Nail fungus, like all other fungal diseases, is a contagious disease.Pathogenic microscopic fungi are very easily transmitted from a sick person to a healthy person and quickly penetrate the nail plates, forming a colony.
Toenails are the places that most often suffer from fungal infections.According to medical statistics, nail fungus occurs in approximately 15% of the world's population.It is noted that men are more susceptible to this disease.Doctors explain this phenomenon by the fact that women are more strict about hygiene rules.In addition, the fungus much more often affects the elderly, which is most likely due to somewhat reduced immunity and the presence of chronic diseases.
Regardless of what type of fungus is causing the nail disease, it will present with similar symptoms and require the same treatment.Due to the fact that the fungal infection of the nails does not pose a threat to life, most patients do not rush to seek treatment, considering that the problem is only cosmetic.This approach is fundamentally wrong, because due to prolonged exposure to fungi, the immune system begins to suffer, and this opens the door to many diseases.
How does a yeast infection occur?
It is very easy to get infected with fungus.That is why this disease has become so widespread.Most often, the disease is caused by the following reasons:
- violation of personal hygiene rules;
- wearing other people's shoes;
- wearing other people's socks;
- being barefoot in the gym;
- being barefoot in the pool;
- being barefoot in a public bath.
Fungi are transmitted particularly quickly from one family member to another.For this reason, even if 1 person in the family is facing this disease, everyone should treat their nails.
What predisposes to the development of nail fungus
Some people are more susceptible to fungal diseases, while others are less susceptible.This is due to the fact that there are certain factors predisposing to the disease.Such provocateurs of the disease include:
- diabetes mellitus - since this disease causes damage to the capillaries, the metabolism in the tissues of the nail fold is disturbed, which leads to a rapid weakening of local immunity;
- mechanical injury to the nail plate - with improperly trimmed, cracked and broken nails, the nutrition of the nail plate begins to be partially disturbed, due to which its ability to resist the fungus is significantly reduced;
- vascular disease - in this case, the fungus develops for the same reason as in diabetes;
- fungal infections of the skin - if there is a fungus on the skin, then if it is not treated, it gradually spreads to the surrounding tissues, which leads to damage to the nails;
- decrease in immunity - with a decrease in defense forces, which can occur for many reasons, the body is unable to resist pathogenic fungi and they easily penetrate the nail tissue.
It is in the presence of provoking factors that fungal nail infection develops in the majority of cases.
How does the fungus manifest itself?
It is quite easy to determine the presence of nail fungus, since the symptoms of this disease are very obvious and it is not easy to confuse it with something else.You can suspect a fungal infection of the nail plate when the following signs appear:
- change in the color of the nail plate - in the presence of fungus, the color of the nail changes from healthy to yellow, grayish or brown, depending on the type of fungus that caused the disease;
- rough surface of the nail - the roughness caused by fungus is easily determined not only by touch, but also by eye.This symptom appears due to the fact that uneven destruction of the upper layer of the nail plate occurs;
- delamination of the nail - the nail begins to peel off from the edge and gradually the process reaches the very base of the plate.On examination, the border of the nail delamination zone is clearly visible;
- white spots under the nail - this is what the places where the nail has started to peel off from the base look like.As the nail plate grows under the influence of the fungus, a cavity is formed between it and the under-nail tissues, which looks like a white spot;
- dullness of the nail plates - the shine of the nail disappears gradually and no specific damage to its surface is observed.This symptom occurs due to the peeling off of the topmost layer of the nail, which is thin and is called the skin.It contains fat and moisture, which is why it has a shine;
- a large number of nails - the appearance of these very painful dry peelings on the skin is observed due to the fact that the fungus also affects the nail fold.Because of this, the skin begins to quickly die and peel off;
- detachment of the nail plate - due to the fact that the fungus affects the nail growth zone, the plate begins to gradually peel off, first from the base and then evenly, to the edge;
- destruction of the nail plate - the diseased nail becomes brittle, begins to crumble and deform.This happens due to the growth of the fungus in the thickness of the nail.
When the first symptoms of nail fungus appear, you should start treatment with drugs or folk remedies.Both are very effective and therefore the patient must decide for himself which treatment method to prefer.
Medicines against nail fungus
If the nail plate is not yet very badly affected by the fungus, you can do without removing it.To treat the nail, you must use medicines prescribed by your doctor.
Treatment of nail fungus with drugs is very long and can last up to 1 year.It is necessary to apply medicinal forms strictly in accordance with the rules and without gaps, otherwise all efforts spent on eliminating the fungus will be in vain.
When the fungus has affected the thickness of the nail, it makes no sense to treat the nail plate and you should use drugs designed to remove it.If these products are used correctly, the diseased nail can be removed painlessly or almost painlessly.
For this case, there are drugs that soften and detach the nail plate from the tissues located beneath it.Removal of the nail is performed several times and almost does not cause discomfort to the patient.
Folk remedies for the treatment of nail fungus
Traditional medicine can be used in the treatment of nail fungus only if the disease has not gone too far.Ideally, such methods of therapy should begin at the first symptoms of the disease.
- Iodine is destructive to almost all types of nail fungus and therefore can be successfully used in the fight against the disease, although doctors do not take this method of treatment very seriously.Using iodine solution is easy.To achieve the desired effect, it is enough to lubricate the sick nail with iodine in the morning and evening.Healthy nails should also be treated with iodine, but only once every 2 days.This treatment continues until a healthy nail begins to grow.
- Kombucha can also be used in treatment.A small piece of it will be enough to remove nail fungus.Such a piece must be separated from the sponge and cleaned from the films.After that, it is pounded into a paste, which is rubbed into the sick nail in the morning and evening.This treatment lasts at least 45 days.
- Copper sulfate is also used in the fight against nail fungus.For medicinal purposes, you should take 1 equal teaspoon of copper sulfate and dissolve it in 1 liter of boiled water.The resulting composition is very concentrated and therefore for treatment add 1 tablespoon per 1.5 liters of water at a temperature of 50 degrees.A foot bath with this composition is used once a day.The duration of the procedure is 15 minutes.Therapy continues until a healthy nail begins to grow.
- A salt and vinegar bath is helpful at the very beginning of fungal nail infections.To prepare the composition for a bath, you need to dissolve 4 tablespoons of 9% vinegar and 100 g of salt in 4 liters of very warm water.The bath is done twice a day.The duration of 1 procedure is 15 minutes.If there are wounds on the skin of the legs, it is better to refuse such treatment, as this can lead to their degeneration into ulcers.
- Celandine is also recommended for the treatment of nail fungus.In the summer season, when you can easily find a fresh plant, it will be useful to use its juice.To obtain the medicinal composition, the stems of the plant are rolled through a meat grinder, and then the juice is squeezed out of the resulting mass through cheesecloth.Prepare 200 ml of juice.Then the same volume of alcohol with a strength of 70% is poured into the juice.After infusing the drug for 1 day, it is used to lubricate the affected nail 4 times a day.In order for the beneficial effect to be maximum, the legs are steamed in advance.The treatment is carried out until the full growth of a healthy nail plate.
- Baking soda is another way to fight nail fungus.For therapeutic purposes, it is best to use a baking soda paste.To prepare it, dilute 1 teaspoon of the substance with boiled water to a thick paste and mix well.The medicine is then applied to the affected nail in a thick layer and sprinkled with lemon juice.As a result of the chemical reaction, a slight burning sensation will be felt and abundant foam will be observed.After 5 minutes of exposure, the soda is washed off.This procedure is repeated daily until a healthy nail grows.
Prevention of nail fungus
If you do not forget the rules to prevent nail fungus, it is quite possible to protect yourself from this problem.To prevent the disease, you should follow the following recommendations:
- observe the rules of hygiene;
- do not wear wet shoes;
- wash house slippers at least once a month with antibacterial washing powder;
- use iodine nail treatment as a preventive measure once a month;
- wear only your own shoes;
- use flip-flops when in the sauna and pool;
- regularly do manicure and pedicure according to all the rules;
- change socks every day;
- air your shoes daily;
- use an ultraviolet shoe dryer.
With strict observance of preventive measures, fungal diseases can be prevented, even if there is a sick person in the family.It is very important to tell your child from early childhood about the rules of hygiene and the dangers of breaking them.The thing is, many children get nail fungus by trying on adult shoes of guests or parents, as well as by exchanging shoes with friends in kindergarten.Understanding why this is dangerous to health will help protect your baby from nail fungus from an early age.