Meteorologists promise hot August and hot Indian summer - the time of light dresses and, of course, open sandals. However, these shoes have their own requirements. Damaged yellow nails look sloppy, they have to be hidden in closed noses. This, of course, can spoil the joy of summer weather. Fungus is usually the cause of these nails.
The fungus causes onychomycosis - one of the most unpleasant diseases. Also, contrary to popular belief, it is not at all safe. If the fungus is left untreated, it will develop, occupy large areas of human skin, and may even damage a person's internal organs.
The elderly are at risk
Doctors say that most of the time lovers of saunas and baths are infected with nail fungus, whose surface is not well cleaned and disinfected. The fungus, in these places, is "vaporized", it comes off the feet of an infected person and can easily attach itself to another person.
However, you can catch the fungus from seemingly safe places - for example, at a party. If hosts have nail fungus and the guest wears slippers barefoot, they are more likely to get the infection.
Once in the human body, the fungus develops for a long time and it is very difficult to notice its presence. The first step is to pay attention to changes in the color of the nail plate, it becomes cloudy or yellowish - says the head of the dermatology department, dermatologist.
Itching appears between the toes and a pungent odor in the feet. It should be clarified that although the fungus most often manifests itself on the toenails, this does not mean that it is only located there. The fungus affects the nails of the legs and hands, as well as the skin on the feet, hands and all over the body. The rind usually appears on the skin - in the form of plates, rings and can look like flour (when the skin's streaks are dusted with flour, so to speak). The appearance of blisters, which can fester and burst, is possible. Nails can thicken, fall apart, separate from the nail bed, change color. In advanced cases, even a person's internal organs suffer.
Men in their 20s to 50s are considered a risk group for nail fungus infection because they are more likely to be where you can be infected by them. However, doctors note that almost anyone can become infected with onychomycosis.
90% of nail fungus is caused by dermatophytes and molds. Dermatophytes are transmitted by direct contact (especially between family members) and by household items. Yeast fungi cause disease when the immune system is weakened.
In particular, as doctors make clear, people with reduced immunity become infected. Thus, at risk are people of pre-retirement and retirement age, or people with chronic diseases.
A complex approach
To treat nail fungus, like any other disease, you need to see a doctor. Also, you first need to undergo an analysis - scraping, in order to establish what kind of illness the patient is suffering from. At the same time, as the heart of the fungus (mycelium) is usually located well below the nail plate and its spores are on the surface of the nail, it is necessary to treat the fungus comprehensively.
Laser, ointments and creams prescribed by doctors are considered effective methods of treatment. And experts regard a pedicure as an assistant in treatment, not just an ordinary one, but a medical pedicure.
The fact is that the fungus greatly modifies the nails, making them thick. This, of course, is ugly, but the main thing is that this shape of the nails makes treatment difficult, as it is much more difficult to reach the mycelium. A medical pedicure is a preparation for the quality treatment of nail fungus.
However, experts caution that this pedicure simply cannot be done in a salon. The removal of calluses, calluses, cracks in the skin and correction of fungus-affected nails for further procedures can only be done in the office. To work with damaged feet, a special apparatus is needed, which is not usually installed in beauty salons - it is a medical technique. And the masters who perform this procedure have certificates in medical pedicure and often even medical training.