Summer offers us wonderful opportunities for relaxation and beauty. After all, when, if not in summer, can we afford a fashion show with nice open shoes, showing others our impeccable pedicure and our beautiful legs? And how much pleasure we feel walking barefoot on the warm and sweet sand!
Unfortunately, all these summer charms can end up quite sadly for our feet and nails, because by opening them, we run the risk of contracting such an unpleasant and extremely insidious disease as a fungus. And very often it is our nails and feet that are affected. Also, you can get infected with nail fungus not only on the beach or in a public shower.
You can also contract this disease by public transport, or by simply walking down the street with open shoes: slippers or sandals.
Unfortunately, the consequences of a fungal infection for the nails, and indeed for the entire human body, are quite serious, so you shouldn't start this disease.
Therefore, it is important to know the symptoms of the infection and to start treatment in a timely manner. And for this you need to understand what constitutes a toenail fungus.
What is Onychomycosis
Fungi, as a class, belong to lower plants that form filaments of mycelium and spores. It is with the help of spores that fungi reproduce and also spread to the external environment. You will be surprised, but scientists know more than 300, 000 varieties of fungi and around 100 species can cause skin and nail diseases in humans.
Since they also reproduce by spores, any tiny crumb of a diseased toenail or a tiny piece of skin from a sick person's heel or foot is enough to infect such fungi.
Fungal nail infections (onychomycosis) can be caused by various types of fungi. As a result, the signs of infection will be different, and also the means of eliminating them.
Dermatophytes
If you notice that small yellow spots or streaks appear on your toenails, streaks of a lighter white or gray shade appear on your nails, and the edge of the nail recedes and turns yellow, you are most likely infected with dermatophytes.
The degree of dermatophyte infection can easily be determined by the same streaks and spots - the brighter and closer to the center of the nail they are, the stronger the infection. So, if these streaks and spots are located closer to the edges of the nails, the infection has not advanced too far and the disease can be stopped in time. But in no case should you delay! After all, if left untreated, not only the toenails are affected, but the surrounding skin as well, and the nail plate will eventually turn completely yellow and dull.
yeast fungi
If the toenails become uneven, grooves and "waves" appear on them, if at the same time the nail gradually turns yellow and loses density, it becomes very brittle, thin, begins to lag behind the nail bed - most likely you are become infected with yeast. In this case, the degree of infection is determined by the color of the nail: the more yellow and even brownish it becomes, the further the lesion progresses.
The defeat of toenails with yeast most often begins with a slight thickening of the nail folds, which eventually swell and turn red. Pressing on these inflamed rollers is quite painful. Subsequently, pus may appear in them, which, if it comes into contact with the skin, can cause further infection. If no measures are taken, over time the nail may gradually bend and change color, shallow brown grooves will appear on it.
Molds
If a person's nails, like his whole body, were weakened for a long time by a long illness and then quickly changed color: they turned yellow, blue, green, brown or black, or dark spots or dots appeared, or even black nails - most likely, there was a mold infection.
Such an infection, fortunately, does not penetrate very deep into the structure of the nail plate itself, and in comparison with the above types of fungi, it is treated quite quickly - from one to two months.
Consequences of the disease
However, all of these are only external signs of the disease, and if measures are not taken, toenail fungus can spread throughout the body, especially when it comes to dermatophytes or molds. Over the course of a year, and sometimes several years, the fungus slowly destroys the nail plate, fills the entire nail and penetrates the nail bed, and after a while it spreads from the feet to the hands, first affecting the thumbs and then all the other.
Spreading and taking root in the human body, the fungus significantly weakens the immune system, thereby contributing to the appearance of various allergic reactions and the exacerbation of chronic diseases.
If a person does not start treatment at this stage, the internal organs are damaged. Particularly susceptible to such an infection are people who have a bad habit of biting their nails.
Therefore, it is extremely important to recognize the disease in a timely manner and to initiate timely and adequate treatment. Of course, only a specialist can prescribe it, who will conduct the necessary examination and prescribe the appropriate drugs that affect exactly the fungus that affects your body.
Self diagnosis
You can try to diagnose nail fungus yourself if you suspect something is wrong with their appearance, feel itchy and dry skin.
To do this, you will need the most common potassium permanganate. You need to make it an aqueous solution and lower the legs. After a few minutes, your nails will turn brown, but the fungal lesions will remain clear.
In this case, you absolutely can not help but consult a doctor. And it is better not to postpone!