Currently, about 25% of the inhabitants of the planet suffer from mycosis. Often the disease is expressed on the legs. The nail fungus on the big toe provides many unpleasant moments, depriving a person of a normal, quiet life. In addition, it can spread to neighboring regions. How to cure a fungus on the big toe? Which drugs are the most effective? The answers to these questions are in our article.
Reasons for the appearance
A fungus on the skin of the big toe can be picked up in public places (baths, saunas, swimming pools, water parks and other institutions where people walk without shoes). It should be noted that fungal spores often penetrate the skin of people, but not everyone is infected. For infection to occur, the microorganism must enter the skin cells, gain a foothold there and begin to multiply. This is facilitated by wounds and microcracks. We may not see them, but for the fungus, these are wide open doors.
It is also possible to be infected if one of the family members is already suffering from mycosis. This is observed if people do not observe the rules of personal hygiene, use a common towel, sleep in the same bed, have common shoes and socks.
The threat of fungus infection in public places is reduced if a person has a strong immune system.
Thumbnail fungus can also appear after trying on shoes in the store or in the market, if you do it barefoot.
Other factors contributing to fungal infection:
- Lack of foot hygiene.
- Excessive sweating (sweat is an excellent breeding ground for fungus).
- Flat foot.
- Wear tight shoes.
- Old age (over the years, blood circulation is disturbed in people, immunity weakens).
- Make a pedicure with non-disinfected instruments.
Most often, the fungus first appears on the skin of the thumb, since it is easier for it to grow in the soft layers of the dermis. If the disease is not treated, it goes to the nails. However, in some cases, onychomycosis is the primary disease, and already from the affected nail plate microorganisms spread to the skin.
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Microorganisms that infect the nail plate secrete enzymes that contribute to its destruction. Thus, the fungus prepares the space for its own reproduction and the growth of colonies. Symptoms depend on the stage of the disease.
Mycosis of the skin is manifested by severe itching. This is the very first sign. Then a bubble appears, filled with light exudate. The bubble bursts and a deep crack forms in its place. It is extremely painful, it even hurts a person to walk in shoes. In addition, the wound continues to itch. A dry, scaly skin forms around it. The crack may heal, but will soon reappear.
At first, the disease does not manifest itself on the nail plate. It is possible to suspect from separate whitish spots and stripes that there is nail fungus on the big toe. The photo above shows what the affected area looks like.
At the second stage, the nail fades (it sometimes turns yellow), thickens sharply and curls. It can often grow into the skin, causing pain when walking and local inflammation.
In the third stage of onychomycosis, the nail comes off, it hurts to cut it. In some patients, it may flake off from the skin. At this point, the patient poses a significant threat to others, as their nail plate becomes a receptacle for fungal spores, which easily disperse on surfaces.
Classification
Onychomycosis has three stages:
- The first is that there is no change in texture, the changes in tone are not visible enough: scratches, stains may appear.
- The second - the plate becomes yellowish, ceases to shine, an unpleasant smell comes from the feet.
- Third - the plate loses its own texture, becomes loose, exfoliates from the nail bed.
By the color of the nail, you can determine which fungus occupied it:
- Yellowish spots indicate a dermatophyte lesion, while the changes are limited to areas in the center of the plaque and along the edges.
- The location of the changes along the edges and the peeling indicate damage caused by fungi of the yeast family.
- The darkening of the plaque indicates the lack of blood circulation in the finger and the attachment of mold.
Treatment
The success of nail fungus treatment depends entirely on how quickly it is started. In the initial stages, local remedies can help cure mycosis, and only surgical therapy can help in later stages and an ingrown toenail.
Medications
The fungus on the thumbnail is treated with special varnishes, ointments and medicines taken orally. At the initial stages, the disease can be cured in 1-2 months, at later stages it can take six months or even a year.
Fortunate
The action of therapeutic varnishes is associated with a softening of the plaque and a disinfectant result. The varnish penetrates the nail plate and destroys the fungus.
Ointments, creams and sprays
These drugs are used for dermatomycosis and onychomycosis. They are quite effective and side effects are extremely rare. It is recommended to apply these funds once or twice a day.
Oral preparations
Tablets for the treatment of big toe fungus are used in later stages. With mycosis, only complex treatment can help. Oral preparations include tablets and capsules.
How to remove a nail
With a fungus on the big toe, removing the nail plate can give an effective result. To do this, use means that help soften the nail: patches, ointments, creams.
Pedicure equipment
It is not a cosmetic procedure, but a medical one. Perform it in medical institutions. Hardware pedicure is done with a special nozzle with a grinding coating. With the help of this procedure you can get rid of the fungus on the big toe. The photo shows the placement of a hardware pedicure.
How does the procedure take place :
- The affected area is disinfected.
- Soften with special drugs.
- Remove the outer layer with nozzles.
The procedure is carried out very carefully, gradually removing the layers. If the healthy part of the nail is affected, it can cause the fungus to spread.
The advantages of this method include:
- Rapid removal of affected parts of the nail.
- Absence of pain.
- Achievement of good permeability for medicinal ointments and varnishes.
But this type of pedicure has drawbacks:
- Allergic reactions may occur.
- There is a risk of infection.
Laser
Laser technologies are much more promising than other fungus removal methods. The beam heats punctually and destroys harmful microorganisms without touching healthy tissue.
Removal of nail plates with a laser takes several minutes. If more than one finger is infected, the laser procedure will take longer. To remove a nail with a fungus, it may take several sessions, depending on the degree of damage. Healthy nails will only grow back after six months.
Operation
With this type of procedure, the diseased nail is completely removed. Use this method only in cases where other methods could not help you get rid of the disease. Removal of the big toe nail can destroy the fungus only if, after the operation, the patient undergoes complex treatment prescribed by the doctor.
The operation is contraindicated:
- People with poor blood clotting.
- Have infectious and other diseases in the acute stage.
- Intolerant to anesthesia.
- Suffering from diabetes.
- Those with immune diseases.
- With dilated veins and permeable capillaries.
How is the operation
The procedure itself is painless for the patient, as it is performed under anesthesia. The nail and the surrounding skin are treated with iodine. The doctor inserts a special tool under the nail plate and isolates it from the skin. If a small area of the nail is affected, only that part is removed.
After the procedure, antibiotic medication is applied to the wound and bandaged. The healing process takes several weeks. Requires ligation. The process of growing a new nail can take several months.
Possible consequences:
- Cut, pain after the procedure.
- Infection.
- Irregular nail growth.
Recovery
Usually, the doctor provides personalized advice on wound care. However, there are some general tips:
- Bed rest after surgery for at least 1 month.
- An open wound should be regularly treated, new sterile dressings applied and medication (ointments, creams) used.
- After the procedure, the doctor prescribes medications (anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antifungal).
Prevention
To reduce the risk of onychomycosis infection, the following recommendations should be followed:
- Fungi can be infected in the beauty salon. This happens in case of insufficient sterilization of manicure-pedicure instruments. You should visit salons that have a good reputation and a large number of positive reviews.
- Accessories for a pedicure performed at home, it is advisable to have your own, and not to call on strangers.
- If your feet sweat a lot, dust them with talc or powder, and also wipe them off after taking a bath or shower.
- It is recommended to take vitamins that increase immunity.
- Frequent pedicure operations thin the nail plate, break its structure, which contributes to fungal infection.
- Acetone nail polish remover can also damage the nail plate.
- It is forbidden to wear someone else's shoes.
- The drying towel should be personal.
- Cracks in the feet are a risk condition for the appearance of mycoses, so they must be treated in a timely manner.
Folk remedies
Those who are interested in how to treat a fungus on the big toe should remember that there are folk medicine methods that also give good results.
Use such recipes more often:
- Lotions based on table vinegar. Take half a glass of water, glycerin and vinegar, mix. In the resulting liquid, a gauze napkin is moistened and applied to the nails affected by the fungus for 25 minutes. The procedure should be performed 2 times a day.
- Coffee bath. Brew coffee (preferably natural) so that the drink is strong, then wait for it to cool down a bit. The legs should be lowered into the mixture for 25 minutes. The operation should be carried out daily for 5 days.
- Iodine. It is a cheap drug, but it is considered a powerful antiseptic. They lubricate the affected areas with a cotton swab. It is necessary to carry out the procedure for a week, then make a gap of 7 days and repeat the course.
- Sea salt baths. Add a tablespoon of salt to a bowl of warm water and soak your feet in it for 20 minutes.
- Horseradish bandage. It is necessary to take fresh horseradish roots, grate them on a fine grater. For a compress, a teaspoon of grated mass is enough. It is necessary to apply a bandage at night.
- Compress and bath with potatoes. You need potato peelings. They need to be washed and boiled, crushed. The broth in which the cleanings were cooked should be used for the bath. After that, the prepared mash is applied to the affected nails. Bandage. When the product has cooled, rub the internal lard into the nails.
Folk remedies have an effect only in the early stages of the disease. They can be used for prophylaxis and complex therapy.
Comments
People suffering from fungus on the feet write that ointments, varnishes, sprays and any other external agents only help ringworm in the initial stage. They are not suitable for the treatment of onychomycosis, since they are not able to kill all the spores of the fungus. Therefore, during treatment, after a visible improvement, relapses are inevitable.
Patients are advised not to spare shoes, socks, tights and not to throw them away during or after treatment.
Also, patients are advised to walk home in socks all the time for people who have caught the fungus. Otherwise, the spores of the fungus will spread throughout the apartment.
According to those who are trying to get rid of nail fungus, this disease is very difficult to treat. The duration of treatment should be long. The most effective means for oral use, but all of them have many side effects and contraindications.
All patients are unanimous that it is better to follow preventive measures than to treat the disease.