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 developing it 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 the elderly it is already 50-60%.
Pathogens
Onychomycosis is caused by microorganisms from the fungal kingdom. The world of mushrooms is diverse and not all of them are as pleasant as champignons, mushrooms or honey mushrooms, which we are used to seeing on our table. There are microscopic parasitic species that feed on plant, animal and human tissue.
The causative agents of onychomycosis consume the protein keratin, which is part of the nail plate, hair and the upper layer (keratinized) of the skin. About 50 representatives of parasitic fungi that can cause the disease are known.
They are divided into three groups:
- Dermatophytes. They account for 80% of onychomycosis cases. They are characterized by high survival and durability. It occurs naturally in the soil;
- Yeast-like fungi. Among them is Candida albicans (microorganism of the genus Candida), known to women, which causes thrush or vaginal candidiasis. Yeast-like fungi are 5 times more likely to affect fingernails than toenails. Toxic and impairs the functioning of the whole body;
- Mold fungi. Onychomycosis caused by mold is rare. But it is the most dangerous, it progresses quickly, it can completely destroy the nail plate and spread to neighboring tissues.
Onychomycosis affects fingernails and toenails, but toenail fungus is much more common on the feet. This is due to the fact that much more attention is paid to hands, they are washed more often during the day and treated with antiseptics. They are always open and well ventilated, except in winter when we wear gloves. And your feet are constantly covered in street shoes, slippers, tights, socks and sweat more. 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 insert it from the side from the side ridges or from below from the cuticle and nail growth area.
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 in length and infected areas may not heal. A pathological change in the structure and destruction of the nail occurs.
Fungus rarely penetrates directly into the nail plate. First, their spores enter the skin around the nail or the spaces between the fingers through microcracks, cuts, scrapes, scratches and calluses. Then the colony begins to grow, the pathogen moves to the nail plate, penetrates it and begins to parasitize.
Why does onychomycosis occur?
Fungi live in warm and humid places and wherever such conditions exist, it is easy to get infected with them. For example, if you walk barefoot in public bathrooms, swimming pools, showers or gym locker rooms, the chances of getting infected are high.
Several diseases contribute to the development of onychomycosis:
- Diabetes. In patients with diabetes, mold is 3 times more common. Excess glucose in the blood creates favorable conditions for the functioning of fungi. In the absence of sugar control and keeping it within normal limits, blood vessels suffer. The longer the disease lasts, the more the blood supply to the leg is damaged (diabetic foot syndrome). Wounds heal worse, infection occurs more easily;
- Poor blood circulation in the lower extremities caused by varicose veins, atherosclerosis (narrowing of the lumen, blockage of the arteries), thrombophlebitis (formation of a blood clot in the lumen of the veins);
- Weakened immunity, immunodeficiency conditions (HIV), damage to the immune system. Lowering the body's resistance to any infection;
- Psoriasis. 90% of people suffering from psoriasis experience changes in the nail plate. Grooves are formed on it, cloudiness is present, depressions appear and separation of the nail plate occurs. These factors increase the chances 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.
The risk group includes the elderly.
The cause of onychomycosis is often related to the characteristics of the profession and improper care of the feet:
- 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 wet and humid areas (greenhouses, greenhouses, vegetable warehouses), frequent wearing of rubber gloves or shoes;
- professional sports;
- wearing uncomfortable, narrow, narrow shoes or shoes made of artificial materials (leather), which creates a "greenhouse effect" and interferes with normal air exchange.
Predisposing factors for the development of onychomycosis include trauma to the nail or surrounding tissue, taking antibacterial or hormonal drugs.
In women, a common cause of fungus is long-term use of gel polish. It creates a closed space between the nail plate and the coating, in which a fungal infection successfully develops. It is not recommended to apply gel polish on toenails, it is better to use regular decorative manicure. Also in women, onychomycosis appears after an unsuccessful manicure or pedicure in salons where quality disinfection of instruments is not carried out and sterility is not maintained.
Signs of onychomycosis
Most often, the fungus infects the big toes.
The following changes in the nail plate indicate a fungal infection:
- dullness, yellowness, loss of softness and shine;
- itching, redness, peeling of the surrounding skin;
- distortion, frailty, fragility;
- unpleasant smell;
- violation of the structure, thickening;
If you find yourself with at least one of the listed signs, you should immediately consult a doctor who treats nail fungus. This can be a podiatrist, dermatologist or mycologist.
After an injury to the nail or the skin around it, a mandatory examination by a pediatrician is required to check for onychomycosis. If there are predisposing factors (varicose veins, diabetes, atherosclerosis, weakening of the immune system, excessive sweating of the feet, etc. ), it is recommended to have a medical pedicure once a month, during which the doctor will carefully examine the nails and skinof the feet and identify changes in the early stages.
Is nail fungus dangerous?
Onychomycosis is a disease that causes psychological discomfort more than physical disease. To understand what we are talking about, just look at a photo of toenail fungus on the Internet. It is characterized by a slow progression and does not cause pain, fever or other symptoms that require urgent medical attention.
People are in no rush to treat nail fungus. After all, when the affected area is small, you can spray it, wear socks or closed shoes in front of strangers. And the problem of psychological distress 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 should:
- use medical disinfectants with the inscription GOST (capable of killing onychomycosis, tuberculosis, hepatitis, HIV);
- monitor the condition of the feet and nails, the main rule is that the feet are clean and dry;
- take care of your shoes, disinfect and dry them regularly; it is convenient to use an electric dryer for drying;
- treat your feet with drying agents or antiperspirants if your feet sweat a lot;
- in the changing rooms in the pool, sauna and gym, do not walk barefoot, but wear rubber mats with closed toes;
- wear comfortable shoes made of natural 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 for other problems: callus, corn.
Features of treatment of onychomycosis
TV advertising promises to cure nail fungus easily and quickly using antifungal (fungicide) creams, solutions and varnishes. We are promised that "Medications Lamesil, Exaderil, Mikazan, Mecoderil and others penetrate deep into the structure of the nail, effectively destroy the fungus and return the nails to their previous appearance in 2-3 applications. "But why then does this toenail fungus self-treatment give good results in at most 10% of cases? Because these tools themselves are effective only in the early stages of the fungus, when the symptoms are not yet visible and almost invisible.
Manufacturers often lie, saying that the drugs are made in Europe and contain good active ingredients. In practice, the most effective drug for nail fungus (onychomycosis) is the one containing the substance Clotrimazole. Most drugs are simply highly advertised and expensive, but do not contain the required substance. You cannot buy specialized drugs in regular pharmacies, even if the required name is written on it; the chemical composition will not contain it, as the production is too 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 bar, but you can ask us any question here.
Antifungal drugs are the basis of onychomycosis treatment. Without them, as much as we would like to, we will not be able to defeat the infection. But they must be used correctly and thoughtfully. The medicine for nail fungus must be applied to a previously treated and prepared nail in order to have the desired therapeutic effect.
The first thing you should do if you suspect onychomycosis is to consult a doctor who will confirm or reject the diagnosis. If necessary, he will prescribe additional examination and treatment. Choosing a nail fungus remedy based on internet reviews, friends' advice or TV commercials will result in wasted time and money spent on unnecessary drugs. The same results will be obtained when you try to treat onychomycosis with traditional methods. Vinegar, garlic, onion and medicinal herbs are not able to destroy the pathogen.
An important point in the treatment of onychomycosis is the disinfection of shoes and clothing that have been in contact with the infected area. If you don't, you can get infected again from your stuff. Clothes should be washed at high temperatures (above 60 °C), ironed, and shoes should be treated with a special disinfectant.
What drugs and methods are effective?
In the initial stages, the treatment of onychomycosis is easier and faster than in advanced cases. How to treat nail fungus?
To fight the pathogen, use:
- Hardware medical pedicure. It allows you to clean the nail areas affected by onychomycosis without blood and pain, preparing them for the use of antifungal agents;
- Keratolytics. These are topical nail fungus medications that are applied to the affected nail to remove it painlessly. They loosen, soften and dissolve the nail plate and then it is easily removed with pedicure tools. Keratolytics facilitate the treatment of onychomycosis, remove the infected area, stimulate the growth of a new healthy nail plate;
- Fungicidal agents. The action of these drugs is aimed at destroying fungi. For onychomycosis, they are used topically in the form of varnishes, solutions, ointments, creams and internally in the form of tablets. When taken internally, the active ingredients of anti-fungal tablets accumulate on the skin and nail plate. They suppress the activity of fungal enzymes, disrupt the permeability of cell membranes and cause the death of the pathogen. The most effective contain the substance Clotrimazole.
Treatment methods for onychomycosis are chosen based on the severity of the symptoms and the area of the affected area. In the initial stages of the disease, hardware treatment and external fungicidal agents are sufficient. In severe forms of infection, when the entire nail is infected with the fungus, you will need to take pills and remove the nail plate. Treatment of an advanced form of onychomycosis lasts from 3 months to 1 year and depends on the rate of nail growth.
Topical fungicidal preparations are safe for health, but they are not always effective. Tablets negatively affect the liver, so laboratory monitoring of the organ's condition is necessary while taking them.
Onychomycosis is curable, and that's the main thing!
The sooner you see a doctor, the sooner you can afford it.
Don't be afraid or embarrassed. This problem is very common and affects millions of people worldwide.
When you treat nail fungus at our pediatric center you will receive:
- joint observation of a podiatrist and a mycologist (a doctor who deals with fungal diseases);
- 100% sterility during all procedures;
- the possibility of collecting material (scraping of the skin and nail plate) to identify the type of fungus;
- fast results (3-4 procedures are required on average);
- Foot and shoe care recommendations that will help prevent re-infection.
For us it is important that the problem does not return, and that your nails are healthy and beautiful!