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 its development increases with age, although the fungus is often detected in children. Every 10 years of life, the incidence increases by 2. 5 times. If among children it is 3%, among the elderly it is already 50 to 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 mushrooms, chanterelles or honey mushrooms, which we are used to seeing on our table. There are microscopic parasitic species that feed on the tissues of plants, animals and humans.
The causative agents of onychomycosis consume the protein keratin, which is part of the nail plate, hair and upper (keratinized) layer of the skin. About 50 representatives of parasitic fungi that can cause the disease are known.
They are divided into three groups:
- Dermatophytes. They represent 80% of cases of onychomycosis. They are characterized by high survival and viability. Found naturally in soil;
- Yeast-like mushrooms. Among them is Candida albicans (microorganisms of the genus Candida), known to women, which causes thrush or vaginal candidiasis. Yeast-type fungi are 5 times more likely to affect fingernails than toenails. Toxic and impairs the functioning of the entire 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 hands are given much more attention, they are washed more often during the day and treated with antiseptics. They are always open and well ventilated except in winter when gloves are worn. And your feet are constantly covered in dress shoes, slippers, tights, socks and they sweat more. These factors create ideal conditions for the development of foot fungus, because heat and humidity are its best "friends".
The causative agent of onychomycosis enters the nail from different directions. The most common method is from above, from the side of the free edge of the nail plate. It is also possible to introduce it from the side from the side ridges or from below from the cuticle and nail growth zone.
Onychomycosis is most dangerous near the cuticle. In this case, the fungus slows down or stops the division of onychoblasts - cells of the growth zone located under the lower nail fold. The nail stops growing and infected areas may not recover. A pathological change in the structure and destruction of the nail occurs.
Fungi rarely penetrate directly into the nail plate. First, their spores penetrate the skin around the nail or into the spaces between the fingers through microcracks, cuts, abrasions, abrasions and calluses. Then the colony begins to grow, the pathogen moves to the nail plate, penetrates it and begins to parasitize.
Why does onychomycosis appear?
Fungi live in warm, humid places, and wherever such conditions exist, it is easy to become infected with them. For example, if you walk barefoot in public baths, swimming pools, showers, or gym locker rooms, your chances of becoming infected are high.
Certain diseases contribute to the development of onychomycosis:
- Diabetes. In diabetic patients, the fungus is 3 times more common. Excess glucose in the blood creates favorable conditions for fungi to function. In the absence of controlling sugar and keeping it within normal limits, blood vessels suffer. The longer the disease lasts, the more the blood supply to the legs is impaired (diabetic foot syndrome). Wounds heal less well, 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 blood clots in the lumen of the veins);
- Weakened immunity, immunodeficiency states (HIV), damage to the immune system. Reduce the body's resistance to any infection;
- Psoriasis. 90% of people suffering from psoriasis experience changes to the nail plate. Grooves form on it, disorder is present, depressions appear and detachment of the nail plate appears. These factors increase the risk of infection with a fungus 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 associated with the characteristics of the profession and poor foot care:
- poor care of feet and nails, lack of daily hygiene procedures due to neglect of personal hygiene rules or difficulties in their implementation (in patients who are bedridden or with reduced mobility);
- work in damp and damp places (greenhouses, greenhouses, vegetable stores), frequent wearing of rubber gloves or rubber shoes;
- professional sports;
- wearing uncomfortable, tight and narrow shoes or shoes made of artificial materials (leatherette), which creates a "greenhouse effect" and disrupts normal air exchange.
Predisposing factors for the development of onychomycosis include trauma to the nail or surrounding tissues, taking antibacterial or hormonal drugs.
In women, a common cause of the appearance of fungus is prolonged wearing 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 to toenails; it is better to use regular decorative varnish. Also, in women, onychomycosis appears after an unsuccessful manicure or pedicure in salons where high-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, yellowing, loss of softness and shine;
- itching, redness, peeling of the skin around;
- delamination, fragility, friability;
- Unpleasant smell;
- violation of the structure, thickening;
If you experience at least one of the listed signs, you should immediately consult a nail fungus doctor. This may be a podiatrist, dermatologist or mycologist.
A mandatory examination by a podiatrist to check for onychomycosis is required after an injury to the nail or the skin surrounding it. If there are predisposing factors (varicose veins, diabetes, atherosclerosis, weakened immunity, excessive sweating of the feet, etc. ), it is recommended to carry out a medical pedicure once a month, during which the doctor will carefully examine the nails andthe skin of the feet and identify changes in the early stages.
Is nail fungus dangerous?
Onychomycosis is a disease that causes more psychological discomfort than a physical illness. 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 requiring urgent medical attention.
People are in no hurry to treat nail fungus. After all, when the affected area is small, you can paint it with varnish, wear socks or closed shoes in front of strangers. And the problem of psychological discomfort 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 their family and others.
How to prevent infections?
The best cure for nail fungus is prevention.
To protect yourself against infection, you should:
- use medical disinfectants with the GOST inscription (capable of killing onychomycosis, tuberculosis, hepatitis, HIV);
- monitor the condition of the feet and nails, the main rule is that the feet should be clean and dry;
- take care of shoes, disinfect and dry them regularly, it is convenient to use electric dryers for drying;
- treat your feet with drying agents or antiperspirants if your feet sweat a lot;
- in the swimming pool, sauna and changing rooms of the gym, do not go barefoot, but wear rubber flip-flops 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 other problems: calluses, corns.
Features of onychomycosis treatment
Advertising on television promises to easily and quickly cure nail fungus with the help of antifungal (fungicide) creams, solutions and varnishes. We are promised that "the drugs Lamesil, Exaderil, Mikazan, Mecoderil and others penetrate deep into the nail structure, effectively destroy the fungus and return the nails to their previous appearance in 2-3 applications. "But why then does this self-treatment of toenail fungus give good results in 10% of cases maximum? Because these remedies themselves are effective only in the early stages of the appearance of the fungus, when the symptoms are not yet obvious and almost invisible.
Manufacturers often lie that medicines are produced in Europe and contain good active ingredients. In practice, the most effective medicine against nail fungus (onychomycosis) is that containing the substance clotrimazole. Most drugs are simply very well advertised and expensive, but do not contain the required substance. You cannot buy specialized medicines in regular pharmacies, even if the required name is written there; the chemical composition will not contain them, because production is very expensive.
This medication is used in podiatry centers and on properly prepared nails. We are not allowed to write the name of the medicine, but you can ask us any questions here.
Antifungal medications are the mainstay of treatment for onychomycosis. Without them, even if we want to, we will not be able to defeat the infection. But they must be used correctly and judiciously. The drug for nail fungus should be applied to a previously treated and prepared nail so that it produces the desired therapeutic effect.
The first thing to do if you suspect onychomycosis is to consult a doctor who will confirm or deny the diagnosis. If necessary, he will prescribe additional examination and treatment. Choosing a remedy for nail fungus based on reviews on the Internet, advice from friends or advertisements on TV will lead to wasting time and money on unnecessary medications. The same results will be obtained when trying to treat onychomycosis with traditional methods. Vinegar, garlic, onions and medicinal herbs are not capable of destroying 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 do this, you can become infected again through your own stuff. Clothes should be washed at high temperatures (above 60°C), ironed, and shoes should be treated with special disinfectants.
What drugs and methods are effective?
In the early stages, treatment of onychomycosis is easier and faster than in advanced cases. How to treat nail fungus?
To combat the pathogen, use:
- Hardware medical pedicure. Allows you to clean areas of the nails affected by onychomycosis without blood and pain, preparing them for the use of antifungal agents;
- Keratolytics. These are local medications for nail fungus, which are applied to the affected nail in order to remove it painlessly. They loosen, soften and dissolve the nail plate, then it is easily removed using pedicure tools. Keratolytics facilitate the treatment of onychomycosis, eliminate the infected area, stimulate the growth of a new healthy nail plate;
- Fungicidal agents. The action of these drugs is aimed at destroying the fungus. For onychomycosis, they are used locally in the form of varnishes, solutions, ointments, creams and internally in the form of tablets. When taken internally, the active ingredients of nail fungus tablets accumulate in 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.
Onychomycosis treatment methods are selected based on the severity of symptoms and the affected area. In the early stages of the disease, hardware treatment and external fungicidal agents are sufficient. In severe forms of infection, when the entire nail is infected with fungus, you will need to take pills and remove the nail plate. Treatment for an advanced form of onychomycosis lasts from 3 months to 1 year and depends on the growth rate of the nails.
Topical fungicide preparations are safe for health, but are not always effective. Tablets negatively affect the liver, therefore laboratory monitoring of the condition of the organ is necessary when taking them.
Onychomycosis is curable, and that’s the main thing!
The sooner you see a doctor, the sooner you can fix it.
Don't be afraid or embarrassed. This problem is very common and affects millions of people around the world.
During the treatment of nail fungus in our podiatry center, you will receive:
- joint observation of a podiatrist and a mycologist (doctor who deals with fungal diseases);
- 100% sterility during all procedures;
- the possibility of collecting material (scraping from the skin and nail plate) to identify the type of fungus;
- quick results (on average 3 to 4 procedures are necessary);
- Recommendations for foot and shoe care that will help prevent reinfection.
It is important to us that the problem does not return, and that your nails are healthy and beautiful!