Fungus is an infectious disease and most often affects the nails or skin of the feet. You can be infected very easily, the danger lies almost everywhere. Since the fungus is basically an infection, it lives mainly in public places. To exclude the possibility of infection, it is important to know how the pathology is transmitted to humans.
How the infection occurs
The disease is always caused by a humid environment. The main reason will be the constant sweating of the feet.Statistics show that large accumulations of parasites are observed in public places, such as saunas, baths, swimming pools, and so on.It is not possible to destroy the causative agent of infection by drying shoes or feet.
Asking the question of how the fungus is contagious, it can be said that the pathology passes easily from person to person. It is almost impossible to insure against such diseases. Many pathogens are found in public places where people walk barefoot. This means that if a healthy person steps barefoot on the surface where the previously infected person stood, in the presence of provoking factors, the disease will begin to develop immediately.
The fungus has a high resistance to various destructive factors, so it stays on the surface for a long time. On beaches, fungi are less common, as salt water destroys pathogens, however, the risk of infection remains. Remember to always wear indoor slippers, socks and shoes only.
The first signs of nail fungus and its symptoms
Foot mycosis is always in the developmental stage, so the first signs of toenail fungus can be seen even in the early stages, if you pay attention to the condition of your body.Different fungal stages differ in their characteristics. If the first stage of the disease can still be skipped for lack of self -care, then the second will obviously make themselves felt. Consider the symptoms that appear in the early stages:
- small dots appear on healthy nails, which differ in their shade from the rest of the plate;
- over time, the spots begin to grow and turn into white spots and streaks;
- then the spots become large, and the nail plate loses its luster;
- the plate acquires a yellow color, sometimes it turns blue or green.
How to determine pathology at home
If the nail changes color, becomes loose, this does not mean the fungus is attacking it.How does toenail fungus start? To determine fungal infections at home, iodine and potassium permanganate are used.
- Potassium permanganate.The procedure is quite simple and does not require much free time. Pour warm water into a bowl and add potassium permanganate to make the solution weak. Lower your feet into the pelvis and wait 10 minutes. During this time, healthy nail plates will turn brown, and those affected by the fungus will remain unchanged.
- Iodine.Unfortunately, this tool does not determine that there are fungal pathogens on the feet. But iodine will show the exclusion of other types of fungi, including pityriasis versicolor. If redness, peeling, etc. look around the nail, treat this place with iodine. Healthy tissue will not be dark, but affected tissue will acquire a relatively dark color.
Treatment
Foot fungus treatment begins with its diagnosis. First, the dermatologist conducts a visual examination, and then prescribes laboratory tests.Do not forget that it is impossible to stop treatment after the first improvement, because the fungus is very resistant, so the disease develops again.
Local therapy
Creams, ointments, lotions, sprays, medical varnishes are used as local preparations. Such drugs relieve symptoms well and destroy the superficial focus. Means are used actively in childhood, during pregnancy, because it is completely safe. Local therapy is particularly effective in the early stages of pathology.
Medications
Medication intake increases the effectiveness of topical fungal treatment. The tablets penetrate the bloodstream and kill fungi from within the body.But this method has some significant drawbacks.First, the drug has some contraindications, and secondly, it has side effects. It is not impossible to take such a drug in all cases. However, funds are the only solution that will help in further cases. To increase the effectiveness of treatment, local remedies, medicines and traditional medicine are used simultaneously.
laser treatment
Laser therapy is becoming increasingly popular.This technique has realized itself recently, and its effectiveness has been proven.Laser therapy has the following benefits:
- Treatment is safe, the beam only treats the affected tissue. After the event, only healthy tissue remained.
- The procedure is painless and well accepted by patients.
- Improvements can be seen after the first session.
- About 4 procedures are enough to achieve a positive result.
The use of lasers frees patients from taking dangerous drugs and lengthy treatments.
Surgery
In some cases, complete removal of the affected nail is required.Surgery is performed to completely stop the spread of the infection. This procedure can increase the effectiveness of the use of local funds. Nail removal can be done using special formulations. It is important for experts to be careful. So that the substance does not come into contact with the skin, otherwise it will cause chemical burns.
Keratolytic patches can help in removing nail plates. Such a tool will soften the nails well, for easy removal. Plaster is used more popularly, because it has a dense texture. So doctors reduce the chances of the substance getting into the skin. The patch softens nails in 2 days, other products last 4 days.
Neglected form therapy
With advanced stages of toenail fungus, you should not despair, it is enough to follow the following rules:
- Determine and remove the cause of the infection.
- Always disinfect shoes or change all pairs. Buy anti-fungal shoe spray.
- Update socks.
- Pass all required tests and follow the treatment regimen prescribed by the dermatologist.
- Adhere to all dietary restrictions.
Therapy at this stage should be carried out in a complex mode. In addition to local remedies, they connect effective drugs that act on the fungus from within, as well as using traditional medicine. With the latter, you need to be careful and take into account existing allergic reactions to one or the other component.
Various forms of mycosis
Foot fungus is divided into several types, which depend on the pathogen. Among these types should be noted:
- Rubromicosis.Symptoms of this type are flaking skin, dryness, excessive sweating, cracked and broken nails.
- Epidermophytosis.The fungus destroys the nails by destroying the keratin in them. This type of fungus is very difficult to cure, it is resistant to low temperatures, antiseptic, drying and other manipulations. For a long time, the fungus was able to reproduce. Signs of this form are redness of the skin, severe itching, its peeling, peeling base of the nail.
- Candidiasis.The disease is caused by several types of fungi. Nail plates on the 3rd and 4th fingers are affected. The early stages are characterized by mild inflammation. After that, the edema is connected, changes in shape and thickness lead to the fact that the cuticle begins to detach. After such a process, the fungus enters the bed itself and spreads to the entire nail area. In this case, the development of onycholysis begins.
Disease prevention
Doctors and scientists say that there are about one and a half million species of mushrooms in the world. Only half of them have been studied, while the selection of treatment for them is quite complicated.The ideal solution is just laser therapy, which will affect any type of fungus.
To avoid infection with this unpleasant disease, it is important to follow the rules of prevention. Measures to prevent pathology are quite difficult, but do not require financial costs. There are 2 main ways to protect yourself from toe fungus:
- personal hygiene and care in public places;
- prevention with the help of special drugs.
If you like visiting common places like baths, saunas or swimming pools, make sure you wash your feet clean when you get home.Also, dry your feet, as this fungus is very strong, and especially it likes a humid environment. Buy socks made only of cotton. This material absorbs moisture well, which is released when the feet start to sweat. When feet in closed shoes sweat a lot, ventilate them regularly if possible.
If you go to the store to buy shoes, take your own soles or socks from home, don’t try on shoes with bare feet or use public soles. Get regular foot care such as pedicures and other treatments. Do not use hygiene items together. You must bring your own foot towels. Well, if someone in your home has been infected with foot fungus, avoid contact with him in every way possible, allocate individual household items to the patient.