Nail mycosis or onychomycosis (medical name) is a disease that occurs when the nail plate is affected by a fungal infection. Onychomycosis affects 5 to 15% of people. The risk of its development increases with age, although the fungus is often detected in children. Every 10 years of life, the incidence increases 2. 5 times. If in children it is 3%, in the elderly it is already 50-60%.
Pathogens
Onychomycosis is caused by microorganisms from the fungal kingdom. The world of mushrooms is varied and not all of them are as pleasant as the field mushrooms, chanterelles or honey mushrooms that we are used to seeing on our table. There are microscopic parasitic species that feed on the tissues of plants, animals and humans.
The causative agents of onychomycosis consume the protein keratin, which is part of the nail plate, hair and the upper (keratinized) layer of the skin. About 50 representatives of parasitic fungi are known that can cause the disease.
They are divided into three groups:
- Dermatophytes. They represent 80% of cases of onychomycosis. They are characterized by high survival and vitality. Found naturally in soil;
- Yeast-like fungi. Among these is Candida albicans (microorganisms of the genus Candida), known to women, which causes thrush or vaginal candidiasis. Yeast-like fungi are 5 times more likely to affect fingernails than toenails. Toxic and impairs the functioning of the entire body;
- Mold fungi. Onychomycosis caused by mold is rare. But it is the most dangerous, it progresses quickly, can completely destroy the nail plate and spread to nearby tissues.
Onychomycosis affects fingernails and toenails, but toenail fungus is much more common on the feet. This is due to the fact that the hands are paid much more attention, they are washed more often during the day and treated with antiseptics. They are always open and well ventilated except in winter when we wear gloves. And your feet are constantly covered with street shoes, slippers, tights, socks and sweat more. These factors create ideal conditions for the development of foot fungus, because heat and humidity are its best "friends".
The causative agent of onychomycosis penetrates the nail from different directions. The most common way is from above, from the side of the free edge of the nail plate. It is also possible to introduce it laterally from the lateral ridges or from below from the cuticle and nail growth area.
Onychomycosis is most dangerous near the cuticle. In this case, the fungus slows or stops the division of onychoblasts, the cells of the growth zone under the lower nail fold. The nail stops growing in length and the infected areas may not recover. A pathological change occurs in the structure and destruction of the nail.
Fungi rarely penetrate directly into the nail plate. First, their spores penetrate the skin around the nail or into the spaces between the fingers through microcracks, cuts, abrasions, abrasions and calluses. Then the colony begins to grow, the pathogen moves to the nail plate, penetrates there and begins to parasitize.
Why does onychomycosis appear?
Fungi live in warm, humid places, and wherever such conditions exist, it is easy to become infected. For example, if you walk barefoot in public bathrooms, swimming pools, showers or gym locker rooms, your chances of contracting the infection are high.
Some diseases contribute to the development of onychomycosis:
- Diabetes. In patients with diabetes, the fungus is 3 times more common. Excess glucose in the blood creates favorable conditions for the functioning of fungi. In the absence of sugar control and keeping it within normal limits, blood vessels suffer. The longer the disease, the more impaired the blood supply to the legs (diabetic foot syndrome). Wounds heal worse, infection occurs more easily;
- Poor blood circulation in the lower extremities caused by varicose veins, atherosclerosis (narrowing of the lumen, blockage of the arteries), thrombophlebitis (formation of blood clots in the lumen of the veins);
- Weakened immunity, immunodeficiency conditions (HIV), damage to the immune system. Reduce the body's resistance to any infection;
- Psoriasis. 90% of people suffering from psoriasis experience changes in the nail plate. Grooves form on it, cloudiness is present, depressions appear and detachment of the nail plate appears. These factors increase the chances of infection with a fungus by 1. 5 - 2 times;
- Hyperhidrosis, or excessive sweating of the feet, often causes onychomycosis in men;
- The presence of a focus of fungal infection in other parts of the body.
The at-risk group includes the elderly.
The cause of onychomycosis is often associated with the characteristics of the profession and improper care of the feet:
- poor care of feet and nails, lack of daily hygiene procedures due to neglect of personal hygiene rules or difficulties in their implementation (in bedridden patients or with limited mobility);
- work in humid and humid areas (greenhouses, greenhouses, vegetable shops), frequently wear rubber gloves or rubber shoes;
- professional sports;
- wearing uncomfortable, tight, narrow shoes or shoes made of artificial materials (imitation leather), which create a "greenhouse effect" and interfere with normal air exchange.
Predisposing factors for the development of onychomycosis include trauma to the nail or surrounding tissues, taking antibacterial or hormonal drugs.
In women, a common cause of fungus is prolonged use of gel polish. It creates a closed space between the nail plate and the lining, in which a fungal infection successfully develops. It is not recommended to apply gel polish on toenails, it is better to use regular decorative nail polish. Also, in women, onychomycosis appears after a failed manicure or pedicure in salons where high-quality disinfection of instruments is not performed and sterility is not maintained.
Signs of onychomycosis
Most often, the fungus infects the big toes.
The following changes in the nail plate indicate a fungal infection:
- dullness, yellowing, loss of softness and shine;
- itching, redness, peeling of the skin around;
- delamination, fragility, friability;
- unpleasant odor;
- violation of the structure, thickening;
If you find yourself with at least one of the signs listed, you should immediately consult a doctor who treats nail fungus. This could be a podiatrist, a dermatologist or a mycologist.
After an injury to the nail or the surrounding skin, a mandatory examination by a podiatrist is necessary to check for onychomycosis. If there are predisposing factors (varicose veins, diabetes, atherosclerosis, weakened immune system, excessive sweating of the feet, etc. ), it is recommended to undergo a medical pedicure once a month, during which the doctor will carefully examine the nails and subject's skin. feet and identify changes in the early stages.
Are nail fungus dangerous?
Onychomycosis is a disease that causes psychological distress rather than physical illness. To understand what we are talking about, just look at a photo of toenail fungus on the Internet. It is characterized by a slow course and does not cause pain, fever or other symptoms that require urgent medical attention.
People are in no hurry to cure nail fungus. After all, when the affected area is small, you can paint it with paint, wear socks or closed shoes in front of strangers. And the problem of psychological discomfort is temporarily solved. But, unfortunately, not everything is so simple. If you do not destroy the fungal infection, it will not disappear anywhere, but will continue to affect the nail. And onychomycosis is contagious. An infected person poses a danger to his family and others.
How to prevent infection?
The best cure for nail fungus is prevention.
To protect yourself from infections you need:
- use medical disinfectants with the inscription GOST (capable of killing onychomycosis, tuberculosis, hepatitis, HIV);
- monitor the condition of the feet and nails, the main rule is that the feet are clean and dry;
- take care of your shoes, disinfect and dry them regularly; it is convenient to use electric dryers for drying;
- treat your feet with drying agents or antiperspirants if your feet sweat a lot;
- in the changing rooms of the swimming pool, sauna and gym do not walk barefoot, but wear rubber flip-flops with closed toes;
- wear comfortable shoes made with natural and breathable materials;
- Do not use other people's towels, shoes or manicure accessories.
These tips will help you prevent onychomycosis and keep your nails healthy and well-groomed. They are effective not only for the prevention of fungus, but also for other problems: corns, corns.
Features of the treatment of onychomycosis
Advertising on TV promises to easily and quickly cure nail fungus using antifungal (fungicide) creams, solutions and varnishes. We are promised that "The drugs Lamesil, Exaderil, Mikazan, Mecoderil and others penetrate deeply into the structure of the nail, effectively destroy the fungus and return the nails to their previous appearance in 2-3 applications. "But then why does this self-treatment against toenail fungus give good results in a maximum of 10% of cases? Because these same remedies are effective only in the initial stages of the fungus, when the symptoms are not yet evident and almost invisible.
Manufacturers often lie that the drugs are produced in Europe and contain good active ingredients. In practice, the most effective drug against nail fungus (onychomycosis) is the one containing the substance Clotrimazole. Most drugs are simply very well advertised and expensive, but do not contain the necessary substance. It is not possible to buy specialized drugs in regular pharmacies, even if the required name is written above; the chemical composition will not contain it, since production is very expensive.
This drug is used in podiatry centers and on properly prepared nails. We do not have the right to write the name of the drug, but you can ask us any questions here.
Antifungal medications are the mainstay of treatment for onychomycosis. Without them, as much as we would like it, we will not be able to defeat the contagion. But they must be used correctly and carefully. Nail fungus medicine should be applied to a previously treated and prepared nail so that it has the desired therapeutic effect.
The first thing to do if you suspect onychomycosis is to consult a doctor who will confirm or refute the diagnosis. If necessary, she will prescribe further tests and treatments. Choosing a remedy for nail fungus based on reviews on the Internet, advice from friends or advertising on TV will lead to a waste of time and money spent on unnecessary medications. The same results will be obtained by trying to treat onychomycosis with traditional methods. Vinegar, garlic, onions and medicinal herbs are not able to destroy the pathogen.
An important point in the treatment of onychomycosis is disinfection of shoes and clothing that have come into contact with the infected area. If you don't, you can get infected again by your own stuff. Clothing should be washed at high temperatures (above 60°C), ironed and shoes should be treated with special disinfectants.
What drugs and methods are effective?
In the early stages, treatment of onychomycosis is easier and faster than in advanced cases. How to treat nail fungus?
To combat the pathogen, use:
- Hardware medical pedicure. It allows you to clean the areas of the nails affected by onychomycosis without blood and pain, preparing them for the use of antifungal agents;
- Keratolytics. These are local drugs against nail fungus, which are applied to the affected nail to remove it painlessly. They loosen, soften and dissolve the nail plate, so they can be easily removed with pedicure tools. Keratolytics facilitate the treatment of onychomycosis, remove the infected area, stimulate the growth of a new healthy nail plate;
- Fungicidal agents. The action of these drugs is aimed at destroying the fungus. For onychomycosis they are used topically in the form of varnishes, solutions, ointments, creams, and internally in the form of tablets. When taken internally, the active ingredients of nail fungus tablets accumulate in the skin and nail plate. They suppress the activity of fungal enzymes, disrupt the permeability of cell membranes and cause the death of the pathogen. The most effective ones contain the substance Clotrimazole.
Treatment methods for onychomycosis are selected based on the severity of the symptoms and the area of the affected area. In the initial stages of the disease, hardware treatment and external fungicidal agents are sufficient. In severe forms of infection, when the entire nail is infected with fungus, it will be necessary to take pills and remove the nail plate. Treatment of an advanced form of onychomycosis lasts from 3 months to 1 year and depends on the speed of growth of the nail.
Topical fungicidal preparations are safe for health, but are not always effective. Tablets negatively affect the liver, so laboratory monitoring of the condition of the organ is necessary when taking them.
Onychomycosis is treatable and that's the main thing!
The sooner you see a doctor, the faster you can deal with it.
Don't be afraid or embarrassed. This problem is very common and affects millions of people around the world.
When you treat nail fungus in our podiatry center you will receive:
- joint observation of a podiatrist and a mycologist (a doctor who deals with fungal diseases);
- 100% sterility during all procedures;
- the possibility of collecting material (scraping the skin and nail plate) to identify the type of fungus;
- fast results (on average 3 – 4 procedures are needed);
- Foot and shoe care recommendations that will help prevent reinfection.
It is important for us that the problem does not return and that your nails are healthy and beautiful!