Thumbnail fungus is an infectious pathology. It manifests itself in the weakening of the body's protective functions and non-compliance with hygienic measures. Fungal microorganisms infect the nail plate and move to nearby areas.
image of a small mushroom
Causes of thumb nail fungus
Poor hygiene is the main cause of infection. You can often get it from another person. Thus, if you do not follow preventive measures, all people in the infected area can get pathological. The photo shows an example of a nail fungus.
The thumb plate is prone to onychomycosis due to its structural features. Mycelial fibers spread faster than other media. The reason is a large concentration of blood vessels and nerve endings.
Defeat can develop against the background of some prone factors:
- endocrine pathologies;
- varicose veins;
- hormonal imbalance;
- slow metabolism (especially for the elderly);
- circulatory disorders;
- psoriasis;
- dermatitis (inflammation);
- eczema;
- pathology of the immune system;
- severe pathologies such as hepatitis and HIV;
- general use of hygiene items;
- Frequent wearing of inappropriate shoes (from dense, low-quality materials).
Onychomycosis is rare in children. The main group susceptible to the disease are the elderly. This is due to changes in the body and a decrease in protective abilities. The second group includes pregnant and lactating women, as well as menopausal women.
People living in humid climates or often in sports clubs, baths, swimming pools and saunas are also at risk. About 30% of the time, the non-sterile tools used for pedicures are contaminated.
Symptoms of small picture fungus
Despite the specific characteristics of nail fungus species, the symptoms are the same in all cases. The initial manifestations of the infection are severe itching, burning, peeling of the skin at the site of the lesion. Gradually, as the infection penetrates deeper, cracks and bubbles form between the fingers, forming open foci.
The following stages of defeat can be distinguished:
- appearance of whitish or yellow spots (sometimes streaked) on the nail plate, thickening of the plaque, itching;
- Thickening and discoloration of the plaque, the appearance of an unpleasant odor, redness of the surrounding skin, inflammation and swelling.
- nail destruction, appearance of open wounds around, discomfort when walking.
The affected nail may begin to grow inside the pillow. Pus often appears in the corners of the nail. If the disease is not taken into account, the nail will break completely.
Color changes vary depending on the type of pathogen:
- dermatophyte - yellowish or whitish streaks, resulting in a single color;
- yeast type - brown color, wavy structure of the board;
- mold type - the nail is black or green.
With a fungal infection, the top layer becomes rough and harmful microorganisms immediately spread to other parts of the body. They penetrate the skin and infect the rest of the skin and feet. The form of pathology becomes chronic. Others are more likely to be infected.
Thumbnail Fungus Treatment
Only a doctor knows how to treat a fungus on the thumb. The hospital determines the nature of the disease, the level of infection, as well as the specific characteristics of the patient's body. Based on the information received, the specialist prepares a number of therapeutic measures. The following should be considered when developing a treatment:
- affected area;
- depth of infection penetration;
- duration of the disease;
- The nature of the fungus.
The therapy course may include:
- Varnishes and solutions. Antifungal agents. Suitable for early stages of infectionThe composition is used to cover the affected area and forget for a while. The drug is used 3-5 times a week. Then take a break and reapply the same tool. The total duration of therapy varies from 6 to 12 months.
- Ointments, gels, sprays and creams. Antifungal purpose. It is applied to the affected areas and can be used at any stage of infection.
- Internal medicine. Antimycotic drugs and tablets are prescribed at a later stage in the pathological development. There are a number of contraindications and side effects. Must be prescribed by a physician.
- Immunostimulants and vitamins. Recommended in addition to external and internal antifungal drugs. These include supplements and supplements containing magnesium and iron, B vitamins, folic acid, and zinc and selenium. They stimulate the body's protective functions. Useful in all stages of thumb nail fungus.
- Laser. Indicated for fingernails. It will not completely eliminate the fungus, but will prevent recurrence of growth.
Antifungal drugs are designed to completely eliminate the infection. Destroys harmful microorganisms & prevents their rapid spreadAs a rule, they have a cumulative effect and accelerate the course of therapeutic course. Properly covered, it will withstand a great deal of adverse conditions.
Complete treatment of fungal infections is achieved in 2-4 months. Sometimes the therapy lasts more than six months.
If the damage to the nail tissue is severe, the nail can be removed. Removal is performed with special aggressive compounds or surgery. This method is the most reliable and completely eliminates the pathology.
There are no side effects to the procedure. The algorithm can be described as follows: a finger with an affected nail is treated with an antiseptic. The doctor then applies a tourniquet and injects anesthesia.
After removal of the nail plate by various surgical instruments, the nail bed is freed from dead tissue and the place is treated with iodine solution. Finally, an antiseptic compress is applied to the finger.
With a well-chosen therapy, the manifestations of the disease should be weakened, the skin should be free of lesions and the nail plate should return to its natural healthy appearance. However, the emergence of parasites can only be reliably studied by laboratory tests. It is carried out after 14 days and one month after the course of treatment.
Traditional treatment of small fungi
Regardless of the type of nail fungus, treatment with traditional folk remedies is not recommended. In most cases, it is ineffective, has little effect or aggravates the situation. Especially if the therapy is carried out independently.
However, there are many recipes that can facilitate the course of the disease. The most common tools are:
- Tea tree oil. Proven antiseptic. Partially kills harmful bacteria & has antifungal effect
- Potato juice. It is made from potato peels. Foot baths are prepared from the composition in 20 minutes. The procedure is daily.
- Lemon. Citrus fruits are cut into slices and applied to the contaminated surface. Can be fixed with a cellophane bag and sterile bandage. Course duration - 8-10 days.
- A mixture of water and acid. In the same proportion, 70% acetic acid and pure water are combined. The composition is kneaded into a dough and applied to the infected area for 10-20 minutes. The duration of the course is 3-5 days. Helps remove affected nail
- Salt baths. Take 20 grams of sea salt in a liter of warm water. Stir and lower your feet there. Follow every day for 14 days.
- Aspen juice. Take 100 grams of maple bark, grind, pour half a liter of water and bring to a boil. The affected legs evaporate in the composition. To increase the effectiveness, the skin can be pre-coated with a mixture of baking soda and plain laundry soap without additives. The procedure is daily.
It is important to note: It is contraindicated for women not to bathe. The high temperature of the water causes blood to flow to the pelvic organs. This can lead to premature birth. It is better to use propolis or tea tree oil.
Traditional methods can be effective in the early stages of the disease. In this case, the fungus can go with local treatment with simple natural antiseptics.
For example, herbal teas, such as bright green, iodine or hydrogen peroxide. If onychomycosis persists for a long time, the patient needs a well-thought-out complex therapy of drugs that have a general and local effect. Unknowingly, many patients limit themselves to folk recipes, gels and ointments and resort only to external antifungals. However, this method does not work in most cases.
Precautions
Fungal prevention measures are divided into two types - primary and secondary.
The first task is to prevent infection in healthy people. The recommendations are as follows:
- Follow the rules of personal hygiene. Especially when it comes to choosing shoes and pedicure tools.
- Don't wear other people's clothes. Shoes and socks should only be yourself.
- Do not walk barefoot in public places such as baths or the beach.
- Prevent damage to nails and around the board.
- Treat your hands with antiseptics. Especially if the skin is damaged.
- If you suspect a fungal infection, seek medical attention immediately.
Secondary preventive measures are designed to prevent recurrence of the disease. To avoid exposure to nail fungus a second time, you should follow these tips:
- Strictly follow medical instructions;
- limit the duration of stay in the water;
- Do not go to public places such as the beach or sauna;
- Disinfect personal manicure tools;
- throw away shoes and socks that come in contact with a fungus-contaminated body;
- Disinfect shoes using special compounds.
In addition, you should monitor the correctness of the diet, avoid long-term stress and neglect physical activity.
So it is not difficult to get a fungus and start a disease. However, treatment can take a lot of time, effort and material waste. At the first sign of defeat, you should not delay seeing a doctor. Early therapy is easier and faster. If the disease begins, the nail should be removed.