Toenail Fungus: Detect and Treat Properly

2 April 2024

Fungal diseases are the most common diseases on earth. We suggest you consider how to treat toenail fungus, what professional preparations (tablets, ointments, creams, varnishes, other drugs) and folk remedies are used for this.

Onychomycosis (also known as 'dermatophytic onychomycosis' or 'herpes zoster') is the most common nail infection, with one in ten people worldwide suffering from the condition. Despite the fact that the disease must be treated at home, this infection is very difficult to influence from the outside, and the infection is often accompanied by relapses and inflammation.

Nail fungus - what is it?

In medical terminology, nail fungus is called onychomycosis. The nail plate becomes infected on contact with spores, after which the rapid growth of fungal bodies begins, affecting the nail in depth and width.

Most often, this pathological condition is observed in elderly people. The occurrence of the disease is influenced by the following factors:

excessive body weight;
diseases of the digestive system;
weakening of the immune system;
impaired function of the thyroid gland or adrenal glands;
improper hygiene.

Experts identify several stages and forms of fungal infection.

Types and causes of toenail diseases

Diseases of the nail plate can be divided into three types:

fungal;
non-fungal;
other diseases.

Non-fungal diseases

Here are the causes of diseases that are not related to a fungal infection:

illiterate care of the nail plate;
injury;
unbalanced diet;
presence of infection in the body;
smoking;
hereditary predisposition;
the presence of dermatological diseases such as psoriasis, eczema;
acute and chronic diseases of the heart and blood vessels, the nervous system, endocrine diseases.

Fungal diseases

Fungal problems occur due to infection by various types of fungi. This pathogen is very dangerous because of its rapid and easy spread. This disease must be treated. Fungus most often affects the nail plates of the lower extremities, since the feet are the most favorable environment for the reproduction of pathogenic bacteria.

There are factors that contribute to the appearance and development of the disease:

increased sweating of the feet;
shoes of poor quality: stuffy and airtight, with poor durability;
use of clothing made of synthetic materials;
neglect of personal hygiene;
visiting public places without individual shoes, for example bathrooms, swimming pools, saunas, public showers.

To recognize the beginning of the disease, you need to know what a healthy nail plate should look like:

color flesh pink;
the surface is smooth, without roughness;
has a homogeneous structure, without compactions or thinning;
The nails are intact at the ends and do not split.

If your nails do not meet at least one point, you should visit a doctor for a consultation.

Fungal forms

Symptoms of the disease depend on the form of the fungus:

Atrophic. A gray tint appears on the nail, and the plate becomes pale and dull. The nail begins to atrophy from the outer edges.
Hypertrophic. As a result of the active growth of skin scales, the nail plate thickens by more than 2 millimeters. Deformation of the nails depends on the severity of the pathology. Shade – gray or dark yellow. One of the signs of such a fungus is considered to be similar to a bird's claw.
Normotrophic. The color of the nail with this type of fungus changes, but the shine and thickness remain the same. In the first stages, white to yellow spots appear. If the disease is not treated, they become larger in size. In this case, the plate does not adhere to the nail bed.
Proximal. This fungus spreads in the skin fold. Possible pain in the foreskin area.
Total. This infection develops if the treatment of other types of fungi is neglected. Accompanied by loss of color and shine, crumbling and brittleness. The result is complete destruction of the nail plate.
Superficial white fungus. It is characterized by the formation of white spots and stripes that spread over the entire nail.
Distal. The lesion is accompanied by dullness, loss of color and changes in the thickness of the nail plate. After the affected area dies, the nail deforms and falls off.
Sideways. There is swelling of the skin edges, their redness and thickening. It is characterized by soreness in the area near the nail. When a bacterial infection attaches, a purulent process begins.

Depending on the severity of the pathology, appropriate treatment is prescribed.

Practical advice

Preventing toe and toe fungus is a very important task. As soon as you get rid of the misfortune, you will find yourself in a high-risk area because. . . The body will be very susceptible to this type of infection for a long time.

Drug treatment does not always pay off, antibiotics kill the immune system, the body becomes more susceptible to fungi and spores, try to minimize the use of such drugs;
All burns and frostbite need timely treatment, otherwise the bacteria will be reduced very quickly;
Effective treatment is only half the battle, because you will need to disinfect absolutely all surfaces with which you have come into contact: bedding, floors, clothes, shoes, etc. ;
Traditional treatment is good, but it does not guarantee that there will be no relapses. It is recommended to visit a doctor before starting this fight, who will do an analysis and tell you exactly what form of fungus you have and how to fight it;
Do not self-medicate with drugs;
Do not try to cover up damaged nails with colored nail polish - this will damage them even more and slow down regeneration;
The doctor advises to regularly make foot baths with mint and chamomile, this will significantly reduce the likelihood of contracting an infection;
A person who has already suffered from fungal diseases cannot be a blood donor;
Fungi are very contagious, so consult your relatives and take them to a doctor.

Typical clinical picture

Clinical manifestations of fungal nail infections include:

burning sensation and itching of the skin near the affected area;
nail brittleness;
swelling of the affected area;
active detachment of the plate;
color changes (black, yellow, gray, green, brown tint indicates a pathological process);
painful sensation in the place where the fungus is located;
nail deformity.

If treatment is neglected or inappropriate therapy is observed, keratinization of the plaque and increased compaction is observed.Only a qualified specialist can diagnose a fungal infection.

Places at risk of infection

Contagion can occur in a moist and warm place where the fungus develops rapidly. Therefore, you should be careful and observe the rules of hygiene in a public environment:

sauna;
shower;
bathroom;
fitness;
solarium;
public changing room;
beach;
pool.

You can catch nail fungus by trying on someone else's shoes. In addition, infection can occur in a beauty salon during a pedicure procedure if non-sterile tools are used or the master has fungus on his hands and performs the manipulation without gloves.

Alternative remedies to fight nail fungus

There are a large number of alternative methods of combating fungal infections. In folk medicine, popular and effective procedures that help eliminate the fungus are:

compress;
foot bath;
lotions;
application of ointments from herbal products.

Effective antifungal alternative therapies are:

Garlic ointment. For its preparation, butter is mixed with grated garlic. Apply for several hours on the affected nails.
Sea salt bath. Make a warm solution and keep your feet in it for thirty minutes. After the procedure, it is recommended to coat the nails with olive oil.
Foot bath with a decoction of calendula, calendula, horsetail or milkweed.
Compress of mint and salt. A spoonful of salt is mixed with the crushed plant and applied to the problem area for several hours.
Lotion with propolis. A cotton swab is moistened in the tincture and applied to the affected nail.
Lubrication of the diseased nail plate with the juice of yellow flowers.
Egg-honey mixture. Honey, birch tar and sulfur are added to the protein. Mix well and apply on nails.
Compress with ammonia. A spoonful of ammonia is diluted in a glass of water. The material intended for the procedure is soaked in the liquid.
Apricot resin. An alcoholic tincture is prepared from tree resin, using the ingredients in equal parts. Make a compress using this medicine.
Coffee bath. They make strong coffee and pour it into a basin. It is recommended to soak your feet in this product for twenty minutes.
Tar compress. For this procedure, take birch tar.
Bath based on Listerine, apple cider vinegar and lemon juice.
Compress with hydrogen peroxide. Before using it, it is recommended to make a soda bath for the feet.
Applying onion pulp to the sick nail.

An effective folk remedy for yeast infections is a baking soda and apple cider vinegar remedy. To prepare it, you need the following ingredients:

apple cider vinegar - 250 ml;
bicarbonate of soda - 150 g;
water (hot) - 3 l.

Foot baths are made with this medicine. The peculiarity of this procedure is that the feet are first placed in a vinegar solution for twenty minutes. Then after some time they bathe with soda. It is recommended to perform the procedure several times a day.

Compresses can also be made from the following ingredients:
chopped horseradish (root);
sunflower oil and vinegar (product ratio 1: 1);
tea sponge;
tangerine juice;
tea tree oil;
Rowan puree.

It is recommended that these products be applied to the affected area at night. Herbalists advise putting crushed medicinal herbs in your socks for foot fungus:

peppermint;
chamomile;
nettles;
sage.

The first signs of the disease can be overcome by soaking the feet in a solution of laundry soap. It is important to remember that alternative medicines should only be used on well-washed feet. Dead layers should be removed each time using a nail file or scissors.

Other diseases

This section includes diseases that can be signs of fungal or non-fungal pathology, but in this case are independent.

Hypertrophy

Most often, hypertrophy is inherited.

This disease is accompanied by the following symptoms:

the nail thickens;
extends to several centimeters;
very long legs begin to bend down, resembling a bird's claw;
the color of the nail changes from yellow to dirty yellow;
rarely in this condition the nail grows into the skin located on the side;
If the growth is not treated, the inflammatory process begins.

Vitamins and physiotherapy are prescribed to combat the disease.If there is inflammation, rinse with peroxide and chlorhexidine.

Traditional medicine suggests the use of massage with olive oil. In the case of a significant deformity that significantly spoils a person's appearance, they resort to cosmetic correction.

atrophy

Diseases of the toenails, in which the nails undergo atrophy, are often congenital.

Already in a newborn baby, you can see symptoms:

deformation of the nail plates of one or several fingers, they are smaller in size, fragile, distorted in shape;
the color of the nails is whitish, cloudy;
the surface has flaws: roughness, microcracks;
lack of nails on one or several fingers;
the presence of membranes between the fingers;
deformity of the fingers;
low rate of hair growth and they also grow sparsely.

Such congenital pathologies are difficult to treat. Taking vitamins, taking substances rich in collagen, and a balanced diet are recommended. Patients should take care of their nails and avoid injuries and contact with aggressive substances.

Scratchy nails

The most common problem that people face.

Here are the reasons for its appearance:

improper manicure, use of low-quality decorative cosmetics;
This problem is faced by half of the women who regularly perform the shellac procedure;
lack of vitamins;
endocrine disorders, in particular reduced thyroid function;
chronic diseases that deplete the body;
synthetic clothes and the wrong shoes.

This problem can be fixed by a set of measures:

Cosmeticsspecialized nail creams and oils.
Paraffin therapyyou need to buy paraffin and melt it until liquid, but not hot. The feet must first be washed and dried well. Dip your fingers in the paraffin, then let it harden, then lower it again. The sequence should be repeated several times until there are 3 to 5 layers of paraffin on the nails. Then you need to wrap it in nylon and put on warm socks on top. Keep this compress for 30 minutes. After that, the paraffin should be carefully removed and a rich cream should be applied to the nails.

Traditional medicine recommends massage with sea salt. It is necessary to dissolve in a ratio of 2 tablespoons per 200 ml of warm water. Feet should be kept in the liquid for at least 15 minutes. Then you need to massage the skin around the nails. Then you can apply olive oil or other unrefined vegetable oil.

Pterygium

This word refers to the thin film that lies on the nail in the area of the crescent. This is the bottom layer of the cuticle. It performs physiological protective functions and is not a pathology.

There are different lengths and thicknesses for different people. When performing a professional manicure, the pterygium begins to cause problems. It especially interferes with coatings that are cured under an ultraviolet lamp.

If a woman decides to remove it, she needs to do it right so she doesn'tdamage the cuticle and avoid introducing dirt into the delicate layers of the epidermis:

soften the pterygium in water;
remove the excess carefully with an apricot stick;
treat the place with an antiseptic - chlorhexidine or miramistin.

To make sure that the pterygium always remains soft and easy to remove, every night before going to bed you should treat the nail plate and cuticle with a special oil from pharmacies and cosmetic stores.

Nail diseases that are not treated can cause serious consequences. Complications include suppuration, abscess, panaritium, and leg malignancies. For any change in the appearance of your nails, you should consult a dermatologist.

General treatment regimen

Successful therapy will require several months of complex treatment. This includes topical and systemic medications, diet, and strengthening the immune system. The treatment of fungal diseases of the toenails is carried out by the following methods:

systemic antifungal drugs;
a course of physical therapy that improves blood flow in the legs and arms;
the affected areas are treated with local anti-infective agents (antifungal varnishes, ointments, gels), and the surrounding skin is covered for prevention;
removal of the affected tissues conservatively or surgically, if severe thickening or complete damage is confirmed;
the use of drugs that improve blood flow to the hands and peripheral tissues of the legs.

Reception of systemic antifungals

For reliable and effective treatment of fungal diseases, it is necessary to use systemic antifungal drugs. Their action is aimed at destroying the pathogen. Fungal spores can remain in the incubation period in the growth zone for a long time while remaining viable, so it is very important to ensure their destruction.

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As the plaque grows, the spores rise and enter the active phase, continuing to cause the pathological process. For this reason, treatment with systemic antifungal drugs is carried out for a long time in order for a completely healthy new nail plate to grow. This will indicate that the germinal zone has been cleared of spores.

Local treatment

This is another component of complex treatment, which is carried out when taking systemic drugs and does not replace it. Only local therapy will not help to achieve a complete recovery, so there is no way to avoid the need to take antifungal drugs in the form of tablets, solutions or capsules. This is due to the ability of spores to remain viable for a long time in destroyed tissues. Topical medications cannot penetrate these areas.

Treatment of onychomycosis with this method is aimed at treating the nail bed or nail with products that are available in the form of a lotion, varnish, cream, ointment or spray. Recommended at this stage.

Removal of the nail plate

There are two options for this procedure - conservative and surgical. The first method is performed using keratolytic patches, which can soften the tissues. After using these products, it is possible to painlessly and easily remove the affected area with a soft scalpel or ordinary scissors. Patch options are currently used for conservative removal.

Such products can be purchased at a pharmacy or ordered from the prescription department. Before using the composition against a fungal disease, apply a simple adhesive plaster on healthy areas of skin next to the affected areas to protect yourself from the action of the keratolytic. Then apply a layer of 2 mm of the mixture and fix it with ordinary plaster for 2-3 days. Then peel it off, remove the rest of the product and scrape away the softened tissue with a scalpel. The procedure is repeated until the entire nail surface is removed and only the bare bed remains.

The surgical method is considered more effective than the conservative one, because it not only removes the affected areas, but also allows to clear the bed of keratinized scales, where fungal spores can continue to live and cause a relapse of the disease. Clinical studies confirm that with surgical removal the effectiveness of treatment is significantly higher, the procedure is carried out as follows:

Apply a tourniquet to the base of the finger.
Treat the surface with an antiseptic (each).
A local anesthetic is injected into the lateral surfaces of the finger.
Tweezers are placed under the free edge from the left or right corner.
Move the tool towards the base.
The plate is separated using a flipping motion.
The bed is cleaned of accumulations of horn plates.
The nail bed is irrigated with a powdered sorbent with an antibiotic.
A sterile dressing is placed on top.

Shoe processing

The question of disinfection of shoes during the treatment of onychomycosis is very important, because they contain fungal pathogens that will cause a relapse of the disease in the future. To remove them, you must use chemical disinfectants. This cleaning procedure should be performed at least once a week. Disinfection can be carried out using the following compositions:

Formalin solution 25%.
1% solution of chlorhexidine bigluconate.
Acetic acid 40%, etc.

As a preventive measure, you should regularly use special devices designed for drying shoes at home. Fungus thrives in moist environments, so you shouldn't leave your shoes wet.

To eliminate the disease, you must strictly follow all the instructions of the doctor. Medicines must be used exactly as directed. Home remedies can help speed up the onychomycosis treatment process, but only if used as an adjuvant solution in combination with traditional drug treatment.

Possible complications

Pessimists who do not believe that onychomycosis is curable should note that they are fortunately wrong. However, if the disease is neglected or self-medicated without being sure of the correct diagnosis, problems can arise.

Possible complications include:

the appearance of mycotic eczema with a large area affected by the fungus;
burns caused by improper use of keratolytic plaster;
dysfunction of the liver and gastrointestinal organs caused by the accumulation of toxins in the body;
the development of an allergic reaction, also occurring due to the fact that the body is "overloaded" with harmful substances;
psychological problems caused by the fact that a person cannot live an ordinary life - for example, without hesitation to visit the bathroom, go to the beach.

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Laser treatment

This is an additional physical therapy technique that is aimed at improving blood circulation. The procedure is carried out as part of complex therapy together with the use of antifungal drugs. Using a laser alone will not help cure the disease, as it only improves blood flow to the tissues. This is necessary for effective delivery of the antifungal agent to hard-to-reach cells. If you do not take systemic drugs, laser therapy will not lead to therapeutic results.

Disinfection and personal hygiene

After you notice that the nail has changed color and you suspect the initial form of the fungus, comparing the symptoms with the photo, it is necessary to proceed to complex treatment. To effectively get rid of the fungus, you must:

thoroughly disinfect socks and shoes every day;
boil bed linen and towels;
Clean the tub thoroughly after bathing.

All wardrobe items that came into contact with the affected nails during the day should be boiled in a soapy solution in the evening. It is better to use laundry soap. Shoes should be wiped daily with an antiseptic or a special antifungal solution.

The disease of onychomycosis of the nails is often observed in the same family due to constant contact with the causative agent of fungal infection, as well as due to common hygiene products. If a person scratches the affected areas and then touches household objects with his hands, then the spores of the fungus and the pathogen spread to the things at that time and the risk of infection increases.