Many do not even know that banal sweating of the feet accompanied by an unpleasant odor, which suffers from more than half of the population of our planet, is one of the main symptoms of nail fungus. This disease runs the risk of getting anyone who neglects personal hygiene. Nail fungus is lurking everywhere, especially in the common places. And the worst thing is that the nail fungus fairly insidious disease: the long-term treatment, and is not always successful, as well as the athlete's foot is subject to impact. To recognize the disease and begin its treatment, it is necessary to know all of the signs of mold on the legs.
How it spreads the disease?
The infection parasites cause the mushrooms. An ideal environment for their reproduction and development — high humidity in combination with a warm atmosphere. It is believed that the main places where there is a high risk of contracting nail fungus, it's, saunas, water parks, swimming pools, beauty salons, etc., However, the statistics completely disprove these statements: nail fungus can take you home through the common things (towels, shoes, clothes, carpets, shower or bath), if any of the members of the family already has this problem, or on the move, for example, through slippers, kindly offered from the owner (and you may not even realize that they have the disease).
But what are the factors that influence the development of fungal disease? Emphasize how the fundamental moments, which can lead to infections onychomycosis:
- downgrade of immunity;
- injuries of the nail plate;
- poor circulation in the lower limbs, which can occur when wearing a tight shoe;
- pathology stop anatomical character;
- obesity;
- diabetes mellitus;
- increase in sweating.
For at least in part to protect themselves, it is necessary to use only with their own things, handle with care antiseptics, bath tub and shower, use a towel staff, regularly clean and wash the carpets, disinfect the shoes. And in order not to lose a good omen for the treatment of athlete's foot time (after all, everyone knows that the most effective therapy in the initial phase of the development of the disease), it is necessary to know the early signs of nail fungus in the foot.
How to recognize onychomycosis?
Signs of nail fungus in different stages may differ from one another, which speaks of the progression of the infection. For example, on the first (of the) phase, the symptoms are virtually absent. On the plate of the nail you can see the almost imperceptible whitish spots or stripes. These symptoms should put you on your guard, because you can talk about the presence of a fungal infection. If you ignore the first signs of the disease, there is the risk of starting a mushroom, which will amaze you with the nail healthy and will lead later on to the appearance of pus in the periungual tissues, and you run the risk of gangrene and amputation of the lower limbs.
According to the degree of fungal disease nail manifested a lack of natural shine of the nail plate. Via nail color change: appear yellow, brown and white stripes. Can warp the top of the nail and the side of his plots. These symptoms visible in the picture.
In the execution stage onychomycosis is characterized by fragility and stratification of the nail plate, inflammation of the cuticle. There is the risk of loss of the nail. But the most unpleasant that the disease continues to spread to other nails of the lower limbs, but also to the skin of the feet. The treatment in this case, it is necessary to start immediately, in order to avoid unpleasant consequences of the disease.
The second and the third phase of the onychomycosis, the patient can recognize only the nail color changes to yellow or muddy-brown color, it becomes doughy and dense, late from the nail bed and becomes fragile and brittle. Sometimes wearing the shoe closed is always painful, and itching of the skin — unbearable (this symptom is especially enhanced with the increase of the sweating). Also, arousing suspicion on onychomycosis can the following associated symptoms, which manifests itself on the skin, close to the nails:
- burning sensation;
- intolerant itching;
- flaking and dryness;
- inflammation;
- wet outbreaks;
- thickening and keratinization.
Recognizing the first signs of nail fungus, immediately consult with a specialist who will prescribe the optimal regimen of treatment.
As you experience the different types of onychomycosis?
Define 3 types of onychomycosis, each of which are manifested the signs.
- Normotroficheskie nail fungus is characterized by a change in color of the nail plate: a nail sufferer can have shades from white to dark green. In the first stage of the disease on the nail appear white, round or longitudinal spots. With the progression of the disease the shadow of the nail can vary, and the fungus spreads over the entire surface of the nail plate. However, its thickness does not change, and the natural shine is preserved.
- Hypertrophic nail fungus manifests itself in a change of color of the nail plate, loss of luster of the surface, the strong thickening and deformation. The nails of the feet, very cheap, starts their partial destruction.
- Atrophic fungus is characterized by a change in color of the nail with the further reduction. The consequence of this fungal defeat is the rejection patient the nail or the infected phase.
Determine the presence of fungi on the nails may be alone, however, establishing an accurate diagnosis can only be a specialist. For this you need a visit to the clinic, the examination for analysis by scraping the patient nail of the skin or of the work around him. In addition, the dermatologist prescribes the microscopic examination.
Signs of the fungus pathogen of the disease
The success of the treatment of nail fungus depends on how properly diagnosed the causative agent of the disease. This is due to the fact that the disease is a kind of fungi, but different, and each is sensitive to certain drugs. That is, if another type of fungus is resistant to one drug, another pathogen of this instrument, dies.
This nail fungus call:
- yeast;
- dermatophytes;
- the mildew.
If the cause of nail fungus steel yeast, then reveal the disease once is virtually impossible. Signs of fungus on the nails of the feet in this case are the following (occur after a long period of time): desquamation of the nail plate and light itching of the skin around the nail (itching may be absent). Infection nail yeast of beer meets the 4-4,5% of the cases.
Dermatophytes affect the nails of a person much more often than before the causative agent is the 94,5% of all cases of infection of the nails fungus. Dermatophytes there are three types of infection, each of them is manifested in different ways:
- For the first type is characterized by a complete defeat stop, feet, and nails. The fungus spreads easily on the skin and the nails of the hands.
- The second type affects only the nail of the little finger or toe. Can spread on the fold of the toe, and as all the fingers, and some.
- The third type is characteristic defeat the nails of the thumb and little finger, however, the dermis, the fungus are not interested.
The last type of fungus — mold. Its agent — mushrooms. Frequent is the disease only in 1% of cases. The fungus develops-this type most often in people with HIV infection.
Other symptoms of a fungal infection of the nail
Often, at the beginning of the disease, obvious signs of fungal defeat nails missing. If, however, to be attentive, you may notice some changes in the structure of the nail and of its outer appearance. As already mentioned above, the nail plate may appear to be longitudinal or round whitish spots, the nail may become a curve, with its softness and lustre are lost. Progressing, a disease increasingly destroys the nail plate: first, it changes the hue, and then the surface of the nail becomes scaly, thickens or becomes thin, it flakes, breaks. The color of the nail depends on which type of fungus has become the causative agent of the infections.
In addition to the basic functions of onychomycosis, there are other:
- the fragility of the edges of the nail plate or the entire surface;
- the distortion of the shapes of the nail, changing its structure;
- blackening of the nail;
- the increase of the nail under the skin;
- goitre, drowsiness, general weakness;
- the detachment of the plate from the nail bed, which leads to the formation of plaque under the nail is white or yellow with shades of unpleasant odor;
- itching, cracking, burning sensation of the skin in the immediate proximity of the the direction of of a fingernail;
- goitre, drowsiness, general weakness.
Any deviation in appearance of the nails of the feet should be alerted, because you can talk about the development of nail fungus. The first action in this case — trip to the dermatologist, that confirm or refute your concerns. If you do not a time, the disease will progress. At first glance, nothing wrong in this disease there is. However, besides purely aesthetic problems and discomfort, the fungus may cause serious complications, up to infection purulent areas concerned and even of gangrene. So do not tighten too much with the treatment, take the measurements of a time, as the disease was detected.