This article will talk about such an unpleasant, but, unfortunately, quite common occurrence as toenail fungus. The symptoms and causes of this disease are known to medical science and are easily diagnosed at all stages. However, it can only be detected if you carefully monitor your own health. How to recognize toenail fungus? How to treat it? Are advertised ointments effective?
What causes nail fungus?
Nail fungus is a fairly common disease. The disease spreads particularly successfully in places with a moderate and tropical climate, i. e. where it is humid and warm. However, paradoxically, the inhabitants of cold countries most often suffer from nail fungus. This is due to the fact that in a harsh climate you must constantly wear warm shoes and socks. The leg sweats, the sock gets wet and the person is forced to stay in that state for a long time without being able to change shoes. This is the best way to encourage nail fungus. Before we talk about how to recognize toenail fungus, let's understand who is more susceptible to this disease.
Nail fungus as an occupational disease
At risk are people whose skin on their feet cannot breathe during the day due to tight footwear. These are miners, power plant workers, gardeners and representatives of other occupations. You can "pick up" the fungus while working in a laundry, swimming pool, hotel or restaurant.
What diseases can serve as a prerequisite
Often, not only representatives of the above-mentioned professions suffer from this disease, but also people who have diabetes mellitus group 1 or 2. In addition, a prerequisite for the appearance of nail fungus can be deformation of the feet, varicose veins. Among the causes of this infection is insufficient nutrition of the nail due to clogging or obstruction of blood vessels. That's why the creams advertised today, as well as the nail polishes supposedly designed to save you from fungus, will be completely useless in the fight against the disease. After all, it is often caused by internal diseases, and external influence will not eradicate the problem.
Who is at risk?
A few decades ago, nail fungus was most commonly diagnosed in older people. However, the number of nail fungus patients increases every year, and the disease itself is getting younger.
Official data shows that nail fungus develops two to three times more often in men. However, women turn to dermatologists with this problem much more often. Representatives of the fairer sex are more concerned about their health and do not find anything shameful in consulting a doctor.
Then we'll look at why it's so important to get recommendations on the treatment of fungus from a dermatologist, and we'll also talk about how to recognize nail fungus and what symptoms it has at each stage of its development.
What does nail fungus look like?
This disease is not fatal, but, of course, it is necessary to get rid of it. Fortunately, it is not difficult for anyone to recognize the beginning of the disease. How to identify foot fungus? Tips are provided below. First of all, take a closer look at your nails.
The first thing to pay attention to is the color of the nails. The nail affected by the fungus becomes dull yellow and opaque. Depending on the stage of the disease, the edge of the nail plate, the base or the entire nail may be affected.
Pay attention to the thickness of the nail
Answering the question of how to recognize nail fungus, we should also mention the changes in the nail plate. Despite the fact that the nail becomes thinner due to the disease, visually and by sensations it seems to become thicker and swell.
How to recognize nail fungus? In order to detect the presence of infection, a visual inspection of the nail plate is not enough. Mix potassium permanganate and water in a ratio of 1 to 5, dip your nails in the resulting solution for half a minute. A healthy nail will stain and turn brown. Part of the affected plate will remain white.
Stages of the disease
The disease occurs in four stages. The sooner you start treatment, the better your chances of getting rid of nail fungus for good.
The first stage is characterized by damage to the edge of the nail. As mentioned above, the color of the plate changes and bumps appear. The nail grows out of poor quality, hollow, so it breaks and crumbles.
A sign of the second stage will be an increase in the affected area. In addition, it should be noted that sometimes the second phase can start as if bypassing the first. Damage to the nail plate will start not from the edge, but from the base of the nail. Treatment of nail fungus in the second stage will be more problematic than in the first.
How to recognize nail fungus in the third stage? In medicine, it is called white superficial fungus and it looks as if the entire plate is affected. It is thick white in color and very crumbling around the edges.
The fourth stage is called total dystrophic fungus. The nail is yellowish-gray in color, emits an unusual unpleasant smell and is very crumbly. In the fourth stage, a bare part of the skin can often be seen under the broken nail, because it has grown due to the fungus and in most cases it breaks.
The reason for visiting a dermatologist is often self-identification of the fourth stage of nail fungus. You should not look to forums or the internet for advice on how to effectively treat nail fungus. At the first symptoms of the disease, it is better to consult a specialist.
What to expect when going to the doctor?
Probably each of us has a fear of doctors. However, do not be afraid to consult a dermatologist if you suspect that you have nail fungus. The specialist will perform an external examination and also take a scraping of the upper keratinized layer of the nail to send to the laboratory for diagnosis. A detailed analysis will reveal what caused the disease, determine the type of fungus, and tell the doctor what type of treatment should be prescribed.
Treatment of nail fungus takes a long time. It can last from one month to three. After the course of treatment, you will need to be tested again, even if the above symptoms are not observed.
A few words about effective treatment
So now we know how to recognize toenail fungus. The methods are listed above. Now it is worth saying a few words about the treatment that you can do yourself. The drug based on naftifine has performed quite well. However, you do not need to use an ointment, but a solution. This medicine can also be used in cases of foot fungus.
How to use the solution? If you have a fungus in the first stage of the disease, rub the affected nail surface twice a day. Nails should be dry and well washed. In the following stages of the disease, you cannot do without taking pills. However, even in this case, the use of the solution with naftifine should not be stopped: this will enhance the effect of the drugs.
Before applying the product, it is necessary to thoroughly clean the affected nail surface with a manicure machine. However, you have to be extremely careful. After the finished manipulations, it is necessary to apply a solution containing the active ingredient naftifine to the cleaned area. Repeat 2 times a day.
People who are familiar with this infectious disease also speak positively about the kits for removing fungal nail infections. Which of these products you use, a solution or a nail removal kit, is up to you. But without the help of a dermatologist, it will not be possible to get rid of nail fungus forever and completely.
To summarize
The article answers the question of how to recognize toenail fungus. However, it is worth remembering that self-medication does not always lead to complete recovery. If there are changes in the thickness or color of the nails, you should consult a doctor.
According to the degree of damage to the nail plate, fungi can be divided into four stages. If in the first stage the disease does not cause alarm, because it does not deform the nail plate to a great extent, then in the fourth stage you can easily lose your nails. Do not hesitate to contact a dermatologist.
It is strongly recommended that you do not engage in self-medication by succumbing to advertising advice about the effectiveness of a particular drug. Cream or any other product that is applied to the nail plate from the outside will not get rid of the causative agent of the disease, and therefore will be ineffective. As a result, you will only delay the treatment process by masking the manifestation of the disease. It is also worth remembering that nail fungus not only looks unaesthetic, but is also a kind of beacon that indicates the presence of disorders in the body.