Many legs in leg legs can make people think they have a fungal infection of the nails, from a medical point of view, known as onychomycosis. Nail fungi infection sometimes makes the condition contagious or associated with poor hygiene. In fact, up to 10% of all adults have fungal nail infections. This percentage increases to 20% of adults over 60 years. In fact, nails not normally can be caused by a series of conditions, including fungal infection, but not limited. There are many other reasons why nails can be different.
Nail fungus treatment
Onicycosis is a fungal infection, generally caused by a special type of fungus, known as dermatophyte. Since most of these infections are relatively superficial, it seems that current procedures should work well. This is not so, because the nail is relatively impenetrable. Examples of states that are often confused with fungal nails include yellow (onicolysis), hematoma, green nails (caused by pseudomonas bacteria), bones (usually associated with psoriasis), nail infection (vaporonia) and late injuries.
What other conditions can be taken for fungal nails?
Here are some other conditions that can be instead of fungus nails:
Lines and ridges: They are common and can be considered normal. They can worsen during pregnancy. A great groove in the nail center can be caused by injuries. Some people may notice these changes after chemotherapy.
Senile girls: with age, the nails become fragile and develop the ridges and separation of the nail layers at the end of the nail. To avoid this, it is necessary to use special solutions and bathrooms.
White or yellowish nails can occur due to onicolysis. This means separating the plate from the nail base. The color that the shape is the air under the nail. The treatment consists of briefly cutting the plate, not cleaning under and polishing. If you need to hide the color, you must wait two or three months. Constant onkelos can make nails susceptible to fungal infection. Red or black plates due to bruise or blood under the nail, as a rule, are caused by injury. If there is a black spot under the nail, which is not caused by an injury, you must visit a dermatologist or orthopedist to make sure this is not melanoma (the type of skin cancer associated with pigmented cells). Simple biopsy can exclude malignancy (cancer).
Green plates can be caused by the bacteria of pseudomonas, which grow under the clove, which is partially separated from the nail base. This infection can cause an unpleasant nail smell. The treatment consists of cutting the nails briefly every four weeks, do not clean, polish if you need to hide the color and wait two to three months. It is also recommended to avoid soaking the plates in any water (and completely drying the legs after the bathroom. If the problem has not disappeared, there are drug recipes for the treatment that the doctor prescribes. The nails affected by psoriasis can also be brown.
The edema and redness of the skin around the nail are called Paronyquia. This is a skin infection at the bottom of the nail (cuticle). If the infection is acute (it has a quick beginning), it is usually caused by bacteria. You can react to hot baths, but it is better not to self -medicate, but see a doctor immediately. Chronic paronichia occurs when the cuticle is inflamed or irritated over time. Sometimes fungi use damaged skin and infect it. The therapy begins with the fact that the skin remains dry and excreted from water. If the problem does not disappear, you should consult a doctor. Antibiotics are not used often, but they may be necessary with severe infection.
Chronic nail lesion can cause nail damage, which may resemble fungal nails a lot. Some injuries can cause constant changes that can imitate the appearance of fungal nails. Microconidii trichophyton fungus, who lives on the ground and can cause fungal infections of the skin, hair or nails.
What causes fungal infections and what are some risk factors?
In normal healthy people, fungal nail infections are caused more frequently by a fungus, which falls in humid areas. The communal showers, as in the gym or swimming pools, common sources. The transition to nails that use inappropriate cleaning of tools (for example, clipper, fillets and foot baths), in addition to life with family members who have fungal diseases, are also risk factors. It was shown that athletes are more susceptible to the fungus of the nail.
This is supposed to be due to the fact that densely adjusted and sweaty boots associated with the repeated lesion of the nails on the legs. The presence of sports loads makes the fungus more likely to infect nails on the legs. The repeated lesion also weakens the plaque, which makes it more susceptible to fungal infection. These include everything that worsens the immune system can make a person prone to infection with a fungus. These include conditions such as AIDS, diabetes, cancer, psoriasis or the adoption of any immunosuppressive, such as steroids.
Are fungal nails contagious?
Although the fungus must be obtained somewhere, it is not very contagious. It is so common that finding more than one person in a family that has this is nothing more than an accidental coincidence. The fungus can be transmitted from person to person, but only with constant intimate contact.
What are the symptoms of fungi and the signs of the nails?
Although fungal nails are usually cosmetic problems, some patients experience pain and discomfort. These symptoms can be aggravated by inappropriate shoes, activity and ornaments. There are many types of fungi that can affect nails. However, the most common, however, is called Trichophyton Rubrum. This type of fungus tends to infect the skin (known as dermatophyte) and is manifested in the following specific methods. Start at the ends of the nails and lift the plate: it is called "distal onylomycosis. "This is the most common type of fungal infection of nails in adults and children (90% of cases).
It is more common in the fingers of the feet, the thumb is usually the first to influence. Risk factors include old age, swimming, sports loads, psoriasis, diabetes, family members with an infection or a depressed immune system. Usually, it begins as an colorless area in the corner of the thumb and slowly extends to the cuticle. It is often accompanied by onicolysis. The most common cause is T.
It begins at the base of the nail and lifts a nail: it is called the "onylomycosis of the proximal tendon". This is the least common type of fungal damage (approximately 3% of cases). It looks like a distal guy, but begins with a cuticle (nail base) and extends slowly to the tip of the nail. This type is almost always found in people with a damaged immune system. It is rarely possible to see fragments under the tip of the nail with this condition, unlike the distal onychomycosis of Snndrily. The most common cause is the Mold T. Rubrum and the dermatophyte.
Onychomycosis yeast: This type is caused by yeast called Candida, and not by the Tichophyton fungus, previously appointed. This is more common in the nails and is a common cause of fungal nails. Patients may be associated with Paronyquia (cuticle infection). Candida can cause yellow nails, brown, white or thickened. Some people who have this infection also have fungi in the mouth or chronic paronichia), which is also infected with pores. White surface onicycosis: In this state of a nail, a doctor can often clean the white dust material at the top of the nail plate. This condition is more common in tropical environments and caused by a well -known fungus and Trichofitii Managoff.
What tests use health specialists to diagnose fungal nails?
It was shown that only a physical exam is an unreliable method to diagnose fungal nails. There are many conditions that can make nails be damaged, so even doctors have a difficult time. In fact, studies have shown that only about 50% - 60% of cases of abnormal nail appearance were caused by a fungus. Therefore, laboratory tests are almost always indicated. Some insurance companies can even request a confirmation of a laboratory test for diagnosis to cover an antimicotic medicine. A sample plate is obtained by cutting the nail or drilling a hole in it. This piece is sent to the laboratory where you can paint, cultivate or try using PCR (to identify the genetic material of organisms) to identify the presence of the fungus.
If the negative result of biopsy is accompanied by a high clinical suspicion, for example, plates that are breakdown, bleached, greased and loose, this requires a second test due to the prevalence of false negative results in these tests. Most medications used to treat nail fungus have side effects, so they must become familiar with contraindications.
What specialists treat nail fungus?
There are several doctors who can provide nail fungus treatment. The doctor's doctor, treating orthopedist can treat nail fungus. Any of these doctors can provide adequate diagnosis and prescribe specific medications for fungal infection. An orthopedic or dermatologist can shake the upper layer of the nail or even eliminate part of the nail.
What fungal nail treatment is required?
Creams and other relevant drugs are traditionally less effective against nail fungi than oral medications. This is due to the fact that nails are too complicated for the penetration of external applications. It is also difficult to adhere to local treatment schemes. Often, these medications require daily applications during the period of time up to one year to see the results. One of the main advantages of local treatment is the minimum risk of serious side effects and interaction with medicines compared to oral therapy.
Coral antifungal therapy operates in approximately 50-75% of cases, depending on the medication. This can take nine to twelve months to make sure it will work or not, because this is the time you need to accumulate the nail. Even when therapy works, the fungus can return in approximately 20-50% of cases. Currently, oral antifungal therapy is considered the best tool to treat leg fungi due to higher healing rates and a shorter duration of treatment compared to local therapy.
There are several innovative treatment methods that are still verified:
- Laser therapy or photodynamic therapy use the use of active light agents on a plate, followed by a bright light of the corresponding wavelength in the nail.
- The use of electric current to help the absorption of relevant antifungal drugs in a clove: Istofores is also called.
- The use of a special nail polish that changes the nail microclimate to be inhospitable for fungus growth: if it works, it can be an economical way to treat this problem in the future.
A way of finally getting rid of the fungus of the nail is the operation. Surgical treatment of onhomicosis includes nail elimination. However, this often only provides temporary relief, and relapse is common if additional antifungal (oral or local) drugs are not used at the same time. However, surgical elimination can be justified if the touched nail is associated with other factors, such as injuries or infections.
Is it possible to avoid the appearance of nail fungus on the legs?
Since the fungus really blooms in warm wet areas (for example, sweaty legs), there are certain areas that should be avoided or used with caution. It is assumed that showers, changing rooms and pools are sources of fungi, although there are no studies that confirm this fact.
Nail varnish and acrylic nails also make a dish less "breathing" and make it more susceptible to fungal infection. The fungi are everywhere, in the air, the dust and the floor. Hygienic measures, such as spraying socks and shoes, are reasonable, and perhaps these measures can even help a bit. However, avoiding dense, non -respiratory or gender boots for sports facilities, it can be the best prevention. Daily leg washing and drying between the fingers can help prevent nail fungus. Fungi are transferred to pets, such as cats and dogs. However, they often do not cause a disease.
How to determine nail fungus?
The treatment of fungal nails can be difficult and can take up to 18 months. Reinfection and reinfection are common (40% -70% reinfection frequency). An attempt to eliminate or change risk factors, if possible, is important to prevent infection. People who have medical diseases who predispose them to fungal lesions can be cured further by the fungus.
Tips for the prevention of nail fungus treatment
The fungus causes only 50% -60% of non -inflative nails. It is difficult to immediately notice the difference between the various reasons of the bleached nails (even for doctors). Onychomycosis is often not treated. The reasons why medical treatment is mainly necessary with the leather lesions of the legs or nails.