Many don't even know what banal sweating of the feet is accompanied with an unpleasant smell of what he or she suffers more than half of the population of our planet, one of the main symptoms of fungal nail. This scourge is in danger of getting sick anyone who even a little bit of neglecting personal hygiene. Nail fungus is lurking everywhere, especially in areas of public use. And the worst part is that nail fungus — several insidious disease: long-term treatment, and is not always successful, as the athlete is prone to recurring. To identify the disease and start the treatment, you will need to know all of the signs of fungus on the feet.
As a disease?
The pollution caused by parasitic fungi. The ideal environment for reproduction and development — increased humidity combined with the warm atmosphere. It is considered that the main points where high risk of contracting nail fungus, it's steam baths, sauna, water slides, swimming pools, manicure salons etc. However, the statistics are not at all gives the lie to those claims: the nail fungus can spread into your home through things, the public (towels, shoes, clothes, carpets, shower cabin or bath), if one of the members of the family already has this issue, or at a party, for example, by means of slippers, kindly suggested the master (and may even ignore the presence of the disease).
But what factors affect the development of fungal disease? Celebrate these moments, leads to infection onychomycosis:
- reduction in the immunity?
- damage to the nail?
- poor blood circulation in the lower extremities, which can happen when you wear tight shoes?
- pathology stop anatomical character?
- the obesity?
- diabetes mellitus;
- increased sweating.
For the even and partly to protect yourself, you should use only things, to carefully handle antiseptics a bath and shower, use a personal towel, cleaned regularly and to wash carpets, for the disinfection of shoes. And not to miss the favourable for the treatment of fungal growth in time (because everyone knows that treatment is most effective in the early stages of the disease), should be aware of the first signs of fungus of the nails on the feet.
How to recognize onychomycosis;
Symptoms of fungal nail in different stages may differ from each other, talking about the progression of the infection. For example, in the first (early) stage of some of the symptoms are almost absent. The plate of the nail, you can see barely visible whitish spots or stripes. These symptoms should be aware of, given that they can speak for the presence of fungal infection. If you ignore the first signs of the disease, there is a risk to start the fungus, you will impress healthy nails and will lead in the future to the appearance of pus in the periungual tissues, and threatening of gangrene and the amputation of the lower limbs.
Second degree of fungal disease of the nails is manifested by the lack of natural sheen of the nail. Further the nail color changes: appear κιτρινότητας, white and brown stripes. Can to deform the top rivet and the sides of the sections. These symptoms are shown clearly on the photo.
Advanced stage of onychomycosis is characterized by brittle and the stratification of the nail, inflammation of the skin. There is a risk of loss of the nail. But the most unpleasant is the fact that the disease continues to spread to other nails of the lower limbs, as well as the skin stop. The treatment in this case should begin immediately, in order to avoid unpleasant consequences of the disease.
The second and third stage of onychomycosis, the patient can recognize themselves: the nail takes on a yellow tint or dirty brown color, it becomes softer and thick, back of the nail bed, become very weak and brittle. Sometimes wearing closed shoes becomes painful and itching of the skin — unbearable (this symptom is especially enhanced with increased sweating). Also, be suspicious for onychomycosis can the following accompanying symptoms manifested on the skin, close to nails:
- burning sensation;
- - intolerant itching?
- flaking and dryness?
- the inflammation?
- drip pockets?
- thickening and cornification.
Recognizing the first signs of nail fungus, you should immediately contact a specialist, who will prescribe the optimal treatment regimen.
How to manifest different kinds of onychomycosis;
Define 3 types of onychomycosis, each of which manifests itself with symptoms.
- Normotroficheskie nail fungus that is characterised by the change of color of the nail: a sick nail can have shades from white to dark green. In the first stage of the disease in the nail appear white round or longitudinal points. With the progression of the disease nail shade can be changed, while the same fungus spreads throughout the nail surface. However, the thickness does not change, so a natural shine is stored.
- Hypertrophic nail fungus manifests itself by changing the color of the nail, loss of luster of the surface, strong swelling and deformation. The toenails are particularly exfoliation, begins their partial destruction.
- Atrophic fungus that is characterized by the change of nail color with the further thinning of the. A consequence of this fungal defeat is a rejection of the patient's nail, or the infected part.
To determine the presence of fungi on the nails may be independent, however, to set the exact diagnosis can only be a specialist. To do this you need to visit a clinic, to pass to the analysis of curettage the patient's nail or the skin, leave it around this. In addition dermatologist prescribes it for microscopic examination.
Symptoms of fungi in the pathogen of the disease
The successful treatment of nail fungus depends on how properly diagnosed causative agent of the disease. This is explained by the fact, that the disease causes is not a type of fungi, but many, and each of them is sensitive to certain medications. That is, if another kind of fungus is resistant to one drug, then the other pathogen of this tool dies.
Most often the fungus of the nail cause:
- the yeast?
- dermatophytes;
- mold.
If the cause of nail fungus steel yeast, then to reveal the disease immediately almost unreal. Symptoms of fungi in the nails of the feet in this case are the following (they occur it is after a long period of time): peeling of the nail and easiest itchy skin around the nail (itching may not exist). An infection of nail yeast comes out in 4-4,5% of the cases.
Dermatophytes amaze with the nails of man is much more common than the previous pathogen is 94,5% of all cases of infection of the nails by a fungus. Dermatophytes come in three types, infection by each is manifested in different ways:
- For the first category is characterized by a comprehensive defeat stand, the feet and the nails. The fungus spreads easily on the skin and nails of the hands.
- The second type affects only the nail of the little finger or big toe. Can spread to interdigital folds, and as all the fingers, so some.
- The third type is characterized by lesions of the nails of the thumb and little finger, however, the enclosure fungus does not affect.
The latter is a kind of fungus — mold. The pathogen — fungi. The disease occurs only in 1% of cases. Develops the fungus, this species more commonly in HIV-infected people.
Other symptoms of fungal infection of the nail
Often at the beginning of the disease the telltale signs of the fungal lesions of the nail is not there. However, if you are observant, you may notice some changes in the nail structure and appearance. As has already been mentioned previously, the plate of the nail can occur longitudinal or round whitish spot, the nail can become curve, the smoothness and the shine is lost. Progressing, disease increasingly destroys the nail plate: first, it changes the tint, and then, the surface of the nail becomes scaly, it has a tie or is made with a thin, peeling, breaking. Color of the nail depends on the type of the fungus was causal of infection.
Apart from the basic features of onychomycosis, there's more:
- fragile edges of the nail or the whole surface?
- the distortion nail styles, change of structures?
- tan nail;
- entry nail under the skin?
- goitre, drowsiness, general weakness?
- manual removal of the plate from the nail bed, which leads to the plaque formation underneath the nail whitish or yellow color with an unpleasant odor?
- itching, cracking, burning sensation of the skin in the immediate vicinity of scaring fingernail?
- goitre, drowsiness, general weakness.
Any deviation in the appearance of the nails on the feet need to be alert, as this can talk about fungal growth on your nails. The first step in this case — hiking to the dermatologist, who will confirm or otherwise concern you. If you don't do it directly, the disease will evolve. At first glance, there's nothing in this disease there is no. However, apart from the purely aesthetic problems and discomfort, the fungus may cause serious complications, up to purulent infection of the affected areas, and even the development of gangrene. Therefore, do not tighten with treatment, take measures immediately, as the disease has been detected.