Among the most common dermatological diseases, doctors isolate precisely a fungal infection. Due to the fact that the clinical picture of this disease is poorly expressed, many do not take it seriously. In fact, onychomycosis can lead to loss of nail plates and even sepsis.
This is the main reason that the treatment of nail fungus should be started at the initial stage. It is extremely important to use special antifungal agents prescribed by a specialist.
The main symptoms of the fungus
The clinical picture of this disease has been studied very well. This makes it possible to easily identify the symptoms of nail fungus on the hands and feet, regardless of its stage.
The main ones are the following:
- The nail changes color, turns yellow or green. In certain cases, it can acquire white and brown color. There are even cases when the nail plate becomes multi-colored;
- Severe itching is felt on the skin near the nail plates;
- The skin becomes inflamed, redness is noted on them;
- The nail changes its structure, becomes thicker or becomes thinner;
- Peeling of the skin;
- Deformation of nails;
- The nail plates become brittle;
- Detachment of nails.
What does toenail fungus look like and its first symptoms
At the very beginning, the disease does not have pronounced symptoms, deformation of the nails during this period is not observed at all.
At the initial stage, nail fungus is manifested by the following symptoms:
- Dry skin;
- Itching;
- The soft tissues around the nails turn slightly red;
- Slight discoloration of the nail plates;
- Nails do not shine, less elastic;
- The appearance of corns.
At this stage of the disease, patients often do not notice changes in the nail plates, due to which they do not seek medical help in a timely manner. That is why it is extremely important to know exactly what nail fungus looks like in order to start therapy as soon as possible. After all, it is during this period that the pathology is the easiest to treat.
Important!
If we talk about what the fungus looks like on the nails of the hands at the initial stage, then the symptoms are as similar as possible to that which manifests itself when the nail plates on the legs are affected.
Methods for diagnosing nail fungus
It is quite difficult to diagnose the initial stage of toenail fungus. This will require a number of additional studies. This is due primarily to the fact that the symptoms are poorly expressed.
Among the necessary analyzes, the following are distinguished:
- Clinical blood test. With its help, the specialist receives information about whether the body's reaction to the inflammatory process caused by microorganisms is observed;
- General urine analysis. Despite the fact that this study will provide information only about the general state of the patient's health, it can also help identify concomitant pathologies of the urinary system;
- Examination of the tissues of the nail plates under a microscope. This method manages to determine not only the presence of the fungus, but also its variety;
- Blood chemistry.
A dermatologist must correctly decipher the results of the research. If, at the first signs of the disease, a person turned to a therapist, then he will certainly in the near future still give a referral to a narrow specialist. After all, it is he who knows what the nail fungus on the hands and feet looks like, and, accordingly, will be able to correctly diagnose.
How to treat budding toenail fungus
Fungal diseases are treated exclusively under the supervision of a physician. Before prescribing a course of therapy, a specialist takes into account a number of factors:
- The degree of damage to the nail plates;
- The form of the disease;
- The stage of redness of the skin;
- The degree of nail deformation.
At the stages when onychomycosis is just beginning to develop, it will be enough to use only local drugs. Special antimycotic varnishes, solutions and gels are applied to the affected areas immediately after the treatment of the affected nails with a surgical or keratolytic method. After this simple procedure, the medicines are better absorbed, and, accordingly, the treatment is carried out much faster.
Keratolytics contribute not only to the softening of the nail plates, but also to the painless removal of the affected areas. This procedure is performed using conventional patches that contain urea or salicylic acid.
The application of this patch should be carried out according to the following scheme:
- The surface of the nail plates is carefully scraped off.
- A special composition is applied to the affected nails.
- The mass is sealed with an adhesive plaster.
- The bandage is changed once a day, a maximum of two.
- The plates damaged by the fungus are cut off.
- The antifungal agent is applied immediately.
The patch should be changed daily before going to bed.
There are a number of other effective external medications in the fight against nail fungus.
If the stage of the disease is already significantly advanced, then the specialist can prescribe antimycotic drugs, which must be taken orally. The same funds are needed in the earlier stages, but only if local therapy has not yielded any results.
Important!
You cannot prescribe any antifungal drugs to yourself. Only a specialist can choose the most effective and safe remedy, prevent the further development of the disease and the occurrence of relapses.
Prevention measures
Fungal nail infection is an infectious disease. Accordingly, in order to prevent it, certain precautions should be taken:
- Maintain personal hygiene;
- Use exclusively personal belongings when visiting the pool or bath;
- Do not try on someone else's shoes on an unprotected leg, be sure to wear a sock;
- Be as careful as possible when in contact with a person already infected with the fungus;
- Avoid contact with animals infected with mycosis.
It is important to remember that nail fungus is not a harmless disease at all. Its initial stage does not cause anxiety in the majority. That is why the disease is becoming more common. It is necessary to monitor the condition of the nail plates and tissues adjacent to them, at the first manifestations of the disease, seek help from a specialist.
Since in the early stages this ailment is very easy to cure. If you run it, then very unpleasant consequences are not excluded.