be obtained when trying to treat onychomycosis with traditional methods. Vinegar, garlic, shallots, and medicinal herbs are not capable of destroying pathogens.
An important point in the treatment of onychomycosis is the disinfection of shoes and clothing that have come into contact with the infected area. If you don't do this, you can get reinfected from your own things. Clothes must be washed at high temperatures (over 60 °C), ironed, and shoes must be treated with a special disinfectant.
What drugs and methods are effective?
In the early stages, the treatment of onychomycosis is easier and faster than in advanced cases. How to treat nail fungus?
To combat pathogens, use:
- Hardware medical pedicure. Allows you to clean the nail area affected by onychomycosis without blood and pain, preparing it for the use of antifungal agents;
- Keratolytic. This is a local remedy against nail fungus, which is applied to the affected nail to remove it painlessly. They loosen, soften and dissolve the nail plate, and then they are easily removed with a pedicure tool. Keratolytics facilitate the treatment of onychomycosis, remove infected areas, stimulate the growth of new healthy nail plates;
- Fungal agent. The action of these drugs is aimed at destroying the fungus. For onychomycosis, it is used topically in the form of varnish, solution, ointment, cream and internally in the form of tablets. When taken internally, the active ingredient of the tablet against nail fungus accumulates in the skin and nail plate. They block the activity of fungal enzymes, disrupt the permeability of cell membranes, and cause the death of the pathogen. The most effective contains Clotrimazole.
Treatment methods for onychomycosis are chosen based on the severity of the symptoms and the area of the affected area. In the early stages of the disease, hardware treatment and external fungal agents are sufficient. In a severe form of infection, when the entire nail is infected with fungus, you need to take pills and remove the nail plate. Treatment of advanced forms of onychomycosis takes from 3 months to 1 year and depends on the rate of nail growth.
Topical fungicide preparations are safe for health, but not always effective. Tablets have a negative effect on the liver, so laboratory monitoring of the state of the organ is required when taking it.
Onychomycosis can be cured, and this is the main thing!
The sooner you see a doctor, the sooner you can deal with it.
Don't be afraid or shy. This problem is very common and affects millions of people around the world.
When treating nail fungus at our podiatry center, you will receive:
- observation with podiatrists and mycologists (doctors who deal with fungal diseases);
- 100% sterility during all procedures;
- the possibility of collecting material (scraping skin and nail plate) to identify the type of fungus;
- fast results (on average 3 – 4 procedures are required);
- Recommendations for foot and shoe care that will help prevent re-infection.
It is important to us that the problem does not return, and that your nails are healthy and beautiful!