Most people do not know that the most common sweating of the feet and the accompanying unpleasant odor is one of the main signs of the development of fungal diseases. Toenail fungus, whose symptoms do not appear immediately, can occur in any person who does not take care of himself at least a little. This disease is waiting almost everywhere, and most often in public places. It is unfortunate that the fungal disease is quite insidious: it is treated for a long time and is not effective in 100% of cases, because it is characterized by relapses. To identify the fungus in time and start treatment, you need to have an idea of how toenail fungus manifests.
Spread of fungal disease
The disease is caused by the development of parasitic fungi in the body. The best conditions for their emergence and subsequent spread are a warm environment at the same time and high humidity. Many are of the opinion that it is very easy to get such an infection in water parks, bathrooms, beauty salons.
But the statistics are completely different: you can get a fungal infection even without leaving home through common things (bathroom, clothes, shoes, towels). However, this is true if at least one of the household is a carrier of the fungus. However, what in principle affects the spread of the fungus? There are the following key aspects that cause fungal infection:
- Heavy sweating;
- diabetes;
- The problem of excess weight;
- If the nail is injured;
- Weak immunity.
To somehow protect yourself from fungal infection, you only need to use personal hygiene products, carry out a comprehensive treatment of showers and bathtubs, wear only shoes, organize carpet washing as often as possible, etc. And if you have already noticed the first signs of fungus on your nails, consult a dermatologist immediately!
Signs of the fungus, based on the cause of the disease
Signs of toenail fungus should be noticed in time. The effectiveness of complex treatment of fungal infection is determined by the extent to which the cause of the disease is correctly identified. This can be explained by the fact that there are many types of fungi, and each type responds to a specific group of drugs.
In most cases, the causes of the disease are:
- Mold;
- Dermatophytes;
- yeast.
If the fungus has started to develop due to yeast, then it is almost impossible to detect the disease overnight. Signs of fungus on the feet in such circumstances are as follows:
- The foot and skin around the nail plate itch;
- The nail peels.
Fungal infection occurs in only 4-5% of cases. Very often dermatophytes affect the nail plate (94, 5%). This pathogen has 3 types, and the manifestation of each is very different:
- 1 type. There is a simultaneous defeat of the nail plate, the skin of the feet and the feet as a whole. Such a fungus easily spreads to nails and hand skin.
- 2 types. The disease affects only the nails of the big toe and little toe. There may be a crease between the fingers.
- 3 types. It is characterized by damage to the nail plate of the little finger and thumb, but the disease does not spread to the skin.
As for mold, the cause in this case are mold fungi. It is observed extremely rarely. It is mostly found in AIDS patients.
Other symptoms
Often, when the disease is just beginning to develop, there are no symptoms of toenail fungus. But in the case of extreme attention to the feet, the person will notice that round spots have started to appear on the nail plate, and the nail itself loses its shine and becomes rough. As it develops, the fungal disease affects the nail plate to a greater extent: its color will initially change, after which the nail peels off and can easily break. The shade of the nail plate is determined by the type of pathogenic fungus.
Toenail Fungus: Symptoms (Optional)
- The nail plate turns black;
- The nail takes on an unusual shape, and its structure changes completely;
- The nails become very brittle;
- Plastic nail cuts under the skin;
- It is accompanied by constant fatigue.
The abnormal appearance of the nail plate is a "bell" to visit a dermatologist, and there will confirm or refute the fungus on the nails whose symptoms you noticed. If you constantly delay going to the doctor, the disease will quickly spread to other areas. This disease is not life-threatening, but apart from the aesthetic problem and discomfort, fungal infection is sometimes the cause of major complications, so the symptoms should not be ignored and treatment should be started in time as soon as it is detected.
A doctor who treats fungal diseases
It is realistic to discover the infection yourself, but only a doctor can confirm your guesses. In order to make an accurate diagnosis, a dermatologist will recommend certain tests. For their implementation, a piece of destroyed nail plate or scraping of periungual tissue is taken.
Timely detection of the infection facilitates further treatment and eliminates the possibility of complications. If treatment is not started at the right time, it will ensure that the disease spreads to other organs and all fingernails / toenails.
Toenail fungus: a treatment procedure
Therapy aimed at treating the fungus is prescribed by a dermatologist - it will all depend on how advanced the disease is, the type of fungus present in the body and other factors. Usually, if the fungus is just beginning to develop, medications are prescribed for external use. In difficult situations, resort to intensive treatment.
By the way, it takes a lot of time. Therefore, it is in your best interest to visit a doctor at the slightest suspicion of a fungal infection! Symptoms of nail fungus must be recognized in advance. And the sooner the disease is detected, the faster the cure will come!