Fungus is an infectious disease that most commonly affects the nails or the skin of the feet.You can easily become infected; the danger is almost everywhere.Since fungus is essentially an infection, it mostly lives in public places.To eliminate the possibility of infection, it is important to understand how the disease is transmitted to humans.
How does infection occur?
This disease always begins due to moist conditions.The main reason is that feet often sweat.According to statistics, parasites are concentrated in public places such as saunas, baths, and swimming pools.It is not possible to destroy pathogens by drying shoes or feet.
When wondering how contagious this fungus is, it can be said that the disease spreads easily from person to person.It is almost impossible to insure against such diseases.Many pathogens are present in public places where people walk barefoot.This means that if a healthy person steps barefoot on the ground where an infected person once stood, the disease will begin to progress immediately given the presence of predisposing factors.
This fungus is highly resistant to various damaging factors and can therefore remain on surfaces for a long time.This fungus is less common on beaches because the salt water destroys the pathogens, but the risk of infection remains.Remember to only wear your own indoor slippers, socks and shoes at all times.
The first signs of onychomycosis and its symptoms
Foot fungus is always in its developmental stages, so if you pay close attention to your condition, you can notice the first signs of toenail fungus even in its early stages.Different stages of the fungus have different characteristics.If you can still miss the first stage of the disease due to inattention to yourself, then the latter will clearly make itself felt.Let’s take a look at the early symptoms:
- Small spots will appear on healthy nails that are a different color than the rest of the plate;
- Over time, these spots begin to grow and turn into white spots and streaks;
- Later the spots become larger and the nail plate loses its luster;
- The plate is yellow in color and sometimes turns blue or green.
How to determine pathology at home
If a nail changes color and becomes loose, this does not necessarily mean that it has been affected by fungus.How does onychomycosis start?To identify fungal infections at home, iodine and potassium permanganate can be used.
- potassium permanganate.The process is very simple and doesn't require a lot of free time.Pour warm water into a bowl and add potassium permanganate to thin the solution.Place your feet in the basin and wait 10 minutes.During this time, healthy nail plates will turn brown, while fungus-affected ones will remain unchanged.
- iodine.Unfortunately, this treatment cannot detect the presence of fungal pathogens on the feet.But iodine will indicate the exclusion of other types of fungi, including tinea versicolor.If you experience redness or peeling around your nails, treat the area with iodine.Healthy tissue will not darken much, but affected tissue will become quite dark.
treat
Treatment for foot fungus begins with diagnosis.First, a dermatologist performs a visual inspection and then performs laboratory tests.Do not forget that in no case should you stop treatment after the first improvements, because the fungi are very resistant, so the disease develops again.
topical treatment
Creams, ointments, lotions, sprays, and medicinal varnishes are used as local preparations. Such drugs relieve symptoms well and destroy superficial lesions. The products are actively used in childhood and pregnancy, as they are absolutely safe. Local therapy is especially effective in the early stages of pathology.
drug
Taking medications adds effectiveness to local fungal treatment. The tablets penetrate the blood and kill the fungus from within the body.But this method has a number of significant disadvantages.Firstly, medications have a number of contraindications, and secondly, they have side effects. It is not possible to take such medications in all cases. However, remedies are the only solution that will help in advanced cases. To increase the effectiveness of treatment, local remedies, medications and traditional medicine are used simultaneously.
laser treatment
The laser therapy procedure is increasingly gaining popularity.The technique was implemented recently, and its effectiveness has already been proven.Laser treatment has the following advantages:
- The treatment is safe; the beam only treats affected tissue.After the event, only healthy tissue remains.
- The procedure is painless and patients tolerate it well.
- After the first treatment, improvement is noticeable.
- To obtain positive results, approximately 4 procedures are enough.
The use of laser saves patients from taking harmful medications and long-term treatments.
Surgery
In some cases, complete removal of the affected nail is required.Surgery is performed to completely stop the further spread of infection.This procedure can increase the effectiveness of local remedies.Nail removal can be done using special compounds. For experts, it is important to be careful.So that such a substance does not get on the skin, otherwise it will cause a chemical burn.
Keratolytic plasters can help remove the nail plate. This product softens the nail well for easier removal.Plasters are used with greater popularity because they have a dense texture. This way the doctor reduces the likelihood of substances getting on the skin. The patch softens the nail in 2 days, other products last 4 days.
Treatment of late forms
If the toenail fungus is at an advanced stage, do not despair; just follow these rules:
- Identify and eliminate the cause of infection.
- Constantly disinfect shoes or completely change all pairs. Invest in an antifungal shoe spray.
- Update your socks.
- Pass all the necessary tests and follow the prescribed treatment regimen by a dermatologist.
- Follow all dietary restrictions.
Therapy at this stage should be carried out in a comprehensive manner. In addition to local remedies, they include effective medications that act on the fungus from the inside, and also use traditional medicine. With the latter you need to be careful and take into account any allergic reactions to one or another component.
Various forms of fungal diseases
Foot fungus is divided into several types, which depend on the pathogen. Among these types, noteworthy are:
- Erythromycosis.Symptoms of this type are flaking skin, dry skin, excessive sweating, nails cracking and breaking.
- Athlete's foot.The fungus destroys the nail, destroying the keratin in it. This fungus is difficult to cure; it is resistant to low temperatures, antiseptics, drying and other manipulations. The fungus can multiply for a long time.Signs of this form are redness of the skin, severe itching, peeling, and the base of the nail becomes flaky.
- Candidiasis.The disease is caused by a variety of fungi.The nail plates on the third and fourth fingers are affected.The initial stage is characterized by mild inflammation.After this, swelling occurs and the shape and thickness change, causing the stratum corneum to begin to be rejected.After such a process, the fungus gets into the bed itself and spreads to the entire area of the nail.In this case, onycholysis begins to develop.
disease prevention
Doctors and scientists say there are approximately 1.5 million species of mushrooms in the world.Only half of them have been studied, and the choice of treatment is quite complex.The ideal solution is only laser therapy, which has beneficial effects on any type of fungus.
To prevent contracting this unpleasant disease, it is important to follow preventive rules.Measures to prevent pathology are quite difficult but do not require economic cost.There are two main ways to protect yourself from fungal foot infections:
- Maintain personal hygiene and be cautious in public places;
- Prevention is carried out with the help of special drugs.
If you like to go to public places, such as a bathroom, sauna, or swimming pool, be sure to wash your feet thoroughly when you get home.Also, dry your feet, as fungi are very hardy and prefer moist environments.Only buy socks made of cotton.This material absorbs moisture very well and releases it when your feet start to sweat.When your feet sweat a lot in closed shoes, ventilate them regularly if possible.
If you go to the store to buy shoes, bring your own shoes or socks from home; you should not try on shoes barefoot or use public shoes.Get regular foot care, such as pedicures and other treatments.Do not use shared sanitary products.You must have your own foot towel.Well, if someone in your home has foot fungus, do everything possible to avoid contact with that person and provide separate supplies for the affected person.