This article will focus on such an unpleasant phenomenon, but, unfortunately, quite common, like the fungus on the toenails. The symptoms and causes of this disease are known to medical science and can be easily diagnosed at all stages. However, it can only be detected with a careful attitude to one's own health. How to identify nail fungus? How to treat? Are the ointments advertised effective?
What causes nail fungus?
Nail fungus is a very common disease. The disease spreads successfully especially in places with a temperate and tropical climate, that is, where it is humid and hot. However, paradoxically, residents of cold countries most often fall ill with nail fungus. This is due to the fact that, in adverse climates, you have to wear warm shoes with socks constantly. The feet sweat, the sock gets wet and the person is forced to stay in this state for a long time, with no opportunity to change shoes. This is the best way to promote the formation of nail fungus. Before talking about how to identify the nail fungus, let's find out who is most susceptible to this disease.
Nail fungus as an occupational disease
At risk are people whose feet cannot breathe during the day due to tight shoes. They are miners, factory workers, gardeners and representatives of other labor specialties. The fungus can be "caught" by working in the laundry, in the pool, in the hotel, in the restaurant.
What diseases can serve as a prerequisite
Often, not only representatives of the above professions suffer from this disease, but also people who have type 1 or 2 diabetes mellitus. In addition, deformity of the feet, varicose veins can be a prerequisite for the formation of fungi in thenails. Among the causes of this infection is insufficient nail nutrition due to blocked or blocked blood vessels. That is why the creams announced today, as well as the enamels supposedly designed to protect against fungi, will be completely useless in fighting diseases. After all, it is usually caused by internal diseases and external influences do not eradicate the problems.
Who is at risk?
Several decades ago, nail fungus was diagnosed in most cases in the elderly. However, each year the number of patients suffering from nail fungus is increasing and the disease itself is getting younger.
Official data show that nail fungus develops two to three times more frequently in men. At the same time, it is women who seek a dermatologist much more often to treat this problem. The weaker sex is more concerned with their health and finds nothing shameful about consulting a doctor.
Next, we will consider why it is so important to get recommendations about treating the fungus from a dermatologist, and also talk about how you can determine the nail fungus and what symptoms it has at each stage of its development.
What does the fungus look like on the nails?
This disease is not fatal, but, of course, you need to get rid of it. Fortunately, recognizing the onset of an illness is easy for anyone. How to identify fungi on the feet? See below for tips. First, take a good look at your nails.
The first thing to note is the color of the nails. The nail affected by the fungus becomes yellow and opaque. Depending on the stage of the disease, the affected person may be the edge of the nail plate, the base or the entire nail.
Pay attention to the thickness of the nail
Answering the question of how to determine the nail fungus, changes in the nail plate should also be mentioned. Although, due to the disease, the nail becomes thinner, visually and by the sensations it seems to become thicker and swell.
How to identify nail fungus? To detect the presence of an infection, a visual examination of the nail plate is not sufficient. Mix 1 to 5 potassium permanganate and water, soak your nails in the resulting solution for half a minute. The healthy nail will be colored and brown. Part of the affected plaque will remain white.
Stages of the disease
The disease develops in four stages. The sooner you start treatment, the more likely you are to get rid of the nail fungus permanently.
The first stage is characterized by damage to the edge of the nail. As mentioned above, the color of the plate changes, lumps appear. The nail grows of poor quality, is hollow and therefore breaks and crumbles.
An increase in the area of the injury will become a sign of the second stage. In addition, it should be noted that sometimes the second stage can start as if you were bypassing the first. The defeat of the nail plate will not start at the edge, but at the base of the nail. It will be more problematic to recover from nail fungus in the second stage than in the first.
How to identify nail fungus in stage 3? In medicine, it is called a white surface fungus and it appears that the entire plaque has been affected. It has a dense white color, collapses strongly at the edges.
The fourth stage is called total dystrophic fungus. The nail has a yellowish-gray color, exudes a peculiar and unpleasant odor and crumbles strongly. In the fourth stage, it is often possible to see the exposed part of the skin under the broken nail, since it grew due to the fungus, most of the time it breaks.
The reason for contacting a dermatologist is usually the independent identification of the fourth stage of the nail fungus. Do not search forums or the Internet for advice on how to effectively treat nail fungus. It is best to consult a specialist on the first symptoms of the disease.
What to expect from a visit to the doctor?
Probably, in each of us there is a fear of doctors. However, don't be afraid to contact a dermatologist if you suspect you have nail fungus. The specialist will perform an external exam and also scrape the stratum corneum of the nail to send it to the laboratory for diagnosis. A detailed analysis will reveal what has become the causative agent of the disease, determine the type of fungus and also inform the doctor what type of treatment should be prescribed.
The treatment of a nail fungus takes a long time. It can last from one to three months. After the course of treatment, you will need to do the tests again, even if the above symptoms are not observed.
A few words about effective treatment
So, now we know how to identify the nail fungus. The methods are provided above. Now it is worth saying a few words about the treatment that you can do yourself. The drug Naftifine proved to be very good. However, you do not need to use an ointment, but a solution. This medication can also be used in case of fungus infection on the feet.
How to use Naftifin? If you have a fungus in the first stage of the disease, lubricate the affected nail surface twice a day. Keep your nails dry and well washed. In the following stages of the disease, you cannot go without taking the pills. However, in this case, the use of Naftifin should not be stopped: this will increase the effect of the medication's effects.
Before applying the product, thoroughly clean the affected nail surface with a manicure appliance. However, you need to be extremely careful when doing this. After perfect handling, it is necessary to apply the Naftifin solution to the clean area. Repeat 2 times a day.
in short
The article provides an answer to the question of how to identify the nail fungus. However, it is worth remembering that self-medication does not always lead to complete recovery. If the thickness or color of your nails changes, you should see a doctor.
According to the degree of damage to the nail plate, the fungus can be divided into four stages. If in the first stage the disease does not cause alarm, since it does not deform the nail plate very much, then in the fourth stage you can easily lose your nails. Do not hesitate to contact a dermatologist.
Self-medication is strongly discouraged, succumbing to advertising exhortations about the effectiveness of a particular drug. Cream or any other agent applied to the nail plate from the outside will not eliminate the causative agent of the disease and, therefore, will be ineffective. With this, you will only delay the treatment process, masking the manifestation of the disease. It is also important to remember that nail fungus not only looks unsightly, but is also a kind of beacon, indicating the presence of diseases in the body.