Fungal infections of the nail plate are about half of all diseases of the nails and are quite common in modern society.
In most cases, onychomycosis affects the nails of the legs, so the disease is not immediately noticed, but at the stage of the symptoms.This is an infectious disease that can be manifested not only by a cosmetic error, but also by violation of the immune system and even the digestive system.The nail fungus should not be underestimated and treated with an experienced doctor.
Causes of fungal infection
The cause of the nail plate infection is usually three types of fungi: dermatophytes, yeast -like fungi and shapes.Most often in the temperate climate, onychomycosis is caused by Trichophyton Rubrum (Trichophyte Red) fungal microorganisms -70% of the fungus and Trichophyton mentagrophytes (Inter -down Trichophyton) -20% of the diagnosis.
You can infect onychomycosis in general places such as a pool, a sauna, a bathroom, if other people wear socks, and even a pedicure seat.
In addition, some people are prone to this disease due to various diseases.Among such pathologies, immunosuppressive conditions are distinguished by chronic treatment with HIV infection or immunosuppressants after transplantation of organs or with some autoimmune diseases.
Although untreated onychomycosis is an infectious disease, most patients do not recognize changes in nail tracking, so they usually seek medical attention in advanced cases.And by the way, ignoring the disease can lead to neighboring skin to the loss of nail and the distribution of infection.
How does the disease manifest
Most often, the infection develops on the first and/or fifth fingers of the foot (if the changes affect all nails, this is usually a symptom of another disease, such as psoriasis).At first, changes affect the edge of the nail, which changes the natural color to yellowish brown.After the nail plate, it will be fragile and fragile, changes its shape over time and thickens.
The most typical symptoms of fungal infection of the nails are as follows:
- Change the color of the nail to yellow, brown, white or black;
- Thickening of the nail plate and increased fragility;
- Deformation and separation of the disc from the nail bed;
- an unpleasant odor from the infected nail;
- The development of an inflammatory process around the nail.
At the late stage of the disease, the pain of the nail may develop or even have difficulty.
Preventing and treating nail fungus
Onychomycosis should be treated as soon as possible as the infection extends to other nails.In addition, in the late stage, the disease leads to the destruction of the entire nail plate, which must be removed later.
Before prescribing treatment, your doctor will probably prescribe a laboratory analysis that determines the type of fungus, the degree of damage and the most effective treatment.The analysis involves the fixation of the material from the affected nail plate and its research under the microscope.
How does the treatment of onychomycosis go?The method and duration of infection therapy depends on a number of factors, including the severity of nail conditions, the type of pathogen and related pathologies.
Treatment of fungal nail infections usually begins with local medicines in the form of varnishes, creams or creams that can cope well with the disease at an early stage.If the changes affect more than one disc and occur for a long time, local drugs are supplemented by antifungal agents for oral administration.The doctor may prescribe medications based on itraconazole or fluconazole.
In the event that onychomycosis is permanent, it should not be exposed to drug treatment or constantly recurring, the doctor recommends that you remove the infected nail plate, thus eliminating the source of the infection.
Please note that onychomycosis is an infectious disease that tends
- Do not walk barefoot in the pool, gyms;
- Do pedits in salons with high quality equipment;
- Pay attention to the cleanliness of the shoe;
- Wash your feet regularly;
- Answer, for example, early symptoms, such as changes in the color of the nail plate.
Attention!The source of the fungal infection is the source of the shoe, so it is recommended to throw or disinfect it with special tools the doctor talks about.