Summer gives us wonderful opportunities for relaxation and beauty. After all, when, if not in the summer, can we hold a fashion show with beautiful open shoes, showing others the perfect pedicure and our beautiful feet? And how much fun it was for us to walk barefoot on the warm soft sand!
Unfortunately, all these summer charms can end up quite sad for our feet and nails, because by opening them, we run the risk of contracting an unpleasant and very dangerous disease such as a fungus. And it is often our nails and feet that are affected. In addition, you can be infected with nail fungus not only on the beach or in public baths.
You can catch the disease even in public transport, or just walk on the street with open shoes: slippers or sandals.
Unfortunately, the consequences of fungal infections for nails, and indeed the whole human body, are quite serious, so you should not start this disease.
Therefore, it is important to know the symptoms of the infection and start treatment in a timely manner. And for this you need to figure out what forms the toenail fungus.
Is onychomycosis
Mushrooms, as a class, belong to the lower plants that form filaments of mycelium and spores. It is with the help of spores that the fungus reproduces and also spreads in the external environment. You will be surprised, but scientists know of more than 300, 000 types of fungi, and about 100 species of them can cause skin and nail diseases in humans.
Since they also reproduce through spores, any small fragment of a diseased nail or a small piece of skin from the heel or foot of a sick person is enough to infect the fungus.
Fungal infections of the nails (onychomycosis) can be caused by various types of fungi. Therefore, the signs of infection will be different, and ways to get rid of it as well.
Dermatophytes
If you notice that small yellow spots or streaks appear on your toenails, white or brighter gray streaks appear on your nails, and the edges of the nails move away and turn yellow - most likely you have been infected with a dermatophyte.
The degree of infection with dermatophytes can be easily determined by the same stripes and spots: the brighter they are, and the closer to the center of the nail they are, the stronger the infection. Therefore, if these strips and spots are located closer to the edge of the nail, then the infection is not too far away and the disease can be stopped in a timely manner. But never you procrastinate! After all, if left untreated, not only the toenails are affected, but also the skin around them, and the nail plate will eventually turn yellow and completely opaque.
yeast fungus
If the toenails become uneven, grooves and "waves" appear on them, if at the same time the nails gradually turn yellow and lose their density, become very brittle, thin, begin to lag behind the nail bed - most likely, youhas become infected with yeast. In this case, the degree of infection is determined by the color of the nail: the more yellow and brownish it becomes, the more advanced the lesion.
The defeat of toenails with yeast most often begins with a slight thickening of the nail folds, which eventually swell and turn red. Pressing these inflamed rollers is quite painful. Later, pus may appear in it, which, if in contact with the skin, can cause additional infections. If no steps are taken, over time, the nail may gradually bend and change color, a shallow brown groove will appear on it.
Reference
If a person's nails, like his whole body, have been weakened for a long time by a long disease, and then quickly change color - they become yellow, blue, green, brown or black, or black or black dots or spots appear on the nails - chances arelarge, there is a mold fungal infection.
Such infections, fortunately, do not penetrate deep into the structure of the nail plate itself and, compared with the above types of fungi, are treated quickly: from one to two months.
Consequences of disease
However, all of these are just outward signs of the disease, and if no steps are taken, toenail fungus can spread throughout the body, especially when it comes to dermatophytes or mold. Within a year, and sometimes several years, the fungus slowly destroys the nail plate, fills the entire nail and penetrates the nail bed, and after a while it spreads from foot to hand, while first affecting the thumb, and then all thatanother.
Spreading and taking root in the human body, the fungus significantly weakens the immune system, thus contributing to the emergence of various allergic reactions and exacerbation of chronic diseases.
If a person does not start treatment at this stage, the internal organs are damaged. Particularly vulnerable to such infections are people who have a bad habit of biting nails.
Therefore, it is very important to recognize the disease in a timely manner and start timely and adequate treatment. Naturally, only a specialist can prescribe it, who will conduct the necessary examinations and prescribe the appropriate medications that affect the fungus that affects your body.
Self -diagnosis
You can try to diagnose your nail fungus yourself if you suspect there is something wrong with their appearance, itching and dry skin.
To do this, you need the most common potassium permanganate. You need to make it an aqueous solution and lower your feet into it. After a few minutes, your nails will turn brown, but the fungal lesions will remain light.
In this case, you definitely can not do it without consulting a doctor. And you better not put it off!