Fungal infection of the toenails

The opinion that fungal nail infections do not pose a threat to human health is widespread among the population.Onychomycosis (fungal infection of the nails) accompanies many people for a significant part of their lives and often goes unnoticed due to the lack of acute symptoms.However, this does not make treatment any less important for these patients.In addition, everyone should imagine what nail plates affected by fungus look like in order to independently diagnose the pathology.

Infection with fungal microorganisms

Fungal infection can occur in situations that are well known to humans.In most cases, everyone doesn't even notice how they are exposing themselves to the risk of infection.The main causes of a toenail infection include the following:

1. Wearing someone else's shoes, especially on feet without socks or tights.
2. Visiting saunas, baths and swimming pools without individual bathing shoes (slate).
3. I am seeking the services of a chiropodist in salons whose quality of work is questionable.
4. Use someone else's files and scissors to process nail plates.
5. Using other people's washcloths and towels.

In addition to the direct causes of onychomycosis, there are factors that contribute to easier infection:

• Always wear old socks, stockings and tights.
• Wearing closed shoes in the hot season causes the feet to sweat (and this favors the proliferation of fungal microorganisms).
• Neglecting to constantly wash your feet with soap, especially in summer after wearing open shoes.
• Buying shoes made from artificial materials.
• Hangnails on the toenails, cracks and corns on the soles of the feet.

What toenail fungus looks like

Nail changes develop slowly, progress continuously without antifungal therapy, and may result in complete detachment of the nail plate, which is known to be irreversible.At different stages of progression of onychomycosis, all clinical manifestations have varying degrees of severity.Changes to the nails are also individual, but in general a number of common signs can be recognized:

1. Changing the color of nails to brown, yellow, white, greenish and their shades, combinations among themselves.
2. The appearance of brittle nails, their detachment.
3. The edge of the nail plate crumbles more.
4. The appearance of nail nails, cracks and peeling of the skin near the nail and in the spaces between the fingers.
5. An increase or decrease in nail thickness (although in some cases the thickness remains unchanged).

Treatment of nail fungus

It is recommended to begin all therapeutic measures to eliminate onychomycosis on the leg when the first suspicious signs of the disease are detected.

What to treat, what type of drugs and how they are used determine the stage of development of the disease and the extent of nail damage.

In general, there are two ways to take antifungal medications: local (topical) and general (systemic).Topical products include gels, ointments, creams, solutions and sprays for application to the skin and nails.Systemic therapy involves the intravenous infusion of medication and its oral intake (orally, i.e. “through the mouth”) in the form of tablets or capsules.

These options can not only be used in isolation, but also in combination with each other.In addition, mechanical removal of infected tissue occurs, but only in cases of advanced fungal damage.

Topical antifungals

• Solutions for external use.They should be applied to the affected areas with a brush twice a day.Before use, it is recommended to wash the areas with soapy water and dry them.After applying the solution, cover the area with an aseptic dressing.”
• Antifungal ointments and creams are applied thinly to the affected area once or twice a day.

Mechanical removal

Most patients assume that such treatment will definitely remove the nail completely.Fortunately, they only resort to this in advanced stages of the disease (the fungus has infected most of the tissue).In other cases, they can use pedicure instruments to remove parts of the tissue, namely those affected by microorganisms.

Surgical removal of the nail plate under local anesthesia has been around for a long time.The entire nail is removed at once, first separated from its bed with scissors and then “taken out” with pliers.However, such an operation damages the nail matrix, that is, the basis of its regeneration, which leads to incorrect growth of new tissues and their frequent ingrowth into soft tissue.

Now there is an opportunity to cure the fungus by laser removal of the infected nail plate.The laser does not touch healthy tissue and only destroys fungal cells that are also in the deep layers of the nail, thereby avoiding deformation of the plate.

In addition, there is a hardware removal method in which the nail is removed layer by layer using devices with cutters of different sizes.The procedure is carried out once a week or every two weeks.Repeat until the affected layers of the nail are completely removed.

Prevention of onychomycosis

Prevention of infection by fungi pathogenic to humans is not so difficult for any patient.You just need to pay attention to your lifestyle and remember about a disease like onychomycosis.Here is a list of basic steps to prevent athlete's foot:

1. Don't wear other people's shoes, let alone other people's shoes.
2. Only use your own socks and tights and remember to wash them regularly.
3. Have your own personal pedicure set.
4. Only use the services of a podiatrist at proven and “high-quality” service locations.
5. Remember to bring and wear flip-flops or slippers in public swimming areas.

Everyone should remember that onychomycosis is far from a harmless disease that can even lead to the loss of the nail plate or be complicated by a serious condition called “fungal sepsis” (blood poisoning).

Nowadays, all effective treatment regimens for toenail fungus have been developed;You just need to consult a dermatologist in a timely manner and determine the presence of pathogenic microorganisms.