Nail fungus is a disease that causes a lot of trouble for people. Severe itching, burning, aesthetic problems associated with the unsightly appearance of the claws are not the entire list of problems that this disease causes. The longer you ignore the problem, the more advanced the disease will become, and the appearance of your nails will become uglier. In addition, gradually the entire body will be poisoned by waste products of fungal microflora. But how not to overlook the initial stage of nail fungus, which is much easier and cheaper to treat than the advanced stages? It is necessary to carefully monitor the condition of not only nails, but also the skin of the hands and feet. In this article we will talk about how not to start the disease, and what to do at the beginning so that your beautiful, pink nails do not turn into the crooked claws of Baba Yaga over time.
Why does the initial stage of nail fungus occur?
Older people and people with weakened immune systems are most often affected by infection. At the same time, no one is immune from fungal diseases: even a child can "catch" an unpleasant disease.
Fungal spores are ubiquitous in the modern world, they are extremely tenacious, and survive on the soil surface even at low temperatures. But most of all they "love" warmth and moisture, where they reproduce extremely quickly. Warm public places, where there is a lot of foot traffic, are the favorite habitats of the fungus. Baths, saunas, swimming pools, fitness clubs: as soon as a person with a fungus visits these places, tiny skin scales infected with the infection appear on almost any surface. Imagine how often you visit these institutions and consider yourself very lucky if you are reading this article for general development, and not because of the need to treat mycosis at the initial stage.
Sometimes it’s enough to walk barefoot in the bathhouse, or put on someone else’s flip-flops, and you can make an appointment with a dermatologist or mycologist. Of course, you shouldn’t worry ahead of time: the infection takes root in the body if a person has a weakened immune system, or there are cracks, calluses, or wounds on the skin. By the way, public transport, which we use several times a day for a long time, is also a dangerous habitat for fungal spores.
The disease can be "caught" in a nail salon, and both clients and employees are exposed to this danger. The use of poorly sterilized instruments often causes fungal infection.
Many chronic diseases can also cause unpleasant illness.
Wearing uncomfortable, tight, airtight shoes made from non-natural materials also often causes an unpleasant infection. In such shoes, the foot sweats, and a very favorable environment appears for fungal spores.
Signs of nail plate fungus
The initial stage of onychomycosis fungus is most often not obvious, so people who are inattentive to themselves may notice problems with their nails when the nails are already severely destroyed, and treatment will cost a tidy sum.
So what symptoms of nail fungus on the hands and feet can be detected almost immediately? At the initial stage of a fungal disease, the nail retains its usual pink color, the nail plate is smooth and shiny. Gradually, the structure of the nail partially thickens, laminations and small destruction appear. There are several types of fungus, each of which may have specific symptoms, but there are common signs of a fungal disease.
How does nail fungus start on the toenails and toenails? The symptoms are approximately the same: when the nail plate is still smooth and pink, the initial stage of infection with the fungus can be recognized by severe itching. The affected areas are itchy, which makes it very difficult to do normal daily activities. Itching and burning can be felt both directly on the nails and on the skin. A sharp, unpleasant odor often appears.
The skin between the fingers becomes red and irritated. Gradually, the natural shine disappears from the nail plate, it becomes cloudy, and the nail bed is difficult to see through it. The nail becomes uneven, bumpy or wavy, which can be clearly seen both to the touch and visually. A gap appears between the nail and the bed, which is easy to notice. Some areas of the nail become yellowish or even brown.
The initial stage of mycosis of the nail plate can sometimes be detected by peeling, brittle nails. Of course, peeling nails do not always mean that the nails are "sick, " but often this is a harbinger of a fungal infection. Also, we have already said that infection spores penetrate through damaged skin.
What does toenail fungus look like - the initial stage? Photos will be no less informative:
Fingernail fungus - the initial stage, looks like this: the nail also becomes uneven and dull, and whitish spots also appear. Most often, this type of disease is found in women on the "active" arm. The right hands of right-handed people are especially susceptible to this unpleasant disease, since they spend the longest time in an aggressive environment, causing the nails to quickly become thinner and destroyed.
A change in the thickness of the plate at the initial stage of a fungal infection is typical for nails and hands and feet. Depending on the type of fungus and the causes of the disease, the plates may thicken or, conversely, thin out.
Photos of fungus on fingernails at the initial stage are no less impressive:
Treatment of nail fungus at the initial stage
Like other diseases, nail fungus responds better to treatment at the initial stage. In this case, you can get by with external use products, which, by the way, are not cheap. There are many local remedies available to correct the problem. The earlier the procedures are started, the less likely the infection will develop further.
The drugs are applied either directly to the nail or to the skin near it. Varnishes against nail fungus are effective remedies that act quickly and are very easy to use. Such preparations penetrate deep into the nail, and due to their texture, remain on it for a long time. Drugs are selected based on the type of fungus.
Antifungal drops also penetrate deep into the nail tissue, and also have a large selection of products. They disinfect nail plates, kill bacteria and prevent fungal spores from multiplying. Drops will help cure the initial stage of nail fungus.
Lotions are less common but can also be effective early on. They act on the surface of the nail plate.
Creams for nail fungus have become widespread. Mainly intended for treating skin around damaged plates. With their help, infections are prevented from spreading to undamaged areas, including new nails.
A special spray is used to prevent the disease and as part of therapy. Or feet and shoes are treated.
The initial stage of mycosis is treated mainly with local drugs; if the disease progresses, doctors prescribe drugs to be taken orally. Such medications are effective if a small part of the nail plate is affected by the infection.
Modern medicine offers a wide range of means to eliminate the disease. An expensive but effective method at the initial stage is laser therapy. Devices with laser radiation are directed to the damaged areas.
The initial stage of nail fungus may require only 4 such procedures. But this method must be used in combination with the drugs described above.
Ozone therapy involves saturating tissues with ozone. Special injections are given into the skin near the affected nail. This procedure helps delay the development of the fungus and prevents its spores from multiplying.
Of course, you shouldn’t forget about folk remedies for treating nail fungus at the initial stage. There are a lot of them. Traditional methods are good because they are easy to use and economical. For example, treating fungus with salt and soda is quite effective at the initial stage of the disease.
Prevention measures
Fungus is very difficult to cure: it takes a lot of time, effort and money, and treatment sometimes drags on for many years. Therefore, it is necessary to take precautions so as not to "catch" an unpleasant disease.
It is extremely important to maintain personal hygiene: never wear someone else's shoes. When you go to a shoe store, try on only in your own socks, do not use those offered by sellers. Of course, you can’t try on shoes on bare feet.
It is necessary to wash your hands thoroughly with soap after traveling on public transport. It is best to wash your nails with tar soap. Use preventive measures, there are a lot of them. Treat your shoes regularly with antifungal sprays.
When going to a nail salon, it is better to always have your own set of tools with you, which also need to be disinfected regularly.
It is important to wash your socks and tights daily, remembering to iron them well afterwards. Bedding should be washed frequently at high temperatures.
If the fungus does affect the nails, it is necessary to protect loved ones from the same fate. The fungus is not transmitted through close contact between a sick person and a healthy person, but it can easily spread through shared objects and surfaces. Regularly treat the bathroom with disinfectants: the bathtub itself, rugs, and floors.