Nail fungus, like all other fungal diseases, is a contagious disease.Pathogenic microscopic fungi are easily transmitted from a sick person to a healthy person and quickly penetrate the nail plates, forming a colony.
Toenails are the places that suffer most from fungal infections.According to medical statistics, nail fungus occurs in approximately 15% of the world's population.It is observed that men are more susceptible to this disease.Doctors attribute this phenomenon to the fact that women are more scrupulous about hygiene rules.In addition, the fungus much more often affects the elderly, which is probably due to their somewhat reduced immunity and the presence of chronic diseases.
Regardless of the type of fungus causing nail disease, it will have similar symptoms and require the same treatment.Since fungal nail infection is not life-threatening, most patients are in no rush to receive treatment, considering the problem to be merely cosmetic.This approach is fundamentally wrong, because due to prolonged exposure to the fungus, the immune system begins to suffer, and this opens the door to many diseases.
How does fungal infection occur?
It is very easy to get infected by fungi.This is why this disease has become so widespread.Most often the disease is caused by the following reasons:
- violation of personal hygiene rules;
- wear someone else's shoes;
- wear someone else's socks;
- being barefoot at the gym;
- being barefoot in the pool;
- being barefoot in a public bath.
The fungus is transmitted especially quickly from one family member to another.Therefore, even if one person in the family faces this disease, everyone should treat their nails.
What predisposes to the development of nail fungus
Some people are more susceptible to fungal diseases, while others are less susceptible.This is due to the fact that there are some predisposing factors to the disease.These disease provocateurs include:
- diabetes mellitus - since this disease causes damage to capillaries, metabolism in the tissues of the nail fold is disturbed, which causes a rapid weakening of local immunity;
- mechanical damage to the nail plate - with poorly trimmed, cracked and broken nails, the nutrition of the nail plate begins to be partially impaired, which significantly reduces its ability to resist fungi;
- vascular disease - in this case, the fungus develops for the same reason as in diabetes;
- fungal infections of the skin - if there is a fungus on the skin, if left untreated, it will gradually spread to the surrounding tissues, causing damage to the nails;
- decline in immunity - with a decrease in protective forces, which can occur for various reasons, the body cannot resist the pathogenic fungus and it easily penetrates the nail tissue.
It is in the presence of provoking factors that in the vast majority of cases the development of fungal nail infection occurs.
How does the fungus manifest itself?
It is very easy to determine the presence of nail fungus, as the symptoms of this disease are very obvious and it is not easy to confuse it with anything else.You can suspect a fungal infection of the nail plate when the following signs appear:
- change in the color of the nail plate - in the presence of a fungus, the color of the nail changes from healthy to yellow, grayish or brown, depending on the type of fungus that caused the disease;
- rough surface of the nail - roughness caused by a fungus is easily determined not only by touch, but also by eye.This symptom appears due to the fact that uneven destruction of the upper layer of the nail plate occurs;
- nail delamination - the nail begins to detach from the edge and gradually the process reaches the base of the plate.On examination, the edge of the nail delamination area is clearly visible;
- white spots under the nail - this is what the places where the nail began to peel off from the base look like.As the nail plate grows under the influence of the fungus, a cavity forms between it and the subungual tissues, which looks like a white spot;
- dullness of the nail plates - the shine of the nail gradually disappears and no specific damage to its surface is observed.This symptom occurs due to peeling of the upper layer of the nail, which is thin and called skin.Contains fats and moisture, which is why it has shine;
- a large number of nails - the appearance of these dry and very painful flakes on the skin is observed due to the fact that the fungus also affects the nail fold.Because of this, the skin begins to die and peel off quickly;
- detachment of the nail plate - due to the fact that the fungus reaches the growth area of the nail, the plate begins to gradually peel off, first from the base and then evenly, to the edge;
- destruction of the nail plate - the diseased nail becomes brittle, begins to crumble and deform.This happens due to the growth of fungi in the thickness of the nail.
When the first symptoms of nail fungus appear, you should start therapy with medications or folk remedies.Both are very effective and therefore the patient must make their own decision as to which treatment method they prefer.
Medications against nail fungus
If the nail plate is not yet heavily affected by the fungus, you can do this without removing it.To treat a toenail, you must use medications prescribed by your doctor.
Treatment of nail fungus with medication is very long and can last up to 1 year.It is necessary to apply medicinal formulations strictly in accordance with the rules and without omissions, otherwise all efforts spent on eliminating the fungus will be in vain.
When the fungus affects the thickness of the nail, it makes no sense to treat the nail plate and it is necessary to use medications designed to remove it.If these products are used correctly, the diseased nail can be removed painlessly or almost painlessly.
In this case, there are medications that soften and detach the nail plate from the tissues located beneath it.Nail removal occurs several times and causes almost no discomfort to the patient.
Folk remedies for treating nail fungus
Traditional medicine can only be used to treat nail fungus if the disease has not gone too far.Ideally, such therapy methods should be started at the first symptoms of the disease.
- Iodine is destructive to almost all types of nail fungus and therefore can be successfully used in the fight against the disease, although doctors do not take this method of therapy too seriously.Using iodine solution is easy.To achieve the desired effect, simply lubricate the diseased nail with iodine in the morning and evening.Healthy nails should also be treated with iodine, but only once every 2 days.This treatment is continued until a healthy nail begins to grow.
- Kombucha can also be used in treatment.A small piece will be enough to remove nail fungus.This piece must be separated from the mushroom and free from skins.It is then crushed into a pulp, which is rubbed into the sore nail morning and evening.This treatment lasts at least 45 days.
- Copper sulfate is also used to combat nail fungus.For medicinal purposes, you need to take 1 level teaspoon of copper sulfate and dissolve it in 1 liter of boiled water.The resulting composition is very concentrated, so for treatment, 1 tablespoon is added for every 1.5 liters of water at a temperature of 50 degrees.A foot bath with this composition is used once a day.The duration of the procedure is 15 minutes.Therapy continues until a healthy nail begins to grow.
- A salt and vinegar bath is helpful at the very beginning of fungal nail infections.To prepare the bath composition, you need to dissolve 4 tablespoons of 9% vinegar and 100 g of salt in 4 liters of very warm water.Bathing is done twice a day.The duration of 1 procedure is 15 minutes.If there are wounds on the skin of the legs, it is better to refuse such treatment, as this can lead to their degeneration into ulcers.
- Celandine is also recommended for treating nail fungus.In summer, when you can easily find a fresh plant, it will be useful to use its juice.To obtain the medicinal composition, the stems of the plant are passed through a meat grinder and then the juice is squeezed out of the resulting mass through cheesecloth.Prepare 200 ml of juice.Then the same volume of alcohol with a strength of 70% is poured into the juice.After the medicine has infused for 1 day, it is used to lubricate the affected nail 4 times a day.In order for the beneficial effect to be maximum, the legs are pre-steamed.Treatment is carried out until a healthy nail plate grows completely.
- Baking soda is another way to combat nail fungus.For therapeutic purposes, it is best to use baking soda paste.To prepare it, 1 teaspoon of the substance is diluted in boiled water until it forms a thick, well-mixed paste.After that, the medicine is applied to the affected nail in a thick layer and sprinkled with lemon juice.As a result of the chemical reaction, a slight burning sensation will be felt and abundant foam will be observed.After 5 minutes of exposure, the soda is removed.This procedure is repeated daily until a healthy nail grows.
Nail fungus prevention
If you do not forget about the rules for preventing nail fungus, it is quite possible to protect yourself from this problem.To prevent the disease, you need to adhere to the following recommendations:
- observe hygiene rules;
- do not wear wet shoes;
- wash slippers at least once a month with antibacterial washing powder;
- use iodine nail treatment as a preventive measure once a month;
- wear only your own shoes;
- wear flip-flops when in the sauna and pool;
- do manicure and pedicure regularly in accordance with all rules;
- change socks daily;
- air your shoes daily;
- use an ultraviolet shoe dryer.
With strict adherence to preventive measures, fungal diseases can be prevented even if there is a sick person in the family.It is very important to inform your child from early childhood about hygiene rules and the dangers of breaking them.It happens that many children contract nail fungus when trying on adult shoes from guests or parents, as well as when exchanging shoes with friends in kindergarten.Understanding why this is dangerous to health will help protect your baby from nail fungus from a young age.