How to accurately recognize toenail fungus and when to start treatment?

Nowadays, not only women, but also most men take care of the beauty of their nails.But only healthy nails can be beautiful, so it will be useful for everyone to know how to recognize toenail fungus.The sooner a person notices signs of the disease, the easier it will be to undergo treatment.But it will be difficult to cure an advanced form of onychomycosis.The disease often relapses and is difficult to treat.

Onychomycosis is a common disease.Most often, the fungus affects the toenails, but this disease can also appear on the fingers.Onychomycosis of the hands is especially common in women.Signs of the disease on the toenails and fingernails are approximately the same.Symptoms depend on the type of pathogen and on where the infection was introduced.

Species

How to identify fungus on toenails?This disease is quite insidious, since the symptoms depend on what type of pathogen caused the disease.There are several dozen varieties of fungi that can cause onychomycosis.But they can be divided into three groups, depending on the nature of the pathogen.

Yeast

This type of fungus most often affects the fingers, but can appear on the feet.The infected nail plate becomes loose and peels off from the nail bed.In addition to the nail, the skin is also affected, and the ridges surrounding the plate become inflamed.They become red, painful, and in advanced stages, when you press the roller, white contents come out from under it.

Dermatophytes

This type of filamentous fungus most often affects the toenails.The disease manifests itself gradually.At the first stage, spots or stripes appear that have a yellowish tint.At first these spots are small, but gradually they grow, occupying the entire surface of the nail.

Mold

Molds are extremely common, but they cause onychomycosis relatively rarely.When affected by this type of pathogen, the nails change color.The spots have an unusual color - black, green, dirty gray.

Forms

The disease can occur in several forms.Symptoms of the disease depending on the form of onychomycosis:

• Lateral-distal.This is the most common case; the first changes in the nail can be noticed in the growing part of the nail in one of the corners (sometimes in both corners at once).
• Proximal.In this case, the first changes appear at the inner edge of the nail.

• Superficial.Unlike previous forms, with the superficial type of onychomycosis the pathogen does not penetrate deep into the plate.The symptoms are unusual, spots appear in the center of the plate, the nail itself becomes looser, the entire surface begins to peel off, and scales peel off from it.

Clinical manifestations

Fungal nail diseases do not cause discomfort at the first stage.The patient does not feel pain or any other unpleasant sensations.However, an attentive person may notice that the appearance of the nails has changed.Main signs of the disease:

• loss of natural shine, tarnishing;
• the appearance of spots or stripes, their color differs from the color of a healthy plate;
• grooves may appear on the surface;
• the plate can change shape;
• the nail may begin to thicken or, on the contrary, become thin and atrophic;
• the plate delaminates, begins to crumble, and subsequently lags behind the skin;

• in advanced stages, physical discomfort also appears, pain appears when pressure is applied;
• when a secondary infection occurs, inflammation and suppuration may develop.

Advice!Onychomycosis can occur in isolation, but often this disease is accompanied by mycosis of the skin of the feet.Redness, diaper rash, and cracks appear between the fingers.The feet begin to emit an unpleasant odor.

Fungus or not?

Unfortunately, fungal nail diseases do not have specific symptoms.A similar clinical picture may occur with other dermatological problems.For example, with psoriasis.To accurately say whether there is a fungal disease of the fingernails or toenails, it is necessary to do tests in the laboratory.

For analysis, take a piece of the nail (in the distal form) or make a scraping from the surface of the plate.The procedure for collecting material is safe and painless.Next, the biological material is delivered to the laboratory.

Microscopic examination reveals the presence of a fungal infection, but does not determine the type of pathogen.To make an accurate diagnosis, it is necessary to place the collected material (nail particles) in a nutrient medium and in favorable conditions.

Advice!The most favorable conditions for fungal growth are warmth and humidity.

The results of the analysis will be available only after 5 days.During this time, the colony of fungi will grow so large that it will be possible to determine the type of pathogen by their appearance.In addition, the study allows us to determine which antimycotic agents most effectively destroy this fungus.

To do this, filter paper is moistened with solutions of antifungal agents, after which they are applied to the fungal colonies.After some time, the paper is removed and they look at which places the growth of microorganisms will be most effectively stopped.

Home methods

It happens that for some reason you cannot get into the laboratory.Is it possible to determine the presence of a fungal infection at home?Of course, home diagnostic methods are far from perfect; they cannot be compared with laboratory research methods.

However, even these simple methods, in most cases, can detect the presence of a fungal infection.Many people have a bottle of maroon crystals of potassium permanganate in their home.A solution of this product has antiseptic properties and is used in medicine and gardening.

This solution will also help in home diagnosis of onychomycosis.To carry out diagnostics, you must:

• prepare a strong, dark purple solution in a small container;
• pour warm water into a basin or other container in such an amount that you can completely immerse your nails in it;
• add the previously prepared strong solution drop by drop into the water, achieving a solution of a soft lilac color;

Advice!Never add dry crystals to your bath water.If the crystals do not dissolve, they can cause a burn if they come into contact with the skin.

• immerse the limbs in the solution so that the nails are completely covered with the solution;

• hold for about ten minutes;
• then remove the limb from the solution and examine the nails, healthy nail plates will turn brown, the patients will remain unchanged.

Advice!Before diagnosing using potassium permanganate, make sure that the potassium permanganate solution does not cause you to develop allergies.

How to avoid infection?

Every person is at risk of contracting onychomycosis, but there are people who are at risk.This:

• elderly people;
• people who often come into contact with water (dishwashers, laundresses, etc.);
• patients with diabetes mellitus;
• patients who have severely weakened immunity.

In addition, non-compliance with hygiene rules contributes to infection.In particular, using things together with the patient.Therefore, never wear someone else’s shoes, use your own towel, never walk barefoot in public baths, wear rubber flip-flops.

The risk of contracting onychomycosis is highest in the following places:

• public places where people take water procedures - showers, baths, water parks, swimming pools;
• shoe stores;
• nail service salons.

In addition, you can easily become infected at home if one of your family members has onychomycosis.The use of active preventive and protective measures will help avoid infection and prevent the development of the disease.

Every person should know the answer to the question of how to identify nail fungus.Knowing what a diseased nail looks like will help you notice negative changes in a timely manner.If onychomycosis is detected in the early stages, then curing the disease will be much easier.But at an advanced stage, treatment will be difficult and lengthy; the course of treatment may take a year or more.