How to independently recognize toenail fungus in the early stages

Cutaneous mycoses are common.They develop as a result of infection with anthropophilic and zooanthropophilic fungi.You can become infected through personal contact by visiting public baths and saunas, swimming pools and gyms.Fungal pathologies have characteristic clinical manifestations, but not everyone knows what a toenail fungus looks like, so few people seek medical help in the initial stages.This contributes to the spread of infection.

Symptoms of skin lesions on the fingers

The initial changes caused by a fungal infection are difficult to notice: they do not cause pathological changes in the affected area and do not cause discomfort.With a strong immune system, the infection at this stage can subside on its own;with a decrease in the body's defenses, it will develop and move to the next stage.At this stage, flour-like detachments form in the interdigital area.The skin becomes red, dry and cracked.This process is accompanied by severe itching.Feet and heels have a healthy appearance.

Symptoms of fungal infection in toenails

Affected nails look specific, so it is not difficult to recognize the beginning of an infection.The pathological process develops according to the following scenario:

1. The nail plates thicken, their color changes: the pale pink shade disappears and a yellow-gray color appears.
2. A gap appears between the stock and the plate.
3. The nail plate gradually begins to peel off, its edges become brittle.They crumble and gradually collapse.
4. Severe itching appears in the affected area.It distracts you from daily activities.
5. Irritation and redness and then painful cracks develop in the skin between the fingers.
6. The affected area has an unpleasant sour smell.

It is difficult to cut nails with ordinary scissors.They cannot be processed with a nail file or special tweezers: the tiles crumble.

Symptoms of fungus on the soles of the feet

It is more difficult to determine the signs of foot fungus on your own.The development of infection provokes the appearance of formations on the sole that look like calluses.The appearance of other symptoms is associated with which form of the disease progresses.

It all starts with the scaly form.At this stage, the infection spreads throughout the sole.The skin on it becomes rough and horny, begins to actively peel and itches severely.From the outside, the foot looks as a result of the lack of a regular (irregular) pedicure.

Then the hyperkeratotic form develops.During its course, gray thickening forms in the arches.They fray a lot at the edges.Instead of old calluses, deep cracks appear.This process causes severe pain.Doctors call this phenomenon "moccasin foot".If you look at the sole of the affected foot from above, it seems that a thick yellow-gray insole is attached to it.The fungal infection spreads to the interdigital space and to the nails.They change color, peel and collapse.

Dyshidrotic form.It is characterized by the appearance on the skin of the legs of blisters filled with a cloudy liquid.This becomes possible only in advanced forms of infection.When the bubbles collapse, weeping erosions appear in their place, which flow continuously.Pathogenic bacteria easily penetrate open wounds.Secondary infection significantly worsens the patient's condition;in this case, it is very difficult to diagnose a fungal infection from external manifestations: the symptoms are similar to the clinical appearance of eczema or psoriasis.

Clinical signs of fungi according to the stage of the disease

It can take 3-14 days from the moment of infection until the first symptoms appear.The duration of the incubation period depends mainly on the type of fungus that provoked the formation of the characteristic symptoms (yeast-like fungi, molds or Candida) and on the state of the immune system.

In its development, a fungal infection goes through three stages:

1. In the initial stage, redness of the affected area, dry skin and peeling are observed.The patient experiences slight itching.
2. The middle stage is characterized by the spread of the infection throughout the leg.
3. In advanced forms, damage to the nail plates is observed, the skin of the feet is covered with cracks and the stratum corneum is divided into large layers.

If there is no etiotropic treatment, the infection passes into the chronic phase.It is characterized by alternating remissions and exacerbations.

Differential diagnosis

The diagnosis of the disease begins with an examination of the foot by a dermatologist and taking an anamnesis.Based on their results, the doctor prescribes additional laboratory tests.

It should be done:

1. Scraping from the affected area and subsequent microscopy (with its help, the fungal nature of the infection is confirmed).
2. Planting of extracted biological material in special nutrient environments.Colonies of pathogenic microorganisms grown in this way make it possible to identify the causative agent of the disease and determine its sensitivity to modern antifungal drugs.Based on this laboratory test, a drug treatment regimen is drawn up.

Fungal infections of the skin must be differentiated from vitiligo, seborrhea, psoriasis, syphilitic leukoderma, and neurodermatitis.For these purposes, skin examination under a Wood's lamp and PCR are used.

How to fight foot fungus

To fight fungal infections, the following tools are used:

• antifungal ointment;
• antimycotics in tablets;
• traditional medicine.

Ointments are applied to the affected areas twice a day;First, the skin of the feet should be steamed and cleaned of the corneum layer.The duration of taking tablets is determined by the attending physician.As a rule, the course of treatment for the initial stages of infection does not last more than a month;Advanced forms are treated within six months.Traditional medicine can significantly speed up the healing process.Doctors recommend that their patients consider the following prescriptions.

Bath with vinegar and hydrogen peroxide.You need to pour water at a temperature of 37 degrees in a basin, add 20 grams of table vinegar to it, then put your feet in the water and heat them for twenty minutes.After that, you need to remove the stratum corneum with pumice, wipe your feet dry and smear the affected areas of the skin with a 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide.At the end of the procedure, the affected areas are lubricated with an antifungal cream prescribed by the doctor.

Bath with salt and celandine juice.The feet are pre-boiled in a saline solution (one teaspoon per liter of water) and then lubricated with celandine juice prepared from the leaves and stems of fresh grass.The procedure ends with the application of an antifungal drug.

Baths with soda (20 grams of powder per two liters of water) can relieve inflammation and stimulate the healing of ulcers.The feet are steamed for fifteen minutes, wiped dry with a towel and treated with etiotropic ointment.

It is important throughout the treatment to thoroughly disinfect all surfaces with which the injured feet come into contact (shoes, clothing, bedding).After treating the affected areas of the skin, you should wash your hands thoroughly and then treat them with a liquid antiseptic.Violation of the number of drugs taken and their dosage will lead to increased sensitivity of the pathogenic microflora, to the need to prolong the therapy and make some changes in tablets and ointments.

To prevent relapses, it is important to prevent re-infection.Wear only dry shoes, choose socks made from natural fabrics and use only personal pedicure accessories.