Doctors say that nail diseases in the last decades are diagnosed in 20-25% of the inhabitants of our planet. And about 90% of cases of such pathologies occur in fungal lesions of the nail plates on the legs or arms. The insidiousness of this phenomenon lies in the fact that many patients consider it to be just a cosmetic defect, while fungal lesions contribute to the penetration of a wide variety of infections into the body. If a nail and foot fungus is detected, treatment, especially in the advanced form of the disease, will require the enormous effort of both doctors and patients themselves. This article is dedicated to this topic.
Where and how can I get infected with nail fungus?
To begin with, it is worth familiarizing yourself with those factors and risks that can contribute to infection of the nail plate with fungal microorganisms. Firstly, it will help to identify the boundaries of the risk of disease in every person reading this article, in time to detect and begin treatment of nail fungus, whose neglected form seduces few. Secondly, such information will be useful to those who want to protect themselves from infection.
So, where and under what circumstances is the easiest infection of the nail and foot fungus?
- when visiting swimming pools and water parks without appropriate shoes, where elementary hygiene rules are often not followed and treatment against fungi is not carried out;
- during a visit to cinemas and supermarkets, where a person comes into contact with objects on which fungal microorganisms can remain (binoculars, baskets, carts and even money and tickets);
- with systematic unprotected contact with detergents that can violate the integrity of the nail;
- when wearing shoes that meet the latest fashion trends, but do not quite meet the requirements of convenience and safety (narrow, uncomfortable, not letting in air);
- when living together with a person who has fungal diseases of the nails (when using common washcloths, nail files, linen and bedding).
In addition to the above risks, there are several factors that are regarded by experts as provoking the development of the disease. These include endocrine disorders, including diabetes mellitus, diseases of the vessels of the legs and hands, age-related weakening of the body and depression of immunity.
How not to lose time?
In order not to treat the nail fungus (advanced form), it is worth learning how to determine the presence of a problem at the earliest stage, that is, before the nail plates acquire an unpleasant shape and structure and begin to resemble bird claws. First, be mindful of your body. This advice is especially useful for men who try to ignore small browning and exfoliation of nails, especially on their feet, for a long time. Secondly, it makes no sense to try to treat this disease on your own or to hide the consequences of infection with cosmetics. First of all, it is important to remember that you risk not only your health, but also the well-being of your friends and relatives, because the fungus is very contagious.
When is nail fungus treatment required?
In the following cases, you should immediately contact a specialist who treats the fungus:
- with the appearance of itching and burning of the skin of the feet against the background of its peeling or redness;
- problems with dry feet and periungual skin, due to which cracks may appear;
- discoloration, transparency of the nail plate, the appearance of tubercles or depressions on it.
Remember that at the initial stage of the development of the disease, the nail can turn white or gray, with yellowish or grayish dots. If at this stage no treatment of the nail fungus has been carried out, the advanced form of the disease will mark its arrival with the appearance of green, brown and black spots and stripes on the nail plates. It is very difficult to hide such magnificent flowering on your legs or arms.
Running nail fungus: delayed treatment, duration
Today, using the most modern methods and methods of treating nail fungus in advanced form, patients have high chances of getting rid of it completely. Each of the methods has its fans and opponents, but the first thing that all patients in medical rooms should remember is that a delayed treatment will never produce results after the first procedures. As a rule, complex disposal of the fungus occurs within one year, in rare cases, 8-10 months after the start of full-scale treatment.
Treatment methods for advanced forms of nail fungus
Effective treatment of toenail fungus today means systemic therapy using external agents: a variety of creams, ointments, and even varnish. Long-term oral administration of special medications is also considered mandatory. In addition, laser treatment of nail fungus is widely used to eliminate fungal infections. A prerequisite for a full recovery is the general strengthening of the body with the use of vitamin therapy, normalization of blood circulation in the fingers and toes.
External remedies for nail fungus: creams, sprays and ointments
Antimycotic creams and ointments, which are recommended for use by many experts, can not only destroy fungal cells inside the nail plate, but also accumulate and persist in it for a long time. Quite often, the attending physician selects drugs for the treatment of nail fungus, depending on the susceptibility of the pathogen to the active substance of the cream or ointment. That is why it is not worth it to decide on your own which tool to use, especially if the nail already has extensive and deep damage.
Patient reviews on the treatment of nail fungus with cream, ointment or spray
According to reviews of people who have tested the effects of antimycotic creams and ointments, the following drugs are considered the most popular:
- Lamellar, Nizoral and Mikonorm. Their main advantage is declared low cost, which allows you to use them without fear for the state of the family budget. In addition, the spray "Lamellar" can be used to treat the inner surface of shoes as a preventive measure against fungi, which tend to be stored on objects.
- The second most popular drugs are Lamisil, Terbinafine, Batrafen and Exoderil. As their merits, the respondents named a large selection of dosage forms. After all, these funds are presented not only in the form of creams, but also as sprays, which makes their use very convenient.
- An honorable third place in popularity is occupied by preparations for the treatment of nail fungus "Thermicon", "Bifosin" and "Mycozoral", which are also available in the form of ointments, creams and sprays, but much less advertised.
It is worth noting that, according to surveys, sprays and creams are more popular, as their structure allows drugs to quickly absorb into the nail and skin of the feet, and this, in turn, implies the ease of use of funds. Of the negative aspects, patients who used external remedies for nail fungus in advanced form noted the duration of the course of treatment (from 6 months to 1 year) and the inability to dress or move immediately after applying the funds. In addition, it was noted that too long-term use of creams, sprays or ointments can eventually provoke an allergy to the components of the drugs used.
Nail plate fungus tablets
Antimycotic pills with a running form of nail fungus is often the only remedy that can cope with the problem. This is due to the fact that the defeat of the nail plates is so deep that the external funds are ineffective.
What medications can the attending physician recommend for treatment?
- Diflucan and its analogues: Fluconazole, Mikosist, Forkan, Flucostat;
- "Nizoral" or "Ketoconazole";
- Orungal and its analogues: Rumikoz, Irunin, Itrazol;
- Lamisil, as well as Terbinafin, Exifin, and Fungoterbin similar in composition.
According to experts, the funds listed in most cases significantly increase the chances of patients for a full recovery. But the interviewed patients noted that many advertised drugs have "doubles" in chemical composition, which also cope well with the disease, but sometimes they cost tens of times less. For example, with the cost of Diflucan on average 450 rubles per pack of 10 tablets, its analogue Fluconazole in the same quantity and dosage can be purchased for 30-50 rubles.
Liquid nail polish remover
A fairly old and well-known way to cope with the chronic fungus of the nail plates is to dissolve it using special chemical solutions. If a few years ago this could only be done in a hospital setting, today such products can be bought at the pharmacy. Since the action of chemicals used to dissolve the nail can provoke a burn of tissues, their use can only begin after consultation with a doctor, and possibly even with his direct participation in the process. After all, chemical nail removal is a slightly different procedure in complexity than, say, treatment of nail fungus with hydrogen peroxide.
Reviews of fluids that dissolve sore nails
According to the reviews of patients using such solutions, liquids that can fight the fungus by dissolving the nail are very effective, but their use requires great care, as burns can occur immediately on the skin of the hands or near the nail. In addition, the respondents agreed that the cost of drugs of this group is quite affordable, and the efficiency is high. Another plus of nail removal solutions is a quick and noticeable result, because with their help you can remove a diseased nail for a maximum of 2 months, and in its place a completely healthy nail plate will grow.
Laser nail treatment
Despite the abundance of medications, the most popular among patients was a method such as laser nail fungus treatment. Reviews about him are very rarely negative. The main advantage of such a procedure, patients consider absolute painlessness and speed. It is worth noting that experts praise this method for the fact that when it is used, the risk of damage to healthy tissue of the nail or finger is zero.
How is the procedure going?
Laser treatment of nail fungus is always carried out in a hospital. The essence of the treatment is to heat the nail fungus mycelium to a temperature of 45-50 degrees, as a result of which they die. Another method of eliminating the disease is coagulation of small blood vessels that feed the fungus with a laser. To achieve a positive result, it is enough 4 times with an interval of 1 month to visit the specialist’s office, which will act on the nail with a laser for 10-20 minutes. Laser treatment of nail fungus is carried out after preliminary preparation, during which the upper rough part of the nail plate is sawn off, the nail plate is disinfected and an antifungal agent, for example, varnish, is applied to it.
According to statistics, the risk of complications in the form of a slowdown in the growth of the nail plate or the appearance of small scars on it reaches a maximum of 3-5%. One of the safest methods used today is laser treatment of nail fungus (reviews by specialists and patients confirm this). Of the shortcomings inherent in him, patients mentioned only the high cost of the procedure.
Folk methods of treating a nail for fungus
Treatment of nail fungus (advanced form) with the help of drugs does not always give quick results, which is why despaired patients resort to traditional medicine methods. What healers do not advise their patients: apply mouthwash to the nails and the skin around them, lubricate them with hydrogen peroxide, iodine or even kerosene. Of course, many recipes are ineffective and dangerous, but the use of baths with infusion of herbs (chamomile, calendula) helps reduce the inflammation that often accompanies a fungal infection, especially on the feet. Such a disease as a fungus on the nails, alternative treatment can not completely eliminate, but it can contribute to the rapid restoration of the nail plate and strengthen immunity, which will help fight infection.
When starting treatment for the advanced form of nail fungus, everyone should remember that it will take at least a year to eliminate the consequences of the long development of the disease. It will be possible to speak of a full recovery only after laboratory tests confirm the absence of fungus on the feet and nails.