How to recognize onychomycosis: symptoms, possible causes and treatment features

This article will discuss an unpleasant but common phenomenon known as onychomycosis. The symptoms and causes of this disease are known to the medical community and are easily diagnosed at all stages. However, you can only discover it by paying close attention to your health. How to identify onychomycosis? How to treat it? Are the advertised ointments effective?

What causes onychomycosis?

Onychomycosis is a fairly common disease. The disease spreads particularly successfully in areas with temperate and tropical climates (i. e. , places that are humid and warm). Paradoxically, however, it is residents of cold countries who most often suffer from onychomycosis. This is because in harsh climates you must always wear warm shoes and socks. Feet sweat, socks become wet, and one is forced to remain in this condition for a long time without a chance to change shoes. This is the best way to promote the formation of onychomycosis. Before we discuss how to identify onychomycosis, let’s first understand who is more susceptible to this disease.

Onychomycosis is an occupational disease

People whose foot skin cannot breathe during the day due to shoes that are too tight are at risk. They are representatives of miners, power plant workers, gardeners and other professions. You can "catch" the fungus while working in a laundry room, swimming pool, hotel or restaurant.

What diseases can be prerequisites

Often, not only representatives of the above-mentioned professions suffer from this disease, but also people with type 1 or 2 diabetes. In addition, the prerequisites for the formation of onychomycosis may be foot deformation and varicose veins. One of the causes of this infection is insufficient nutrition of the nails due to clogged or blocked blood vessels. This is why the creams advertised today and the nail polishes said to prevent fungal infections are completely useless in the fight against this disease. After all, many times it is caused by internal disease, and external influences cannot eradicate the problem.

Who is at risk?

A few decades ago, onychomycosis was primarily diagnosed in older adults. However, the number of patients suffering from onychomycosis is increasing every year, and the disease itself is trending younger.Official figures suggest that men are two to three times more likely to develop nail fungus. However, women more often see dermatologists for this problem. Female representatives were more concerned about their own health and did not think there was any shame in consulting a doctor.Next, we'll look at why it's so important to get advice from a dermatologist about fungal treatment, and we'll also discuss how to identify fungus on your nails and what symptoms the fungus has at each stage of its development.

What does onychomycosis look like?

This disease is not fatal, but of course it is necessary to get rid of it. Fortunately, it is not difficult for anyone to recognize the onset of this disease. How to identify fungus on feet? Tips are given below. First, take a closer look at your nails.The first thing to notice is this nail color. Nails affected by the fungus turn dark yellow and opaque. Depending on the stage of the disease, the edges of the nail plate, the base, or the entire nail may be affected.

Pay attention to the thickness of your nails

When answering the question of how to identify onychomycosis, changes in the nail plate should also be mentioned. Although the nails become thinner due to this disease, they may look and feel thicker and swollen.How to identify fungus on nails? To detect the presence of an infection, a visual inspection of the nail plate alone is not enough. Mix potassium permanganate and water in a ratio of 1 to 5 and immerse your nails in the resulting solution for half a minute. Healthy nails can stain and turn brown. A portion of the affected plate will remain white.

stage of disease

The disease occurs in four stages. The sooner you start treatment, the better your chances of getting rid of onychomycosis for good.The first stage is characterized by damage to the nail edges. As mentioned above, the sheet changes color and develops bulges. Nail growth is poor quality, hollow, and therefore prone to cracking and chipping. The second phase is marked by the expansion of the affected area. Additionally, it should be noted that sometimes the second phase may begin bypassing the first phase. Damage to the nail plate does not begin at the edges, but at the root of the nail. The second stage of onychomycosis treatment can cause more problems than the first stage.How to identify onychomycosis in the third stage? Medically, it is known as white superficial fungus, and it appears as if the entire dish is affected. It was a dense white color with badly chipped edges.The fourth stage is called complete dystrophic fungus. The nails are yellowish-grey, emit a strange, unpleasant odor, and are very brittle. In stage four, you can often see the exposed portion of skin under the broken nail as it grows due to fungus and in most cases falls off.The reason for visiting a dermatologist is often the independent identification of stage four onychomycosis. You should not seek advice on how to effectively treat onychomycosis on forums or on the Internet. It is best to consult a specialist at the first symptoms of the disease.

What should I pay attention to when going to the doctor?

Perhaps we all have a fear of doctors. However, if you suspect you have onychomycosis, don't be afraid to consult a dermatologist. The specialist will perform an external examination and scrape the cuticle on the nail, which will then be sent to a laboratory for diagnosis. A detailed analysis will reveal what's causing the disease, determine the type of fungus, and tell your doctor what treatment should be taken.Treatment for onychomycosis takes a long time. It can last from one month to three months. After treatment, even if the above symptoms are not observed, you will need to be checked again.

A few words about effective treatment

Now we know how to identify fungus on your toenails. The method is given above. Now it's worth talking about treatments you can do on your own. Naftifen-based drugs have proven to be very effective. However, instead of an ointment, you need to use a solution. This medication may also be used in cases of foot fungus.How to use the solution? If you have fungus in the first stages of the disease, lubricate the affected nail surface twice a day. Nails should be dry and thoroughly washed. In the next stage of the disease, you cannot do without taking medications. However, even in this case, you should not stop using a solution containing naftifine: this will increase the effect of the drug.The affected nail surface should be thoroughly cleaned using a manicure trimmer before using the product. However, you need to be very careful. After completing the procedure, a solution containing the active ingredient naftifen needs to be applied to the clean area. Repeat 2 times a day.Kits for removing fungal nail infections also have positive reviews from people familiar with this infectious disease. Which of these products to use (solution or nail removal kit) is up to you. But it’s impossible to get rid of onychomycosis forever without the help of a dermatologist.

To sum up

This article answers the question of how to identify onychomycosis. However, it's worth remembering that self-medication does not always lead to complete recovery. If your nails change in thickness or color, you should consult your doctor.Fungus can be divided into four stages, depending on the degree of damage to the nail plate. If in the first stage this disease does not cause alarm, since it does not deform the nail plate very much, then in the fourth stage you can easily lose your nails. Please feel free to contact a dermatologist.It is strongly recommended not to succumb to advertising exhortations regarding the effectiveness of specific medications and to self-treat. Cream or any other product applied externally to the nail plate does not eliminate the causative agents of the disease and is therefore ineffective. As a result, you will only delay the treatment process by masking the manifestations of the disease. It is also worth remembering that onychomycosis not only looks unsightly, but is also a beacon that indicates the presence of disease in the body.