During this time, I probably tried all kinds of folk remedies and consulted a doctor several times.In this article I will tell you what nail fungus is, why it appears, why it is dangerous and how to get rid of it.
What is nail fungus?
Officially, this disease is called onychomycosis - a fungal infection of the nails.In 60-70% of cases it is caused by special dermatophyte fungi;mold and yeast infection is less common.In order to live, reproduce and grow, dermatophytes need the protein keratin.This is why these fungi live in nail plates, hair and the stratum corneum of the skin - where keratin is produced.
Usually, the fungus begins to develop on the cut side of the nail.The tip of the nail gradually changes its color: it becomes yellowish, light brown or milky.If left untreated, the infection spreads to the cuticle.Fungi can also start on the lateral surface of the nail.
There is also white superficial onychomycosis.Externally, it looks like white or dull spots on the surface of the nail.It extends from the center to the edges;if the disease is not treated, it can cover the entire nail plate.
Sometimes proximal onychomycosis occurs - it affects the nail in the area of the cuticle and the root.This usually happens in people with weakened immune systems.
When the nail is completely destroyed due to fungus, this condition is called general dystrophic onychomycosis.Outwardly, the nail looks terrible: it is thick, ribbed and of an unpleasant dark color.
reasons
Nail fungus is a very common disease.Onychomycosis accounts for 50-60% of all nail problems.I don't know where I got the fungus, but here are the ways doctors get it.
Contact with a contaminated surface.Fungal pathogens love moisture and therefore live well in damp rooms - bathrooms or pools.Sometimes the fungus is brought as a bonus from beauty salons after a manicure or pedicure: just one microcut and poorly processed tools are enough - and that's it, the disease is right there.You can also get fungus if you put your bare feet on after a sick person.
Intrafamilial infection.The fungus is highly contagious.If one member of the household is sick, other family members can become infected with onychomycosis.The risks are increased if you share slippers, a shared towel or a bath mat.However, the fungus can be transmitted even through carpets, which is why it is so important for a person with sore nails to follow the rules of hygiene.
Poor hygiene.If a person does not wash his feet well, does not trim his nails on time or rarely changes his socks, he will catch fungus more easily.
Tight shoes.This is another factor that increases the risk of disease.When we wear tight shoes, the blood supply to the foot and nail roots is disturbed.Onychodystrophy can develop, a condition that resembles and often accompanies nail fungus.
Certain occupations.Nail fungus occurs much more often in people with certain professions - housewives, cooks, cleaners, car wash workers.They often come into contact with wet surfaces, wear rubber shoes and rubber gloves, use chemicals that soften the nail plate.But the mushroom loves all this very much and grows actively in such conditions.
Concomitant diseasesincrease the risk of infection because they weaken the immune system.In people who suffer from varicose veins, diabetes, inflammatory bowel diseases or malignant neoplasms, the fungus occurs more often.Smokers and obese people are also at risk.Excessive sweating - hyperhidrosis - also contributes to the spread of the fungus.
Fungus is usually found in people 30 years of age and older, especially the elderly.Children get sick less often and respond better to local treatment: their nail plates are thinner, and the nail itself grows faster.It turns out that with a shorter exposure to the drug, the effect in children occurs faster.
Why are fungi dangerous?
Nail fungus not only spoils the appearance of your feet, it is a real disease that is dangerous for the body.If the fungus on one nail is not treated, it will spread to the other nails that are still healthy.In some people, fungal infection can cause allergies - the fungus itself becomes an allergen.
Dermatophyte fungi feed on keratin, so it is no longer sufficient for nail growth.Because of this, they become brittle, crumbling and flaking.Over time, "keratin debris" will begin to build up between the nail and the nail bed - this is formed when the keratin breaks down due to fungal attack.This causes the nail to become thicker and grow crooked.Although the nail is thick, it is still very fragile - it will catch on clothes and break easily.
Sometimes with nail fungus, your feet start to sweat more than usual - this leads to an unpleasant smell and you have to change your socks several times a day.
If an infected nail is left untreated for too long, it will begin to separate from the nail bed.First, it just hurts.Second, at the site of the removed nail, a kind of wound will appear, a moist, warm environment will appear - just the kind that dermatophytes love.In it they will grow even faster.
And advanced nail fungus is expensive to treat.Most likely, a person will need to buy medication and change all their shoes after the treatment is over.If in the initial stages of onychomycosis it can be disinfected with special disinfectant solutions, then after recovery from an advanced disease, all old shoes will have to be thrown away so as not to become infected again.
Fungi significantly reduce the quality of life.I felt physically uncomfortable: my feet were sweating, my nails were thick, crumbling and breaking.Even in the summer I had to wear closed shoes so as not to scare others.Also, the fungus severely limited my activity: I couldn't really play sports or go to the pool.I have read that some people have such a sense of shame that sometimes they even fall into severe depression.Fortunately, I didn't make it that far.
What are the symptoms of nail fungus?
Here's what happens to your nails and feet when you get a fungus.
Changes in nail coloryellowish, whitish or brownish spots appear.This is more common in the initial stages of infection and is associated with the accumulation of keratin debris in and under the nails.The nails look dull and don't shine like before.
The structure changes:the nail becomes thick or begins to grow in waves.When cutting, the cut turns out to be uneven, the nail breaks into separate pieces.
An unpleasant smell appearsfeet sweat more.
Lately I suspected fungus.On the middle toe of the left foot, the nail became very thick and grew upwards, strongly standing out from the others.I put off going to the doctor for a long time and did not do any treatment, so the infection spread to my other nails - they turned yellow.
How I treated the fungus
When I suspected fungus, I thought it was bullshit.I did nothing for about a year, hoping it would go away on its own.Then I decided that I should try to get rid of him, but I never understood the full complexity of the situation.I decided that it was enough to just coat my nails with the magic polishes and drops that they advertise on TV and everything would be fine.
When I realized that the drops and varnishes did not help, I started making foot baths.They wrote on the Internet that these are miraculous procedures that will get rid of the fungus forever.I don't like going to doctors, so I believed this advice.
I soaked my feet in solutions of soda and liquid soap, dripped iodine into the water, and even took coffee baths several times.Then I learned that it is better to replace the liquid soap with brown laundry soap - when I grated it, the aroma in the apartment was indescribable.I cut and scraped the steamed nails, then filled the clipper and file with vodka in a bowl.I collected the pieces of nails on a paper napkin and threw them in the trash.I also rubbed my nails with aloe juice and propolis.These procedures took even longer, so in the end I just gave up on the treatment.
As I later found out, self-medication was my big mistake because it took more than a year.But this did not bring any results: the fungus, it seems, only began to spread.The reason for this was my laziness and misunderstanding of the situation.
How the doctor diagnosed me
The infected nails continued to grow and thicken.I felt discomfort when I put on socks and any kind of shoes, it was even a little difficult for me to walk.
And then my wife and I booked a trip to Turkey.And this was another reason to go to the doctor - it was just embarrassing to show someone my legs.
I made an appointment at the skin-venereal clinic with a mycologist.Just by the look of the nails, he said it looked a lot like fungus, but he still sent me for tests.
They asked me to cut off the infected nail and give it for examination, and they also prescribed a general blood test.As the doctor explained, if the fungus is confirmed, in my case I will definitely have to take pills.And some of them have contraindications that can be identified by a blood test.
How I treated nail fungus under the supervision of a doctor
Three groups of drugs are used to treat fungal infections: based on terbinafine, fluconazole and itraconazole.All these drugs destroy the fungal cells, which ultimately leads to a decrease in their number and the death of the pathogen.Such drugs are officially called antifungals.Like antibiotics, they must be taken strictly in a course.This means that it will not be enough to take one tablet and wait for the symptoms to disappear - it is important to complete the course of treatment.
The specific type of medicine is prescribed by the doctor depending on the type of fungus, the degree of damage to the nail, the patient's well-being, possible contraindications and other factors.
Often, in addition to tablets, external treatment in the form of creams, ointments, sprays is also prescribed - this helps speed up the process.Such drugs can also help patients who, for various reasons, cannot take systemic antifungals.
Sometimes photodynamic therapy is prescribed - when the nail is covered with special substances, then exposed to a cold light beam and blocks the spread of the infection.They may offer a laser treatment – the laser beam is believed to penetrate all layers of the nail and burn the fungal mycelium.But scientists still have little evidence that the laser actually works.
In the most advanced cases, the nail is completely removed surgically.
The doctor prescribed itraconazole tablets - 2 tablets 2 times a day for a week.
I tolerated the course of treatment well, only two weeks I had severe sleepiness - then I commuted to work two hours each way and slept on the train the whole time.There were no digestive problems.
The nail itself had to be scraped off by hand.They suggested I start by making baths with laundry soap and soda and then applying urea paste to the nail.With a small spatula I spread it on a quarter of cotton, put it on the nail, wrapped it with a bandage and a band-aid, and so I walked for a day.During this time, the top hard layer of the nail softened a little, then I scraped it off.Then immediately apply the composition again;there were at least five such approaches throughout the treatment period.The paste helped, the nail became noticeably thinner.It became easier to cut it.
Three weeks later, the doctor scheduled a follow-up appointment.Then she prescribed a cream based on econazole nitrate - it has a local effect and, like tablets, destroys fungal cells.The cream should be applied to the nails twice a day, and this time I was no longer lazy.
What's wrong with nails now?
I treated my nails for a year and a half.In July 2020 I started noticing white spots on them again.This time I immediately went to the doctor and found out that a re-infection had occurred.Now it is still the initial stage, so local means can help - the same varnishes, drops and creams.
Reinfection should not be confused with disease relapse.Reinfection occurs when you get an infection from the outside environment, ie.in fact, it is no different from the primary infection.As for relapses, the most common reason is incomplete treatment.Then the focus of the infection remains in the nails: outwardly it may not be noticeable, but over time growth will certainly appear.
It also happens that an incorrect diagnosis is made at the very beginning.For example, my doctor said that in medical practice there have been situations where nail fungus is mistaken for nail psoriasis.Both diseases are very similar in external symptoms in the initial stages.
How to protect yourself from nail fungus
The prevention of fungi is directly related to the causes of their appearance.Get the cause, reverse the meaning, and get recommendations for prevention.
Always wear shoes in public,especially in those where it is humid - gyms, showers, bathrooms, near swimming pools.
Do not wear other people's shoes.Even open-toed rubber flip-flops can be dangerous from a fungal infection perspective.It is better to disinfect common shoes, for example, at a skating rink or bowling alley, with special solutions.When buying shoes, try them on only on the toe or heel.
Do not wear tight shoes.No beauty is worth the health of your skin and nails.
Keep your feet dry.If your feet get wet, try to wash them as quickly as possible, dry them and put on clean socks.The shoes themselves must be dried.
Maintain good foot hygiene.Dousing them with water during the daily shower is not enough.It is recommended that you have a separate towel for your feet and wash them with soap - and wash them thoroughly in all areas, not just rub them once on the heels and feet.
Trim your nails carefully.Try to avoid injuries and microcuts - they will be entry points for all kinds of infections, not just fungi.Use only your own scissors and do not share them with anyone in the family.
If you do manicures and pedicures, sterilize your tools.- this is also important in relation to other infections.For example, I treated my files and scissors with an alcohol spray.I told my wife to make sure that in the manicure room the technician sterilizes the tools - usually this is done with hot steam.
How much does nail fungus treatment cost?
To cure nail fungus, you need to visit a dermatologist - if he is a specialist in fungal diseases, he is called a mycologist.Such a doctor will be able to make a diagnosis, assess the severity of the infection and choose treatment.Self-administration of pills may not produce results and may even be dangerous.
You can contact a dermatologist under a compulsory medical insurance policy: to do this, you need to make an appointment at a regular clinic or dermatovenerology dispensary.The consultation, examination and diagnostics will be free of charge.
If you are treated in private medical centers, you will have to pay for everything.The cost of the examination of nails for fungus depends on the method of analysis.
Nail fungus, or onychomycosis, is an infectious disease that you can easily catch in public showers, swimming pools, gyms, shoe stores, and nail salons.The sooner you start treating nail fungus, the better and faster the result.It is possible to cope only with local remedies and not to take pills.
Only a doctor can choose the right treatment.Prescribing pills yourself based on reviews and recommendations from the Internet is a dubious tactic.It is important to complete the treatment no matter how lazy you are.To prevent the appearance of nail fungus, it is important to maintain foot hygiene and not wear foreign shoes on bare feet.