The first signs of nail fungus on the toes. First signs of toenail fungus

4 April 2024

According to statistics, almost half of all visits to the dermatologist are related to fungal diseases in one way or another. You can get infected while visiting the swimming pool, sauna, beach or walking in the host's slippers. Learn everything about how to recognize toenail fungus without scrapings or using other diagnostic methods - signs of onychomycosis in the initial and chronic stages of the disease.

What is nail fungus?

Yeast mushrooms

They are in the second place according to the frequency of foot mycoses. The disease is caused by two types of pathogens of the genus Candida:

White Candida (Candida albicans) - most often occurs on the fingers as a complication of existing onychomycosis caused by dermatophytes.
Parapsilosis (Candida parapsilosis) - affects the nail plate from the edge. The initial symptoms are characterized by the appearance of black spots on the tip of the finger, which gradually increase in size. Candida parapsilosis often completely destroys the nail plate.

Mold

This type of fungal infection is not particularly common - only three patients who sought help from a dermatologist suffered from it. There are several types of mold pathogens:

Scopulariopsis - often infects previously injured big toes.
Aspergillus or black mold - infection with onychomycosis is possible only for people with reduced immunity. The main symptom of the disease is the deformation of the nail plates and the appearance of normotrophic black dots.
Fusarium - this onychomycosis is very rare, because pathogens live in agricultural plants. Infection of a person is possible only if there are open wounds, scratches or cracks on the legs.

Dermatophytes

Among the causative agents of onychomycosis, dermatophytes, which affect the feet the most, are the first:

Red Trichophyton (Trichophyton rubrum) - develops on the lateral and distal surface. In the early stages of development, the main symptoms are yellow spots or white stripes. Without specific treatment, fungal spores can spread throughout the body and cause serious skin lesions.
Mentagrophytes (Trichophyton mentagrophytes) - cracks appear in the interdigital spaces, severe pain when moving. Without appropriate therapy, it spreads to the nails, the fungus can especially often affect the thumb and little finger.
Epidermophyton floccosum - affects the skin of the fingers in the initial stage. Toenail fungus manifests itself in the form of peeling feet, accompanied by itching and increased sweating of the toes. Without treatment, epidermophyton leads to atrophy.

What does nail fungus look like?

Today, two classifications of onychomycosis are used in medicine: the first - according to the type of pathological changes, the second - depending on the location. Depending on the type of fungal infections, all types are divided into four subtypes: marginal, normotrophic, hypertrophic and atrophic. There are several more types of diseases according to the form of localization:

distal - only when the edge is affected by the fungus;
lateral - pathological processes begin near the skin ridges;
proximal – the change affects the lower part;
white surface onychomycosis - white spots or streaks appear.

Regional onychomycosis

This is the initial stage of the fungus, which is very difficult to identify on its own. This type of mycosis is accompanied by changes on the edge of the nail plate, visualized by the appearance of narrow gray stripes. Over time, the signs of toenail fungus intensify: the color begins to fade, fragility appears, and the thickness of the plate remains the same. Sometimes gray-yellow spots may appear.

Normotrophic

This type of onychomycosis is manifested by a decrease in gloss, but with preservation of the thickness of the hard part of the finger. The main symptoms of the normotrophic type are:

increased fragility;
loss of brightness;
the appearance of white or gray-yellow spots on the entire surface of the nail;
the bed is visually divided into sectors;
Gray mucus gradually starts coming out from under the nail.

Hypertrophic

It has one specific sign - the formation of atrophy along the edge. Hypertrophy causes thickening of the nail plate and the appearance of an atypical pattern. Patients often complain of pain, especially when walking, which disappears only after taking painkillers. There are three stages of hypertrophic mycosis:

Total - a massive lesion that affects the thickness of the nail plate.
It appears in the lateral parts.
Distal - the infection is localized under the free part of the bed.

White surface form

This type of fungal infection is characterized by the appearance of small white or almost white foci of infection in the center or on the edge of the nails. This type of onychomycosis appears only on the feet. Since the spores affect only the upper part of the finger, the plate itself is rarely deformed, but its upper layers and epidermis suffer from the fungus. If left untreated, the hard part becomes loose and rough. As a rule, superficial onychomycosis is caused by dermatophytes.

Onycholytic

It is accompanied by the separation of a part of the plate from the soft nail bed. The affected nail becomes dull with gray spots and gradually loses its shine. As a rule, this type of fungus manifests itself as a complication of hypertrophic or normotrophic mycosis. In the absence of appropriate treatment, areas covered with hyperkeratosis may appear at the site of the lesion.

Candidal onychomycosis

It is often combined with damage to healthy periungual tissues. The pathology usually occurs in the 3rd or 4th finger or toe. Candidal mycosis is characterized by the following symptoms:

lack of skin at the nail growth line;
fragility and collapse of the edges of the plate;
the appearance of transverse stripes under the bed;
inflammation of skin ridges;
brown-brown color of the nail plate;
soft tissue pain.

Proximal deformation

One of the rarest forms of onychomycosis. The disease often begins to develop from soft tissues, gradually moving to a healthy nail. Fungal growth starts from the middle of the nail. Without treatment, the tiles change color, begin to split and peel off. Causes of the proximal deforming form: red trichophyton and mentagrophytes.

Atrophic

This form of the unpleasant disease is characterized by a change from normal color to brown-gray color. In this case, the symptoms appear gradually: first the plate loses its shine and becomes dull, then the nail is destroyed, and loose accumulations of small skin flakes appear at the site of the bed. Pathological processes start from the outer part, eventually covering the growth zone and the skin layer.

Types and stages of fungal infection

Symptoms of fungal infection depend on the form and severity of the disease. The first signs of pathology may not be noticeable, but already at a moderate level, the plate is noticeably deformed, thickened, and its structure is heterogeneous. Such symptoms should not be ignored, because the later stage is dystrophic, the nail may collapse completely, inflammatory processes begin in the periungual ridges, and secondary infection occurs.

The main forms of the disease:

Lateral onychomycosis is the most common type of fungus. The first signs of fungus appear in the form of a small yellowish spot on the free edge of the nail. As the disease progresses, the plate thickens, deep cracks may form on it, discomfort occurs when walking. It is difficult to treat this form of fungal pathology.
White surface onychomycosis - pathogenic microorganisms affect only the upper layers of the nail. The plate does not thicken, but loosens over time and resembles chalk in structure. Treatment is not difficult and improvement of well-being occurs quickly.
Subungual onychomycosis is a rare form of pathology. Symptoms of the fungus appear in the form of thickening of the skin in the area of the nail bed, the nail becomes completely white and opaque.

There are a number of diseases that show symptoms similar to fungal infection - psoriasis, eczema, lichen planus. Changes in the nail structure occur after injuries or bruises. Only a doctor can make an accurate diagnosis after a thorough diagnosis.

How to identify toenail fungus - common symptoms

Depending on the stage of the disease, complete atrophy and partial hypertrophy are distinguished, and both concepts are related to each other, but not synonymous. Atrophic type refers to impaired growth, thinning and complete destruction of the nail plate - this is the stage of general damage. Often, when an advanced stage is detected, patients complain to the dermatologist not only about changes in the structure, but also about severe pain.

Hypertrophic nail fungus - symptoms:

the edge of the plate acquires a yellow color or whitish inclusions appear near the growth zone;
deformation - waves, tubercles and other irregularities appear;
as the infection grows, the pad becomes red, peels and swells;
begins to exfoliate, moves away from bed;
Small cracks and sometimes blisters appear between the fingers.

Itching and burning

Very often, the disease manifests itself in the legs in the form of severe itching. This feeling begins to bother the patient from the first days after the infection. If fungal spores attack the plate, itching is felt in the affected area, the skin is pale, dry and peeling, irritation appears. If the infection started from soft tissues, the fingers themselves itch. When the skin is strongly scratched, itching is accompanied by a burning sensation. As a rule, these symptoms occur with injuries of the feet, less often with onychomycosis of the hands.

Loss of natural color

This is another symptom of onychomycosis that replaces or complements itching. In this case, the color will depend on the type of pathogen located in the human body:

Once inside the fingers, fungal spores begin to multiply actively and gradually cover the entire space, slowly causing complete deformation and destruction of its hard part. The plate thickens or, on the contrary, becomes very thin, begins to collapse, and unnatural yellowness and a whitish coating are noticeable. In the initial stages of infection, the structure of the nail plate changes - it becomes lumpy or covered with stripes, and the shade of the plate becomes cloudy.

Doctors distinguish three main stages of fungal infection:

Its color turns yellow and furrows appear. When you try to cut the edge, the tip starts to split. Sometimes an unpleasant smell may appear.
The finger became completely discolored, dull and cloudy, and strange inclusions appeared. Jaundice begins to darken, black streaks appear, green areas may appear. Affected nails are very difficult to trim.
The whole nail has changed - it has become significantly thicker, it is impossible to cut without softening the edge.

Pain in the nail area

The discomfort with nail fungus is not a typical concept for every patient. Some patients may not have such symptoms at all, especially if the disease is detected at an early stage. With an advanced form of fungal infection, it is easy to recognize the pathology: the fingers lose their original appearance, the pulp begins to peel off. At this stage, some patients may feel pain under the nail or in the fingers.

Painful sensations with mycosis of the toes can occur for several reasons:

Due to thickening of the affected areas, loss of original appearance and deformation. In this case, even the most worn-out shoes cause noticeable discomfort when walking. As a result, pain can bother you not only during walking, but also after taking off your shoes.
As the spores spread, the fungus occupies more and more new areas. When it enters the soft tissue of the nail, the infection often affects the nerve endings, causing aching, paroxysmal or throbbing pain. For this reason, if a symptom occurs, it can cause discomfort even at rest.
One of the symptoms of athlete's foot is the appearance of small cracks and blisters between the toes. The skin may be very red and inflamed, and the fingers may swell. Because the toes sweat a lot in closed shoes, such wounds on the feet heal very slowly and are constantly painful.

How does nail fungus start?

Loss and change of color, the appearance of unevenness, thinning or thickening of the plate, delamination - these are the first signs of toenail fungus that correspond to the general description. However, with careful self-diagnosis of the disease, it can even be classified. For example:

Infection with dermatophytes begins at the free edge of the plate. The appearance of the fungus is expressed by a small yellow spot and a collapsed surface.
Fungi like yeast are characterized by a proximal form - when the infection begins at the base. The main symptom of candidiasis-type onychomycosis is inflammation of the periungual layer, detachment of the cuticle, pain when pressing.
Molds turn the fingers green, brown or black. Mold infection appears as spots, small dots or longitudinal plaques.

The first signs of toenail fungus are those that appear in the adjacent soft tissues. The skin of the feet loses its natural color, turns red or yellow, thins and is easily damaged. As a rule, this is where the fungal process begins. Over time, the disease can cause serious discomfort - provoke the appearance of deep cracks, itching and blisters with liquid.

Symptoms of nail fungus infection

At the initial stage of infection, the nail fungus is almost invisible and does not cause any discomfort (see photo). Then the characteristic symptoms of a fungal infection appear:

the surface of the nail plate on the toes acquires an unpleasant cloudy color;
the nail plate separates from the nail bed and begins to peel off;
the sick nail loses its original shape, thickens and acquires an untidy appearance;
cracks gradually form between the toes, a person begins to feel pain in the area of the damaged nail;
the skin of the toes begins to peel off;
Itchy skin appears between the toes.

Nail fungus should be treated, preferably in the early stages. In this case, you can get it only with external preparations: ointments, varnishes and folk remedies. In a more advanced form, you need to take antifungal tablets, in which case you will not be able to get rid of the fungus on your feet quickly.

What is dangerous for untreated onychomycosis?

In addition to the unpleasant external manifestations of this disease, the fungus is a pathogenic microbe that harms the entire human body:

Untreated nail fungus can lead to other infections.
In addition, the fungus can act as an allergen and as a result can provoke sensitivity to nail fungus as an allergen.
Onychomycosis complicates the course of many diseases, for example, diabetes.
In especially severe cases, a fungal infection against the background of a long course of the disease or a decrease in immunity can cause deep mycosis - the penetration of fungi through the blood into the internal organs.

To avoid complications, if you notice the first signs of fungal nail infection, you should start treatment as soon as possible.

How to get rid of toenail fungus?

Medicines used to treat nails affected by fungus are presented in two groups.

The first group is the means of local influence. This group includes medicated varnishes and peeling patches, ointments and creams, gels. Most of the drugs for external use are effective only in the initial stage of the disease.
The second group consists of oral systemic antimycotic drugs. Usually these are capsules or tablets that have an inhibitory effect on the fungus. They inhibit the spread of mycosis and have a long-term effect, which significantly reduces the likelihood of relapse of the disease.

But considering that the drugs used to treat onychomycosis are very toxic and often cause side effects, and the clinical picture of fungal infections of the skin and nail plate on the toes is always strictly individual, it is good to answer the question. The question of how to treat fungus on the feet of an experienced specialist.

Laser therapy

If the advanced form of the fungus cannot be treated with drugs, you can resort to laser therapy.

Laser treatment of fungi is considered one of the most effective ways to get rid of this disease.
Under the influence of the radiation, the fungal cells die immediately.
The laser beam does not damage nearby tissues.
An advanced form of the fungus can be treated with only four laser therapy procedures.

Having decided to undergo laser treatment, it is also important to take all the necessary pills and vitamins at the same time.

Drug treatment for onychomycosis

The specialist prescribes treatment in the initial stages of nail fungus, taking into account certain factors:

Plate shift rate;
Stages of hyperkeratosis;
Area of damage;
Clinical form of pathology.

At the beginning of the development of the disease, the dermatologist prescribes local remedies. These include ointment, lacquer, solution, cream with antimycotic properties (antifungal). It is recommended to apply them after treating an infected nail. Preparatory measures improve the penetration of drugs into the plate, thereby speeding up the fungal treatment.

To soften nails, you can use patches containing urea or salicylic acid:

Using a nail file, carefully process the nail plate;
apply an antifungal agent;
Cover the nail with a bandage;
Remove after a day;
Apply an antifungal agent prescribed by a dermatologist.

Most often, the specialist prescribes drugs for external use only.

Attention!

Systemic antifungal agents are not used for onychomycosis in the initial stage of development.

Treatment of nail fungus at home

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

Apple cider vinegar. It is enough to soak your feet 1-2 times a day in a 1: 1 ratio of apple cider vinegar and warm water for about 15-20 minutes. After moisturizing, dry your toenails completely (you can use a hair dryer). And in about two weeks, you will see that the fungus is gone and a beautiful new one will grow in place of the old damaged nail.
Tea tree oil should be applied to the skin and nails affected by the fungus three times a day. A single dose is 4 to 10 drops of the product. This treatment should be continued for at least two weeks, if not longer, to ensure that the infection does not return to you. Children and pregnant women should not use this oil.
Freshly harvested celandine is passed through a meat grinder and the juice is squeezed out of the resulting pulp (this is done with 3-4 layers of cheesecloth). It should yield about 200 ml. juice is combined with 200 ml. 70% alcohol and leave for 24 hours. Prepared juice is used to lubricate the affected nails, but the treatment is carried out only after steaming the feet for 10 minutes and drying them completely. The course of treatment is 10-12 days, 3-4 treatments per day.
Another way to get rid of nail fungus is to treat it with iodine at home. 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 removed regularly.
Kombucha will also help fight fungus. Compresses are prepared for this treatment: wrap a plate of kombucha in cellophane and wrap a bandage on your leg, then put it in socks. In the morning, you should wash your feet with warm water, carefully remove the dead areas and lubricate them with iodine. Side effects include quite severe pain, but you can get the desired result faster.

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

Infection with pathogenic fungi occurs as a result of contact, as well as non-compliance with hygiene rules. Onychomycosis (fungus of the nail plate) is most often contracted through the use of shared shoes in everyday life, in gyms and other places with high humidity and temperature. The initial stage of nail fungus has certain symptoms. Knowing them, it is possible to avoid the pathology from moving to another stage of development.

All folk remedies can be used only after consulting a dermatologist. Many of them can cause allergic reactions. It is easier to treat onychomycosis by combining alternative treatment methods with drugs.

At the initial stage, the fungus on the toenails appears as almost imperceptible grooves or white spots. Often, a person learns that he has a fungal infection only when he visits a dermatologist. This is explained by the fact that it is almost impossible to recognize the disease yourself during this period. If the treatment is started on time, the disease is cured quickly.

Fungus (onychomycosis) is not only a dermatological disease, but in advanced forms many systems and internal organs are affected. In order to immediately stop the pathology, it is necessary to know the symptoms and treatment methods. How does the disease manifest itself in different stages? Which drugs are most effective?

If everyone in your household uses the same pedicure or manicure set, you can get fungal infections at home. But the risk of infection in public places is higher - the fungus lives in bathrooms, swimming pools and showers in fitness centers.

What diseases can cause fungal infection:

flat feet, congenital or acquired foot deformity;
poor blood circulation in the lower extremities;
increased sweating of the feet;
corns, excessively rough skin on feet;
frequent damage to the nail plate;
weakened immunity, any chronic diseases, diabetes.

Fungus on the feet often develops among people who like tight shoes and neglect the rules of personal hygiene. Infection often occurs in beauty salons where tools are poorly handled. The disease can be provoked by taking oral contraceptives and antibacterial drugs.

Preventive measures

To prevent the disease, you should:

Avoid direct contact with fungal carriers.
Follow the rules of personal hygiene, wash your hands after going to public places.
After washing, carefully wipe the areas between your fingers, because the fungus loves a warm and moist environment.
Do not use other people's shoes and household items.
Wear socks made of natural fabrics.
Wear shoes in a public pool, bath or sauna.
Use personal manicure accessories.

Forecast

The prognosis for timely diagnosis and adequate treatment of nail fungus is favorable. The prognosis worsens against the background of accompanying chronic diseases.

Treatment of advanced nail fungus is long-term. Relapses occur in 40-70% of cases.