Nail fungus - onychomycosis - is a common nail disease, which according to various authors affects one-fifth of the population. It most often affects the elderly, and in age groups with a difference of 10 years, its frequency increases approximately 2. 5 times. This is not only an aesthetic disadvantage, because in the case of a sharp decrease in immunity and the addition of a bacterial infection can develop serious complications, for example, erysipelas and in the absence of attention to the problem, the disease becomes chronic, threatening all family members with infection.
How to recognize onychomycosis: symptoms of the fungus
A warm and humid environment is the best place to develop fungal infections. And the climate doesn't have to be hot; for example, you can create favorable conditions for the fungus by wearing shoes that sweat on your feet.
The source of the infection is usually another person who is not involved in the treatment of onychomycosis, does not monitor the condition of the nails or someone who has not taken treatment measures for complete recovery. Approximately one third of patients who visit a doctor have such a patient in their family. At the same time, according to statistics, men get sick two to three times more often than women, but less often seek medical help.
The development of nail fungus is facilitated, as we have already said, by the need to stay in warm or uncomfortable shoes for a long time - onychomycosis is widespread among miners, metallurgical workers and military personnel. The need to be barefoot in public also matters. Thus, one study revealed a higher prevalence of nail disease (onychomycosis) among professional swimmers, and another among mosque visitors (where you should be without shoes), compared to the general population of the respective age.
In addition, the likelihood of fungal nail infection increases in people with diabetes, blood diseases, HIV, as well as with prolonged use of cytostatics, corticosteroids, antibiotics. This is due to reduced immunity in such patients and imbalance of the microflora (with antibiotic therapy).
In summary, the following predisposing factors for nail fungus can be distinguished:
- permanent injuries to the nail plate and the skin of the feet (mainly due to uncomfortable shoes);
- frequent contact with water (especially in public places);
- increased sweating, including due to the need to be constantly in warm or synthetic shoes;
- foot deformities, including flat feet;
- reduced rate of nail growth - this is why onychomycosis is prevalent in the elderly: the older a person is, the slower his nails grow.
Initially, the fungus colonizes only part of the nail, reaching there from the foot or from the intercostal folds, but gradually spreads throughout the nail plate. The fungus penetrates under the nail plate on the side of the free edge of the nail or from under the nail roll. Depending on the location and manifestation of the symptoms of onychomycosis (from one or another edge of the nail), dermatovenereologists distinguish between different forms of fungal infection and its stages.
- Nail discoloration.The normal nail is pale pink, translucent with a white edge. Affected - completely loses its transparency, becomes white, gray, brown, green or black (depending on the neglect of the process and the type of fungal pathogen).
- Thickening of the nail.Due to the excessive growth of the stratum corneum in response to the introduction of the fungus, the nail becomes thick and uneven.
- Destruction of the nail plate (onycholysis).The nail crumbles, partially or completely exfoliates.
At first, these manifestations may be subtle, but with the development of the fungus, the nail becomes less and less aesthetic. Often this makes the patient constantly hide his feet, walk in closed shoes, even in the heat, which aggravates the problem.
Treatment of onychomycosis
Traditional methods of treating onychomycosis are extremely diverse. What is not recommended for lubricating a very suffering nail: vinegar, soda or saline solution, iodine, coffee, apricot gum, tea tree oil and so on. Unfortunately, most of these tools are ineffective. First, the substances proposed for treatment, for the most part, have no antifungal action. Secondly, to infect the fungus, the drug must penetrate the thickness of the nail plate and under the nail, because it is there, and not on the surface, the fungus "lives". In addition, the drug must saturate the nail plate throughout the growth period ofnails, otherwise the colony of fungus will spread to the new surface.
Based on the above, pharmacologists create drugs to treat nail fungus. But here it must be said that drugs for onychomycosis can be both local and systemic. Systemic drugs are drugs that are taken orally. In general, these are the same drugs that are prescribed for fungal infections with other localizations: thrush, extensive skin or intestinal lesions, systemic mycoses. They are quite effective, but relatively toxic and adversely affect the whole body with prolonged use (and the treatment of nail fungus takes more than a month). Therefore, oral agents have strict indications:
- damage to more than half of the nail;
- proximal spread of the fungus (on the side of the nail fold);
- damage to more than two nails;
- combination with skin or hair lesions;
- failed local treatment.
Medicines for the systemic treatment of fungal infections are sold only on prescription. He also prescribes a course of treatment, as the drugs must be taken several times according to a specific schedule to maintain the required concentration of the active substance in the nail plate.
Local medicines are presented in different forms: varnishes, ointments, sprays, solutions. However, medicated varnishes can be used only in the earliest stages of the disease, then they will not be effective. And ointments and sprays are more suitable for treating fungal infections of the skin than nails. So the best topical medicine is liquid medicine. The solutions allow you to create a higher concentration of the active substance in the places where the fungal infection accumulates, and not on the surface of the nail.
So, the treatment of nail fungus is a long process that requires precision and patience, but modern drugs and treatment regimens allow you to completely get rid of onychomycosis and prevent its recurrence. You should not ignore the problem, because in this case the health and quality of life not only of the patient but also of his relatives are at risk.