Nail fungus, like all other fungal diseases, is an infectious disease.Pathogenic microscopic fungi are very easily transmitted from a sick person to a healthy person and quickly penetrate the nail plate, forming colonies.
Toenails are the most common place to experience fungal infections.According to medical statistics, nail fungus occurs in about 15% of the world's population.It is noted that men are more susceptible to this disease.Doctors attribute this phenomenon to the fact that women are more careful about hygiene rules.In addition, fungus more often affects older people, which is most likely due to their relatively reduced immunity and the presence of chronic diseases.
No matter what type of fungus is causing the nail disease, it will present with the same symptoms and require the same treatment.Due to the fact that fungal nail infections do not pose a threat to life, most patients do not rush to receive treatment, considering that the problem is only cosmetic.This approach is fundamentally wrong, because as a result of 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.Often this disease is caused by the following reasons:
- violation of personal hygiene rules;
- wearing other people's shoes;
- wearing other people's socks;
- barefoot in the gym;
- barefoot in the pool;
- barefoot in a public bath.
Fungus is spread especially quickly from one family member to another.For this reason, even if 1 person in the family faces this disease, everyone needs to take care of their nails.
What affects 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 that influence this disease.The provocateurs of the disease include:
- diabetes mellitus - because this disease causes damage to the capillaries, the metabolism in the tissue of the nail folds is disrupted, which causes a rapid weakening of local immunity;
- mechanical injury to the nail plate - with untrimmed, cracked and broken nails, the nutrition of the nail plate begins to be partially disturbed, as its ability to resist fungus is significantly reduced;
- vascular disease - in this case, the fungus develops for the same reason as diabetes;
- fungal infection of the skin - if the fungus is present on the skin, then if not treated, it gradually spreads to the surrounding tissue, which leads to damage to the nail;
- decreased immunity - with a decrease in protection, which can happen for many reasons, the body cannot resist pathogenic fungi, and they easily penetrate the nail tissue.
It is with the presence of provoking factors that in most cases the development of fungal nail infection occurs.
How does fungus manifest itself?
It is quite easy to determine the presence of nail fungus, because the symptoms of this disease are very clear, and it is not easy to confuse with anything 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, gray or brown, depending on the type of fungus that causes the disease;
- rough nail surface - 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 top layer of the nail plate occurs;
- nail delamination - the nail begins to peel off from the edge, and gradually the process reaches the base of the plate.When examined, the border of the nail delamination area is clearly visible;
- white spot under the nail - this is what it looks like where the nail starts to peel off from the base.When the nail plate grows under the influence of the fungus, a cavity forms between it and the subungual tissue, which looks like a white spot;
- dullness of the nail plate - the shine of the nail gradually disappears, and no specific damage to its surface is observed.This symptom occurs due to peeling of the topmost layer of the nail, which is thin and called the skin.It contains fat and moisture, which is why there is a shine;
- a large number of hangnails - the appearance of this very painful dry peeling on the skin is observed due to the fact that the fungus also affects the nail folds.Because of this, the skin begins to quickly die and peel;
- detachment of the nail plate - due to the fact that the fungus affects the nail growth area, the plate begins to gradually peel off, first from the base and then evenly, to the edges;
- destruction of the nail plate - diseased nails become brittle, begin to crumble and change shape.This happens because of the growth of the fungus into the thickness of the nail.
When the first symptoms of nail fungus appear, you should start therapy using drugs or folk remedies.Both are very effective, and therefore the patient should decide for himself which method of treatment will be given priority.
Remedy for nail fungus
If the nail plate has not yet been strongly affected by the fungus, you can do without removing it.To treat nails, you need to use medicines prescribed by your doctor.
Nail fungus treatment with medication is very long and can last up to 1 year.It is necessary to apply the drug formulation strictly according to the rules and without missing a beat, otherwise all the efforts spent to eliminate 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 need to use a drug designed to remove it.If this product is used correctly, diseased nails can be removed painlessly or almost painlessly.
For this case, there are drugs that soften and exfoliate the nail plate from the underlying tissue.Nail removal occurs 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 therapy methods should be started at the first symptoms of the disease.
- Iodine destroys almost all types of nail fungus and therefore can be successfully used in the fight against this disease, although doctors do not take this method of therapy very seriously.Using iodine solution is easy.To achieve the desired effect, it is enough to lubricate the diseased nail with iodine in the morning and evening.Healthy nails should also be treated with iodine, but only once every 2 days.This treatment is continued until a healthy nail begins to grow.
- Kombucha can also be used in treatment.A small piece of it will be enough to get rid of nail fungus.Such a piece should be separated from the mushroom and cleaned from the film.Then it is crushed into a pulp, which is applied to 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 need to take 1 teaspoon of copper sulfate and dissolve it in 1 liter of boiled water.The resulting composition is very concentrated, and therefore for treatment it is added 1 spoon per 1.5 liters of water at a temperature of 50 degrees.Foot bath with this composition is used once a day.The duration of the procedure is 15 minutes.Therapy is continued until a healthy nail begins to grow.
- Bathing with salt and vinegar is useful at the beginning of a fungal nail infection.To prepare the composition for the bath, you need to dissolve 4 tablespoons of 9 percent vinegar and 100 g of salt in 4 liters of very warm water.Bathing is done 2 times a day.The duration of 1 procedure is 15 minutes.If there are wounds on the skin of the feet, it is better to refuse such treatment, because this can cause their degeneration into ulcers.
- Celandine is also recommended for the treatment of nail fungus.In summer, when you can easily find fresh plants, it will be useful to use the juice.To obtain the medicinal composition, the stem of the plant is scrolled through a meat grinder and then the juice is squeezed out of the resulting mass through gauze.Prepare 200 ml of juice.Then the same volume of alcohol with a strength of 70% is poured into the juice.After instilling the medicine 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 feet are steamed first.Treatment is carried out until the healthy nail plate grows completely.
- Baking soda is another way to combat nail fungus.For therapeutic purposes, it is best to use baking soda paste.To prepare it, 1 teaspoon of the material is diluted with boiled water until it becomes a thick paste and mixed well.After this, the medicine is applied to the affected nails 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 every day until a healthy nail grows.
Nail fungus prevention
If you do not forget about the rules to prevent nail fungus, it is very possible to protect yourself from this problem.To avoid this disease, you need to follow the following recommendations:
- comply with hygiene regulations;
- do not wear wet shoes;
- wash house slippers at least once a month using antibacterial washing powder;
- use nail iodine treatment as a preventive measure once a month;
- wear your own shoes only;
- use slippers when in the sauna and swimming pool;
- regularly do manicure and pedicure according to all the rules;
- change socks daily;
- air your shoes daily;
- use an ultraviolet shoe dryer.
With strict adherence to preventive measures, fungal diseases can be prevented even if there are sick people 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 problem is that 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 a very young age.