Fungal infections of the nail plate are about half of all nail diseases and are quite common in modern society.
In most cases, onychomycosis affects nail plates on the legs, so the disease is not immediately observed, but at the stage of severe symptoms.It is an infectious disease that can occur not only with a cosmetic defect, but also by violating the immune system and even the digestive tract.The nail fungus cannot be underestimated, its treatment should be timely under the control of an experienced doctor.
Causes of fungal infection
The cause of nail plate infection is usually three types of mushrooms: dermatophytes, mushrooms and molds.Most of the time in a moderate climate, onychomycosis is caused by the fungal microorganisms of Trichophyton Rubrum (Trichophyte Red) - it is 70% of fungal cases and mentagropytes (Trichophyton of Inter -Down) - 20% of diagnosis.
You can be infected by onychomycosis in common places such as a pool, a sauna, a bathroom, when you wear other people's socks and even a pedicure session.
In addition, some people are predisposed to this disease due to various diseases.Among these pathologies, immunosuppressive conditions are distinguished that are associated with HIV infection or chronic treatment with immunosuppressants after organ transplantation or certain autoimmune diseases.
Although unexpected onychomycosis is an infectious disease, most patients do not recognize their changes in the nail pathological, so they usually turn medical help in advanced cases.And, by the way, the violation of the disease can lead to nail loss and spread infection on the neighboring skin.
How does the disease manifest
Most of the time, the infection develops in the first and/or fifth toe (if changes affect all nails, this is usually a symptom of another disease, for example, psoriasis).In the beginning, the changes affect the tip of the nail, change the natural color to a yellowish-brown.After the nail plate, it becomes fragile and fragile, over time changes its shape and thickens.
The most characteristic symptoms of nail fungal infection include:
- Change in the color of the nail in yellow, brown, white or black.
- thickening of nail plate and the development of its increased fragility.
- deformation of plaque and separation from the nail bed.
- an unpleasant odor that comes from an infected nail.
- The formation of an inflammatory process around the nail.
In the last stage of the disease, obvious nail pain can even develop difficulty in walking.
Prevention and treatment of nail fungus
Onychomycia should be treated as soon as possible because the infection tends to extend to other nails.In addition, the disease at the last stage leads to the destruction of the entire nail plate, which should later be removed.
Before prescribing treatment, the doctor will surely prescribe a laboratory analysis, which will determine the type of fungus, the degree of damage and choose the most effective treatment.The analysis involves the capture of the material from the affected nail plate and its research under the microscope.
How is the treatment of onychomycosis going?The method and duration of treatment with infection depends on many factors, including the severity of nail damage, pathogen type and related pathologies.
The treatment of nail fungal infection usually begins with the use of local drugs in the form of varnishes, lotions or creams that treat the disease well in the early stages.If changes affect more than one plates, they occur for a long time, local drugs are supplemented by antifungal agents for oral administration.The doctor may prescribe medication based on itraconazole or fluconazole.
In the event that paleocytosis is persistent, it is not treated with medication or constantly repeated, the doctor recommends removal of the infected nail plate, thereby eliminating the source of the infection.
Keep in mind that Osyocyte is an infectious disease prone to frequent relapses, so you should adhere to important preventive rules:
- Don't walk barefoot in the pool, gyms.
- Perform pedicure in lounges with high quality equipment disinfection.
- Watch the cleanliness of the shoes.
- Wash your legs regularly.
- Answer early symptoms, for example, a change in the color of the nail plate.
Attention!The source of the repetition of fungal infection is shoes, so it is advisable to throw it or dismiss it by special means that the doctor will speak.