During that time, I probably tried all kinds of folk remedies, and consulted a doctor several times.In this article I will tell you what nail fungus is, why it appears, why it is dangerous and how to get rid of it.
What is nail fungus?
Officially, this disease is called onychomycosis - fungal nail infection.In 60-70% of cases, it is caused by special dermatophyte fungi;mold and yeast infection is less common.For life, reproduction and growth, dermatophytes need the protein keratin.This is why these fungi live in nail plates, hair and the stratum corneum of the skin - where keratin is produced.
Typically, the fungus begins to develop on 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.Fungi can also start on the side of the nail.
There is also white superficial onychomycosis.From the outside, it looks like white or cloudy 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 by fungus, this condition is called general dystrophic onychomycosis.From the outside, the nail looks terrible: it is thick, ribbed and unpleasantly dark in 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, but here are the ways doctors tell you to get it.
Contact with a contaminated surface.Fungal pathogens love moisture and therefore live well in damp rooms - bathrooms or swimming pools.Sometimes fungi are 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 there.You can also get the fungus if you put on shoes on your bare feet after a sick person.
Intrafamilial infection.The fungus is highly contagious.If one household member is sick, other family members can become infected with onychomycosis.The risks increase if you share slippers, a shared washcloth or bath mat.However, fungi can be transmitted even through carpets, which is why it is so important for a person with painful nails to follow the rules of hygiene.
Poor hygiene.If a person does not wash his feet well, does not trim his nails on time or rarely changes his socks, it will be easier for him to pick up the fungus.
Tight shoes.This is another factor that increases the risk of disease.When we wear tight shoes, blood flow to the foot and nail roots is disrupted.Onychodystrophy can develop - a condition that looks similar to and often accompanies nail fungus.
Certain professions.Nail fungus is much more common in people of certain professions - cleaners, 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 likes all that very much and actively grows in such conditions.
Concomitant diseasesthey increase the risk of infection because they weaken the immune system.In people suffering from varicose veins, diabetes, inflammatory bowel diseases or malignant neoplasms, fungi are 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 over the age of 30, 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 turned out that with a shorter exposure to the drug, the effect in children appears faster.
Why are fungi dangerous?
Nail fungus does not only spoil the appearance of your feet, it is a real disease that is dangerous for 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 an allergen.
Dermatophyte fungi feed on keratin, so it is no longer enough for nail growth.Because of this, they become brittle, wear out and peel off.Over time, "keratin waste" will begin to accumulate between the nails and the nail bed - it occurs when keratin is broken down due to fungal attacks.This causes the nail to become thicker and grow crooked.Although the nail is thick, it is still very brittle - it will catch on clothes and break easily.
Sometimes, with nail fungus, the feet begin to sweat more than usual - this leads to an unpleasant smell, and you have to change your socks several times a day.
If the infected nail is left untreated for too long, it will begin to separate from the nail bed.First of all, it just hurts.Second, a kind of wound will appear at the place of the removed nail, a moist, warm environment will appear - just the kind that dermatophytes like.It will grow even faster in it.
And advanced nail fungus is expensive to treat.Most likely, the person will need to buy medication and change all shoes after the treatment is over.If in the initial stages of onychomycosis it can be disinfected with 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 summer I had to wear closed shoes so as not to scare others.In addition, the fungus greatly limited my activity: I could not play sports or go to the pool.I read that some people have such a sense of shame that sometimes they even slip 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 brown spots appear.This is more common in the early stages of the infection and is associated with a buildup of keratin debris in and under the nails.Nails look lackluster 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 to be uneven, the nail falls apart into separate pieces.
An unpleasant smell appearsfeet sweat more.
I suspected the fungus late.On the middle toe of the left foot, the nail became very thick and grew upwards, strongly standing out from the others.I put off going to the doctor for a long time and did not do any treatment, so the infection spread to other nails - they turned yellow.
How I personally treated the fungus
When I suspected fungus, I thought it was nonsense.I did nothing for about a year, hoping it would go away on its own.Then I decided to try to get rid of him, but I still did not understand all the complexity of the situation.I decided that it was enough just to coat my nails with the magic polishes and drops they advertise on TV and everything would disappear.
When I realized that drops and varnishes did not help, I started making foot baths.They wrote on the Internet that these are miraculous procedures that will get rid of fungus forever.I don't like going to doctors, so I trusted these tips.
I soaked my feet in a solution of soda and liquid soap, added iodine to the water, and even took a few baths with coffee.Then I found out 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, then filled the scissors and filed with vodka in a bowl.I collected the pieces of nail on a paper napkin and threw them in the trash.I smeared my nails with aloe juice and propolis.These procedures took even more time, so in the end I simply gave up the treatment.
As I realized later, self-medication was my big mistake, because it lasted for more than a year.But that didn't bring any results: the fungus seems to have just started to spread.The reason for this was my laziness and misunderstanding 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, even walking was a little difficult.
And then my wife and I booked a trip to Turkey.And that was another reason why I went to the doctor - it was just embarrassing to show someone my legs.
I made an appointment with a mycologist at the clinic for skin and venereal diseases.From the appearance of the nails, she said that it was very similar to fungus, but she sent me for tests anyway.
They asked me to cut off the infected nail and give 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 determined through a blood test.
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 the death of the pathogen.Such drugs are officially called antifungals.Like antibiotics, they must be taken strictly during the course.This means that it will not be enough to take one pill 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 fungus, the degree of nail damage, the patient's well-being, possible contraindications and other factors.
Often, in addition to tablets, external treatment in the form of creams, ointments, and sprays is also prescribed - 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 exposed to a cold light beam and blocks the spread of the infection.I can 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 actually works.
In the most advanced cases, the nail is completely removed surgically.
The doctor prescribed itraconazole tablets for me - 2 pieces 2 times a day for a week.
I tolerated the course of treatment well, I only had severe drowsiness for two weeks - then I traveled to work for two hours in both directions, and slept on the train all that 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.I spread it on a quarter of a cotton pad with a small spatula, put it on the nail, wrapped it with bandages and a plaster and walked like that for a day.During this time, the upper hard layer of the nail softened a little, after which I scraped it off.Then he immediately reapplied the composition;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.
Three weeks later, the doctor scheduled a follow-up examination.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 your nails?
I treated my nails for a year and a half.In July 2020, I started noticing white spots on them again.This time I immediately went to the doctor and found out that there was a re-infection.Now it's still the initial stage, so local drugs - those same varnishes, drops and creams - can help.
Reinfection should not be confused with disease relapse.Re-infection occurs when you receive an infection from the outside environment, that is, it is not really different from the primary infection.As for relapse, the most common cause is incomplete treatment.Then the focus of the infection remains in the nails: it may not be noticeable from the outside, 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 have been situations where nail fungus is confused with nail psoriasis.Both of these diseases are very similar in external symptoms in the initial stages.
How to prevent nail fungus
The prevention of fungus is directly related to the causes of its occurrence.Get the reason, reverse the meaning, and get recommendations for prevention.
Always wear shoes in public places,especially in those where it is humid - gyms, showers, bathtubs, near swimming pools.
Don't wear other people's shoes.Even rubber flip-flops with an open toe can be dangerous in terms of fungal infection.Regular shoes, for example on an ice rink or a bowling alley, are better disinfected with special solutions.When buying shoes, try them on only on the toe or heel.
Do not 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.Pouring water during the daily shower is not enough.It is recommended to have a special cloth for the feet and wash them with soap - and wash thoroughly in all places, not just rub the heels and feet once.
Trim your nails carefully.Try to avoid injuries and micro-cuts - they will be entry points for all 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 regarding other infections.For example, I treated my files and scissors with an alcohol spray.I told my wife to make sure the technician sterilizes the tools in the manicure room - usually with hot steam.
How much does nail fungus treatment cost?
To cure nail fungus, you need to visit 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 choose treatment.Taking pills on your own may not bring results and may even be dangerous.
You can contact a dermatologist under the mandatory health insurance policy: to do this, you need to make an appointment at a regular clinic or dermatovenerology dispensary.Consultations, examination and diagnostics will be free of charge.
If you are treated in private medical centers, you will have to pay for everything.The price of nail fungus testing depends on the method of analysis.
Nail fungus or onychomycosis is a contagious disease that can be easily 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 will be.It may be possible to get by with just topical medication rather than taking pills.
Only a doctor can choose the right treatment.Self-prescribing tablets 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 other people's shoes barefoot.