After visiting a pool or relaxing on the beach, you may encounter onychomycosis (fungus).
The symptoms of this disease are as follows: redness, itching and discomfort between the toes, yellowing and breaking of the nails.
The problem is quite common and does not go away on its own. If you do not consult a doctor, the fungus will develop which can harm your body. From the article you will learn what to do in such a situation and which specialist to contact with this problem.
What should you do if you discover you have a yeast infection?
If you notice any of the signs of fungus, for example, your toenails have changed color -Contact your doctor quickly!Don't allow the yeast infection process to progress so you don't have to deal with treatment for years. Fungal spores, when released into human blood, cause a toxic reaction.
With this problemYou should first consult a dermatologist, such a specialist is available in a clinic, in a hospital, in any paid medical institution and in a skin and venous dispensary (you can go there for free).
Which specialist should I contact, who does it?
Nail and toe fungus is a skin disease andA dermatologist deals with such problems. You will find him in the district clinic, he conducts the first appointment, examines the patient, diagnoses onychomycosis and prescribes the necessary treatment.
If the disease is in an advanced stage or the doctor believes that your case is complex, the dermatologist will refer you to a mycologist (this specialist deals more in depth with the treatment of fungal diseases). The difficulty of contacting such a doctor is that it is not always possible to find a specialist in this field in a simple clinic.
Price question
The mycologist's services in public and private clinics are mainly paid. The price of the consultancy may vary based on the following indicators:
- area of the affected area;
- severity of the disease;
- number of laboratory tests required;
- medical qualifications.
The most expensive would be a consultation with a mycologist with a doctorate, and the cheapest would be a consultation with a doctor of the lowest category. Private clinics charge a fee for each test and prescription of an individual treatment plan.
What is an appointment with a mycologist like?
At the first visit to the doctor, the patient is interviewed to identify specific complaints about the skin and nails.
The mycologist will also ask you questions about your lifestyle and perform an initial examination of the affected areas. But it is impossible to visually determine the type of fungus, so scraping of dead scales from the skin and nails is performed.
All samples are sent for laboratory analysis. The materials are examined under a microscope and some of them are placed in a nutrient medium. The analysis, which will determine the exact presence of fungi, takes only 3-5 minutes. And to identify a specific type of mushroom it will take up to 2 weeks.
At the next visit, the mycologist prescribes treatment, drugs are prescribed taking into account the tests performed and the general condition of the patient.
Additional visits to a mycologist are needed to monitor the healing process, sometimes this takes a long time. The disease may regress in one area of the skin and worsen in another.
The difference between a mycologist and a dermatologist
Specialist in all types ofskin problems – dermatologist.It is used for viral and infectious skin lesions, rashes, eczema, inflammation of sweat glands, dermatitis and fungal skin diseases.
The first visit is carried out by a dermatologist, who can prescribe the treatment himself or refer you to a mycologist.Mycologist is also a dermatologist who deals extensively with the treatment of skin, hair and nails due to fungal infections. But it is not always possible to find such a doctor in a clinic and not every city has one.
What tests are prescribed?
- scrape the skin in the foot area and between the toes;
- analysis of the infected nail plate (its fragment);
- blood tests for allergens and antibodies against mycosis.
Important!
If the studies described above do not bring the desired results, histology is performed to ensure that the patient does not have fungi. In this case, consider the option of mechanically damaging the nails.
External signs of fungus sometimes coincide with signs of other nail damage. Therefore, laboratory tests must demonstrate whether a fungal infection is present. Calluses on the nail plate, bruises, changes in the color and shape of the nail may have nothing to do with mycosis.
How is the treatment carried out?
The treatment methods used before are no longer effective today, because the drugs cannot completely cope with the microorganisms. Doctors select special therapeutic complexes.
There is no drug that can cure fungi, you need to combine 2 or 3 products. In medicine, creams, tablets, solutions, vitamins, droppers, special varnishes and products that dissolve the nail for subsequent removal are widely used.
Important!
Drugs for treating fungus have a large number of side effects; self-medication should not be allowed! The lesion may move to another location and the disease may become more advanced. Be sure to consult a specialist to deal with the disease as quickly and safely as possible.
Systemic therapy
Mycologists prescribe systemic treatment to their patients to achieve faster recovery.
What can be prescribed to a patient suffering from mycosis? Systemic therapy includes the following measures:
- Oral medications (tablets).
- Local preparations (in the form of creams, ointments, etc. )
- Removal of nails by surgery.
Removal of the nail plate
The nail can be removed in several ways: surgically and using special means.
The non-surgical removal method does not cause painand you won't have to worry about visiting a surgeon. A few days and a new, uninfected nail will start to grow.
If the obvious symptoms disappear, the treatment is considered complete, but you need to make sure of this by carrying out repeated tests, twice.
The tests are carried out once at the end of the treatment cycle and again one month after the patient's recovery date.
The mycologist must not only prescribe a course of treatment, but also monitor how it proceeds and what results it brings. Even after complete recovery, it is necessary to visit a doctor and take preventive measures to avoid relapse.
Laser treatment
Laser treatment is a type of physical therapy. Exposure to a laser beam is not used as a separate treatment method.
For maximum positive effectlaser therapy is combined with other drugs. Improves blood circulation and has a beneficial effect on the nutrition of the nail plate.
Therefore, antifungal drugs penetrate deeper into the infected area. But it is impossible to kill the infection with laser alone. However, there are no contraindications to the procedure; reduces the likelihood of reinfection. This is a painless and completely safe method of treating a disease such as onychomycosis.
Therapeutic pedicure
Therapeutic pedicure for nail mycosis is performed with the aim of having a healing effect on the nails and skin of the feet.
This procedure prevents the development of the disease and the further spread of fungal spores.During the pedicure, the affected areas of the skin of the feet and nails are removed..
Therapeutic pedicure is especially important for patients who:
- ingrown toenails often occur;
- they have many corns on their feet, corns, warts on their feet;
- they have a thin and weak nail plate.
The main goal of the procedure is disinfection. Therapeutic pedicure helps remove yellowness, irregularities and bumps from the nails. Before applying paint, be sure to ask your doctor if this is acceptable.
Important!
Be careful and careful when choosing a specialist. Make sure you are qualified and that your pedicure tools are processed correctly.
Prevention of mycosis on the legs
To avoid such an unpleasant disease, you just need to be careful and periodically do fungal prevention. A trip to the beach, pool, gym or bathhouse can cause big problems. The fact is that fungal pathogens are very resistant to external influences. Fungal spores tolerate heating, drying and freezing.
There are several main causes of infection. Follow the following rules to avoid illnesses:
- do not walk on the beach without shoes;
- in the bathhouse and sauna be sure to use closed rubber shoes that protect against splashes;
- after bathing, dry your feet thoroughly, paying special attention to the folds between the toes, also use powder or a special antifungal cream;
- do not use someone else's shoes;
- Wear clean socks or socks every day.
Conclusion
When the immune system is strong and functioning normally, mycosis on the legs will not harm the body even after infection, thanks to the protective capabilities of the immune system. If the fungus begins to spread on the nails, you need to contact a dermatologist or mycologist as soon as possible, who will prescribe the optimal treatment regimen.