How to accurately recognize toenail fungus and when to start treatment?

Today, not only women, but also most men care about the beauty of their nails.But only healthy nails can be beautiful, so it will be useful for everyone to know how to recognize toenail fungus.The sooner a person notices the signs of the disease, the easier it will be to undergo treatment.But it will be difficult to cure an advanced form of onychomycosis.The disease often recurs and is difficult to treat.

Onychomycosis is a common disease.Most often, the fungus affects the toenails, but this disease can also appear on the fingers.Onychomycosis of the hands is especially common in women.The signs of disease on toenails and fingernails are approximately the same.Symptoms depend on the type of pathogen and where the infection was introduced.

Species

How to identify toenail fungus?This disease is quite insidious, because the symptoms depend on the type of pathogen that caused the disease.There are several dozen species of fungi that can cause onychomycosis.But they can be divided into three groups, depending on the nature of the pathogen.

Yeast

This type of fungus most often affects the fingers, but it can also appear on the feet.The infected nail plate becomes loose and peels away from the nail bed.In addition to the nails, the skin is also affected, and the ridges surrounding the plate become inflamed.They become red, painful, and in an advanced stage, when you press the roller, white contents come out from under it.

Dermatophytes

This type of filamentous fungus most often affects toenails.The disease manifests itself gradually.In the first stage, spots or streaks appear that have a yellowish tint.At first, these spots are small, but gradually grow, occupying the entire surface of the nail.

Mould

Molds are extremely common, but relatively rarely cause onychomycosis.When affected by this type of pathogen, the nails change color.The spots are unusual colors - black, green, dirty gray.

Forms

The disease can occur in several forms.Disease symptoms depending on the form of onychomycosis:

• Lateral-distal.This is the most common case;the first changes on the nail can be noticed on the growing part of the nail in one of the corners (sometimes in both corners at once).
• Proximal.In this case, the first changes appear on the inner edge of the nail.

• Superficial.Unlike the previous forms, in the superficial type of onychomycosis, the pathogen does not penetrate deep into the plate.The symptoms are unusual, spots appear in the middle of the plate, the nail itself becomes looser, the entire surface begins to peel, and the scales peel off from it.

Clinical manifestations

Fungal nail diseases do not cause discomfort in the first stage.The patient does not feel pain or any other unpleasant sensations.However, an observant person may notice that the appearance of the nails has changed.Main signs of the disease:

• loss of natural shine, darkening;
• the appearance of spots or stripes, their color is different from the color of a healthy plate;
• grooves may appear on the surface;
• the plate can change shape;
• the nail may begin to thicken or, on the contrary, become thin and atrophic;
• the plate is delaminated, begins to disintegrate and then lags behind the skin;

• in advanced stages, physical discomfort also occurs, pain occurs when pressure is applied;
• when secondary infection occurs, inflammation and suppuration may develop.

Advice!Onychomycosis can occur in isolation, but often this disease is accompanied by mycosis of the skin of the feet.Redness, diaper rash and cracks between the toes appear.Feet begin to emit an unpleasant odor.

Fungi or not?

Unfortunately, fungal nail diseases do not have specific symptoms.A similar clinical picture can occur in other dermatological problems.For example, in psoriasis.In order to accurately determine whether there is a fungal disease of the fingernails or toenails, it is necessary to perform laboratory tests.

For analysis, take a piece of nail (in the distal form) or make a scraping from the surface of the plate.The material collection procedure is safe and painless.Then the biological material is delivered to the laboratory.

Microscopic examination reveals the presence of a fungal infection, but does not determine the type of pathogen.To make an accurate diagnosis, it is necessary to place the collected material (nail particles) in a nutrient medium and under favorable conditions.

Advice!The most favorable conditions for the growth of fungi are heat and moisture.

The results of the analysis will be available only after 5 days.During this time, the fungus colony will grow so much that it will be possible to determine the type of pathogen by its appearance.In addition, the study allows us to determine which antimycotic agents most effectively destroy this fungus.

To do this, filter paper is moistened with solutions of antifungal agents, after which they are applied to the fungal colonies.After some time, the paper is removed and it is seen in which places the growth of microorganisms will be stopped most effectively.

Home methods

It happens that for some reason you cannot enter the laboratory.Is it possible to determine the presence of a fungal infection at home?Of course, home diagnostic methods are far from perfect;they cannot be compared with laboratory research methods.

However, even these simple methods, in most cases, can reveal the presence of a fungal infection.Many people have a bottle of maroon potassium permanganate crystals in their home.The solution of this product has antiseptic properties and is used in medicine and gardening.

This solution will also help in home diagnosis of onychomycosis.To perform diagnostics, you must:

• prepare a strong, dark purple solution in a small container;
• pour warm water into a sink or other container in such a quantity that you can completely immerse your nails in it;
• add the previously prepared strong solution drop by drop to the water, achieving a solution of soft lilac color;

Advice!Never add dry crystals to your bath water.If the crystals do not dissolve, they can cause burns if they come into contact with the skin.

• immerse the limbs in the solution so that the nails are completely covered with the solution;

• hold for about ten minutes;
• then remove the limb from the solution and examine the nails, healthy nail plates will turn brown, patients will remain unaffected.

Advice!Before making a diagnosis using potassium permanganate, check that the potassium permanganate solution does not cause allergies.

How to avoid infection?

Every person is at risk of getting onychomycosis, but there are people who are at risk.these are:

• elderly people;
• people who often come into contact with water (dishwashers, washing machines, etc.);
• patients with diabetes mellitus;
• patients who have severely weakened immunity.

In addition, non-compliance with hygiene rules contributes to infection.Specifically, using things together with the patient.So never wear other people's shoes, use your own towel, never walk barefoot in public bathrooms, wear rubber flip flops.

The risk of contracting onychomycosis is greatest in the following places:

• public places where water procedures are conducted - showers, baths, water parks, swimming pools;
• Shoe stores;
• nail salons.

In addition, you can easily get infected at home if someone in your family has onychomycosis.Using active preventive and protective measures will help avoid infection and prevent the development of the disease.

Every person should know the answer to the question of how to recognize nail fungus.Knowing what a diseased nail looks like will help you notice negative changes in time.If onychomycosis is detected in the early stages, then curing the disease will be much easier.But in an advanced stage, the treatment will be difficult and long;the course of treatment can last a year or more.