Nail fungus - onychomycosis - is a common nail disease from which, according to various authors, one-fifth of the population suffers. Most often it affects the elderly, and in age groups with a difference of 10 years, its frequency increases by about 2, 5 times. This is not only a cosmetic inconvenience, because with a sharp decrease in immunity and the addition of a bacterial infection, serious complications can develop, for example, erysipelas, and in the absence of attentioncarried to the problem, the disease becomes chronic. , threatening all family members with infection.
How to recognize onychomycosis: symptoms of a fungus
A warm, humid environment is the best place to develop fungal infections. And the climate doesn't have to be hot; for example, you can create conditions favorable for fungus by wearing shoes that sweat on your feet.
The source of the infection is usually another person who is not involved in the treatment of onychomycosis, who is not monitoring the condition of the nails, or someone who has not taken treatment measures to themselves. fully restore. About a third of patients who see a doctor have such a patient in their family. At the same time, according to statistics, men get sick two to three times more often than women, but less often see a doctor.
The development of nail fungus is facilitated, as we have already said, by the need to stay in hot or uncomfortable shoes for a long time - onychomycosis is widespread among miners, metalworkers and military personnel. The need to be barefoot in public places is also important. Thus, one of the studies revealed a higher prevalence of nail disease (onychomycosis) among professional swimmers, and another among visitors to mosques (where it is necessary to be without shoes), compared to the main population of lcorresponding age.
In addition, the likelihood of fungal infection of the nails increases in people with diabetes mellitus, blood diseases, HIV, as well as with long-term use of cytostatics, corticosteroids and antibiotics. This is due to reduced immunity in these patients and an imbalance of the microflora (with antibiotic therapy).
In summary, the following predisposing factors for nail fungus can be distinguished:
- permanent injuries to the nail plate and the skin of the feet (mainly due to uncomfortable shoes);
- frequent contact with water (especially in public places);
- increased sweating, especially due to the need to constantly wear warm or synthetic shoes;
- deformities of the foot, including flat feet;
- reduced rate of nail growth - this is precisely why onychomycosis is prevalent in older people: the older a person, the slower their nails grow.
At first, the fungus only colonizes part of the nail, arrives there from the foot or interdigital folds, but gradually spreads to the entire nail plate. The fungus enters under the nail plate from the side of the free edge of the nail or from the underside of the nail roller. Depending on the localization and manifestation of symptoms of onychomycosis (from one or another edge of the nails), dermatovenerologists distinguish different forms of fungal infection and its stages.
- Discoloration of the nails.A normal nail is pale pink, translucent with a white edge. Affected - completely loses its transparency, turns white, gray, brown, green or black (depending on the negligence of the process and the type of fungal pathogen).
- Thickening of the nail.Due to the excessive growth of the stratum corneum in response to the introduction of the fungus, the nail becomes thick and uneven.
- Destruction of the nail plate (onycholysis).The nail crumbles, partially or totally exfoliates.
At first, these manifestations may be subtle, but as the fungus grows the nail becomes less aesthetic. This often forces the patient to constantly hide his legs, to walk in closed shoes even in hot weather, which aggravates the problem.
Treatment of onychomycosis
Traditional methods of treating onychomycosis are extremely diverse. What is not suggested for lubricating the enduring nail: vinegar, soda or saline solution, iodine, coffee, apricot gum, tea tree oil etc. Unfortunately, most of these remedies are ineffective. First, the substances proposed for treatment mostly do not have antifungal activity. Second, to infect the fungus, the drug must penetrate the thickness of the nail plate and under the nail, because it is there, and not on the surface, that the fungus "lives". In addition, the drug should, so to speak, saturate the nail plate during the entire period of nail growth, otherwise the fungus colony will spread to the new surface.
Based on the above, pharmacologists create remedies for the treatment of nail fungus. But here it should be said that drugs for onychomycosis can be both local and systemic. Systemic drugs are drugs that are taken by mouth. Basically, the same drugs are prescribed for fungal infections in other locations: thrush, extensive skin or intestinal lesions, systemic mycoses. They are quite effective, but relatively toxic and affect the whole body with prolonged use (and treatment of nail fungus takes more than a month). Therefore, oral agents have strict indications:
- damage to more than half of the nail;
- proximal spread of the fungus (from the side of the nail fold);
- damage to more than two nails;
- combination with skin or hair damage;
- local treatment unsuccessful.
Medicines for the systemic treatment of fungal infections are sold only with a prescription from a doctor. He also prescribes treatment, since the drugs must be taken several times according to a certain scheme in order to maintain the required concentration of the active substance in the nail plate.
Local remedies come in various forms: varnishes, ointments, sprays, solutions. However, medicated varnishes can only be used at the very first stage of the disease, then they will not be effective. And ointments and sprays are more suitable for treating fungal infections of the skin rather than the nails. So, the best topical remedy is liquid medications. Solutions allow you to create a higher concentration of the active substance in those places where the fungal infection accumulates, and not on the surface of the nail.
So, treating nail fungus is a long process that requires precision and patience. However, modern drugs and treatment regimens allow you to completely get rid of onychomycosis and prevent its recurrence. The problem should not be ignored, because in this case the health and quality of life not only of the sick person, but also of his relatives is in danger.