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

Currently, not only women, but also most men pay attention to 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 symptoms of the disease, the easier it is to undergo treatment.However, it will be difficult to treat 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.Symptoms of the disease in feet and nails are almost the same.Symptoms depend on the type of pathogen and the location of the infection.

Species

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

yeast

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

Dermatophytes

This type of filamentous fungus mostly affects toenails.The disease manifests itself gradually.At the first stage, spots or streaks appear with a yellowish color.At first, these spots are small, but gradually they grow, occupying the entire surface of the nail.

Mold

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

Forms

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

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

• Superficial.Unlike the previous forms, with the surface type of onychomycosis, the pathogen does not penetrate deeply into the plates.The symptoms are unusual, spots appear in the center of the plaque, the nail itself loosens, the entire surface begins to peel off, and the scales peel off from it.

Clinical manifestations

Fungal nail diseases do not cause concern in the first stage.The patient does not feel pain or any other unpleasant sensations.But a careful person can notice that the appearance of the nails has changed.The main symptoms of the disease:

• loss of natural brightness, darkening;
• the appearance of spots or stripes, their color differs from the color of a healthy plate;
• grooves may appear on the surface;
• can change the shape of the plate;
• the nail may begin to thicken or, conversely, become thin and atrophic;
• the plate delaminates, begins to collapse and later remains behind the skin;

• in advanced stages, physical discomfort also appears, pain appears 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 appear between the toes.Feet begin to emit an unpleasant odor.

Mushroom or not?

Unfortunately, fungal nail diseases do not have specific symptoms.A similar clinical picture can occur with other dermatological problems.For example, with psoriasis.Laboratory tests are necessary to tell for sure whether there is a fungal disease in the nails or toenails.

For analysis, take a piece of the nail (in digital form) or scrape it 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 nutritious environment and under favorable conditions.

Advice!The most favorable conditions for the development of the fungus are heat and humidity.

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

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

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 can detect the presence of a fungal infection in most cases.Many people have a bottle of dark red crystals of potassium permanganate at home.The solution of this product has antiseptic properties and is used in medicine and gardening.

This solution will also help diagnose onychomycosis at home.To carry out diagnostics, you need:

• prepare a strong, dark purple solution in a small container;
• pour hot water into a basin or other container so that you can completely submerge your nails;
• add the previously prepared strong solution drop by drop to water, get a soft lilac colored solution;

Advice!Never add dry crystals to your bath water.If the crystals do not dissolve, they may cause burns on skin contact.

• dip 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, sick ones will remain unchanged.

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

How to prevent infection?

Everyone 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, laundry people, etc.);
• diabetes patients;
• patients with severely weakened immunity.

In addition, non-compliance with hygiene rules leads to infection.In particular, using things with the patient.Therefore, never wear someone else's shoes, use your own towel, walk barefoot in the bathroom, or wear rubber flip-flops.

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

• public places where people carry out water procedures - showers, baths, water parks, swimming pools;
• shoe stores;
• nail service salons.

In addition, if one of your family members has onychomycosis, you can easily get infected at home.The use of active preventive and protective measures will help prevent infection and prevent the development of the disease.

Everyone should know the answer to the question of how to identify nail fungus.Knowing what a sick nail looks like will help you see negative changes in time.If onychomycosis is detected in the early stages, the disease will be easier to treat.However, in an advanced stage, the treatment will be difficult and long;the course of treatment may take a year or more.