Most people do not even know that the most common sweating of the feet and the accompanying unpleasant odor is one of the main signs of the development of a fungal disease. Toenail fungus, the symptoms of which do not immediately appear, can appear in every person who does not take care of himself at least a little. This ailment awaits almost everywhere, and most often in public places. What is sad is that a fungal disease is quite insidious: it is treated for a long period of time and is not effective in 100% of cases, since it is characterized by relapses. In order to timely identify the fungus and start treatment, you need to have an idea of \u200b\u200bhow the fungus of the toenails manifests itself.
The spread of a fungal disease
The disease is caused by the development of parasitic fungi in the body. The best conditions for their emergence and subsequent spread are a warm environment at the same time as high humidity. Many are of the opinion that it is very easy to get such an infection in water parks, baths, beauty salons.
But the statistics are completely different: you can get a fungal infection even without leaving your home through shared items (bathroom, clothes, shoes, towels). However, this is true if at least one of the household members is a carrier of the fungus. And yet, what affects the spread of the fungus in principle? There are such key aspects that cause infection with a fungal disease:
- Strong sweating;
- Diabetes;
- The problem of excess weight;
- If the nail is injured;
- Weak immunity.
In order to somehow protect yourself from infection with a fungus, you need to use only personal hygiene products, carry out a comprehensive treatment of the shower and bath, wear only your shoes, organize washing of rugs as often as possible, etc. And if you have already noticed the first signs of toenail fungus, you should immediately contact a dermatologist!
Signs of a fungus, based on the causative agent of the disease
Signs of fungus on the toenails should be noticed in time. The effectiveness of the complex treatment of a fungal infection is determined by the extent to which the causative agent of the disease was correctly identified. This can be explained by the fact that there are many varieties of fungi, and each species reacts to a specific group of medicines.
In most cases, the causative agents of the disease are:
- Mold;
- Dermatophytes;
- Yeast.
If the fungus began to develop due to yeast, then it is almost impossible to detect the disease overnight. Signs of a fungus on the legs under such circumstances are as follows:
- The foot and the skin around the nail plate itches;
- The nail peels off.
Yeast infection occurs only in 4-5% of cases. Very often, it is dermatophytes that affect the nail plate (94. 5%). This pathogen is of 3 types, and the manifestation of each is very different:
- 1 type. There is a simultaneous defeat of the nail plate, the skin of the feet and legs as a whole. Such a fungus easily moves to the nails and skin of the hands.
- 2 type. The disease affects only the nails of the thumb and little finger on the legs. May also go to the folds between the fingers.
- 3 type. It is typical for him to damage the nail plate of the little finger and thumb, but the disease does not spread to the skin.
As for mold, the causative agent in this case is mold fungi. It is observed extremely rarely. Mostly found in AIDS patients.
Other symptoms
Often, when the disease is just beginning to develop, there are no symptoms of a fungus on the toenails. But in the case of extreme attentiveness to one's feet, a person will notice that round spots began to appear on the nail plate, and the nail itself loses its gloss and becomes rough. Developing, a fungal disease affects the nail plate to a greater extent: its color will initially change, after which the nail exfoliates, it can easily break. The shade of the nail plate is determined by the type of pathogen fungus.
Toenail fungus: symptoms (additional)
- The nail plate turns black;
- The nail takes on an unusual shape, and its structure changes completely;
- Nails become very brittle;
- Nail plastic cuts under the skin;
- Followed by constant fatigue.
An abnormal appearance of the nail plate is a "bell" for visiting a dermatologist, and there the nail fungus, the symptoms of which you have noticed, will be confirmed or refuted. If you constantly postpone going to the doctor, the disease will quickly spread to other areas. If you do not think about it, then there is nothing life-threatening in this ailment. But, in addition to an exclusively aesthetic problem and discomfort, a fungal infection is sometimes the cause of great complications. For this reason, the symptoms should not be ignored and the treatment of the disease should be started in a timely manner, as soon as it has been identified.
Doctor who treats fungal diseases
It is realistic to detect an infection on your own, but only a doctor can confirm your guesses. To make an accurate diagnosis, a dermatologist will recommend certain tests. For their implementation, a piece of the destroyed nail plate or scraping of the periungual tissues is taken.
Timely detected infection makes further treatment easier and eliminates the possibility of complications. If treatment is not started at the right time, this will ensure the spread of the disease to other organs and all nails of the hands / feet.
Toenail fungus: treatment procedure
Therapy aimed at treating the fungus is prescribed by a dermatologist - everything will depend on how advanced the disease is, the type of fungus that is present in the body and other factors. Usually, if the fungus is just starting to develop, medications are prescribed for external use. In more difficult situations resort to intensive treatment.
By the way, it takes a lot of time. Therefore, it is in your interest to visit a doctor at the slightest suspicion of a fungal infection! Symptoms of nail fungus must be recognized in advance. And the sooner the disease is detected, the faster the treatment will take place!