Currently, approximately 25% of the world's inhabitants suffer from mycoses. Often the disease is expressed on the legs. The toenail fungus delivers many unpleasant moments, depriving a person of a normal, quiet life. In addition, it can spread to neighboring areas. How to cure a fungus on the big toe? What medications are most effective? The answers to these questions in our article.
Reasons for the appearance
The fungus on the skin of the big toe can be picked up in public places (baths, saunas, pools, water parks and other institutions where people walk without shoes). It should be noted that fungal spores often get on the skin of people, but not all are infected. For infection to occur, the microorganism needs to get into the skin cells, gain a foothold there and begin to multiply. This is facilitated by wounds and microcracks. We may not see them, but for the fungus they are wide open doors.
It is possible to become infected with it if one of the family members is already sick with mycosis. This is observed if people do not follow the rules of personal hygiene, use a common towel, sleep in the same bed, and have common shoes and socks.
The risk of infection with a fungus in public places is reduced if a person has strong immunity.
Mycosis on the toe can also appear after trying on shoes in stores or in the market, if you do this on your bare foot.
Other factors contributing to fungal infection:
- Lack of foot hygiene.
- Increased sweating (sweat is an excellent medium for the reproduction of fungi).
- Flat feet.
- Wearing tight shoes.
- Elderly age (over the years, blood circulation is disturbed, immunity weakens).
- Performing a pedicure with non-disinfected instruments.
More often, the fungus first appears on the skin of the thumb, since it is easier for it to develop in the soft layers of the dermis. If the disease is not treated, it goes to the nails. However, in some cases, onychomycosis is the primary disease, and already from the affected nail plate, microorganisms spread to the skin.
Signs
Microorganisms affecting the nail plate secrete enzymes that contribute to its destruction. Thus, the fungus prepares a space for its own reproduction and growth of colonies. Signs depend on the stage of the disease.
Mycosis of the skin manifests itself in severe itching. This is the very first sign. Then a bubble appears, filled with light exudate. The bubble bursts and a deep crack forms in its place. It is extremely painful, it even hurts a person to walk in shoes. In addition, the wound continues to itch. Around it dry peeling skin forms. The crack may be delayed, but soon reappear.
At first, the disease does not manifest itself on the nail plate. It is possible to suspect on individual whitish spots and stripes that there is a nail fungus on the big toe. The photo above shows what the affected area looks like.
In the second stage, the nail dims (sometimes turns yellow), significantly thickens and bends. Often it can grow into the skin, causing pain when walking and local inflammation.
In the third stage of onychomycosis, the nail becomes loose, it hurts to cut it. In some patients, it may exfoliate from the skin. At this stage, the patient poses a significant threat to others, since his nail plate becomes a receptacle for fungal spores that are easily dispersed over the surfaces.
Classification
In onychomycosis, there are three stages:
- The first is that there is no change in texture, tone modifications are not visible enough: stripes, spots may appear.
- The second - the plate becomes yellowish, stops shining, an unpleasant smell comes from the feet.
- Third - the plate loses its own texture, becomes loose, exfoliates from the nail bed.
By the color of the nail, you can figure out which fungus occupied it:
- Yellowish spots indicate a dermatophyte lesion, with changes limited to areas in the center of the plate and along the edges.
- The location of the changes along the edges and exfoliation indicate damage to the yeast family by fungi.
- Darkening of the plate indicates a lack of blood circulation of the finger and the attachment of mold.
Treatment
The success of treating a toenail fungus depends entirely on how soon it started. At the initial stages, local remedies can help cure mycosis, and in the subsequent stages and an ingrown nail, only surgical therapy can help.
Medicines
The fungus on the thumbnail is treated with special varnishes, ointments and drugs that are taken orally. In the initial stages, the disease can be cured within 1-2 months, in the later stages it may take six months or even a year.
Lucky
The effect of therapeutic varnishes is associated with softening of the plate and a disinfecting result. The varnish penetrates the nail plate and destroys the fungus. The following drugs have similar qualities:
- "Lotseril" - a remedy for the toenail fungus on the basis of amorolfine, eliminates 10 types of fungi and their spores. It is used twice a day until the nail plate is completely restored.
- Betrafen is a cyclopiraxolamine-based medicine. It is applied once every 2 days for one week, then twice a week, until the restoration of the nail plate.
- "Demikten" is a medication based on formic acid. It is used for fungal infections of the foot and nail, that is, it can also be used to treat foot skin fungus. In addition, "Demikten" helps to get rid of cracks in the heels and remove the overburden. It is applied every day to restore the nail plate.
Ointments, creams and sprays
Such drugs are used for dermatomycosis and onychomycosis. They are quite effective, and adverse reactions are extremely rare. It is recommended to apply these funds once or twice a day. These drugs include:
- "Creolin" - therapy is effective even in advanced cases. The drug penetrates the skin and nail plate, destroys adult fungi and spores. This action is caused by ichthyol and alkali, which are part of this tool. Treatment is carried out once a day. The drug is available in the form of a liquid solution.
- Ointment "Lamisil" - therapy with the drug lasts up to 6 months, the result is determined by the action of terbinafine, which inhibits the metabolism of fungi. It is applied once a day. The medicine is also made in the form of a spray, which should be sprayed into the shoes of a patient with mycosis.
- "Iodinol" - the use of this substance helps to remove the affected plate. Available in the form of a solution. In it, the cotton wool should be moistened and applied to the nail plate, making a compress. The course of treatment is 5 days.
Oral preparations
Tablets for the treatment of big toe fungus are used in the later stages. With mycosis, only complex treatment can help. Oral preparations include tablets and capsules:
- "Fluconazole" - the package includes 1 capsule. It is necessary to use one capsule per week for 2-6 weeks.
- "Mycozoral" - the daily dose is 1 tablet. If there is no result, the dose must be increased to 2 tablets.
- "Terbinafine" - dermatomycosis will recede within six months, take 1 pill per day.
How to remove a nail
With a fungus on the big toe, removal of the nail plate can give an effective result. To do this, use tools that help soften the nail: plasters, ointments, creams. The effective substances that can get rid of the fungus are:
- "Mikospor" - a medicine for fungus on the big toe, reviews of which are mostly positive. Available as ointment. Adhesive patches and scraper included. Ointment should be applied to the nail, glue with a band-aid and hold for a day. Next, remove the patch, place the leg in warm water and remove the top layer of the nail with a scraper. Dry and apply ointment again.
- "Onychoplast" - used to remove the nail with fungus on the big toe. The nails should be steamed in a hot bath, carefully remove the top layer of the nail, apply the Onihoplast product to the plate, and stick the patch on top. It can not be removed for 2 days.
Hardware pedicure
This is not a cosmetic procedure, but a therapeutic one. Perform it in medical institutions. Hardware pedicure is done with a special nozzle with grinding spraying. With this procedure, you can get rid of the fungus on the big toe. The photo shows the implementation of a hardware pedicure.
How does the procedure go:
- The affected area is disinfected.
- Soften with special medicines.
- Remove the outer layer with nozzles.
The procedure is performed very carefully, gradually removing the layers. If a healthy part of the nail is affected, this can provoke further spread of the fungus.
The advantages of this method include:
- Quick elimination of affected parts of the nail.
- Lack of pain.
- Getting good permeability for therapeutic ointments and varnishes.
But this type of pedicure has disadvantages:
- Allergic reactions may occur.
- There is a threat of infection.
Laser
Laser technology is much more promising than other methods of removing fungus. The beam heats and destroys harmful microorganisms, without touching healthy tissue.
Laser nail plate removal takes several minutes. If more than one finger is infected, the laser procedure will take longer. To remove the nail with the fungus, it may take several sessions, which depends on the degree of damage. Healthy nails will grow only after six months.
Surgery
With this kind of procedure, the diseased nail is completely removed. Use this method only in cases where other methods could not help get rid of the disease. Removing the nail on the big toe can destroy the fungus only if, after the operation, the patient undergoes complex treatment prescribed by the doctor.
Operation is contraindicated:
- People with poor blood coagulation.
- Having infectious and other diseases in the acute stage.
- Not tolerant of anesthesia.
- Suffering from diabetes.
- Having an immune disease.
- With dilated veins and permeable capillaries.
How is the operation
The procedure itself is painless for the patient, as it is performed with anesthesia. The nail and the skin around it are treated with iodine. The doctor inserts a special tool under the nail plate and isolates it from the skin. If a small area of the nail is affected, only this part is removed.
After the procedure, a medicine with an antibiotic is applied to the wound and bandaged. The healing process lasts several weeks. Bandaging required. The process of regrowth of a new nail can stretch for several months.
Possible consequences:
- Pain, pain after the procedure.
- Infection
- Nail growth of irregular shape.
Recovery
Usually, the doctor provides personalized wound care recommendations. However, there are general tips:
- Bed rest after surgery for at least 1 month.
- An open wound must be regularly treated, apply new sterile dressings, use medical medications (ointments, creams).
- The doctor after the procedure prescribes medications (anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antifungal).
Prevention
To reduce the risk of infection with onychomycosis, you must be guided by the relevant recommendations:
- A fungus can be infected in a beauty salon. This occurs in case of insufficient sterilization of tools for manicure and pedicure. You should visit salons that have a good reputation and a large number of positive reviews.
- Accessories for a pedicure carried out at home, it is advisable to have your own, and not use someone else's.
- With high sweating of the legs, you should sprinkle them with talcum powder or powder, and also wipe them dry after taking a bath or shower.
- It is recommended to take vitamins that increase immunity.
- Frequent pedicure operations thin the nail plate, violate its structure, which contributes to infection by the fungus.
- A nail polish remover with acetone can also damage the nail plate.
- It is forbidden to wear someone else's shoes.
- The towel for wiping should be personalized.
- Cracks in the feet are a risk condition for the appearance of mycosis, therefore, they must be treated in a timely manner.
Folk remedies
Those who are interested in how to treat the fungus on the big toe should remember that there are traditional medicine methods that also show good results.
More often used such recipes:
- Lotions based on table vinegar. Take half a glass of water, glycerin and vinegar, mix. In the resulting liquid, a gauze cloth is moistened and applied to the nails affected by the fungus for 25 minutes. The procedure should be repeated 2 times a day.
- Coffee bath. Brew coffee (preferably natural) so that the drink comes out strong, then wait until it cools down a bit. Feet must be lowered into the mixture for 25 minutes. The operation is required to be carried out daily for 5 days.
- Iodine. This is a cheap drug, but is considered a strong antiseptic. They lubricate the affected areas with a cotton swab. The procedure must be carried out for a week, then make an interval of 7 days and start the course again.
- Baths with sea salt. In a bowl of warm water add a tablespoon of salt and lower your legs into it for 20 minutes.
- Dressing with horseradish. It is necessary to take fresh horseradish roots, grate them on a fine grater. A teaspoon of grated mass is enough for a compress. A bandage is necessary for the night.
- Compress and bath with potatoes. Potato peeling is required. They must be washed and cooked, mashed from them. The broth in which the cleaning was cooked is used for the bath. After that, apply the prepared mashed potatoes to the affected nails. Bandage up. When the product cools down, rub the internal lard into the nails.
Folk remedies have an effect only in the initial stages of the disease. You can use them as a prophylaxis and in complex therapy.
Reviews
People suffering from fungi on the legs write that ointments, varnishes, sprays and any other external remedies only help with dermatomycosis in the initial stage. They are not suitable for the treatment of onychomycosis, since they are not able to kill all the spores of the fungus. Therefore, in the treatment after a visible improvement, relapses necessarily occur.
Patients are advised not to spare shoes, socks, tights and throw them away during or after therapy.
Also, patients are advised to go home all the time in socks to those people who picked up the fungus. Otherwise, spores of the fungus will spread throughout the apartment.
According to those who are trying to get rid of nail fungus, this disease is very difficult to treat. The course of therapy should be long. The most effective means for oral use, but they all have many adverse reactions and contraindications.
Among the products for external use, Mikozan and Creolin deserved good reviews. Complaints cause "Lamisil" and "Exoderil". All patients are unanimous that it is better to follow preventive measures than to treat the disease.