In addition to onychomycosis, there are many other causes and diseases that can cause changes in the usual appearance of nails.
Thick, cloudy white nails may be the result of psoriasis or unsuccessful use of harsh cosmetics. The separation and stratification of the nail plate occurs during injuries and nutritional disorders of the lower extremities, varicose veins or endocrine diseases. Onychomycosis usually starts not from changes in the nail plate itself, but from redness, itching, and peeling of the skin around the nail. If a person does not pay attention to these symptoms, the fungus will begin to develop and penetrate deeper tissues, including. Under the nail bed. Fungal damage to the nail plate usually starts from its free edge, which thickens and turns grayish-yellow, easily broken and broken. But even in this case, only with the help of laboratory research-microscopic examination can accurately determine the presence of fungus.
This fungus only appears in the elderly and patients with chronic diseases.
In patients with chronic diseases (diabetes, peripheral vascular diseases, etc. ), nail fungus is indeed more common, but only because all these diseases reduce the activity of systemic and local immunity and negatively affect the skin's resistance to any infection. Old age itself does notIt is not the cause of fungal diseases, but the older a person is, the more health problems he accumulates, which leads to the development of fungal infections. At the same time, completely healthy young people cannot prevent onychomycosis. Sports enthusiasts may suffer from nail fungus. Calluses, micro-traumas of the foot skin and sweating create ideal conditions for the development of fungi. This fungus may occur in people who have to spend most of the day on their feet, wearing closed shoes and not allowing excess water to evaporate. Smoking, frequent stress and excessive love for sweets can increase the risk of fungal infections.
This fungus is usually infected in swimming pools, saunas or beaches.
In saunas, swimming pools or on the beach, the risk of encountering fungi is indeed very high, just like in any other place with high air temperature and humidity, where the spores of the onychomycosis pathogen can still survive for a long time. But this is far from the only chance of contracting onychomycosis. The pathogen of fungal infection can infect the skin of people who go to the gym, beauty salon, shoe store, public transportation, or just wear other people's slippers. But contact with the fungus or its spores does not always lead to the development of infection, which depends largely on the condition of the skin and the entire body. And only when the fungus enters the optimal developmental environment and discovers the weak link of the body's immune defense, can it cause damage to the skin and nails. Risk factors for the development of onychomycosis are thought to be dry calluses and cracks in the skin of the feet, increased sweating of the feet, wearing tight and "non-breathing" shoes, and synthetic socks.
Fungal spores are everywhere, and there is no effective protection for them.
It is true that fungal spores can be seen almost everywhere, even in the home, so it is impossible to completely exclude contact with it. However, even high-risk people with fungal diseases have the opportunity to protect themselves from infection. First of all, you must follow the personal hygiene rules carefully: only use your own shoes, towels, etc. Careful monitoring of the skin condition of the feet and nails is equally important-timely removal of dry calluses, treatment of cracks, abrasions, and proper nail cutting. Preventing excessive sweating of the feet is not superfluous, including the use of antiperspirant products for the feet. If the risk of onychomycosis is very high, you can cover your nails preventively (once a week) with a special anti-fungal varnish. You can also start taking immunity-enhancing drugs-interferon inducers, phytoadaptogen-based drugs, and multivitamin complexes after consulting your doctor.
Fungi are eternal. You can't get rid of it completely.
Onychomycosis is a common infectious disease, once the pathogen is cleared from the body, it will end. This can only be prevented through wrong treatment or the patient's own mistakes. Onychomycosis is characterized by fungus located under the nail plate (in the nail bed). Not every LP can penetrate so deeply. Therefore, today it is recommended to use a special form of topical medication or systemic antifungal therapy to treat onychomycosis. In addition, even if all the symptoms of fungal infection disappear, treatment must be continued. You can only stop taking the medicine after 3 repeated examinations (microscopic examination) show that the fungus is no longer present in the tissues. In addition, the use of antifungal agents must be combined with proper nail and foot care. This reduces the risk of new recurrence.
It is useless to treat fungi with topical agents.
Modern forms of topical preparations can produce high concentrations of antifungal agents in the affected area. At the same time, external drugs will not be absorbed into the systemic circulation, have a wider range of action, and the risk of drug resistance is low. Unfortunately, not all topical drugs can penetrate the thickness of the nail, especially into the nail bed tissue where a large number of pathogens are located. Therefore, it is recommended to combine topical treatment with nail plate removal or use of keratolytic agents-urea or salicylic acid preparations. This is especially important if onychomycosis is accompanied by nail hyperkeratosis. Usually, when the nails of 1-2 fingers or 1/3 of the nail plate surface are affected, a monotherapy of topical drugs is used. In other cases, topical drugs are used in combination with systemic antifungal drugs.
Anti-fungal pills are very dangerous and poisonous.
Due to the long course of antifungal therapy (up to 12 months in some cases), there is a real risk of side effects and toxic effects on the liver. But today, methods have been developed to minimize this danger. So, for example, some antifungal drugs are used in pulse therapy mode: short courses of 5-7-10 days with 21 days of rest. Some systemic antifungals can only be taken 1-2 times a week. There are some antifungal drugs with high safety. When taken in a therapeutic dose, they will not negatively affect liver cells even if they are used continuously for a long time. Therefore, the most important thing is not to take antifungal drugs systemically without a doctor's appointment and supervision. Only a dermatologist can issue such funds.
If you choose the right medicine, the fungus can be cured within a week.
Only when an infection has occurred recently and the pathogen of onychomycosis does not have time to penetrate deeply into the tissues surrounding the nails, can it be possible to prevent the development of fungal infections in a short period of time. However, unfortunately, few patients seek medical help at this stage. In most cases, the treatment of onychomycosis starts in the later stage, when the nail plate (or even a few) is severely affected and malnutrition or hyperkeratosisThe process is actively in the surrounding tissues. In this case, even if the treatment is combined with the complete removal of the affected nail plate, there is no medicine that can help quickly resolve the fungal problem, because it takes about 3 months to restore the nail. In a relatively short period of time, about 4-6 weeks, you can only relieve the most obvious symptoms of onychomycosis. But infectious pathogens, especially in the form of spores, still exist in the tissues. And only after completing the course of treatment prescribed by the doctor can we get rid of this unpleasant disease.