Summer offers us the perfect opportunity to relax and be beautiful. After all, if it's not in summer, when can we afford a runway show in a nice open shoe to show others our impeccable pedicure and beautiful legs? How happy we are to walk barefoot on the warm, soft sand!
Unfortunately, all this summer glamour can end up taking a rather tragic effect on our feet and nails, because by opening them we risk contracting such an unpleasant and extremely insidious disease as fungus. Most commonly our nails and feet are affected. Plus, you can't just get nail fungus at the beach or in a public shower.
You can catch the disease even while on public transport, or just walking down the street in open shoes (slippers or sandals).
Unfortunately, the consequences of a fungal infection on the nails and on the entire body can be quite serious, so you shouldn't start getting the disease.
Therefore, it is important to know the symptoms of infection and start treatment promptly. To do this, you need to figure out what toenail fungus is.
What is Onychomycosis
Mushrooms, as a class of lower plants, form filaments of mycelium and spores. Fungi reproduce and spread in the external environment with the help of spores. You'd be surprised, but scientists know of more than 300, 000 species of fungi, about 100 of which cause skin and nail diseases in humans.
Since they also reproduce by spores, any tiny scrap of a diseased nail or a small patch of skin on a patient's heel or foot can be enough to infect the fungus.
Fungal infections of the nails (onychomycosis) can be caused by a variety of fungi. Therefore, the signs of infection will vary, as will the methods for eliminating them.
Dermatophytes
If you notice small yellow spots or streaks on your toenails, streaks of pale white or gray shades on the nails, and the edges of the nails move away and turn yellow - chances are you have a dermatophyte infection.
The extent of a dermatophyte infection can be easily determined by the same streaks and spots: the brighter they are and the closer they are to the center of the nail, the stronger the infection. So if these streaks and spots are located closer to the edge of the nail, the infection hasn't progressed far enough to stop the disease in time. But under no circumstances should you procrastinate! After all, if left untreated, not only the toenails are affected, but the surrounding skin as well, and the nail plate can eventually become completely yellow and opaque.
yeast
If the toenail becomes uneven, grooves and "waves" appear on it, if at the same time the nail gradually yellows and loses its density, becomes very brittle, thins and starts to lag behind the nail bed - most likely, you have becomeYeast infection. In this case, the extent of the infection is determined by the color of the nail: the more yellow or even brown it becomes, the further the lesion progresses.
Destruction of toenails with yeast usually starts with a slight thickening of the folds of the nails and eventually swells and turns red. It is very painful to press on these inflamed rollers. Later, pus may appear on them, and if it comes into contact with the skin, it may cause additional infections. If no action is taken, over time, the nail may gradually bend and change color, with light brown grooves appearing on it.
mold
If a person's fingernails, like his entire body, suffer from chronic disease, chronic weakness, and then rapidly change color - they become yellow, blue, green, brown or black, or appear dark or even blackpoint or point. Nails - most likely a fungal infection.
Fortunately, this infection does not penetrate deep into the structure of the nail plate itself, and the treatment is very fast compared to the aforementioned types of fungi: from one to two months.
Consequences of disease
However, all of these are only external signs of disease, and if no action is taken, toenail fungus can spread throughout the body, especially dermatophytes or molds. Over the course of a year, sometimes years, the fungus slowly destroys the nail plate, filling the entire nail and penetrating the nail bed, and after a while it spreads from the feet to the hands, first affecting the thumb, and then everyone else.
The fungus spreads and takes root in the human body, significantly weakening the immune system, which leads to the appearance of various allergic reactions and the exacerbation of chronic diseases.
If a person does not start treatment at this stage, internal organs can be damaged. People who are particularly vulnerable to this infection are people who have a bad habit of biting their nails.
Therefore, it is extremely important to detect disease in time and initiate prompt and adequate treatment. Of course, only a specialist can prescribe it, who will perform the necessary tests and prescribe the appropriate medication to affect the fungus affecting your body.
self-diagnosis
If you suspect a problem with their appearance and feel itchy and dry skin, you can try diagnosing your own nail fungus.
For this, you will need the most common form of potassium permanganate. You need to make it into an aqueous solution and put your legs in it. After a few minutes, your nails will turn brown, but the fungal lesions will remain mild.
In this case, you absolutely must consult your doctor. And better not to procrastinate!