Toenail fungus (onychomycosis) is one of the most common infectious pathologies that is difficult to treat. According to statistics, every third person on the planet suffers from mycoses, which can not only affect the skin and nails, but also cause more serious health problems. In advanced cases, internal organs suffer from the activity of pathogenic fungi, general and local immunity decreases, and complications associated with the addition of a secondary bacterial infection often develop.
It is difficult to completely get rid of the fungus; the treatment process is lengthy and requires careful adherence to medical recommendations. Moreover, if the course of therapy is not completed, there is a high risk of relapses and further progression of the disease. The pharmaceutical market today offers a wide range of antifungal agents to cope with infection. These are not only ointments, gels, sprays, varnishes, but also systemic preparations intended for oral administration. We will tell you in more detail about how to cure toenail fungus and what medicine, according to mycologists and dermatologists, will most effectively cope with the problem. But first, let’s look at the first symptoms of infection and routes of infection.
Doctors identify several main causes of fungal infection:
Infection with a fungus occurs as a result of violation of basic hygiene standards or through contact with a carrier. For example, you can become infected within your family if one of its members suffers from onychomycosis. It is enough to put on someone else's slippers, use a shared towel or other household items.
A fungal infection can be easily picked up in public places with high temperature and humidity (swimming pool, bathhouse, sauna, public shower, gym). It is there that there is a favorable microclimate for the development of pathogenic fungi, and conditions are created for bare feet to come into contact with the contaminated surface. Fungi thrive and actively reproduce in a humid and warm environment. They can last for a long time on any surface (benches, carpets, floors). If a person walks barefoot in a public place, fungal spores land on the feet, toes and nails.
The entry points for infection are small cracks, abrasions, corns, and wounds on the feet that appear as a result of wearing tight and uncomfortable shoes. But even in this case, infection may not occur if the person has a good immune system that can cope with the infection on its own. If the immune system is weakened, then infection cannot be avoided. The appearance of fungus is often promoted by excessive sweating of the feet or concomitant chronic diseases (diabetes mellitus, psoriasis, varicose veins).
The fungus first affects the skin of the feet and the interdigital area, and then spreads to the nail plate, where, in the absence of timely treatment, it continues to grow and multiply. The infection develops slowly, so it is difficult to detect toenail fungus in the early stages. In order to effectively cope with onychomycosis, treatment must begin as early as possible, so everyone needs to know about the first signs of infection.
The first signs of foot fungus are a burning sensation and itching. The skin on the foot, between the toes, begins to peel off, bubbles appear on it, which burst, forming cracks and ulcers. If treatment is not started in time, the fungus spreads further and penetrates under the nails, choosing the subungual space as its localization site, where there are nutrients necessary for its further reproduction and growth.
Having established itself under the nail plate, the fungus begins to produce special enzymes that destroy tissue and the stratum corneum and promote the growth of mycelium threads. In the first stages of infection, external manifestations are practically invisible, so few people pay attention to them, but as the infection progresses further, characteristic symptoms begin to appear:
The nature of the lesions largely depends on the type of fungus. Thus, when infected with dermatophytes, a characteristic symptom is the appearance of yellow spots and longitudinal stripes in the center and along the edges of the nail plate. If yeast fungi get under the nail, then their destructive activity begins on the sides of the nail, which gradually turns yellow and begins to lag behind the nail bed. If the nail turns black, then such changes are most likely caused by mold.
One of the serious complications of mycosis is an ingrown toenail. The nail plate affected by the fungus thickens over time, grows incorrectly, curls and cuts into the skin. As a result, ingrown toenails cause severe pain when walking, injure the skin and cause a bacterial infection. In this case, the toe becomes red and swollen, and pus is released from under the nail plate. A person with an ingrown toenail may find it difficult to walk due to pain. This complication is especially dangerous for patients with diabetes, as it can cause gangrenous lesions of the limb.
If treatment is not started at the first unfavorable symptoms, the disease will progress, and mycosis will subsequently spread to all nails. In severe cases, the whole body begins to suffer from a fungal infection: allergic reactions, digestive system disorders and other symptoms of intoxication caused by the penetration of fungal toxins into the circulatory and lymphatic systems are noted.
When the first alarming symptoms appear, you should consult with a specialist who will select the optimal treatment regimen and recommend an effective remedy for toenail fungus.
At the first signs of foot fungus, you need to take active measures to eliminate it; you should not hope that all manifestations will disappear on their own. It will not happen. A fungal infection will progress over time and can lead to serious health problems. Therefore, the sooner treatment is started, the greater the chances of getting rid of onychomycosis forever. Today, dermatologists and mycologists have highly effective medications for toenail fungus with general and local action.
At the initial stage of the disease, when the affected area is minimal, you can limit yourself to the use of local broad-spectrum antifungal drugs (ointments, creams, solutions, varnishes, sprays). If the process has gone too far and the nails are completely affected by the fungus, systemic antimycotics in tablets are included in the complex treatment. Most of these drugs have serious contraindications and side effects, so they are prescribed by a specialist, and treatment is carried out under his supervision. Let us dwell in more detail on the drugs intended for the treatment of fungus.
At the initial stage, you can use antifungal solutions and nail polishes. The range of these products is very diverse, to name just a few:
Treatment with such drugs is quite lengthy and must be used regularly. Loceryl solution is especially popular among patients. This is a new, powerful tool, very effective and easy to use. The solution easily penetrates into small voids in the nail plate formed as a result of fungal activity and destroys pathogenic microflora. The active ingredient of the drug is amorolfine (5%). Loceryl is successfully used not only to treat fungus on toenails, but also as a prophylactic agent. The duration of treatment with the solution is from 6 to 12 months.
Lac Batrafen is prescribed in monthly courses according to a specific scheme. In the first month of treatment, nails are treated every other day, during the second month - twice a week. In the third month of treatment, varnish is applied once a week, treatment is continued until the nail plate is completely restored.
For external treatment of nails affected by fungus, groups of drugs based on terbinafine, naftifine, ciclopiroxolamine, and ketoconazole are used. The most popular means:
Terbinafine-based drugs are recognized as the most effective. This component has a special chemical structure that allows it to destroy most strains of pathogenic fungi. It acts in two directions at once - it not only violates the integrity of the membranes of the fungal cell, but also destroys it from the inside.
Also receiving good reviews is a new drug that very effectively treats toenail fungus - Stop-Active oil. Read more about it here.
For complicated forms of mycoses, external treatment is supplemented with antifungal drugs in tablet form. Systemic antimycotics cannot be avoided in cases where the disease progresses and treatment with local agents alone is ineffective. There are a lot of drugs for treating fungus; they should be selected by an experienced doctor, since many of them have serious contraindications and restrictions for use. Such drugs should not be taken by children, pregnant women, or patients with liver and kidney pathologies. We list the most popular medications for oral administration:
The effectiveness of these drugs is very high; in combination with local drugs, it is possible to achieve lasting results and cope with onychomycosis, preventing repeated relapses of the disease.
If the nail is completely affected, it is better to remove it before starting treatment. An alternative to the surgical method are special cosmetics that allow you to painlessly remove a nail affected by a fungus. These are creams such as:
Before the procedure, the nails should be steamed well in a soda solution, an adhesive plaster should be applied to the skin around them, then the affected nail plate should be treated with a thick layer of Nogtevit or Nogtemitsin cream. The substances contained in these preparations have a powerful antifungal and antiseptic effect and promote rapid exfoliation of the affected stratum corneum. The softened layer is removed with pedicure instruments, the procedure is repeated daily until the nail is completely clean.
Modern antimycotic agents not only destroy pathogenic fungi and stop the progression of mycosis, but are able to accumulate in the nail plate, remaining there for a long time. This helps prevent relapses of the disease and speeds up recovery.
Antifungal agents are powerful drugs, many of them have serious contraindications, so self-medication is unacceptable. The treatment regimen and the necessary medication will be selected individually by the attending physician. Fungal therapy should be comprehensive and based on the use of local agents and systemic drugs for oral administration. In addition, many patients, in consultation with their doctor, use folk remedies for toenail fungus.
There are many folk recipes that help stop the spread of fungus and cope with it in the initial stages. Let us present to your attention several popular recipes used to treat toenail fungus at home.
To avoid fungal infection, follow these simple recommendations:
These simple preventative measures will help protect against fungus and keep your feet healthy. Remember that toenail fungus takes a long time and is difficult to treat, so it is important to prevent the appearance of mycosis, carefully observe hygiene standards and respond in time to any adverse changes that may be the first signs of infection.
Several years ago, I began to notice that my large toenail had become dull and changed color. It gradually began to turn yellow, and longitudinal stripes appeared on it. At first I didn’t attach much importance to this, especially since there was no discomfort or pain. But over time, the nail began to thicken, crumble, become deformed and eventually bent like a claw.
As a result, problems arose when walking. If you put on shoes, the nail gets in the way, causing pain. I went to the doctor and it turned out that it was an advanced form of toenail fungus. The doctor advised to remove the nail surgically, but I did not dare. Then he prescribed Nogtevit cream, which removes the nail gradually and painlessly. I used it according to the instructions and after two weeks the affected nail completely peeled off. Now I apply special antifungal ointments prescribed by the doctor and wait for a healthy nail to grow back.
I treated toenail fungus with folk remedies. I treated it with a soda solution and did foot baths with apple cider vinegar. I caught it in time and started treating the fungus at an early stage, when my nails just started to change color and fade.
In the end, I managed without medication. I did the procedures regularly for 2 weeks, now my nails are in normal condition, smooth and shiny. I treat them with varnish, do a pedicure, and I don’t notice any unwanted changes.
The toenail turned black and began to crumble, the skin on the toe around it became inflamed and red. It was hard to put on shoes, and walking was a real torture. The doctor prescribed a bunch of different medications, ointments for external treatment, Exifin tablets.
To be honest, medicines are not cheap, but toenail fungus needs to be treated. I’ve been taking pills for the second month now, treating my nails with Lamisil, but the result is not encouraging yet. True, the inflammation around the nail has disappeared and there is no pain, but the nail continues to crumble. It's probably better to remove it so that a new, healthy nail can grow.