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It is called a fungal infection of the nail and nail fold on the hands or feet. This disease is one of the most common dermatological problems worldwide. According to some data, this problem occurs in 5–15% of the population. The incidence is slightly higher in men and increases sharply in old age ( after 60 years, onychomycosis occurs 3–4 times more often).

Fungal nail infections can be caused by various types of microorganisms, but almost always have similar manifestations. The disease is contagious, so both dermatologists and infectious disease specialists are involved in its treatment. Concomitant systemic diseases and other factors contributing to infection play a major role in the development of the disease.

Isolated onychomycosis is quite rare. Most often, patients experience parallel skin lesions on the feet or hands. Due to the absence of pronounced symptoms and a serious threat to health or life, people usually do not turn to a specialist for a thorough diagnosis and treatment for a long time. In this regard, onychomycosis is often considered more of a cosmetic problem.

Nail structure

From an anatomical point of view, nails are a derivative of the surface layer of the skin ( epidermis). They are located on the back of the fingers and toes. Nails do not have a clear physiological function, but some researchers point to their protective role. To a greater extent, they are necessary for various manipulations in everyday life.

The structure of the nail is usually divided into two main parts:

Nail body. The body is the visible flat plate on the back of the finger. Normally, it has a shiny surface, has fairly high strength and a certain elasticity. The anterior edge of the body is free. The lateral edges rest against the skin ridges, limiting the growth of the nail in width. The thickness of the body is several millimeters and is determined mainly by genetic factors. It has a layered structure, and therefore layer-by-layer destruction or detachment of the nail plate can be observed. Proximal edge of the body ( basal) connects to the root of the nail. The lower surface of the nail plate is firmly attached to the underlying tissues with the help of short ligaments. They hold the nail firmly in its bed.
Nail root. The root or matrix represents the growth zone. It is located under the skin ridge at the base ( cuticle) and contains specific epithelial cells. For most people, this zone is visible at the very edge in the form of a narrow white stripe ( hole). The cells responsible for nail growth are called onychoblasts. They have the ability to quickly divide and form the body plate itself. As new cells form, the entire body of the nail moves toward the edge of the finger.

From the point of view of the chemical structure, a special protein predominates in nails - keratin. It is responsible for the fibrous structure of the fabric and gives it higher strength. In humans, keratin is present in the superficial layer of the epithelium of the skin and in the hair. In animals, horns and some parts of a bird's beak are made of keratin. It is the amount of keratin in nails that largely determines the strength of nails as a whole. Like other proteins, it is produced by cells from genetic information encoded in DNA. As a result, some people's nails may be more brittle, soft, or thin. Sometimes this is not a symptom of any pathology, but an individual feature.

In addition to keratin, nails contain a small amount of fat and water. This gives the fabric a specific shine and a certain elasticity. Additional chemical elements include calcium, phosphorus, zinc and chromium. All of them are important for normal onychoblast division and tissue growth. With some disturbances in the metabolism of calcium and phosphorus, nail growth may slow down or stop altogether.

Nail growth is a physiological process and occurs at an average rate of 0.5 - 2 mm per week. At the same time, fingernails grow almost twice as fast. Growth disturbances are one of the signs of onychomycosis or other diseases. In general, nails can react to many different pathological processes in the body, changing their shape, color or growth rate.

Fungi affecting nails

Not all fungi can infect nails. Determining the specific pathogen in a patient is of great importance for predicting the disease and prescribing effective treatment. This is explained by the fact that different groups of pathogens are sensitive to different drugs.

From an epidemiological point of view, each individual geographical zone is characterized by its own types of fungi. However, there are a number of microorganisms that are found almost everywhere. Each of them has its own characteristics in the development of onychomycosis. Sometimes this helps to suspect the type of fungus even before prescribing a special analysis.

The most common pathogens of onychomycosis are:

dermatophytes;
yeast mushrooms;
mold fungi.

Dermatophytes

Dermatophytes are a group of imperfect fungi that can cause some diseases of the skin, hair and nails. Basically, the development of these microorganisms occurs under conditions of decreased general or local immunity. Without this, onychomycosis caused by dermatophytes rarely appears in healthy people. The source of infection in this case can be other people or animals, but the main reservoir is the soil. Fungal spores can be stored in it for many years. Germination and active development of fungi occurs best on dead keratinocytes ( cells containing large amounts of keratin).

The most important types of dermatophytes affecting nails are:

Trichophyton rubrum. This type usually affects the tips of the nails, after which the infection gradually spreads towards the root. It usually develops in parallel on several fingers of one limb or on the fingers of different limbs. Toenails are most often affected ( in 65 – 70% of cases). At the same time, the nail looks thickened and roughened, and may flake. Upon careful examination of the skin of the finger, you can notice its dryness and peeling, which indicates a parallel infection of the epithelium.
Trichophyton mentagrophytes ( interdigitale) . With this type of pathogen, white superficial onychomycosis develops. The fungus loves moisture, so the risk of infection is increased when visiting baths, saunas and swimming pools. A typical sign is focal damage to the nails of the big toes. Fingernails are rarely affected. In almost all patients, parallel skin lesions can be found between the fingers.
Other dermatophytes. In addition to the above two types, nails are sometimes affected by other fungi of this family - Trichophyton schoenleinii, Trichophyton violaceum, Epidermaphyton floccosum. Onychomycosis caused by these types of fungi occurs in less than 5% of cases. They mainly develop against the background of severe concomitant diseases.

Almost all dermatophytes form mycelium during growth. This is like a common rhizome for all fungi in the colony. It is attached to the nail by hyphae - filamentous structures that grow into the body of the nail. Due to this, gradual destruction of the tissue occurs.

Yeast mushrooms

Yeasts of the genus Candida are most often considered to be the causative agents of onychomycosis. They normally live on the surface of human skin and mucous membranes. Thus, contact with other sick people is not necessary for the development of nail lesions. In conditions of reduced immunity, yeast fungi simply spread to the nail area. A special feature is that this genus does not form mycelium. In this regard, the surface of the nail plate is rarely directly affected. Infection typically begins at the proximal end of the nail ( from the root, under the skin ridge). As the disease progresses, the surface film peels off, causing the plate to lose its luster. Statistically, onychomycosis caused by yeast fungi is found more often on the hands ( in approximately 60% of cases). During the course of the disease there are periods of subsidence ( remission) and exacerbations ( relapses).

The main pathogens from the genus Candida are the following fungi:

C. albicans;
C. tropicalis;
C. parapsilosis.

Molds

More than 40 different types of molds can cause onychomycosis. They are ubiquitous, so it is difficult to identify the predominant source of infection for these microorganisms. Nail infections by this group of fungi are quite rare, but can cause serious difficulties in diagnosis and treatment. The fact is that mold fungi do not give typical symptoms. Without special bacteriological analysis, according to clinical observations, it is very difficult to distinguish them from dermatophytes. At the same time, this group of fungi requires different treatment. In this regard, patients with such onychomycosis are often treated for a long time and unsuccessfully before a correct diagnosis is made. Molds mainly affect toenails.

The most common pathogens of the disease are the following fungi from this group:

Scopulariopsis brevicaulis;
Aspergillus ( different kinds);
Alternaria;
Fusarium.

Molds can form hyphae and lead to rapid destruction of the nail. In addition, some of them pose a risk of further spread throughout the body with damage to internal organs. Most often, such complications occur in individuals with severely weakened immune systems.

Prevalence of onychomycosis pathogens in Europe

The causative agent of the disease	Frequency of toenail lesions	Frequency of fingernail lesions
Dermatophytes of the genus Trichophyton	75 – 80%	30 – 40%
Yeasts of the genus Candida	8 – 10%	45 – 50%
Molds of various types	10 – 15%	10 – 15%
Other fungal infections	About 1%	Less than 1%

In addition, studies have been conducted to prove that onychomycosis can be caused by a combination of several types of pathogen. This makes correct diagnosis and treatment very difficult, since after isolating one microorganism, doctors often stop searching. In practice, a combination of two types of dermatophytes is most often found. Other pathogen associations are found very rarely. Cases of nail damage by a combination of three different fungi have also been proven.

How can you become infected with a fungus?

Onychomycosis is an infectious disease, which, as mentioned above, has its own pathogens. Like any other infection, fungi have their own sources and transmission mechanisms. Most often, the infection enters the body from the external environment, but fungus from the skin can also spread to the nails. In this case, they talk about autoinfection. This requires some external stimulus ( for example, a sharp decrease in immunity or impaired nutrition of the nail).

The following sources of infection are typical for onychomycosis pathogens:

Other people. Many fungi belong to the category of anthroponotic infections, that is, they only affect humans. In this case, infection occurs through household items from a sick person or carrier. Fungal spores land on washcloths, towels, shoes, nail scissors and thus infect healthy nails. The natural reservoir for such infections is the soil, in which fungi can survive as spores for months or even years.
Animals. Some animal species can carry fungal infections. A person usually becomes infected through contact with domestic animals. Onychomycosis caused by these types of pathogens is more common in tropical countries.
Environment. Some types of fungi can reproduce without the participation of living organisms. Then infection occurs through contact with water, plants or soil in which microorganisms were located. This is especially true for pathogens from the group of molds.

Based on this, we can conclude that fungal infections do not have specific sources. It is very difficult to protect yourself from them, since these microorganisms are ubiquitous. This explains the high incidence of onychomycosis, which is recorded throughout the world.

Fortunately, the diversity of sources of fungal infection is compensated by low infectivity. Every person comes into contact with a huge number of infectious agents during his life, but not every contact ends with the development of onychomycosis. This is due to the high efficiency of immune defense against fungal infection. Thus, in the process of infection, not only contact with the microorganism plays a role, but also the state of human health. For completely healthy people, the risk of fungal infection is very small. In this regard, it is necessary to know some factors that increase the likelihood of illness. Their identification helps in the treatment of the disease and its prevention.

The following risk factors increase the risk of infection:

elderly age;
mechanical damage to nails;
fungal skin infection;
weakened immunity;
frequent visits to public baths and saunas.

Elderly age

Statistically, onychomycosis occurs in older people several times more often than in children or middle-aged people. However, there remains a slight predisposition to the disease in males.

The likelihood of fungal nail infections in older people increases for the following reasons:

Slowdown of metabolic processes. It's no secret that in old age, metabolism throughout the body is slowed down. This is also reflected in the process of nail growth. In particular, due to digestive problems, there may be a lack of certain chemical elements or vitamins necessary for the normal formation of the nail plate. Against the background of growth disturbances, fungi reproduce more easily and colonize tissues faster.
Poor circulation. As many people age, they experience poor circulation. This is especially pronounced in the capillaries on the fingertips, which sometimes become completely overgrown. Problems with the cardiovascular system, common in old age, also contribute to this process. Poor blood circulation leads to oxygen starvation of tissues. This prevents the body from fighting the proliferation of fungi.
Late diagnosis. Older people often take less care of their appearance and greatly precipitate the disease. Cosmetic defects with onychomycosis bother them less than young people. In this regard, a doctor is consulted already in the later stages of the disease.
Poor personal hygiene. In old age, many people find it difficult to take care of themselves due to other illnesses. Because of this, older people are less likely to perform thorough hygienic cleaning of their nails and nail beds. This gives the fungi time to develop and colonize the nail plates.

Diabetes

One of the common complications of diabetes is damage to small vessels. Most often this concerns the capillary network on the legs. Deterioration of blood supply and metabolism in such people leads to the appearance of diabetic foot. The tissues begin to gradually die, and ulcers appear on the skin. One of the first signs of this complication may be onychomycosis. In this case, the fungus often affects not only the nails, but also the skin of the feet ( especially interdigital spaces and skin folds). The intensity of fungal infection directly depends on blood sugar levels. A course of treatment for diabetes in such cases will slow down the process and eliminate the fungal infection.

Mechanical damage to nails

Mechanical damage to the nails occurs in almost every person. This may be excessively deep cutting, breaking off or a crack in the nail plate. The problem is that the injury stops or impairs the supply of nutrients to a certain area of the nail. This creates a favorable environment for fungal growth. From such a focus, the infection can subsequently spread to healthy tissue.

Vascular diseases

There are a number of systemic diseases in which damage to the vascular walls can be observed. First of all, these are rheumatological pathologies ( scleroderma, systemic lupus erythematosus, etc.). Small vessels on the arms and legs become overgrown, and blood circulation, accordingly, worsens. This process is especially pronounced in people with Raynaud's syndrome, when blood supply deteriorates due to spasm of small vessels.

Deep vein thrombosis in the legs, or varicose veins, can also predispose to fungal infections. With these pathologies, there is a slowdown in blood circulation and stagnation of blood in the tissues. This disrupts metabolism and reduces the body's ability to resist infection.

Fungal skin infection

In people with fungal infections of the hands and feet, the chance of nail infection increases many times over. The fact is that most types of fungi equally easily affect the skin and nails. It is almost impossible to avoid infection from spreading to neighboring areas. Itching is often observed with mycoses of the skin. Scratching the affected areas automatically leads to the introduction of fungus under the nails. Over time, this leads to the development of onychomycosis.

Weakened immunity

Deterioration of blood circulation and metabolism leads to weakening of local immunity. However, with some diseases, a serious weakening of general immunity can be observed. First of all, we are talking about HIV ( AIDS virus). The body gradually loses its ability to resist any infection. Serious fungal infections of the skin and nails occur in more than 80% of HIV-infected people. In these cases, the disease will develop actively, involving more and more areas of tissue and severe deformation of the nail plates. Standard treatment antifungal drugs however, it is ineffective.

In addition to HIV, long-term severe infectious diseases can lead to weakened immunity. A course of antibiotic therapy aggravates the situation, because fungi are not sensitive to antibiotics. Their growth against this background can only intensify. Somewhat less frequently, rapid development of a fungal infection is observed after a course of treatment with corticosteroids, cytostatics or antidepressants. A weakened immune system is a side effect of these medications.

Frequent visits to public baths and saunas

Frequent visits to baths and saunas simply increases the risk of encountering an infection. In most cases, the fungus gets on the nails during water procedures. Of course, sharing towels or washcloths increases the risk even more.

The mechanism of fungal nail infection

When fungi get on a healthy nail, the disease develops very slowly. Without disturbances in the nutrition of the nail plate and in the normal state of the immune system, most pathogens will not be able to begin colonizing tissues. However, if the above risk factors are present, the disease begins to develop. A fungal infection is fixed on a certain part of the nail plate ( usually on the free or side edge) and gradually destroys the weakened nail. The main source of “nutrition” in this case are dead keratinocytes.

As some fungi grow, they create mycelium. It helps them attach to the nail plate. At the same time, air cavities are created in the thickness of the nail. Because of this, the fabric delaminates or collapses. With the help of hyphae, the fungus attaches well to the surface of the nail and begins to grow into it. The defect may increase in both width and depth over time. Mechanical cleaning of the nail or removing the surface layer at this stage no longer gives anything, since the deep layers of the nail plate are also affected.

If the infection reaches the matrix, the formation of nail tissue may be disrupted. Onychoblasts stop synthesizing chemicals necessary for normal nail growth. In this regard, growth may stop or the newly formed areas will have defects. All this only aggravates the course of the disease, promoting the development of fungi. Thus, it is better to start treatment as early as possible, while the growth area is not yet affected by infection.

According to the mechanism of nail damage, the following forms of onychomycosis are distinguished:

distal-lateral subungual form;
superficial white form;
proximal subungual form;
total dystrophy.

Distal-lateral subungual form

This form of the disease usually indicates a recent infection and is recognized by many specialists as the initial stage of the process. In most patients, without qualified treatment, onychomycosis develops into other forms. At first, damage to the free ( distal) edges of the nail plate or its lateral edges.

In almost 85% of cases, this type of onychomycosis is caused by the pathogen Trichophyton rubrum, which has got under the edge of the nail from the surface of the skin. At first, narrow yellow-gray stripes may be observed along the edge of the nail plate. After this, the edge becomes more brittle and a clear zone of degeneration appears. It is different in color from other areas of the nail and slowly moves towards the matrix. As you progress, delamination of the plate may be observed.

Surface white form

This form occurs more often when nails are damaged by mold fungi or Trichophyton mentagrophytes. The affected areas appear in the form of spots on the surface of the nail plate. Because of this, the white surface form is most clearly visible on the big fingers and toes. The affected area is a different color from the surrounding nail ( usually lighter, often white). Once the edge of the lamina or matrix is reached, no further spread occurs. In the classic course, defects tend to deepen into the thickness of the nail plate without signs of damage to the surrounding skin. Such meager symptoms often lead to patients not seeing a doctor for a long time.

The superficial white form is often found in people who work a lot with water or in damp environments. At the same time, the nail plate becomes softer, which contributes to the appearance of defects in the form of spots. Sometimes this type of onychomycosis is observed after the end of the course of treatment for the fungus, when the pathogen has not been completely destroyed.

Proximal subungual form

This form is the most rare in medical practice. With it, the lesion occurs from the side of the nail fold above the nail root. The causative agent of proximal onychomycosis is usually fungi from the Candida family, which can enter the matrix area from the surrounding skin.

A distinctive feature of this form is the thickening of the nail at its base and a change in the color of the hole, while the plate itself ( body) remains unchanged for some time. Due to damage to the root, nail growth is quickly disrupted. As the disease progresses, gradual detachment of the entire plate begins ( even if she herself shows no signs of infection).

Total dystrophy

Total dystrophy is the most serious form of fungal nail infection. It can develop from the above forms in the absence of qualified treatment. Typical for it is focal or widespread destruction of the nail. It may be preceded by a gradual thinning of the body or a change in its color. The disease usually takes years to develop to this stage. A rapid transition from distal-lateral subungual onychomycosis to total dystrophy usually indicates the presence of systemic diseases that aggravate the course of the disease. This form is more common in older people. In childhood, such cases are recorded extremely rarely.

Regardless of the form of nail damage and its intensity, you must consult a doctor, because onychomycosis never goes away on its own. Having multiplied and penetrated the nail plate, the fungal infection becomes very persistent. The usual strengthening of the immune system will no longer return the nails to their previous appearance. The process may stop, slow down or progress, but will not go backwards. Under the influence of the correct course of treatment, the fungus will die, and the nail growth mechanisms will return to normal operation. As a result of this, the nail will regain its previous appearance only after it grows back, when the nail plate is completely renewed.

Symptoms of onychomycosis

The symptoms of onychomycosis are largely similar to those of other nail diseases. In this regard, making a diagnosis based only on external signs is almost impossible. However, there are typical local changes that should indicate to the patient the need to consult a specialist. One of the most typical and common symptoms of onychomycosis is a change in the thickness and shape of the nail body.

Changes in the thickness of the nail plate can occur as follows:

Hypertrophy. At the same time, the nail thickens and, as it were, rises from its bed. The thickening is usually uneven on the thumbs and even on the little fingers ( due to the small area of the nail).
Atrophy. Atrophy indicates a serious malnutrition of the nail and is characterized by its thinning.

If there is no visible change in the thickness of the nail, they speak of normotrophic changes. They are observed in the early stages of the disease. However, the symptoms of the disease can be extremely varied.

Main symptoms of onychomycosis

Symptom	Characteristic type of lesion	Short description	Image (example)
*Changing nail color*	Total dystrophy	The color is changed evenly, without pronounced spots. Damage to the entire surface of the plate is observed, often with growth disturbances. The color depends on the type of pathogen.
*Nail surface roughness*	Surface white form	Roughness is determined visually and by touch. It occurs due to superficial destruction of the plate and gradual deepening of defects.
*Dehiscence of the nail plate*		The separation begins from the free edge of the nail and occurs gradually. The area of detachment may increase over time.
*White spots under the nail plate*	Proximal subungual form	Such spots can be caused by the nail peeling off at its base. During the growth process, a cavity forms between the plate and the underlying tissue, which looks like a white spot.
*Loss of shine in nails (dullness)*	Present in various forms of fungal infection	The surface of the nail plate gradually loses its shine. In this case, there are no visible defects on its surface. The uppermost thin layer peels off ( peel), containing fats and water.
*Increased burr formation*	Distal-lateral subungual form	The causative agent of the disease also affects the skin around the nail. In this case, more rapid necrosis of the skin along the edge of the nail occurs, which begins to come off in the form of white or yellowish burrs.
*Detachment of the nail plate*	Proximal subungual form, less often – total dystrophy	Occurs due to disturbances in the growth zone. The plate may not change color much. The peeling occurs evenly, starting from the root of the nail and spreading as it grows.
*Peeling of the skin of the feet and hands*	With concomitant fungal skin infections	The epidermis contains a layer containing a significant amount of keratin. Some types of fungi can affect it at the same time as the nails. The skin peels off in the form of small scales.
*Severe destruction of the nail (onycholysis)*	Total dystrophy	The nail plate is destroyed due to the growth of a fungal colony into its thickness while simultaneously damaging the growth zone. Sooner or later it is observed in almost all patients without specific treatment for onychomycosis.
*Crumbs on the surface of the nail*	Surface white form	The fungus destroys the surface of the nail plate, causing it to begin to crumble. Over time, small defects appear in the form of depressions.

The appearance of any of these symptoms should be a reason to visit a specialist. Starting treatment with antifungal drugs at home without a confirmed diagnosis is fraught with aggravation of the pathological process and serious side effects.

Diagnosis of the cause of onychomycosis

Diagnosis of onychomycosis is aimed at identifying the causative agent of the disease. Usually it presents significant difficulties, since it is difficult to suspect any specific microorganism based on visible symptoms and manifestations. Without specific tests, sometimes it is not even possible to accurately determine whether there is a fungal infection of the nail, or whether all the changes are just a consequence of metabolic disorders or other systemic diseases.

Diagnosis of onychomycosis goes through several stages and includes the following research methods:

clinical data;
microscopic examination;
cultural research;
DNA diagnostics.

Clinical data

Clinical data is a collection of the patient’s symptoms and complaints. With onychomycosis, they usually concern external changes in the nail plates and accompanying skin symptoms. As noted above, the symptoms of onychomycosis are not specific to this disease. They only indicate the fact of nail damage. The cause of the disease can be definitively determined only after more accurate tests are carried out.

Based on the results of clinical data, the doctor has to exclude the following diseases with similar manifestations:

psoriasis ( in case it affects the nails);
keratoderma;
nail nutrition disorders ( vitamin or nutrient deficiencies caused by other diseases).

Microscopic examination

For microscopic examination, a specialist takes a scraping or sample of tissue from the nail plate. The resulting material is treated with a special substance ( usually, KOH solution 10 - 30%) to destroy keratin. After this, it becomes possible to examine the mushrooms under a microscope. An experienced doctor can distinguish the signs of fungal nail infection with high accuracy. Unfortunately, this method does not allow us to determine the type of fungus and select an effective treatment. However, if it is not possible to conduct further research, at this stage it is already possible to prescribe broad-spectrum antifungal drugs ( effective against various types of fungi).

Cultural examination

Cultural examination is the third step in diagnosis and is carried out after microscopy. The material obtained from the patient is inoculated on a special nutrient medium ( Wednesday Sabouraud). It contains all the necessary substances for the rapid development of fungus. Unfortunately, this type of microorganism grows relatively slowly. The results of the study are obtained on average 3 to 5 days after sowing.

The pathogen is identified by the shape of the colonies, their color and growth pattern. This method allows you to make an accurate and definitive diagnosis. An additional advantage is the ability to test the sensitivity of fungi to various drugs. Based on this study, the most effective course of treatment can be prescribed.

DNA diagnostics

Currently, a search is underway for a method that would make it possible to diagnose a fungal infection by detecting its DNA. The material being tested is also a scraping or sample of nail tissue, which presumably contains the pathogen. At the moment, the greatest success has been achieved in the diagnosis of dermatophytes and yeast fungi. It is still difficult to determine mold fungi using this method. The advantage of this method is the high accuracy and speed of research. The result can be obtained within 1 – 2 days. The downside is the relatively low prevalence and the need for special equipment ( which increases the cost of analysis).

Treatment of onychomycosis

There are many different treatment regimens for onychomycosis. Their main task is to quickly and effectively destroy fungal infections. A dermatologist will help determine the method of treatment, the choice of drug and its dosage. Cosmetology clinics often treat onychomycosis.

Hospitalization for this disease is not required. The patient can periodically visit a specialist and independently carry out all his instructions at home. In parallel with treatment, it is important to follow the principles of relapse prevention.

The total duration of treatment largely depends on the form of nail damage and the type of pathogen. In the absence of aggravating factors, a slowdown in the process and positive dynamics can be observed within a few weeks after the start of treatment. To stop the course, it is advisable to undergo additional examinations in order to minimize the likelihood of relapse of the disease.

The following methods are used in the treatment of onychomycosis:

local drug treatment;
systemic drug treatment;
nail removal;
physiotherapeutic procedures;
treatment with folk remedies;
treatment of concomitant pathologies.

Local drug treatment

Local drug treatment is carried out mainly with the help of various creams and ointments containing antifungal drugs. Their prescription can be an independent course of treatment or be combined ( in parallel with taking pills). The main advantage of local therapy is the direct delivery of the drug to the site of the fungal infection. This gives a more pronounced and faster effect. At the same time, creams and ointments do not penetrate deep into the thickness of the nail, so after such a course of treatment the risk of relapse of the disease is increased.

Indications for prescribing only local treatment are:

the process affects less than half of one nail;
pinpoint lesions on several nails;
distal-lateral form of nail damage;
absence of pronounced changes in the shape of the nail;
the presence of contraindications to systemic administration of drugs.

Local treatment, in turn, has almost no contraindications, because the active components of the drugs do not enter the bloodstream. This minimizes the incidence of adverse reactions and complications and makes it possible to extend the course of treatment as necessary.

Basic drugs for local treatment of onychomycosis

Group of drugs	Name of the drug, analogues on the market	Mechanism of action	Reception mode
*Azoles*	*Ketoconazole (nizoral), cream/ointment*	The drugs affect the enzyme system of fungi, slowing their growth and leading to gradual cell destruction.	1 – 2 times/day.
	*Isoconazole (travogen), cream*		1 time/day
	*Clotrimazole (Candida), ointment/cream/solution*		2 times/day.
*Allylamines*	*Terbinafine (Lamisil), cream*	The drugs disrupt the normal functioning of the fungal cell membrane, which gradually leads to its death.	2 times/day.
*Allylamines*	*Naftifine (exoderil), cream/solution*		2 times/day.
*Hydroxypyridone derivatives*	*Cyclopiroxolamine (batrafen), cream/nail polish*	Suppresses the proliferation of most fungi, slowing their growth and development. Over time, microorganisms die.	2 times a day, the nail should be dried after applying the cream.
*Keratolytic agents*	*10% sulfur, 3% salicylic ointment*	Promotes the destruction of dead keratinocytes, which deprives fungi of nutrition.	As prescribed by a doctor.
*Halogen-containing drugs*	*Alcohol tincture of iodine 2%*	Prevents bacterial infection, dries the affected area, and slows down the growth of fungus.	In the form of compresses or lotions 1 – 2 times a day.

Systemic drug treatment

Systemic drug treatment involves taking drugs in the form of tablets and capsules. In this case, the medicinal substance is absorbed in the intestines and enters the blood. Most modern drugs used in the treatment of onychomycosis tend to accumulate in the nails. This gives a more pronounced and lasting therapeutic effect. However, visible improvements occur later than with the use of ointments and creams. The likelihood of relapse with a fully completed course of treatment is relatively low.

Clear indications for prescribing systemic or combination treatment are the following:

severe damage to the entire nail plate;
involvement of the nail root in the pathological process;
nail destruction;
a combination of several types of fungi;
parallel damage to the skin or other areas of the body;
lack of effect after a course of local therapy.

Most antifungal drugs have significant side effects, which are especially severe with long-term use. In this regard, the selection of medication and the regimen for its administration are prescribed only by the attending physician after a thorough examination of the patient. His decision will be influenced not only by the sensitivity of the fungi themselves to the drug, but also by how the patient tolerates the treatment.

Drugs used to treat onychomycosis

Drug name	Mechanism of action and features of the drug	Dose and regimen
*Griseofulvin*	Suppresses protein synthesis in fungi. This leads to a rapid stop of their division and destruction.	The standard dose is 500 mg/day, the maximum is 1 g. The dose can be divided into 2–3 doses. It is advisable to take during or immediately after meals. The course of treatment ranges from 3 to 6 months.
*Ketoconazole*	Blocks biochemical processes in the metabolic chains of fungi. Has pronounced hepatotoxicity ( damages the liver) and antiandrogenic ( blocks the action of male sex hormones) action.	200 mg per day. Long-term treatment is contraindicated due to side effects.
*Itraconazole*	The mechanism of action is similar to ketoconazole.	200 mg 2 times a day for a week once a month. If the fingernails are affected, 2 sessions are prescribed, and if the toenails are affected – 4.
*Fluconazole*	The mechanism of action is similar to ketoconazole. Particularly active against yeast fungi of the genus Candida.	150 – 400 mg once a week. The course of treatment lasts up to 24 weeks.
*Terbinafine*	Active against all types of fungi. Destroys cell membranes, leading to the destruction of microorganisms.	250 mg per day. If the arms are affected, the course of treatment is 6 weeks, if the legs are affected – 12.

The table shows the doses and dosage regimen for adults. For onychomycosis in children, many of the above drugs will be contraindicated, or their dose will be greatly reduced. In this regard, self-treatment of children with antifungal drugs is prohibited due to severe side effects.

Nail removal

Currently, surgical removal of nails affected by fungus is almost never practiced. The main indication for this is the addition of a bacterial infection or a complete lack of effect from drug treatment ( resistant forms of fungi). The addition of a secondary infection occurs quite often with advanced onychomycosis, severe destruction of the nail plate and poor personal hygiene. If a fungal infection is usually limited to the nails and the surface of the skin, then the bacteria can also infect neighboring tissues. This leads to the formation of pus, its accumulation and the development of a serious inflammatory process. In such cases, it is recommended to remove the nail to more thoroughly treat the bacterial infection. It should be understood that even removing a nail is not a radical solution to the problem of onychomycosis. Regardless of this, antifungal medications must be continued, since the infection is still present in the body and there is a risk of affecting other nails.

An alternative to surgery is to artificially “dissolve” the affected nail ( avulsion). There are a number of drugs ( nailitis and its analogues), which contribute to the rapid keratinization of nails and their layer-by-layer death. This method is now widely practiced because it is painless and can be performed at home. However, you should resort to it only after consulting a dermatologist.

Physiotherapeutic methods

Currently, laser treatment of onychomycosis has been proven to be highly effective. The affected nail is irradiated with a laser with adjustable radiation intensity. It penetrates into the tissue and causes local destruction of the fungus. In fact, laser treatment is an alternative to local drug treatment, as it has the same effect. It can be prescribed if you are intolerant to antifungal ointments or creams.

Laser treatment of onychomycosis is painless and has no side effects. However, it does not have a comprehensive effect and reduces the risk of relapse of the disease. In this regard, it is recommended to combine laser treatment with systemic antifungal drugs.

Treatment with folk remedies

As mentioned above, complete cure of onychomycosis is possible only with the help of medications with a strong antifungal effect. However, some traditional medicine recipes can help slow down the destruction of the nail plate or even stop the process for a while. Many doctors even encourage the use of these drugs after a course of treatment to prevent relapse.

To prevent relapses of onychomycosis, it is recommended to use the following traditional methods of treatment:

Alcohol infusion of garlic. Grinded heads of garlic are poured with medical alcohol in a ratio of 1 to 10. Infusion lasts for at least 2 - 3 days in a place protected from direct sunlight. The resulting infusion is applied to the affected nails 1 – 2 times a day. It is advisable to avoid contact of the product with the skin roller.
Garlic compress. Grinded heads of garlic are mixed with boiled water in a ratio of 1 to 2. The resulting mixture is shaken well and filtered. Soak a cotton wool or bandage in the resulting liquid and tie it to the affected nail for 20 to 30 minutes. The procedure should be repeated daily.
Peppermint with salt. Crushed peppermint leaves are mixed with water in a ratio of 1 to 1. Table salt is added to the resulting mixture ( one teaspoon per glass of liquid). This product can be used to treat not only the affected nail plates, but also the skin of the fingers if it also shows signs of a fungal infection.
Alcohol infusion of lilac. For 10 g of fresh lilac flowers, take half a glass of medical alcohol. Infusion lasts 6 – 8 days. The resulting product is used to treat growing healthy nails after a course of treatment with antifungal drugs.
Infusion of celandine. For 200 g of dry celandine leaves you will need 1 - 2 liters of boiling water. The mixture is infused as it cools. At the same time, you can stir it slowly. When room temperature is reached, baths for hands and feet are made in the resulting liquid. The duration of the procedure is 5 – 10 minutes.
Baths with a series. For half a liter of boiled water you will need 30 - 40 g of herb. The mixture is brought to a boil and simmered over low heat for 20 minutes. Make hand and foot baths in the resulting decoction for 15 to 20 minutes.

Treatment of concomitant pathologies

As noted above, fungal nail infections develop especially intensively with serious concomitant pathologies. Against the background of these diseases, treatment with antifungal drugs may not give the desired effect. In this regard, special attention should be paid to the treatment of concomitant pathologies.

The main measures for concomitant diseases are:

Vitamin therapy for chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (gastrointestinal tract). If the body does not absorb nutrients well, you can periodically administer them in the form of injections, bypassing the digestive system.
Maintaining a high level of leukocytes during HIV infection. This is possible by regularly taking antiretroviral drugs. Intensive treatment will delay the incurable disease at stages 1–2 and allow the fungus to be cured.
Maintaining normal blood pressure in diseases of the cardiovascular system. This will ensure normal blood circulation in the fingertips and help fight fungus.
Maintaining normal glucose levels in diabetes mellitus. Prolonged and high blood sugar levels lead to irreversible changes in the nerve endings and blood vessels of the feet. Compliance with all recommendations for diabetics and the necessary course of treatment will help stop degenerative processes and increase the effectiveness of the course of antifungal drugs.
If you have Raynaud's syndrome, avoid hypothermia, which most often leads to spasm of small vessels. This will ensure normal blood flow in the fingers and improve metabolic processes in the nails.

After completing the course of treatment, you must visit the dermatologist again. Only a specialist will be able to assess how successful the treatment was and whether it should be stopped. There are no uniform criteria by which the patient could navigate independently. The doctor will take a scraping or smear from the nail and conduct an appropriate analysis. A negative result is sufficient confirmation to stop treatment. In this case, the nail itself may still be destroyed. The cosmetic defect will disappear as the nail plate grows in about a few months, if the growth zone has not been damaged.

Prevention of onychomycosis

Prevention of onychomycosis is divided into primary and secondary. Primary prevention is aimed at eliminating factors that increase the risk of developing a fungal infection. Secondary prevention is important for people who have already been diagnosed with onychomycosis and have completed the full course of treatment. In such cases, it is important to prevent relapse of the disease and give the body time to completely renew the nail plate.

To prevent onychomycosis, you must follow the following rules:

using your own shoes and personal hygiene products both in public swimming pools and at home;
strengthening general immunity;
prophylactic use of antifungal drugs during long courses of antibiotic therapy;
regular cleaning of the nail bed and personal hygiene;
washing hands and feet with soap after swimming in open water or contact with soil;
washing hands after contact with animals;
treatment of chronic diseases that increase the risk of developing onychomycosis;
Regularly changing socks and airing shoes.

Separately, the issue of disinfecting shoes during the course of treatment should be considered. The fact is that it is in it that fungi usually hide, which in the future lead to a relapse of the disease. To eliminate them, strong chemical disinfectants are used. The procedure should be repeated at least once a week. For onychomycosis on the fingernails, proceed in the same way with the patient’s gloves. After starting treatment, it is recommended to completely change socks to new, clean pairs. The washcloth and towels can also be replaced, and the manicure and pedicure set must be sterilized.

The following preparations can be used to disinfect shoes and clothing:

chlorhexidine bigluconate solution 1%;
formaldehyde solution 25%;
acetic acid 40%;
other branded shoe care products.

In addition, for preventive purposes, special devices for drying shoes have been developed. Since most fungi prefer a moist environment, the use of such devices will help get rid of the infection.

Only compliance with preventive measures can lead to complete recovery. Without it, any course of treatment with the most effective drugs will only provide temporary improvement, and over time, onychomycosis will develop again. Measures to disinfect shoes and gloves must be carried out until normal nail plates grow back during treatment. After this, it is recommended to consult a dermatologist. In most cases, the metabolism in the nails is completely restored, and in the future the body itself will be able to protect itself from the development of the disease.

The most common disease today is foot fungus. The pathology does not threaten human life, but it brings many unpleasant moments. In addition to its unattractive appearance, nail fungus has a destructive effect on the entire immune system. In order not to find yourself in a problematic situation, you need to know how to treat it, and Is it possible to cure nail fungus at all.

What is nail fungus

Microscopic fungal spores are part of the human environment. About 70 thousand fungi have now been studied, but the most dangerous are those that cause various diseases.

Medicine knows many reasons that provoke nail fungus (onychomycosis), but the most basic are:

cuts, calluses, abrasions or wounds to the legs;
irregular hygiene procedures;
general weakness of the immune system;
excessive sweating of the feet.

How to cure toenail fungus

The disease develops according to the same pattern: first, the nail cracks, becomes rough, and increases in thickness. The plate changes color, becomes covered with stripes, and emits an unpleasant odor.

After some time, it begins to fall apart piece by piece. If you don’t catch it in time, the disease can spread to the nail plate of your hands. There are two types of drug therapy: external and internal. The best way to treat toenail fungus will be decided by a dermatologist.

It is advisable to start complex drug treatment of onychomycosis from the first stage, when only the color of the nail changes.

In this case, therapy is limited to a local method: applying an antifungal ointment or cream. Subsequent stages of nail fungus require systemic treatment when drugs are taken orally. A dermatologist will prescribe internal medications in the following cases:

most of the nail plate is infected;
fungus in a very advanced stage;
thickening or detachment of the nail has occurred;
several fingers are affected by the fungus;
there is diabetes;
The patient's age is more than 50 years.

When choosing the best way to treat a fungus, a person needs to remember that the main contraindications to systemic treatment are pregnancy, breastfeeding, and liver disease.

For these conditions, local or alternative therapy is necessary. If this does not help, then instead of systemic treatment, the doctor should use surgical removal of the infected nail.

Pills

Antifungal drugs vary in active ingredients and price. The best cure for onychomycosis is tablets, but when choosing them, contraindications should be taken into account. If they are not there, then the following medications will help get rid of the fungus:

Fluconazole. According to the instructions, take according to the following regimen: 150 mg once a week before changing the contaminated surface. With long-term use, it is advisable to monitor kidney function.
Rumicosis. Pulse therapy is recommended: 2 capsules 2 times a day for a week - this is one course. Treatment of systemic foot mycoses requires three courses.

When the initial symptoms of onychomycosis appear, you need to use local treatment. A feature of antifungal agents for external use is the creation of a high concentration of the active component that kills the fungus on the surface of the nail.

However, you should not treat yourself, as this sometimes leads to serious consequences.

Healing varnishes

A special varnish that softens the affected nail plate will stop the development of the fungus. The inexpensive product penetrates deep into the nail, killing fungal spores. The most popular antifungal varnishes:

Betrophen. Has good penetrating ability. Excellent fight against yeast, mold and other types of fungi. The drug should be applied every other day in the first week, and then twice until the pathology completely disappears.
Loceril. Destroys the cell membranes of fungal spores. Apply 2 times a day, having previously cleaned and degreased the nail. Treatment occurs before the nail plate is renewed.
Demicten. It is allowed to apply varnish both on the nail and around it. Promotes rapid healing of the affected nail plate. Apply to clean, dried nails twice a day until they are renewed.

Creams, sprays and ointments

To combat onychomycosis, ointments, creams, and sprays are widely used. Apply them 1-2 times a day. Treatment usually takes from two months to a year, depending on the stage of the fungus. The most common means of this type:

Creolin. A local solution that penetrates deep into the structure of the nail plate. It should be applied very carefully, since the composition contains a caustic alkali that can burn the skin. The drug even gets rid of old foot fungus.
Dimexide. An inexpensive solution that is applied 2 times a day. Before use, soften the affected area by immersing your foot in the bath (20 minutes). The course of treatment is until complete recovery.
Clotrimazole. Gel (ointment) that inhibits the production of fungal membranes. The drug should be applied to damaged areas for 2-7 weeks, 2 times a day.

A gel or cream for toenail fungus can only help in the first stage of the disease. In advanced forms of onychomycosis, the doctor may prescribe surgery.

There is an Onychoplast patch that promotes independent nail renewal in advanced forms of the disease. It is applied overnight to a thoroughly washed nail affected by the fungus.

By morning, it is carefully removed with scissors along with the affected area.

Treating nail fungus at home

At the initial stage of the disease, you can try using proven folk remedies at home.

Apple vinegar. Simply soak your feet 1-2 times a day in a 1:1 mixture of apple cider vinegar and warm water for about 15-20 minutes. After soaking, let your toenails dry completely (you can use a hair dryer). And within about two weeks you will notice that the fungus goes away, and a beautiful and new one grows in place of the old damaged nail.
Tea tree oil should be lubricated on the skin and nails affected by fungus three times a day. A single dose is from 4 to 10 drops of products. This treatment should be continued for at least two weeks, or even longer, to ensure that the infection does not return to you. This oil should not be used by children or pregnant women.
Freshly picked celandine is passed through a meat grinder, and the juice is squeezed out of the resulting pulp (this is done through 3-4 layers of gauze). It should yield approximately 200 ml. juice It is combined with 200 ml. 70% alcohol and leave for 24 hours. The prepared juice is used to lubricate the affected nails, but the treatment is carried out only after steaming the feet for 10 minutes and completely drying them. The course of treatment is 10-12 days, 3-4 treatments per day.
Another way to eliminate nail fungus is to treat it at home with iodine. It's very simple. For three weeks, the nail plate is coated with iodine daily. In this case, the growing tip of the damaged nail is regularly removed.
Kombucha will also help fight fungus. For this treatment, compresses are made: wrap a plate of kombucha in cellophane and wrap a bandage around your leg, then put on socks. In the morning, you need to wash your feet with warm water, carefully remove dead areas and lubricate them with iodine. Side effects include quite severe pain, but you can achieve the desired result much faster.

If folk remedies do not give the desired result, you should contact specialists to prescribe complex therapy.

I suffered with this illness all spring. I went to the doctor, he prescribed a bunch of medications, including Mikozan. It helped, but as soon as I stopped applying the solution to my nails, the whole effect disappeared. And so on in a circle. Then summer came, we escaped to the dacha and I saw a beautiful plant called “celandine” that was literally lying under my feet. I dried it, made a paste, and applied it in the evenings for about 3 weeks. After a week there were already SIGNIFICANT changes in the structure of the nail, and after two it was all gone!! Nature really helped! Now I'm stocking up for fall and winter.
Oh, I’m so lazy when it comes to folk remedies. I bought mycozan for fungus - a very convenient, and by the way very effective remedy. The fungus went away quickly, and now I recommend it to all my girlfriends. But it’s clear that there are fans of the traditional one, although I doubt it’s as effective.
I suffered from fungus for 25 years. I cured fungus of the toenails (there were practically no nails), hands, groin, not only in myself but also in my relatives, with FLUCONAZOLE capsules 100 mg. I took one capsule once a week, without any diets or prohibition. I only took two packs of ten capsules. If you forgot to take a capsule, this does not mean that you need to take two next week. Only one per week.
My mother tried to treat fungus with vinegar essence. I don’t know exactly what she did and how, but the burn she received was not slight. What I mean is that you need to follow the recipe exactly and follow all the recommendations.

Prevention at home

To protect yourself from toenail fungus, you don’t need to make any serious efforts at all. It is enough to follow a few simple rules of prevention; additional protection with the help of medications is rarely required.

First of all, you need to pay enough attention to personal hygiene. Feet should be washed at least once a day, it is advisable to use deodorizing products. Socks and shoes should be made from natural, comfortable materials and should not be tight.

You should not wear someone else's shoes or clothes; the fungus tends to linger on items of clothing for a long time. If it becomes necessary to give your belongings to someone, before and after this they should be treated with an antiseptic, for example, chlorhexidine.

All personal hygiene products must be strictly individual, these include nail scissors, nail files, towels, washcloths, etc. They should not be shared even with immediate family members.

After visiting a pool, beach or public shower, you should pay more attention to the prevention of nail fungus. This is especially true for children, who more often find themselves in such places and at the same time have less strong immunity.

Flip-flops or swim shoes should be worn in all areas where appropriate. They must be made of material that is easy to wash and hygienically handle.

After visiting the pool, you should wash your feet with soap and use preventive measures.

Prevention during pedicure

A huge number of fungal infections occur during pedicure sessions. To make visiting beauty salons comfortable and not undergo treatment after a session for several months, you should pay attention to several things:

The salon must have the necessary documents and be verified; the pedicurist must be qualified and experienced in his field.
All instruments must be disposable and opened immediately before the session in front of the client. Those that cannot be disposable must undergo full hygienic treatment.

Children are often susceptible to fungal infections. To avoid the development of the disease, you need to monitor the regularity of hygiene procedures in the child, maintain proper nutrition in order to prevent a decrease in immunity.

Also, when cutting a child’s nails, you need to pay attention to their condition. Often children do not pay attention to the cosmetic signs of fungus that appear first.

If spots or stripes appear on your child’s nails, the nail plate has changed color, or the nail fold is inflamed, you should consult a specialist.

Folk remedies

Folk remedies for the prevention of fungus are extremely effective; in addition, they extremely rarely cause side effects or allergies. Therefore, it is preferable to use them for prevention. The following options are especially common:

Sea salt. This substance is a natural antiseptic; preventive and therapeutic baths are made with salt. You need to dilute a spoonful of salt in a small amount of warm water, keep your feet for 10-15 minutes, then wipe dry.
Iodine. Iodine has a fungicidal effect. If you suspect that a fungal infection may have occurred, you need to apply the solution with a cotton swab to the nail plate. You can also make a bath; a couple of drops of iodine are enough for a small bowl of warm water.
Soda. In some cases, sea salt can be replaced with soda; the bath recipe is the same. Keep your feet for 15-20 minutes, then dry.
Fukortsin. This product has a similar effect to iodine; for prevention, you need to carefully apply it to a cotton pad or swab and wipe the nail plate.

Also, proper nutrition and a normal daily routine are important to prevent fungus. The diet should contain a lot of vitamins, fresh vegetables and fruits, and healthy foods. To keep the body's defenses active, you need to sleep at least eight hours a day.

These rules of prevention should definitely help; compliance with them will provide complete protection against fungal infections.

If, despite all efforts, the fungus still appears, you should not delay contacting a doctor - a dermatologist or mycologist. Treatment in the initial stages will be less complex and lengthy.

You should not despair if nail fungus (onychomycosis) on your feet is advanced - we will tell you what and how to treat it in this material. Hydrogen peroxide and vinegar (wine, apple), wood ash and iodine solution, various extracts, infusions and infusions from medicinal herbs will help fight the painful condition of the nail plates. Remedies from the folk treasury are capable of eliminating the anomaly on their own; their effect will be enhanced in combination with pharmaceuticals. Perseverance and an optimistic attitude will also help you defeat pathogenic microorganisms.

What is the danger of onychomycosis

Fungal infections (mycoses) are the most common among numerous dermatological abnormalities.

Doctors note that even after successful treatment of an insidious sore, there remains a significant likelihood of a recurrence of the anomaly, since a person does not develop immunity to the extensive fungal microflora. Often, an advanced form of dermatosis is the result of untimely, ineffective treatment.

Ignoring treatment of advanced nail fungus can result in:

Spread of infection to the adjacent skin, adjacent nails, and other organs;
Complete loss of a damaged nail;
A general weakening of the defense system, as toxic substances produced by pathogenic microorganisms accumulate in the body;
The transition of a contagious infection into a chronic form, which makes getting rid of it even more difficult.

What to do for recovery

Please note that if the nail fungus is advanced, then to eliminate the disease you should adhere to the following rules:

Try to find out and eliminate the cause of the infection. For example, during treatment procedures, avoid visiting the Finnish sauna, swimming pool and other places with high humidity.
Change it (don't forget the slippers!) or change it. Antifungal sprays for treating shoes are available over the counter in pharmacies.
Stock up on 3-4 pairs of new socks. This is important because the victim will have to change them 2-3 times/day. Get rid of old items - even after washing, they can infect the outer shells.
Consult with your doctor about the use of pharmaceuticals. Their selection, purpose, dosage depend on the severity of the disease, the age of the patient, and the general condition of the body.
Adhere to dietary restrictions. It is necessary to exclude from the diet foods that have a beneficial effect on the vital activity of fungi, including yeast baked goods, sweets, pastries and cakes, dairy and fermented milk products.

When selecting traditional methods of treatment to eliminate nail fungus in an advanced stage, take into account individual intolerance to certain components, including plant materials and bee products.

Hydrogen peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide perfectly removes toenail fungus in an advanced (chronic) form, but the treatment will take quite a long time. In the process of getting rid of pathology, dermatologists recommend lubricating healthy nails with perhydrol daily (once every 2 days) to prevent them from becoming infected.

So, how to cure advanced toenail fungus with hydrogen peroxide?

Method 1. Steam the legs in a basin (bucket) and try to remove (cut, scrape) the affected crust from the nail plates. Dip a gauze swab in perhydrol and apply to the treated nail. Wrap the top with film. Repeat the procedure twice a day until a healthy nail plate grows.

Method 2. Combine perhydrol with apple cider vinegar in equal quantities. Soak a gauze napkin with the resulting composition and apply it to the nail corroded by the disease. Wait for the effervescent effect to complete. Rinse your feet with running water and dry thoroughly. Next, apply the pharmaceutical drug prescribed by doctors.

Method 3. Steam your feet in hot water with the addition of liquid laundry soap or copper sulfate and dry. Place a cotton pad, generously moistened with peroxide, on the affected nail, cover with a piece of film, and secure with a strip of bandage. Leave the compress on for 35-40 minutes, scrape off the softened tissue eaten away by the fungus. Next, treat the surface with an antifungal drug prescribed by an infectious disease specialist.

Iodine

Method 1. Apply one drop of solution (5%) to the nail plate twice a day. Also, do not ignore neighboring nails - lubricate them with iodine once a day. Do not forget that the solution gives the nail plates an unaesthetic yellowish tint.

After 7-10 days, a strong burning sensation will appear in the damaged areas - a sign that the destruction of pathogenic microorganisms has begun. The entire course of treatment takes 20-40 days. If the sensations are unbearable, treat the nails once a day.

Method 2. Steam your feet for half an hour in very hot water with the addition of soda (1 tablespoon - 1 liter of water) and salt (twice the amount). Bite off the dead areas with tweezers or cut off the dead areas with scissors, rinse them with clean water, and dry. Cover each affected nail plate (using a cotton pad or cotton swab) with three layers of iodine solution (after the previous one has completely dried). The procedure is carried out before bedtime for 30 days.

The positive dynamics of treating nail fungus in a chronic (advanced) form with iodine are evidenced by numerous reviews of people who have used this method:

Oksana: I’m a sauna lover, and that’s where I got the infection. At first I didn’t attach much importance to the damaged nail, but in the summer it became embarrassing to put on sandals. My grandmother advised me to use iodine. The first results appeared after 2 weeks, and after a month the sore receded.

Maria: Unfortunately, I saw that my mother’s toenails were corroded by a fungus when the process became chronic. The mycologist advised me to take baths with potassium permanganate for a week, lubricate it with vinegar for a week, then switch to iodine. In a month and a half, the nails cleared up, became smooth, and acquired a healthy appearance. Additionally, my mother took Forkan tablets.

Vinegar in the treatment of mycosis

Treatment of advanced onychomycosis with vinegar (wine, apple) is a proven and effective method. To get the expected result it is important:

Use a natural product without chemical additives;
Maintain proportions in compositions;
Follow the treatment plan;
Use only your own things.

Making vinegar compresses

Pour 2 tbsp into a bowl. spoons of apple cider vinegar, prepare a cotton swab (disk), plastic wrap. Soak a cotton swab with vinegar, apply it to the infected cornea, and wrap it (not too tightly!) with film. Leave for 3-3.5 hours. The total duration of vinegar therapy is 2.5-3 months. You can stop the sessions only when the new nail plate is completely formed. Even a small amount of infected tissue left behind can trigger the return of the pathological process.

We treat the marigolds with iodine-vinegar mixture

Treatment of advanced nail fungus with apple cider vinegar in combination with an alcoholic 5% iodine solution gives good results. The components are mixed in equal quantities.

The prepared composition is applied with a cotton pad (stick) to the entire affected cornea, carefully grasping the lateral edge. Do not forget to lubricate healthy nails with the solution (using another disk) to prevent infection.

Taking acid baths

Prepare a basin (bucket) where you can comfortably place your feet. Pour warmed water and vinegar into it (in equal quantities). Your fingers should be completely covered with the cleaning liquid. Session duration is 40-50 minutes. Sessions must be repeated until the damaged cornea is completely replaced. In the complicated stage of onychomycosis, baths should be carried out with simultaneous administration of pharmaceutical drugs, which will be prescribed by the mycologist.

Combine vinegar with celandine

There will be an excellent chance to get rid of nail fungus in an advanced stage if you carry out treatment sessions with vinegar in tandem with celandine. To prepare a miracle solution, mix 50 g of celandine herb (Chelidonium) with two liters of apple cider vinegar and leave in a cool place for 30 days. Don't have apple cider vinegar on hand? Use 9% table product, but reduce its quantity by half.

Strain the resulting potion, add 5 tbsp. spoons of salt (preferably sea salt), stir until it is completely dissolved. Before going to bed, pour a little product into a basin and dip your feet in it. The procedure time is 5-7 minutes. Do not wipe, let your feet dry naturally. Repeat the session in the morning. When a healthy cornea grows back, morning sessions can be gradually stopped. The course of treatment lasts about six months.

Note that the treatment of advanced nail fungus with yellow milkwort is quite effective, as evidenced by reviews constantly appearing on the Internet. Here are some of them:

Alice: Celandine in tandem with vinegar (I took the usual 9%) became a real lifesaver. I did the procedures for 2 months. Now I'm happy to have clean nails. For prevention, I lubricate already healthy nail plates with vinegar once every 3 days - I’m afraid that the fungal attack will not happen again. Before that, I tried to fight the fungus with hydrogen peroxide, but the mycosis did not recede.

Sofia: Previously, I used celandine to expel warts that had been on my hands for a long time. I learned that healing herbs have helped many people get rid of the obnoxious fungus. Fungus damaged my toenails. I infused the celandine in vinegar and made compresses at night. On the recommendation of the immunologist, I also drank water acidified with vinegar every day (1 teaspoon of an acidic product - a cup of water). The result obtained is pleasing.

Essential oils for fungus control

Did you know that some essential oils are famous for their excellent antimycotic properties? For example, if an advanced form of nail fungus is diagnosed, then their treatment can be carried out using the following oils:

How to carry out procedures

Let's look at how to treat advanced toenail fungus using oil concentrates:

Wash your feet thoroughly using washing (tar, fir) soap and dry.
Apply all essential products diluted (except lavender oil). You can combine them with the following base oils - jojoba, almond, olive.
The procedures are carried out daily for 2-3 months.
You can enhance the effect of healing oils by combining them with baths and pharmacological preparations.

Recipes for proven medicinal mixtures

Recipe 1. Combine 100 ml of heated vinegar (9%), 6 drops of tea tree oil, 2 drops of oregano oil. Add the composition to a bowl of warm water. Keep your feet in the healing font for 20 minutes. Please note that the water should wash your ankles.

Recipe 2. Mix 10 drops of lavender oil, 6 drops of tea tree with 4 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar. Pour the mixture into a dark glass container and shake well. Add 30 ml of chilled boiled water and shake well again. Apply the resulting lotion to damaged nails 3 times a day. Shake the composition well before each use.

Recipe 3. Measure out 2 tbsp. spoons of talc or 2 tbsp. spoons of corn flour and pour into a plastic bag. Add 15 drops of lavender oil and 5 drops of peppermint essential oil. Tie the bag (seal), shake well and leave for a day. Apply not only to infected nails, but also to the entire foot after cleansing baths.

Recipe 4. Mix 5 drops each of lavender and tea tree oil and 1 tbsp. a spoonful of almond oil. Store in darkened glass containers. Three times a day, moisten a cotton ball with an oil “cocktail” and apply to the affected areas.

Recipes against old fungus using eggs

Recipe 1. Prepare the ingredients: chicken egg (medium size), sunflower oil (1 tbsp), a teaspoon of dimethyl phthalate (can be easily found in any pharmacy), vinegar essence (2 tbsp). First, thoroughly beat the egg with a fork, add the essence, and mix in the remaining ingredients. Before going to bed, rub the sore nails with ointment, wrap them in film, and put on socks. We use egg ointment until the cornea is completely restored.

215 Treatment of advanced forms of nail fungus

Live healthy! Fungus on the feet. (02.08.2017)

Recipe 2. You will need the following ingredients: butter (melted), fresh chicken egg, essence (100 ml). Place the egg (in the shell) in a jar and fill it completely with acid. Place the container in a dark place (not hot) until the shells are completely dissolved. Use a stick (tweezers) to remove the film and stir in the butter. Use the egg medicine before bed according to the same scheme as in the recipe above. The course of treatment lasts about a week.

Recipes from ancestors

Pay attention to the ancient ways of getting rid of “ugliness”:

First, rub your nail plates with ash;
Secondly, walk barefoot on grass washed with morning dew.

May your feet always be healthy!

Details Updated: 05/13/2019 18:16 Published: 12/13/2016 19:22

Anastasia Listopadova

How to get rid of foot fungus. What you need to know about fungus

Fungus on nails, scientifically, onychomycosis or nail mycosis is one of the most widespread diseases, from fungus on the feet About half of our planet's population suffers.

Most often, people who lead an active lifestyle, visiting swimming pools, public baths, and fitness clubs, suffer from fungal infections.

An advanced form of the fungus is more often observed in men, because they, as a rule, do not immediately pay attention to changes in the nail plates and do not begin treatment in the initial stages of the disease.

Nails for retirement age affected by fungus almost every second person.

The fungus most often affects the nail plates of the toes, first on the big toes, then if it is not treated, the remaining nails suffer.

Symptoms of nail fungus

Symptoms that should alert you and promptly take action treatment of fungus on nails. Without delay, get diagnosed and promptly begin treatment for onychomycosis if:

- The nail plate has changed color.
- A white or yellow spot appears under the tip of the nail.
- Nails have become dull, without shine.
- The nails became brittle and began to crumble at the edges.
- The nail plates have become thicker and looser.
- Nails began to peel off and separate from the nail bed (this process is called onycholysis).
- The shape of the nails is distorted.
- There is pain or an unpleasant odor from the nail.

Causes of fungus on nails

There are a great many pathogenic fungi, but fungal nail infections usually caused by microscopic organisms, dermatophyte fungi, and less commonly molds.

Fungi love warmth and moisture and do not need sunlight. Their favorite habitats are swimming pools, baths, showers.

Fungi penetrate the skin through microdamages, cuts, or getting into the space between the nail and the nail bed.

The feet and toenails are affected more often, since the feet are often in shoes, it is where it is warm, humid, dark and nearby food is an excellent habitat, and the blood flow in the feet is weaker than in the palms, so the immune system is not always promptly identifies and destroys fungal infection.

Risk groups for nail fungus

Factors that increase the risk of fungal infections:

- Weakened immunity, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, circulatory system diseases.
- Contact with a carrier of a fungal infection, the presence of cases of fungal infections in the family.
- Being barefoot in a swimming pool, public shower, gym, fitness class, locker room, etc.
- Presence of skin damage and skin diseases.
- Severe sweating of the feet.
- Wearing synthetic socks that do not absorb sweat and shoes made of artificial materials that impede ventilation of the feet.
- Work in wet conditions or work in which your hands are often wet.
- Age-related changes (slow metabolism, decreased blood supply to the feet, slow nail growth).

Treatment of fungal nail infection

Can we cure nail and foot fungus?

In the initial stages fungus on the feet and nails can be cured with local remedies, without ingesting toxic antifungal drugs. However, it should be borne in mind that even in the initial stages, treatment of nail fungus is quite painstaking and lengthy, 1-2 months or longer, until the edge of the nail plate affected by the fungus is completely cut off. In case of minor damage to the nail plate, for successful treatment it will be necessary, if possible, to remove the fungus-infected layer of the nail before using antifungal drops, varnishes, and folk recipes.

Maintaining hygiene skin fungus on feet can be treated much faster with local drugs and folk methods than if it has already penetrated the nail plate.

In case of an advanced form of the disease and severe damage to the nail plates, in order to destroy the overgrown mycelium, in addition to long-term local treatment, it is necessary to remove the damaged nail plates and ingestion of antifungal drugs or herbal preparations that have an antifungal effect.

In addition, even with successful treatment, to ensure that the fungus does not return, special attention should be paid to hygiene and prevention.

In severe cases with a weakened immune system, in addition to pain and damage to the nail plates, the fungus can lead to dangerous infections that require serious systemic treatment.

How is fungus diagnosed?

After an external examination if there is a suspicion of onychomycosis or mycosis, the mycologist will send you to the laboratory to determine the type of infectious agent. The laboratory will take scrapings from the skin of the feet, nail plates, and contents from under the nails for analysis.

Based on the test results, appropriate treatment is prescribed according to a specific protocol.

Antifungal drugs. What do doctors prescribe?

For fungal nail infections, doctors prescribe long-term use of topical antifungal drugs, ointments, solutions, antifungal varnishes, also taking antifungal drugs orally.

Local antifungal drugs

With minor nail fungal infection(conditionally, up to half the nail) modern local antifungal drugs are quite effective. Traditionally, medicinal ointments, solutions, sprays such as Exoderil, Lamisil, Nizoral, Mikospor, Mifungar, Terbinox, Terbizil, Zalain, Mikonorm and other analogues are prescribed for the treatment of nail and foot fungus.

Recently, medicinal antifungal nail varnishes such as batrafen, loteril, oflomil, and mycozan have become popular.

Typically, topical antifungal medications are used until a healthy nail grows out. During treatment, a new nail grows without signs of fungus, slowly moving the infected part of the nail.

The result of the treatment is visible only after the complete growth of a new healthy nail; the process of changing the nail plate takes 4-6 months.

In older people, treatment with local antifungal agents takes longer and is less effective.

How do antifungal nail polishes work?

pros antifungal varnishes The point is that they penetrate deep into the nail plate and the active substances accumulate in them and work for several months; in addition, the varnishes are very convenient to use.

Does varnish have any effect against fungus?

Checked! There is definitely an effect. The nail grows healthy, the fungus does not strive to “occupy the territory” treated with antifungal varnish. Thus, it is possible to successfully cut off a nail with traces of fungal infection.

To prevent the spread of fungus to neighboring healthy nails (after all, the fungus will look for a more favorable habitat), in addition, in the intervals between applying varnish, you can treat the affected nail and neighboring healthy nails, for example, with Exoderil or another antifungal agent.

How to properly apply anti-fungal varnish

Standard application scheme medicinal varnish for nail fungus: warm nail bath with salt and soda, filing the damaged edge of the nail plate, applying varnish. After the varnish has dried, you can put on socks and shoes. According to the instructions, nail fungus polish is usually applied 1-2 times a week.