After visiting a swimming pool or relaxing on the beach, you may encounter onychomycosis (fungi).
The symptoms of this disease are the following: redness, itching and discomfort between the toes, yellowing and splitting of the nails.
The problem is quite common and does not go away by itself. If you do not consult a doctor, a fungus will develop that can harm your body. From the article you will learn what to do in such a situation and which specialist to contact with this problem.
What should you do if you find out you have ringworm?
If you notice any of the signs of fungus, for example your toenails have changed color -Contact your doctor quickly!Do not allow the mycosis process to progress so that you do not have to deal with treatment for years. Fungal spores, when released into human blood, cause a toxic reaction.
With this problemYou should consult a dermatologist first, there is such a specialist in a clinic, in a hospital, in any paid medical institution and in a skin and vein dispensary (you can go there for free).
Which specialist should I contact, who does it?
Fungus on the nails and feet is a skin disease andA dermatologist deals with such problems. You will find him at the district clinic, he conducts the first meeting, examines the patient, diagnoses onychomycosis and prescribes the necessary treatment.
If the disease is advanced or the doctor considers that your case is complicated, the dermatologist will refer you to a mycologist (this specialist deals more thoroughly with the treatment of fungal diseases). The difficulty in contacting such a doctor is that a specialist in this field cannot always be found in an ordinary clinic.
Price problem
The services of a mycologist in public and private clinics are mostly paid. The price of the consultation may vary depending on the following indicators:
- area of the affected area;
- the severity of the disease;
- number of required laboratory tests;
- qualification of the doctor.
The most expensive would be a consultation with a mycologist with a doctorate degree, and the cheapest - with a doctor of the lowest category. Private clinics charge for each examination and prescription of an individual treatment plan.
How is the meeting with a mycologist?
At the first visit to the doctor, the patient is interviewed to identify specific skin and nail complaints.
The mycologist will also ask questions about your lifestyle and perform an initial examination of the affected areas. But it is impossible to visually determine the type of fungus, so scraping of dead scales from the skin and nails is carried out.
All samples have been sent for laboratory analysis. The materials are examined under a microscope, and some of them are placed in a nutrient medium. The analysis, which will determine the exact presence of mushrooms, takes only 3-5 minutes. And it will take up to 2 weeks to identify a specific type of fungus.
At the next appointment, the mycologist prescribes treatment, drugs are prescribed, taking into account the tests performed and the patient's condition in general.
Additional visits to a mycologist are necessary to monitor the healing process, sometimes this takes a long time. The disease may subside in one area of the skin and worsen in another.
The difference between a mycologist and a dermatologist
A specialist of all kindsskin problems - dermatologist.It is used for viral and infectious skin lesions, rashes, eczema, inflammation of the sweat glands, dermatitis and fungal skin diseases.
The first examination is carried out by a dermatologist, he can prescribe treatment himself or refer you to a mycologist. A mycologist is also a dermatologist who specializes in the treatment of skin, hair and nails due to fungal infections. But such a doctor cannot always be found in a clinic, and not every city has one.
What tests are prescribed?
- scraping of the skin in the area of the foot and between the toes;
- analysis of the infected nail plate (its fragment);
- blood tests for allergens and antibodies against mycosis.
important!
If the tests described above do not give the desired results, a histology is performed to ensure that the patient does not have a fungus. In this case, consider the possibility of mechanical damage to the nails.
External signs of fungus sometimes coincide with signs of other nail damage. Therefore, laboratory tests should show whether there is a fungal infection. Calluses on the nail plate, bruises, changes in the color and shape of the nail may have nothing to do with mycosis.
How is the treatment carried out?
The treatment methods used before are no longer effective because the drugs do not fully deal with the microorganisms. Doctors choose special treatment complexes.
There is no single drug that can cure the fungus, you need to combine 2 or 3 products. Creams, tablets, solutions, vitamins, droppers, special varnishes and products that dissolve the nail for subsequent removal are widely used in medicine.
important!
Medicines for the treatment of fungus have a large number of side effects, self-medication should not be allowed! The lesion may move to another location and the disease may become more advanced. Be sure to visit a specialist to deal with the disease as quickly and safely as possible.
Systemic therapy
Mycologists prescribe systemic treatment to their patients for faster recovery.
What can be prescribed to a patient with mycosis? Systemic therapy includes the following measures:
- Oral medications (tablets).
- Local preparations (in the form of creams, ointments, etc. )
- Removal of nails by surgery.
Removal of the nail plate
The nail can be removed in several ways: surgically and with the help of special means.
The non-surgical method of removal does not cause pain, and you won't have to worry about visiting a surgeon. A few days - and a new, uninfected nail will begin to grow.
If the obvious symptoms disappear, then the treatment is considered complete, but you need to make sure of this by taking repeated tests twice.
The tests are done once at the end of the course of treatment and again after a month from the date of recovery of the patient.
The mycologist must not only prescribe a course of treatment, but also monitor how it proceeds and what results it brings. Even after full recovery, you should visit a doctor and take preventive measures to avoid relapses.
Laser treatment
Laser treatment is a type of physical therapy. Exposure to a laser beam is not used as a separate method of treatment.
For maximum positive effectlaser therapy is combined with other drugs. It improves blood circulation and has a beneficial effect on the nutrition of the nail plate.
Thus, antifungal drugs penetrate deeper into the infected area. But it is impossible to kill the infection with laser alone. However, there are no contraindications for the procedure, it reduces the likelihood of re-infection. This is a painless and completely safe method of treating a disease such as onychomycosis.
Therapeutic pedicure
Therapeutic pedicure for mycosis of the nails is performed with the aim of a healing effect on the nails and skin of the feet.
This procedure prevents the development of the disease and the further spread of fungal spores.During a pedicure, the affected areas of the skin of the feet and nails are removed..
Therapeutic pedicure is especially important for patients who:
- often experience ingrown nails;
- have many calluses on the feet, calluses, warts on the feet;
- have a thin and weak nail plate.
The main purpose of the procedure is disinfection. Therapeutic pedicure helps to remove yellowness, unevenness and unevenness from the nails. Before applying nail polish, be sure to ask your doctor if this is acceptable.
important!
Be careful and careful when choosing a specialist. Make sure you are qualified and that your pedicure tools are properly serviced.
Prevention of mycosis of the feet
To avoid such an unpleasant disease, you just need to be careful and periodically do fungal prophylaxis. A trip to the beach, the pool, the gym or the bathroom can lead to major problems. The fact is that fungal pathogens are very resistant to external influences. Fungal spores tolerate heating, drying and freezing.
There are several main causes of infection. To avoid illness, follow these rules:
- don't go to the beach without shoes;
- in the bath and sauna, do not forget to use closed rubber shoes that protect against splashes;
- after bathing, dry your feet well, paying special attention to the folds between the toes, also use powder or a special antifungal cream;
- do not use other people's shoes;
- Wear clean socks or stockings every day.
Conclusion
When the immune system is strong and functioning normally, mycosis of the feet will not harm the body even after infection, thanks to the protective abilities of the immune system. If the fungus begins to spread on the nails, you should contact a dermatologist or mycologist as soon as possible, who will prescribe the optimal treatment regimen.