Some tips on how to identify toenail fungus and not confuse it with another disease

One third of people in the world have nail stratification and disintegration, plaque opacification.

This disease is called onychomycosis or nail fungus. It can start at any age, spreads instantly and adapts well to different conditions.

Reasons for the formation of onychomycosis

Infection with a fungus is quite easy. The infection can be found inpublic showers, beaches and swimming pools.There is a high risk of contracting onychomycosis from infected loved ones and relatives if household items are used together.

There are the following prerequisites that provoke the entry of the pathogen into the body, in short, the causes of the appearance of the fungus:

• small lesions on the skin of the feet (corns, calluses, small cracks and abrasions) that occur due to tight shoes;
• weak immunity due to inflammatory and infectious diseases;
• vascular diseases, impaired functioning of internal organs, leading to difficulties with blood circulation in the legs;
• violated safety precautions, that is, going to public places without shoes, poor foot hygiene, trying on someone else's shoes;
• ignoring the heavy sweating and rashes on the legs.

Important!

Onychomycosis starts on the thumb, and later the virus can develop on the little finger.

What diseases can serve as a prerequisite?

The risk group includes people whose skin does not breathe due to wearing tight shoes throughout the day. These include representatives of work specialties.

There are the following diseases that can serve as a prerequisite:

• diabetes mellitus I and II groups;
• phlebeurism;
• foot deformity;
• obstruction and blockage of blood vessels.

Today, various creams and varnishes are often offered for treatment, however, they will be useless, since the cause may be internal diseases.

types of infection

In total, there are more than half a thousand species of fungibringing trouble. There is no single classification.

The only thing is that there are two important signs by which the disease is distinguished. This is the location and type of pathogen.

Important!

The infection can be in any part of the nail, which is the main symptom of the disease. Externally, the affected plaque changes depending on the location of the virus.

type of pathogen

There are different causative agents of the disease, each with its own distinct characteristics. These are important to consider when developing a treatment plan. The most common pathogens are:

• Dermatophytes- this is the trichophyton red and mentagrophytes, scaly epidermophyton and so on. When infected with these fungi, yellowish or grayish spots form, the remaining parts of the plaque become cloudy, and the free edge changes its shade. In general, the entire surface shifts and eventually moves away from the bed.
• molds🇧🇷This type is relatively harmless. It does not penetrate into the deep layers of the nails, therefore, it only changes the plates to a dark, marshy, gray, yellowish, brownish color. This shadow can affect the surface partially and fully.
• Yeasts of the genus Candida🇧🇷They thin the nail and contribute to its exfoliation. Often, because of this pathogen, a white form of the disease is formed, which is characterized by inflammation of the cuticle. They may cause severe pain and purulent discharge may be observed. If not treated, the nail will become thinner, brown and completely move away from the bed.

Places of localization of the disease on the arms, legs

The main forms of onychomycosis:

1. Side.There is a nail infection on the sides. Its color becomes gray, yellowish and brownish. Plaque begins to cloud, crumble and exfoliate.
2. Distal.This is the most common type of fungus. The infection starts at the free edge of the nail. The plaque changes color to yellow, brown or gray. As time passes, the loss increases. In the dish, delamination, crumbling and clouding begin. In this case, hyperkeratosis appears under the nails, and if the entire nail is affected, tissue dystrophy is formed.
3. Proximal.This form involves damage to the cuticle, which swells, inflames, reddens and changes its shape and structure. As a result, the roller separates from the plate, and the nail crumbles, fades and deforms. With a neglected disease, plaque can completely crumble.
4. White surface.It appears, as a rule, on the thumb, on others - occasionally. Outwardly, it manifests itself in the form of white spots located over the entire surface of the nail. Further, the disease progresses and spreads to keratinized tissues. Spots can change color - from milky to green or yellow. The structure of the plate is spongy and loose. If this form is not treated, the nail can completely crumble.
5. The dystrophy is total.Covers the entire surface of the nail. This is an advanced grade of distal or proximal fungus. The plaque becomes thick, changes its shape to an unnatural one, and eventually completely deteriorates.

photo of nail fungus

ringworm symptoms

After an infection occurs, the fungus needs time to establish itself. First, the disease affects the big toes, destroying the nail plate. Damage is manifested by such signs as:

• Thickening.Plaque becomes thicker due to strong keratinization. In advanced cases, this significantly complicates treatment.
• Hue change. In a healthy state, the nail is translucent, and translucent capillaries give it a pink color. And the infected changes its hue to black, brown and yellow. A gap is formed under the plaque in which microbes and other pathogens thrive.
• crumbling.With incomplete treatment or its absence, the fungus begins to penetrate into the deeper layers of the plaque. As a result, it crumbles and falls apart. If you do not carry out therapy, onychomycosis will become chronic. Because of this, the immune system is weakened, allergies begin and problems with internal organs begin.

How to independently determine, recognize the disease?

The fungus first affects one leg, then the infection moves to the second. It is not necessary to delay with this disease, if you yourself doubt and cannot determine the virus, be sure to consult a doctor.

You can diagnose it yourself at home using certain methods.

Find out with potassium permanganate

There is an express method that involves soaking the feet in a potassium permanganate solution. At the same time, potassium permanganate stains healthy nails brown, and infected ones remain light.

This procedure is simple and does not require much time. A little potassium permanganate is added to a bowl of warm water. The solution must not be strong. Feet or hands are placed in the liquid and wait about 10 minutes. This method is completely harmless. It can not be used only if there are allergic reactions to potassium permanganate.

detect with iodine

Iodine is also often used to identify nail fungus. But it does not indicate the presence of pathogens. It can help eliminate other fungi, such as pityriasis versicolor.

When redness and peeling appear on the skin near the nail, they are treated with iodine. Healthy skin does not darken under an alcohol solution, and the area affected by lichen will look very dark.

How to diagnose?

Today, several effective diagnostic methods are offered, probably the most reliable way is to take tests for nail fungus:

• Microbiological diagnosis.Microscopy is the most commonly used method for detecting fungi and determining their type. It allows you to detect the infection only in the structure of the nail plate or skin tissues. Collecting a biomaterial involves scraping infected cells from the area where the pathogen is located.

  In late and intermediate stages, mycosis spores, yeast cells and mycelial filaments are found in the samples. Such diagnostics allow you to establish the accumulation and type of pathogen. The procedure itself lasts from 2 days to a month.

• linked immunosorbent assay🇧🇷Such an analysis is designed to identify fungi that have affected the nail and internal organs. The difference is that venous blood is needed to detect the disease, which is collected in the morning or 4 hours after eating. No special preparation is required for the analysis.
• PCR test.The polymerase chain reaction is the best diagnostic method for infectious diseases. It has a number of advantages such as speed, greater accuracy and the ability to collect any tissue sample. A feature of the method is considered a narrow focus. That is, for the diagnosis of onychomycosis it is necessary to know exactly the location. A PCR test can reveal the type of fungus and its concentration in the body.
• luminescent study🇧🇷Such a diagnosis is based on transillumination of the skin affected by pathological microflora with an ultraviolet lamp. When examining a patient, a Wood lamp is used, which emits ultraviolet rays. Thanks to her, the products of vital activity begin to shine brightly. The type of pathogen affects the shade of the glow.

How to distinguish mycosis from bruises and other diseases?

At first, onychomycosis is easily confused with other diseases such as lichen, nail bruising or psoriasis.

It can be distinguished by the darkening of the nail plate, the formation of yellow spots and stripes that become larger over time and penetrate deep into the nail.

Compared to psoriasis, onychomycosis develops without problems. He gradually deforms the board so that it detaches from the bed. It distinguishes it from lesions, psoriasis, lichen and eczema, the presence of pain and bad smell.

hygiene rules

The best remedy for fungus is prevention.Simple precautions can help prevent infection. First of all, they are needed by those who visit beaches, public pools, saunas and so on. In these places, you should always use individual towels and use clear slates.

If your feet sweat a lot, you need to treat them with special means, of which there are many today. It is not recommended to wear too tight or someone else's shoes. When trying on shoes in the store, you should wear pads or socks. Be sure to monitor the hygiene of your feet and hands and dry them after washing.

When one of the family members is infected with the fungus, he should have a separate washcloth and towel. After he visits the bath, he must be treated with antimicrobial agents. The patient's towel should be treated regularly with a 5% chloramine solution, and clothes and towels should be boiled with washing powder.

If there is a suspicion of infection, the legs or arms should be dipped in hot water and held for about 10 minutes, the fungus quickly dies at a temperature of +50 ° C. Then these places are smeared with antifungal ointment.

Conclusion

Onychomycosis is an insidious and unpleasant disease, so it is important to monitor the toenails and fingernails and follow preventive measures. If there are suspicious symptoms, it is better to consult a doctor as soon as possible and start treatment.