Here are some tips on how to identify toenail fungus and not confuse it with another disease

One third of people in the world have delamination and collapse of nails, blurred plate.

This disease is called onychomycosis or nail fungus. It can start at any age, spreads immediately and adapts well to different conditions.

Causes of onychomycosis

Infection with a fungus is quite easy. Infection can occurpublic showers, beaches and pools.If household items are used together, there is a high risk of contracting onychomycosis from infected relatives and friends.

The following initial conditions that cause the pathogen to enter the body, in short, the reasons for the appearance of the fungus:

• small skin lesions on the feet caused by tight shoes (corns, corns, small cracks and abrasions);
• weak immunity due to inflammatory and infectious diseases;
• vascular diseases, disorders of internal organs, causes difficulties with blood circulation in the legs;
• violated safety measures, that is, going to public places without shoes, not observing foot hygiene, trying on other people's shoes;
• without taking into account the heavy sweating and diaper rash of the feet.

It is important!

Onychomycosis starts in the thumb and later the virus can develop in the little finger.

What diseases can serve as prerequisites?

The risk group includes people whose skin does not breathe due to tight shoes during the day. These include representatives of working specialties.

There are the following diseases that can serve as a prerequisite:

• Type I and II diabetes mellitus;
• phlebeurism;
• foot deformity;
• congestion and blockage of blood vessels.

Today, various creams and varnishes are often offered for treatment, but they will be useless, because the cause may be internal diseases.

Types of infection

In total, there are more than half a thousand types of mushroomsbrings problems. There is no single classification.

The only thing is that there are two important signs that distinguish the disease. This is the localization and type of pathogen.

It is important!

Infection can be in any part of the nail and this is the main symptom of the disease. Externally, the affected plaque varies depending on the localization of the virus.

The type of pathogen

There are different causative agents of the disease, each of them has its own characteristics. It is important to consider these when developing a treatment plan. The most common pathogens are:

• Dermatophytes- this red trichophyton and mentagrophytes, flakes epidermophyton, etc. When infected with such fungi, yellowish or grayish spots are formed, the remaining parts of the plate become cloudy, the free edge changes shade. In general, the entire surface changes and eventually moves away from the bed.
• Molds. This species is relatively harmless. It does not penetrate into the deep layers of the nail, so the plates only change to a dark, swampy, gray, yellowish, brown color. Such a shadow can affect the surface both partially and completely.
• Candida yeasts. They thin the nail and contribute to its wear. Often, due to this pathogen, a white form of the disease occurs, characterized by inflammation of the cuticle. They can cause severe pain and purulent discharge can be observed. If left untreated, the nail will thin, turn brown, and completely pull away from the bed.

Locations of the disease in the arms and legs

The main forms of onychomycosis:

1. Lateral.There is an infection of the nail on the sides. Its color is gray, yellowish and brown. The plate begins to cloud, collapse and erode.
2. Distal.This is the most common type of mushroom. The infection starts from the free edge of the nail. The plate changes color to yellow, brown or gray. As time goes by, the loss gets bigger. Delamination, subsidence and clouding begin in the plate. In this case, hyperkeratosis appears under the nails, and if the entire nail is affected, tissue dystrophy occurs.
3. Proximal.This form is swollen, inflamed, red and involves damage to the cuticle, which changes its shape and structure. As a result, the roll is separated from the plate and the nail splits, fades and deforms. With a neglected disease, the plate can completely disintegrate.
4. White surface.As a rule, it appears in the thumb, in others - sometimes. Externally, it manifests itself in the form of white spots located on the entire surface of the nail. In addition, the disease progresses and spreads to keratinized tissues. Spots can change color - from milk to green or yellow. The structure of the plate is spongy and loose. If this form is not treated, the nail may collapse completely.
5. Dystrophy is common.Covers the entire nail surface. This is the advanced degree of the distal or proximal cork. The plate thickens, changes its shape to an unnatural one, and eventually deteriorates completely.

Photo of mycosis on the nails

Mycosis symptoms

Once infection occurs, the fungus needs time to settle. First, the disease affects the big toes, destroying the nail plate. Damage is manifested by such signs:

• Thickening.The plate thickens due to strong keratinization. In advanced cases, this significantly complicates treatment.
• Color change.In a healthy condition, the nail is transparent, and transparent capillaries give it a pink color. And the infected changes its shade to black, brown and yellow. A space is created under the plate where microbes and other pathogens develop.
• disintegrating.With incomplete treatment or its absence, the fungus begins to penetrate into the deeper layers of the slab. As a result, it crumbles and collapses. If you do not carry out therapy, onychomycosis becomes chronic. Because of this, the immune system weakens, allergies begin, and internal organ problems begin.

How to independently determine, recognize the disease?

The fungus first affects one leg, then the infection moves to the second. There is no need to delay with this disease, if you are in doubt and cannot determine the virus, be sure to consult a doctor.

You can diagnose yourself at home using certain methods.

Find with potassium permanganate

There is an express method that involves immersing the feet in a solution of potassium permanganate. At the same time, potassium permanganate stains healthy nails brown, while infected ones remain light.

This procedure is simple and does not require much time. A little potassium permanganate is added to a glass of hot water. The solution should not be strong. Feet or hands are placed in the liquid and wait for about 10 minutes. This method is completely harmless. It cannot be used only in case of allergic reactions to potassium permanganate.

Detect with iodine

Iodine is also often used to identify nail fungus. However, this does not indicate the presence of pathogens. It can help eliminate other fungi such as pityriasis versicolor.

When redness and peeling appear on the skin near the nail, it is treated with iodine. Healthy skin does not darken under a solution of alcohol, and the area affected by lichen will turn a very dark color.

How to diagnose?

Today, various effective diagnostic methods are offered, probably the most reliable way is to conduct tests for nail fungus:

• Microbiological diagnosis.Microscopy is the most commonly used method to detect and identify fungi. It allows to detect an infection only in the structure of the nail plate or skin tissues. Removal of biomaterial involves scraping of infected cells from the area where the pathogen is located.

  Mycosis spores, yeast cells and mycelial threads are detected in late and mid-stage samples. Such diagnostics allow to determine the accumulation and type of pathogen. The procedure itself lasts from 2 days to a month.

• Bound immunosorbent assay. Such an analysis is designed to identify fungi that affect both the nail and internal organs. Its difference is that venous blood is required to detect the disease, which is taken in the morning or 4 hours after eating. No special preparation is required for the analysis.
• PCR test.Polymerase chain reaction is the best diagnostic method for infectious diseases. It has a number of advantages, such as speed, higher accuracy and the ability to take any tissue sample. A feature of the method is considered a narrow focus. That is, for the diagnosis of onychomycosis, it is necessary to know the exact localization. A PCR test can detect both the type of fungus and its concentration in the body.
• Luminescent research. Such a diagnosis is based on transillumination of the skin affected by the pathological microflora with an ultraviolet lamp. When examining the patient, a Wood lamp emitting ultraviolet rays is used. Thanks to it, the products of vital activity begin to shine brightly. The type of pathogen affects the shade of the glow.

How to distinguish mycosis from bruises and other diseases?

At first, onychomycosis is easily confused with other diseases, for example, lichen, nail rot or psoriasis.

Darkening of the nail plate can be distinguished by the formation of yellow spots and stripes that grow over time and penetrate deep into the nail.

Compared to psoriasis, onychomycosis develops smoothly. It gradually deforms to separate the plate from the bed. It distinguishes it from injuries, psoriasis, lichen and eczema, pain and bad smell.

Hygiene rules

The best remedy for fungus is prevention.Simple measures can help prevent infection. First of all, they go to beaches, public pools, saunas, etc. necessary for people visiting. You should always use personal towels and wear light sheets in such places.

If your feet sweat a lot, you should treat them with special products that are available today. Wearing shoes that are too narrow or using someone else's shoes is not recommended. When trying on shoes in the store, you should wear shoe covers or socks. Be sure to monitor the hygiene of the feet and hands, dry them after washing.

If one of the family members is infected with fungus, he should have a separate clothes and towel. After visiting the bath, it should be treated with antimicrobial agents. It is necessary to regularly treat the patient's clothes with 5% chloramine solution, boil clothes and towels with washing powder.

If infection is suspected, then feet or arms should be immersed in warm water and kept for about 10 minutes. The fungus dies very quickly at a temperature of +50 ° C. Then these places are smeared with antifungal ointment.

The result

Onychomycosis is an insidious and unpleasant disease, so it is important to monitor your toenails and fingernails and make sure you follow preventive measures. If there are suspicious symptoms, it is best to consult a doctor as soon as possible and start treatment.