Onychomycosis, or fungal defeat of the Polish – it is a very unpleasant disease, difficult to treat. The disease develops after contact with the fungus underneath the nail plate or on the skin around the nail. Pathogenic microflora feed on keratin, as a result of its amount is rapidly decreasing and nails ruined.
The causes of disease and methods of infection
Fungus, hitting the nail plates, propagated in a moist environment with increased air temperature. Become infected with mold, it is possible when visiting places of public use with this climate. Most often, the fungus "lives" in the public showers, gyms and swimming pools. Often the infection occurs when visiting the beach. Another way of infection – it is a close contact with a carrier of the infection. Become infected with the disease, it is also possible by the use of the personal belongings of a sick person.
However, in order to get the mushroom, only one fall of the pathogen on the skin is not enough. Robust immunity suppresses pathogenic microflora and doesn't develop the defeat of the nail plate. Factors predisposing to the development of fungi on nails, are:
- reduce immunity, both overall and local;
- violation of the circulation of blood in the lower extremities;
- excessive sweating of the feet;
- wearing poorly designed shoes violates the flow of blood;
- damage and injury to the skin feet.
The rapid growth of the pathogenic microflora-is often observed in violation of the circulation of the blood, caused by a variety of diseases of the veins, and metabolic. Cause disease can also be the wrong shoes, when worn which increases the sweating and the disturbed blood circulation. Favorable environment for the development of pathogenic microflora is moist skin, which gets a sufficient amount of oxygen. It happens when a man wears socks of synthetic fabrics and narrow shoes, made from faux ", not "breathing" materials.
Another reason which can trigger the development of infection – it is the neglect of the rules of hygiene and observance of safety measures. The patient may be negligent to "get" sponge – are foreign boots, while visiting the public shower or pool without Slippers, or using someone else's towel for the feet.
People often make a big mistake when buying a new pair of shoes – they try it on the bare feet without the use of socks. Such actions can cause nail fungus, because it is not known who measured this pair of shoes before, and not whether they were the feet of a man infected with pathogenic microflora.
How to recognize the disease?
When the fungus the nails on the feet, the symptoms are so typical that confuse this disease from other diseases is very difficult. In order to timely detect pathology, it is necessary to know its main symptoms, which include:
- the appearance of spots and strips under the nail plate;
- a whitish muddy colour on the nails;
- inflammation and dryness of the skin on the finger around the affected nail;
- the formation of plaque mold;
- the capillary and the change in the structure of the nail plate.
The initial symptom of the disease is the education of stripes or of spots, colored, greenish or yellowish color. These strips go deep in the thickness of the nail plate and gives the impression that they are on the skin under the nail.
As usual, in the first place the affected nails on a large finger, less often – on the pinkie. In the initial stage of development of the disease the fungus is discoloration of the nail plate and the characteristic spots and stripes. A moment later, the infection affects the other fingers, appear redness, flaking and itching of the skin around the nails.
Treatment of the disease at this stage allows you to effectively and quickly get rid of the mold, but patients rarely turn for help to the doctor, I am observing similar symptoms.
When the increasing population of pathogenic microflora, the fungus begins to destroy the surface of the nail plate. It is characterized in that the nail becomes soft and with the hills on it appear the cracks and depressions, the structure becomes spotty. It may be accompanied by excretion of pus from under the nail and a sharp unpleasant smell from your feet. Over time, nails destroyed, the peeling becomes stronger and affects areas of the skin between the toes.
How looks the defeat of the nail depends on the type of mold. Causative agent of the disease are most often the yeast either forms of the fungus. When infection of the yeast fungus will make the nail plate develop a yellowish, acquires a grayish-cyanotic color. Nails quickly dismantled and as a result completely departs from the nail bed.
Forms of the fungus affects the nail plate in case of violation of nutrition of tissues, for example, in the strong squeezing nails too narrow shoes. For this type of onychomycosis of the typical education of a whitish plaque on the nails.
He knew how it looks like the disease, it is important to timely visit a doctor. Various species of fungus have different symptoms and treatment that is difficult to find yourself, without consulting a specialist.
The principle of treatment
Treatment of lesions of the nail plate requires a comprehensive approach and takes a longer time. It is important to realize that the earlier they are detected the symptoms of mold and the treatment is started, the faster you can get rid of the disease.
For the struggle with the disease is used:
- antifungal ointments and solutions;
- systemic antifungal drugs in tablets;
- the means of folk medicine.
Cure pathology in the initial stage it is possible to use the external anti-fungal agents. Such medicines include ointments, solutions, lacquers and varnishes with anti-fungal components in the assembly.
For the treatment is most commonly prescribe ointments broad spectrum, components that are actively operating in a variety of fungi, including yeast-like. Ointment and cream is appropriate to use in the initial stage of development of the disease. When a violation of the structure of the nail plate are ineffective, because the components of the product are not can penetrate into the small cracks on the nails.
The most effective means are antifungal drugs in solutions. These drugs are usually produced in the bubbles with an eye dropper. The composition is applied to the nail plate. Thanks to the liquid consistency, the substance fills in the slightest wounds and gets under the nail plate, thereby effectively act on the affected area.
In pharmacies are widely represented products in the form of a varnish. Feature of such forms of antifungal medication is that it is not necessary to use every day. Varnish is applied only for a few days. The product creates a protective coating on the nail plate, thereby protecting the nails and blocks the spread of the fungal infection. The active ingredients penetrate deep into the nail plate and acts for a long time – one application enough to make the antifungal action over a period of two days. Varnishes are also effective for the prevention of fungal diseases. You can use them once a week either to apply before visiting the places with increased danger of mold infestation.
In addition to processing of the nail plate, it is necessary to ensure the antifungal protection of the skin around the nails and between the fingers. For this apply the ointment.
If the nails began to crumble, drugs for external use is not enough, so in addition called antifungal drugs in tablets. These drugs providing systemic effects on the whole organism as a whole.
If fungal defeat of the nail is accompanied by a bacterial infection, in which is celebrated the emergence of pus, further prescribe ointments with antibacterial effect, for example, Levomekol.
In folk medicine used the following remedies against onychomycosis.
- A mixture of apple cider vinegar and water and applied on a gauze compress, which is applied to the affected nail for 1 hour. The procedure is repeated daily for a period of two weeks.
- Squeeze the juice of one lemon and mix with two tablespoons of water. The solution is to be used for processing the affected nails twice a day.
- In bath for the feet, add two large tablespoons of baking soda and iodized or sea salt. Legs place the bath for half an hour. The procedure is performed every day before going to bed.
Moreover, the treated nails juice large onions either tincture of propolis. Folk remedies is recommended to use together with anti-fungal medications prescribed by a doctor.
The heavy phase of the fungal lesions resulting in loss of the nails, therefore it is important to consult a specialist in the appearance of the first symptoms of the disease.