During this time, I probably tried all types of folk remedies, and consulted a doctor several times.In this article I will tell you what nail fungus is, why it occurs, 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 nail.In 60-70% of cases it is caused by special dermatophyte fungi; infection from mold and yeast fungi is less common.To live, reproduce and grow, dermatophytes need the protein keratin.That is why these fungi live in the nail plates, hair and stratum corneum of the skin - where keratin is produced.
Typically, the fungus begins to develop from the cut side of the nail.The tip of the nail gradually changes color: it becomes yellowish, light brown or milky.If left untreated, the infection spreads towards the cuticle.The fungus can also start from the side surface of the nail.
There is also white superficial onychomycosis.Outwardly, it looks like white or dull spots on the surface of the nail.It spreads from the center to the edges; if the disease is not treated, it can cover the entire nail plate.
Occasionally, proximal onychomycosis occurs - it affects the nail in the area of the cuticle and 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.Externally, the nail looks terrible: it is thick, ribbed and an unpleasant dark color.
Causes
Nail fungus is a very common disease.Onychomycosis accounts for 50-60% of all nail problems.I don’t know where I picked up the fungus from, but here are the ways doctors give to get infected with it.
Contact with a contaminated surface.Fungal pathogens love dampness, and therefore live well in damp rooms - baths or swimming pools.Sometimes fungus is brought as a bonus from beauty salons after a manicure or pedicure: just one microcut and poorly processed instruments are enough - and that’s it, the disease is right there.You can also get a fungus if you put shoes on your bare feet after a sick person.
Intrafamilial infection.The fungus is very contagious.If one of the household members is sick, other family members can become infected with onychomycosis.The risks increase if you share slippers, a common washcloth, or a bath mat.However, the fungus can even be transmitted 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 doesn’t wash his feet well, doesn’t trim his nails on time, or rarely changes his socks, it will be easier for him to pick up a fungus.
Tight shoes.This is another factor that increases the risk of disease.When we wear tight shoes, the blood supply to the foot and the roots of the nails is disrupted.Onychodystrophy may develop - a condition that looks similar to nail fungus and often accompanies it.
Certain professions.Nail fungus is much more common in people of certain professions - housekeepers, cooks, cleaners, car wash workers.They often come into contact with wet surfaces, wear rubber shoes and rubber gloves, and use chemicals that soften the nail plate.But the fungus 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 disease or malignant neoplasms, the fungus is more common.Smokers and obese people are also at risk.Excessive sweating - hyperhidrosis - also contributes to the proliferation of fungi.
Typically, the fungus occurs 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 shorter exposure to the drug, the effect in children occurs faster.
Why is fungus dangerous?
Nail fungus doesn't just spoil the appearance of your feet, it is a real disease that is dangerous to the body.If the fungus on one nail is not treated, it will spread to the remaining nails that are still healthy.In some people, a fungal infection can cause allergies—the fungus itself becomes the allergen.
Dermatophyte fungi feed on keratin, so it is no longer enough for nail growth.Because of this, they become brittle, crumble and flake.Over time, “keratin debris” will begin to accumulate between the nail and nail bed—this is formed when keratin breaks down due to fungal attack.This causes the nail to become thicker and grow crookedly.Even though the nail is thick, it is still very fragile - it will get caught on clothing and easily break.
Sometimes, with nail fungus, your feet begin to sweat more than usual - this leads to an unpleasant odor, 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 of all, it just hurts.Secondly, in place 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 have to buy medications and change all their shoes after completing treatment.If in the initial stages of onychomycosis it can be disinfected using 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.
The fungus significantly reduces 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.In addition, the fungus greatly limited my activity: I could not really play sports or go to the pool.I read that some people have such a feeling of shame that sometimes even slips into severe depression.Fortunately, I didn't get to that point.
What are the symptoms of nail fungus?
This is what happens to your nails and feet when you get a fungus.
Nail color changesyellowish, 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.Nails look dull and don't shine like they used to.
The structure changes:the nail becomes thick or begins to grow in waves.When cutting, the cut turns out uneven, the nail crumbles into separate pieces.
An unpleasant odor appearsfeet sweat more.
I suspected a fungus late.On the middle toe of the left foot, the nail became very thick and grew upward, standing out strongly from the rest.I put off going to the doctor for a long time and didn’t do any treatment, so the infection spread to my other nails - they turned yellow.
How I treated the fungus myself
When I suspected a fungus, I thought it was nonsense.I didn’t do anything at all for about a year, hoping that it would go away on its own.Then I decided that I should try to get rid of him, but I still did not understand the full complexity of the situation.I decided that it would be enough just to coat my nails with the magic polishes and drops that are advertised on TV, and everything will go away.
When I realized that drops and varnishes were not helping, I began making foot baths.They wrote on the Internet that these are miracle procedures that will get rid of the fungus forever.I don’t like going to doctors, so I believed in these tips.
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 liquid soap with brown laundry soap - when I grated it, the aroma in the apartment was indescribable.I cut and scraped the steamed nails, and then filled the clippers and file with vodka in a bowl.I collected the fragments of nails on a paper napkin and threw them in the trash.I also smeared my nails with aloe juice and propolis.These procedures took even more time, so in the end I simply gave up on treatment.
As I later realized, self-medication was my big mistake, because it took more than a year.But it did not bring any results: the fungus, it seems, only began to spread.The reason for this was my laziness and lack of understanding 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 shoes, it even made it a little difficult to walk.
And then my wife and I booked a trip to Turkey.And this was another reason why I went to the doctor - it was simply embarrassing to show someone my legs.
I made an appointment at the skin and venereal disease clinic to see a mycologist.Just by the appearance of the nails, she said that it was very similar to a fungus, but she still sent me for tests.
I was asked to cut off the infected nail and submit it for examination, and they also ordered a general blood test.As the doctor explained, if the fungus is confirmed, in my case it will definitely be necessary to take pills.And some of them have contraindications that can be identified through blood counts.
How I treated nail fungus under the supervision of a doctor
Three groups of drugs are used to treat fungal infections: those based on terbinafine, fluconazole and itraconazole.All these drugs destroy fungal cells, which ultimately leads to a decrease in their number and to the death of the pathogen.Such drugs are officially called antimycotics.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 fungi, the degree of damage to the nail, the patient’s well-being, possible contraindications and other factors.
Often, in addition to tablets, external treatment is also prescribed in the form of creams, ointments, sprays - this helps speed up the process.Such drugs can also help patients who, for various reasons, cannot take systemic antimycotics.
Sometimes photodynamic therapy is prescribed - when the nail is coated with special substances, and then it is exposed to a cold light beam and blocks the spread of infection.They may offer laser treatment - it is believed that the laser beam penetrates all layers of the nail and burns the mycelium of the fungus.But scientists still have little evidence that the laser really works.
In the most advanced cases, the nail is completely removed surgically.
The doctor prescribed me itraconazole tablets - 2 pieces 2 times a day for a week.
I tolerated the course of treatment well, only for two weeks I had severe drowsiness - then I traveled to work for two hours each way, and slept on the train all this time.There were no problems with digestion.
The nail itself had to be scraped off by hand.I was offered to 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 a cotton pad, put it on the nail, wrapped it with bandages and a plaster, and walked like that for a day.During this time, the top hard layer of the nail softened a little, after which I scraped it off.Then he immediately applied the composition again; there were at least five such approaches during the entire 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 needs to be spread on the nails twice a day, and this time I was no longer lazy.
What's wrong with nails now?
I had my nails treated for a year and a half.In July 2020, I started noticing white spots on them again.This time I went to the doctor right away and found out that a re-infection had occurred.Now is still the initial stage, so local remedies can help - those same varnishes, drops and creams.
Re-infection should not be confused with relapse of the disease.Re-infection occurs when you receive an infection from the external environment, that is, in fact, it is no different from the primary infection.As for relapse, the most common cause is incomplete treatment.Then a focus of 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 were situations when nail fungus was confused with nail psoriasis.Both of these diseases are very similar in external symptoms in the initial stages.
How to prevent nail fungus
Prevention of fungus is directly related to the causes of its occurrence.Take the reason, turn the meaning around and get recommendations for prevention.
Always wear shoes in public places,especially in those where it is humid - gyms, showers, baths, near swimming pools.
Don't wear someone else's shoes.Even rubber flip-flops with an open toe can be dangerous in terms of fungal infection.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.
Don't wear tight shoes.No amount of 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 your daily shower is not enough.It is advisable to have a separate washcloth for your feet and wash them with soap - and wash them thoroughly in all areas, and not just rub them once over the heels and feet.
Trim your nails carefully.Try to avoid injuries and micro-cuts - they will be entry points for any 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 instruments.- this is also important in terms of other infections.For example, I treated my files and scissors with alcohol spray.I told my wife to make sure that in the manicure room the master sterilizes the tools - usually this is done with hot steam.
How much does nail fungus treatment cost?
To cure nail fungus, you need to see a dermatologist - if he specializes 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 select treatment.Taking pills on your own may not bring 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 dermatovenerological dispensary.Consultation, examination and diagnosis will be free.
If you are treated in private medical centers, you will have to pay for everything.The cost of testing nails for fungi depends on the analysis method.
Nail fungus, or onychomycosis, is an infectious disease that can easily be contracted 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 may be possible to get by only with local remedies and not take pills.
Only a doctor can choose the right treatment.Prescribing pills on your own 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 nail fungus, it is important to maintain foot hygiene and not wear someone else’s shoes on your bare feet.