After visiting the swimming pool or relaxing at the beach, you may develop onychomycosis (fungus).
Symptoms of this disease are as follows: redness, itching and discomfort between the toes, yellowness and broken nails.
The problem is quite common and does not go away on its own. If you do not consult a doctor, the fungus will develop, which 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 that you have mycosis?
If you notice one of the signs of fungus, for example, your toenails have changed color -Contact your doctor quickly!Do not let the mycosis process develop so that you do not have to deal with treatment for many years. Fungal spores, when released into human blood, cause a toxic reaction.
With this problemYou should first consult a dermatologist, such specialists can be found in clinics, in hospitals, in any paid medical institution, and in skin and vein dispensaries (you can go there for free).
Which specialist should I contact, who does this?
Nail and foot fungus is a skin disease, andDermatologists deal with such problems. You will find him in the district clinic, he conducts the first appointment, examines the patient, diagnoses onychomycosis and prescribes the necessary treatment.
If the disease is advanced or the doctor considers your case complicated, the dermatologist will refer you to a mycologist (this specialist deals more deeply with the treatment of fungal diseases). The difficulty in contacting such a doctor is that specialists in this field cannot always be found in a simple clinic.
Price issue
The services of mycologists in public and private clinics are mostly paid. The consultation price may vary depending on the following indicators:
- the area of the affected area;
- disease severity;
- the number of laboratory tests required;
- doctor's qualifications.
The most expensive is a consultation with a mycologist with a doctorate degree, and the cheapest is a consultation with a doctor of the lowest category. Private clinics charge for each test and prescription of an individual treatment plan.
How is an appointment with a mycologist?
At the first visit to the doctor, the patient is interviewed to identify specific complaints about the skin and nails.
The mycologist will also ask questions about your lifestyle and perform an initial examination of the affected area. But it is impossible to determine the type of fungus visually, so scraping dead scales from the skin and nails is done.
All samples are 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, only takes 3-5 minutes. And to identify a specific type of fungus it will take up to 2 weeks.
At the next appointment, the mycologist prescribes treatment, medications are prescribed taking into account the tests performed and the patient's overall condition.
Further visits to the mycologist are required to monitor the healing process, sometimes this takes a lot of time. The disease may subside in one area of the skin and worsen in another.
The difference between a mycologist and a dermatologist
Specialists in all typesskin problems - dermatologists.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. Mycologists are also dermatologists who deal in depth with the treatment of skin, hair and nails due to fungal infections. But such doctors are not often found in clinics, and not every city has one.
What is the prescribed test?
- scraping the skin on the feet and between the toes;
- analysis of the infected nail plate (its fragments);
- blood test for allergens and antibodies to mycosis.
Important!
If the studies described above do not bring the desired results, histology is performed to ensure that the patient does not have fungus. In this case, consider the option of mechanically damaging the nail.
External signs of fungus sometimes coincide with other signs of nail damage. Therefore, laboratory tests must show whether there is a fungal infection. Calluses on the nail plate, bruising, changes in the color and shape of the nail may not be related to mycosis.
How is the treatment carried out?
The treatment methods used before are no longer effective today, because the drugs do not completely overcome the microorganisms. The doctor chooses a special treatment complex.
There is no one medicine that will cure fungus, you need to combine 2 or 3 products. Creams, tablets, solutions, vitamins, droppers, special varnishes and products that dissolve nails for subsequent removal are widely used in medicine.
Important!
Medicines for the treatment of fungus have a large number of side effects; Self-medication is not allowed! Lesions may move to other locations, and the disease may become more advanced. Make sure you see a specialist to deal with this disease as quickly and as quickly as possible.
Systemic therapy
Mycologists prescribe systemic treatment to their patients to achieve faster recovery.
What can be prescribed to patients with mycosis? Systemic therapy includes the following measures:
- Oral medicine (tablet).
- Local preparations (in the form of creams, ointments, etc. )
- Surgical removal of nails.
Remove the nail plate
Nails can be removed in several ways: through surgery and using special means.
The non-surgical removal method does not cause pain, and you don't have to worry about visiting the 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 test is taken once at the end of the treatment course, and again after a month from the date of the patient's recovery.
Mycologists must not only prescribe a course of treatment, but also monitor how it develops and the results it brings. Even after complete recovery, you need to visit a doctor and take preventive measures to avoid relapse.
Laser treatment
Laser treatment is a type of physical therapy. Exposure to laser beams is not used as a separate treatment method.
For maximum positive effectlaser therapy combined with other drugs. It improves blood circulation and has a good effect on the nutrition of the nail plate.
Therefore, antimycotic drugs penetrate deeper into the infected area. But it is impossible to kill the infection with laser alone. However, there are no contraindications to the procedure, it reduces the possibility of re-infection. This is a painless and completely safe method of treating diseases such as onychomycosis.
Therapeutic pedicure
Therapeutic pedicure for nail mycosis is performed with the aim of having a healing effect on the nails and skin of the feet.
This procedure prevents the development of the disease and further spread of fungal spores.During a pedicure, the affected areas of the skin of the feet and nails are removed..
Therapeutic pedicures are especially important for patients who:
- often experience ingrown nails;
- have many calluses on their feet, corns, warts on their feet;
- have thin and weak nail plates.
The main goal of the procedure is disinfection. Therapeutic pedicure helps to get rid of yellowness, unevenness and bumps on nails. Before using varnish, be sure to ask your doctor if this is acceptable.
Important!
Be careful and careful when choosing a specialist. Make sure you qualify and that your pedicure is properly processed.
Prevention of mycosis on the feet
To avoid such an unpleasant disease, you just need to be careful and periodically do fungal prevention. A trip to the beach, swimming pool, gym or bathhouse can result in 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. Follow the rules below to avoid illness:
- don't walk on the beach without shoes;
- in bathhouses and saunas, be sure to use closed rubber shoes that protect against splashes;
- after bathing, dry your feet thoroughly, pay special attention to the folds between the toes, also use a special antifungal powder or cream;
- don't use other people's shoes;
- Wear clean socks or stockings every day.
Conclusion
When the immune system is strong and functioning normally, mycosis on the feet will not harm the body even after the infection, thanks to the protective ability of the immune system. If the fungus begins to spread on the nails, you need to contact a dermatologist or a mycologist as soon as possible, who will prescribe the optimal treatment regimen.