Toenail Fungus Treatment

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-12 17:37

Beaches, public baths, swimming pools are all places where onychomycosis can be easily contracted. In addition, nail fungus can develop if you do not observe good hygiene, wear uncomfortable or dirty shoes. At the present stage of development of medicine, there are means that allow you to effectively fight the disease, but the treatment process is long and complex.

Onychomycosis - what is it?

Before moving on to the treatment of nail fungus, you need to understand what it is and why it occurs.

Onychomycosis is a fungal disease that affects the interdigital folds, the sole and the nail plate, destroys its structure and penetrates into nearby tissues. The causative agent is most often the dermatophyte fungi Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton interdigitale and Trichophyton tonsurans.

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Toenails are most commonly affected because they are more exposed to pathogens and in close contact with potentially contaminated surfaces. However, the hand, or rather, the nail plates on the fingers, can change under the influence of the pathogen.

Diagnostics of the onychomycosis

Outwardly, onychomycosis in the early stages is easily mistaken for a common nail injury or a manifestation of vitamin deficiency. This can lead to an increase in the time to see a specialist, the development of a more severe stage and the need for urgent treatment. How can you tell if it is really a nail fungus in front of you?

To diagnose mycoses, modern medicine uses the following methods:

1. Collection of an epidemic history and complaints. At the same time, details such as contact persons and the presence of symptoms of the disease, visits to places where infection may have occurred, the presence of other diseases and other important points are clarified.
2. The clinical picture. A thorough examination of the site of the lesion by the fungus is carried out - nails, legs, hands.
3. Microscopy method. The doctor takes a scraping from the affected area of the skin or nail, places it on a glass slide and adds a drop of a special solution - this way you can see the structure of the tissue. Microscopy will show the hyphae of the fungus and its individual cells.
4. Culture method. A similar scraping is taken from the affected area and immersed in a special growth medium for fungal organisms. After a while, when the growth of fungal colonies begins, a microscopic examination is carried out.

Based on the positive results of all these studies, the dermatologist has the right to diagnose onychomycosis. After that, treatment will be prescribed.

Nail fungus treatment

To begin with, you should understand that nail fungus is a disease that will not heal by itself, even if the damaging factors are eliminated. For the treatment of nail fungus, they often resort to complex therapy. The basis of therapeutic action is antimycotic drugs.

Depending on the degree of damage to the nail plate and the form of the disease, different treatment tactics can be chosen:

1. Local therapy. Acceptable only in the initial stages of the disease. In this case, drugs are used superficially in the form of ointments, creams, nail varnishes.
2. Systemic therapy. It is necessary for more serious damage, when more than half of the nail is affected by onychomycosis. In this case, in addition to local remedies, medicines are also used, which are taken orally.

It is difficult to choose one best remedy for nail fungus, so a general approach is needed. Please note that the complexity of therapy also takes into account some sanitary measures. In particular, when establishing the diagnosis of onychomycosis, it is necessary to disinfect shoes, socks, gloves - clothes in contact with the affected area, thoroughly clean towels, personal hygiene products.

Treatment of severe forms of onychomycosis

In severe advanced cases of onychomycosis, an integrated approach to therapy is required. At the same time, the doctor selects the most optimal combinations of topical and systemic drugs. This approach has a lot of positive aspects:

1. The duration of treatment is reduced (for example, instead of 18 months in the treatment of onychomycosis of the feet with griseofulvin - only up to a year of complex therapy).
2. The risk of developing adverse reactions from the body is reduced (due to the use of lower doses of drugs and the redistribution of local and systemic agents that need to be drunk inside).
3. The possibility of developing relapses of the disease is significantly reduced.
4. The ability to influence not only the fungus that is "on the surface", but also the possible spread of infection to other tissues of the body.

For the selection of complex therapy, it is required to carefully study the history of the disease and collect all information about the pathogen. Then the doctor will be able to choose the most effective drugs in this case, which will have an immediate positive effect.

Means for painless removal of the affected nail

In today's world, when it is difficult to find the time to get to the doctor's office, people are used to self-medication methods. One of them was a painless way to remove a nail affected by a fungus.

It should be understood that this cannot be equated precisely with the treatment of nail fungus. Rather, it is an option to temporarily postpone treatment and an alternative to surgery.

Treatment of onychomycosis in children

Treatment of any diseases, including onychomycosis in children, must be carried out under the strict supervision of a physician. The child's body has its own characteristics that limit the use of some funds. For example, the baby's body has not yet fully formed a powerful immune system. Up to a certain age, a child continues to grow and develop almost all organs and systems.

Given the high toxicity of many antimycotics, their use in children is strictly limited.

For the treatment of onychomycosis in children, topical agents are sometimes prescribed. On the one hand, they are safer because they do not have a systemic effect, but on the other hand, they can cause allergic reactions, to which many children are prone. Therefore, the appointment of antifungal drugs should be carried out by a doctor who is well aware of the child's history.

Fundamentals of the prevention of onychomycosis

To prevent the fungus from touching you and your family members, you should follow simple rules of hygiene and rules for using public places:

1. It is necessary to carry out thorough hygiene of the feet every day: wash with soap, dry. Trim your nails and clean your cuticles once a week.
2. Shoes should be comfortable, not crush, not chafe. The leg should not sweat. If this happens, choose shoes made from natural materials.
3. When trying on shoes in stores, you should definitely use disposable footprints.
4. When in public places - baths, swimming pools, hotels, beaches - you should not walk barefoot. Slates will provide sufficient protection for your legs.
5. After visiting public places, you should wash your feet with soap and water.
6. Choose wisely when choosing manicure and pedicure masters. All materials and tools must be processed and disinfected before each visitor. It is best to use personal funds or disposable materials.
7. A good emollient foot cream should be used to avoid cracks and burrs.

Following these simple rules will help you avoid getting infected with nail fungus. And in case of illness, do not spread it to other people and recover as soon as possible.

Personal experience with nail fungus

Valentine:

"The fungus appeared about a year ago, at first I tried some kind of cream, it helped, but the fungus returned very quickly. Then the doctor advised me to buy Mycosan. The ointment is not cheap, but very effective. By the end of the week, the first result was achieved. And it is very convenient that the tube is enough for the entire treatment period."

Victoria:

"I constantly visit the pool and sauna. And sometimes I understand that the fungus begins - a slight itching appears and the nail changes a little. Usually I use Lotseril right away. With such mild symptoms it helps instantly."

Michael:

"The nail turned yellow, immediately realized that it was most likely a fungus (although it’s not clear where it started), I decided not to look for answers myself, I went to the doctor. Mizol was prescribed in the form of a gel. I smeared every day according to the instructions, sometimes I made baths with soda and The fungus stopped spreading, and the nail just grew back. About six months later, there was already a completely healthy new nail."

Maria:

"For a long time there was a fungus on the legs. The doctor prescribed Nogtimycin. She said to do everything according to the instructions and after 2 weeks come for a second examination. The medicine helped, the sore nail peeled off. years, the nails are healthy and the fungus has not returned."