Getting on the skin, dermatophytes cause superficial mycoses. With onychomycosis, fungi "make their way" to the nail bed (a layer of skin directly under the fingernail) and begin to actively develop, causing a lot of trouble to a person.
What causes mycosis of the nails?
Factors that cause mycosis, and the causes of the disease are associated primarily with non-compliance with personal hygiene rules. Nail fungus is one of the "infectious" diseases and is transmitted:
- through shoes, socks (when putting on someone else's slippers at a party, when fitting shoes in the store);
- through accessories for pedicure and manicure (foreign or salon);
- through personal hygiene items - pumice, bast, towel;
- through surfaces in public saunas, showers, pools, hotels.
What is mycosis?
There are mycosis nails in several forms:
- normotrophic - the normal color of the plate changes, patches and streaks appear, but the nail shines, and its thickness remains the same;
- hypertrophic - in addition to changing the color of the nail, thickening of the plate and its deformation are observed, along the edges the nail begins to break down;
- onycholytic - the affected nail is atrophied, and then torn away from the nail bed.
The first symptoms accompanying mycosis nails - itching between the fingers (often - little finger and anonymous). A few weeks later on one of the nails appears uncharacteristic speck, then the nail ceases to be transparent, as the skin under the plate is covered with fungus.
How to treat mycosis nails?
Onychomycosis is handled by a mycologist. A visit to it should not be postponed, since the early nail fungus is easier to treat. Each of the pathogens (and there are more than 50) is susceptible only to certain drugs, so they prescribe an analysis for mycosis of the nails, and only then treatment.
In the initial stages, therapeutic varnishes are effective, but if the nail fungus (mycosis) "goes" further, getting rid of it with such methods will be problematic due to lack of access to the affected skin layer. Therefore, varnishes, creams, ointments and all local drugs - this treatment of mycosis nails only half. Therapy is supplemented with antifungal medicines for oral administration: the course lasts 3-6 months.
Taking them as part of self-medication is very dangerous - most antifungal agents are toxic to the liver, so the doctor will additionally prescribe hepatoprotectors (drugs that support liver function).
Treatment of mycosis with folk remedies is extremely ineffective. Garlic juice, for example, although it has a strong antifungal effect, is only applicable in case of a skin fungus.
Penetrate the nail bed tool can not, but only "smears" the clinical picture, rendering a disservice to the doctor.
How not to catch a fungus?
It is worth remembering that the nail fungus (mycosis), whose treatment is very long, is easier to prevent, observing simple rules:
- Do not put someone else's shoes on your bare feet;
- on the fitting in the store to take a socks (usually a new "trace" is given for free, but only in expensive stores);
- to take with you slippers;
- Do not walk barefoot through hotel rooms, shower tile, saunas, swimming pools;
- Use the services of a proven pedicure / manicure master who sterilizes instruments;
- change shoes during the day, giving footsteps aired;
- at night wash your feet with soap and wipe dry.
After successful treatment of mycosis of nails, it is necessary to conduct disinfection:
- boil laundry, towels and clothes;
- throw out all stockings and pantyhose;
- wipe the disinfector with shoe insoles;
- buy new slippers, pumice, bast.