Nail fungus or onychomycosis (medical name) is a disease that occurs with damage to nail plate with fungal infection.Onchomycosis suffers from 5 to 15% of people.The risk of its development increases with age, although often the fungus is detected in babies.Every 10 years of life, the incidence increases 2.5 times.If in children, it is 3%, the elderly already have 50 to 60%.
Pathogens of the disease
Onchomycosis is caused by microorganisms from the mushroom kingdom.The world of mushrooms is diversified, and not all are as pleasant as champions, chantelles or mushrooms, which we are used to seeing on our table.There are microscopic parasitic species that feed on fabrics of plants, animals, humans.
Onychomycosis causal agents consume a keratin protein, which is part of the nail plate, hair, upper skin layer (keratinized).About fifty representatives of parasitic mushrooms who can cause illness are known.
They are divided into three groups:
- Dermatophytes.They represent 80% of onychomycosis cases.They are distinguished by high survival and vitality.Are in nature in the soil;
- Mushrooms similar to yeast.Among them, there is the known of the women candida albicans (microorganisms of the genus Candida), causing vaginal lodge or candidiasis.Mushrooms of the explosion type 5 times more often affect nails on the hands than on the legs.Toxic and worsen the work of the whole organism;
- Mussels.Onychomycosis, caused by molds, is rare.But it is the most dangerous, progressing quickly, can completely destroy the plate, go to neighboring tissues.
Onychomycosis affects the nails of the arms and legs, but on the legs, the fungus of the nails occurs much more often.This is due to the fact that the hands are granted much more attention, more often washed during the day, treat with antiseptic agents.They are always open, well ventilated except for winter, when we wear gloves.And the legs are constantly closed by street shoes, homemade slippers, tights, socks, sweat more.These factors create ideal conditions for the development of fungus on the legs, because heat and humidity are its best "friends".
The Causal Agent of Onychomycosis enters the nail in different directions.The most common way is from above, from the free edge of the nail plate.It is also possible to introduce on the side of the side rollers or below the cuticle and the nail growth area.
The most dangerous onychomycosis is close to the cuticle.In this case, the fungus slows down or stops the onychoblast division - cells in the germ area under the lower nail roller.The nail stops growing in length, infected areas may not recover.A pathological change in structure, the destruction of the nail occurs.
Mushrooms are rarely introduced immediately into the nail plate.At the beginning, their spores fall into the skin around the nail or interdiginal gaps through microcoffrees, cuts, abrasions, scratches, horns.Then, the growth of the colony begins, the pathogen moves towards the nail plate, enters it and is taken to parasitize.
Why does Onychomycosis appear?
Mushrooms live in hot and humid places, and wherever there are such conditions, it is easy to infect them.For example, if you go barefoot in public baths, swimming pools, shower or gym segments, the chances of infection are high.
The development of onychomycosis is facilitated by certain diseases:
- Diabetes.In diabetic patients, the fungus occurs 3 times more often.Excess glucose in the blood creates favorable conditions for life for fungi.In the absence of sugar control and its retention in the standard, the blood vessels suffer.The more experience in the disease, the more blood supply of the legs (diabetic foot syndrome) is more altered.The wounds heal worse, the infection is easier;
- Poor blood circulation in the lower limbs caused by varicose veins, atherosclerosis (light narrowing, arteries' blockage), thrombophlebititis (the formation of blood clots in the light of the veins);
- Improvement of immunity, immunodeficiency conditions (HIV), damage to the organs of the immune system.Reduce body resistance to any infection;
- Psoriasis.90% of people with psoriasis have changes in the nail plate.Floors are formed, the disorder is present, the corners appear, the detachment of the nail plate.These factors 1.5 to 2 times increase the chances of infection by a fungus;
- Hyperhidrosis or increased perspiration of the feet often causes onychomycosis in men;
- The presence of a home of a fungal infection in other parts of the body.
The risk group includes the elderly.
The cause of onychomycosis is often associated with the characteristics of the profession and the poor leg care:
- Unhappy care and nail care, the absence of daily hygiene procedures due to the negligence of the rules or difficulties of personal hygiene with their implementation (in linked patients or patients with reduced mobility);
- Work in wet gross rooms (greenhouses, greenhouses, vegetable stores), frequent use of rubber gloves or rubber shoes;
- Professional sports;
- Wearing uncomfortable shoes or shoes, cramped and narrow in artificial materials (phironte), creating a "greenhouse effect" which prevents normal air exchange.
Disposable factors for the development of onychomycosis include nail or tissue wounds around it, taking antibacterial or hormonal medications.
Women have a common cause of long -term mushroom gel varnish.It creates a closed space between the nail plate and the coating in which a fungal infection is successfully developed.It is not recommended to apply gel varnish on the legs on the legs, it is better to use an ordinary decorative varnish.Still in women, onychomycosis appears after a manicure or an unsuccessful pedicure in the salons, where high quality disinfection of the tools is not carried out, sterility is not observed.
Onychomycosis signs
Most often, the fungus infects the thumbs of the feet.
The following changes in the nail plate are indicated on fungal damage:
- dull, yellowing, loss of sweetness and shine;
- itching, redness, peeling of the skin around;
- Relaxing, fragility, loose;
- Unpleasant odor;
- violation of the structure, thickening;
If you find at least one of the signs listed, you should immediately consult a doctor, treating the fungus of the nails.It can be a premium, a dermatologist or a mycologist.
A compulsory inspection of a subgroup for the verification of onychomycosis is necessary after a nail or skin injury around it.If there are available factors (varicose veins, diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis, weakened immunity, increased perspiration, etc.), it is recommended to make a medical pedicure once a month, in which the doctor will carefully examine the nails and the skin of the feet, reveal changes at the beginning.
Is the fungus dangerous on the nails?
Onychomycosis is a disease that is more likely to cause psychological discomfort than physical disease.To understand what it is, just look at the photo mushroom on the legs on the internet.It is characterized by a slow course, does not cause pain, fever and other symptoms which require an emergency of search for a doctor.
People are not in a hurry to treat nail mushrooms.After all, when the damage area is small, you can paint it with varnish, put socks or shoes closed with foreigners.And the problem of psychological discomfort is temporarily resolved.But, unfortunately, everything is not so simple.If you do not destroy fungal infection, it will not disappear anywhere, but will hit the nail more.And onychomycosis is a contrast.An infected person is a danger to family members and others.
How to prevent infection?
The best remedy for nail mushrooms is prevention.
To protect yourself from infection, you need:
- Use medical disinfectors with the registration of GOST (they are able to kill onychomycosis, tuberculosis, hepatitis, HIV);
- Monitor the state of the feet and nails, the main rule - the legs should be clean and dry;
- To take care of shoes, regular disinfection, drying, it is practical to use electric dryers for drying;
- Treat your legs with drying products or anti -Ferspirants, if the feet sweat;
- In the pool, sauna, gymnasium lockers do not walk barefoot, but wear rubber slippers with closed toe;
- Wear comfortable shoes in natural breathable materials;
- Do not use a napkin, shoes or foreign manicure supplies.
These tips will help you warn onychomycosis, keep your nails healthy and well.They are effective not only for prevention of fungus, but also other problems: an embodied nail, horns, horns.
Characteristics of the treatment of onychomycosis
Television advertising promises to easily and quickly cure nail mushrooms using antifungal creams (fungicides), solutions, varnishes.We are promised that "different drugs penetrate deep into the nail structure, effectively destroy the fungus, for 2 to 3 use, they refer the old appearance to nails".But why then such an independent treatment of fungi on the legs gives good results in a maximum of 10% of cases?Because these drugs are only effective in the first stages of the fungus, when the symptoms are not yet obvious and almost not perceptible.
Manufacturers are often cunning that drugs are produced using the latest technologies and have good substances active in the composition. Most drugs are simply very well opposed and are very expensive, without having the substances necessary for treatment. You will not buy drugs specializing in ordinary pharmacies, because production is very expensive.
Agriés drugs are the basis of the treatment of onychomycosis.Without them, it doesn't matter how much we would like to defeat the infection.But they must be used correctly and deliberately.A healing for the fungus of the nails must be applied to a pre-award and prepared nail so that it has the right healing effect.
The first thing you should do if onychomycosis is suspected is to consult a doctor who will confirm or refute the diagnosis.If necessary, prescribe an additional examination and treatment.The choice of a product from nails based on internet reviews, friends or television advertising will cause a waste of time and money that will spend on unnecessary drugs.The same results will be obtained when you try to treat onychomycosis with folk methods.Vinegar, garlic, onions, medicinal herbs are unable to destroy the pathogen.
An important point in the treatment of onychomycosis is the disinfection of shoes and clothing, which has contacted an infected area.If it is not accomplished, you can get infected with your own business again.The clothes should be washed at high temperature (above 60 ° C), elongated and handled with shoes with special disinfectants.
What drugs and methods are effective?
In the early stages, the treatment of onychomycosis is easier and faster than in advanced cases.How to treat nail fungi?
To fight against the pathogen, use:
- Material medical pedicure.Allows you to clean the nails areas affected by bloodless onychomycosis and pain, prepare them for the use of antifungal agents;
- Keratolytic.These are local nail fungi drugs, which are applied to the affected nail in order to its painless withdrawal.They relax, soften and dissolve the nail plate, then it is easily removed with pedicure tools.Keratolytics facilitate the treatment of onychomycosis, remove the infected area and stimulate the growth of a new healthy nail plate;
- Fungicide agents.The action of these drugs aims to destroy the fungus.For onychomycosis, they are used locally in the form of varnishes, solutions, ointments, creams and inside in the form of tablets.With internal use, the active substances of the nail fungus tablets accumulate in the skin and nail plate.The activity of fungal enzymes is deleted, the permeability of cellular membranes is disturbed and the pathogen is death.
Onychomycosis treatment methods are selected according to the severity of the symptoms and the area of the lesion area.In the early stages of the disease, there is enough material treatment and external fungicidal agents.In serious forms of damage, when the whole nail is infected with a fungus, it will be necessary to take tablets, removing the nail plate.The treatment of an advanced form of onychomycosis takes 3 months to 1 year and depends on the growth rate of the nail.
Local fungicidal drugs are safe for health, but not always effective.The tablets therefore negatively affect the liver, therefore, throughout their administration, a laboratory control of the state of the body is necessary.
We cure onychomycosis, and that's the essential!
The earlier you consult a doctor, the more you can manage it quickly.
Don't be afraid and be shy.This problem is very common, millions of people in the world have it.
In the treatment of nail mushrooms in a professional medical center, you get:
- Joint observation of a sub-devanive and mycologist (a doctor who is engaged in fungal diseases);
- 100% sterility when performing all procedures;
- the possibility of a hardware fence (scratching of the skin and nail plate) to identify the type of fungus;
- Quick result (on average, 3 to 4 procedures are necessary);
- • Free disinfection of a pair of shoes in which you have come, the possibility of disinfection of all the shoes in which you went during the period of onychomycosis;
- Recommendations for the sole and shoes that will help prevent infection.
The most important thing is to skill a specialist with competence and turn in time for help only when your nails will be healthy and beautiful!