Among the most common skin diseases, doctors precisely isolate a fungal infection. Because the clinical picture of the disease is poorly expressed, many do not take it seriously. In fact, onychomycosis can lead to loss of nail plates and even sepsis.
This is the main reason why nail fungus treatment should be started at an early stage. It is extremely important to use special antifungal agents prescribed by a specialist.
The main symptoms of the fungus
The clinical picture of this disease has been very well studied. This allows you to easily identify the symptoms of nail fungus on your hands and feet, regardless of their stage.
The main ones are as follows:
- The nail changes color, turns yellow or green. In certain cases, it can take on a white and brown color. There are even cases where the nail plate becomes multicolored;
- Intense itching is felt on the skin near the nail plates;
- The skin becomes inflamed, redness is noted;
- The nail changes structure, becomes thicker or thinner;
- Skin peeling;
- Deformation of nails;
- Nail plates become brittle;
- Nail detachment.
How is nail fungus and its first symptoms
At first, the disease has no pronounced symptoms, and no deformation of the nails during this period.
In the initial stage, nail fungus manifests itself by the following symptoms:
- Dry skin;
- Itch;
- The soft tissue around the nails turns slightly red;
- Slight discoloration of the nail plates;
- Nails do not shine, they are less elastic;
- The appearance of corns.
At this stage of the disease, patients often do not notice changes in the nail plates, so they do not seek the doctor in a timely manner. That's why it's extremely important to know exactly what nail fungus looks like so you can start therapy as soon as possible. After all, it is during this period that the pathology is easier to treat.
Important!
If we talk about the appearance of fungus on fingernails at an early stage, then the symptoms are as similar as possible to those that manifest when the nail plates in the legs are affected.
Methods to Diagnose Nail Fungi
It is very difficult to diagnose the early stage of nail fungus. This will require a series of additional studies. This is mainly because the symptoms are poorly expressed.
Among the necessary analyses, the following stand out:
- Clinical blood test. With his help, the specialist receives information about whether the body's reaction to the inflammatory process caused by microorganisms is observed;
- General analysis of urine. Although this study only provides information about the patient's general health status, it can also be used to identify concomitant pathologies of the urinary system;
- Examination of tissue from the nail plates under a microscope. This method is able to determine not only the presence of the fungus, but also its variety;
- Blood chemistry.
A dermatologist must correctly decipher the search results. If, at the first signs of the disease, a person has resorted to a therapist, then certainly in the near future he will still be referred to a restricted specialist. After all, he is the one who knows how the fungus on fingernails and toenails is and, therefore, will know how to diagnose it correctly.
How to Treat Toenail Fungus
Fungal diseases are treated exclusively under the supervision of a doctor. Before prescribing a course of therapy, a specialist considers a number of factors:
- The degree of damage to the nail plates;
- The form of the disease;
- The stage of skin redness;
- The degree of deformation of the nail.
In the stages when onychomycosis is just beginning to develop, it will be sufficient to use only local medicines. Special antifungal varnishes, solutions and gels are applied to the affected areas immediately after treating the affected nails with a surgical or keratolytic method. After this simple procedure, the drugs are better absorbed and, therefore, the treatment is carried out much faster.
Keratolytics contribute not only to the softening of the nail plates, but also to the painless removal of affected areas. This procedure is performed with conventional adhesives that contain urea or salicylic acid.
The application of this patch must be performed according to the following scheme:
The patch must be changed daily before going to bed.
There are several other external medications that are effective in fighting nail fungus.
If the stage of the disease is already well advanced, the specialist can prescribe antifungal medication, which must be taken orally. The same funds are needed in the early stages, but only if local therapy has not produced any results.
Important!
You cannot prescribe any antifungal medication for yourself. Only a specialist can choose the most effective and safe remedy, preventing the development of the disease and the occurrence of relapses.
prevention measures
Fungal nail infection is an infectious disease. Thus, in order to avoid it, certain precautions must be taken:
- Maintain personal hygiene;
- Exclusively use personal belongings when visiting the pool or bath;
- Don't try on someone else's shoes with an unprotected leg, make sure you wear a sock;
- Be as careful as possible when coming into contact with a person already infected with the fungus;
- Avoid contact with animals infected with ringworm.
It is important to remember that nail fungus is not a harmless disease. Its early stage does not cause anxiety for most. That's why the disease is becoming more common. It is necessary to monitor the state of the nail plates and the tissues adjacent to them, in the first manifestations of the disease, seek help from a specialist.
Once in the early stages, this disease is very easy to cure. If you run it, very unpleasant consequences will not be excluded.