Onychomycosis, or nail fungus, is contagious
A fungal disease that affects fingernails and toenails and is easily spread to others.Most often, the causative agent is a fungus of the genera Trichophyton, Epidermophyton, or Microsporum.To grow and reproduce, fungal colonies use keratin, one of the components of nails, hair, and the upper layer of skin (epidermis).
Onychomycosis is easily spread through direct contact with infected people or animals, as well as other transmission factors, such as through contact with a patient's personal belongings or any object that interacts in some way with an infection carrier.It occurs more commonly in older adults or adults with weakened immune systems.
Although onychomycosis itself is not life-threatening, it can "harass" a person's immune system and make the body more susceptible to other diseases. Without adequate treatment, it may cause irreversible complications, so onychomycosis must be treated very seriously.
Causes of onychomycosis
A warm and consistently moist environment is the best condition for fungal colonies.Where sanitary and epidemiological regimes are not followed, the risk of infection increases.You can "catch" onychomycosis in public places or from common objects.
Fungi are natural inhabitants of the skin and mucous membranes.The immune system encounters them frequently and, in a healthy state, can deal with them easily.However, some factors can cause the body's defense capabilities to decrease, thereby activating fungal invasion.in:
- Have a serious illness;
- Circulatory problems (for example, due to shoes that are too tight);
- Regular exposure to warm, moist environments (such as hyperhidrosis or wet shoes);
- hormonal imbalance;
- Venous thrombosis, systemic vascular disease;
- Nail injuries;
- taking antibacterial drugs;
- pressure etc.
Patients with systemic diseases are particularly susceptible to mycoses: diabetes, psoriasis, and immunodeficiency diseases.
People with dermatophytes are much more likely to develop onychomycosis.Dermatomycosis is accompanied by severe itching, and constant scratching can lead to nail infection and the spread of the infection.
Types of onychomycosis
Onychomycosis refers to superficial mycosis – a fungal invasion that affects the skin and mucous membranes.If the immune system is significantly weakened, deep mycosis—a fungal infection of the internal organs—can develop.
There are many types of onychomycosis, but they all fall into one of three categories:
- Normal nutritional onychomycosis - The nails may change color and be covered with light spots or streaks, but the shape and structure of the nail plate does not change.
- Hypertrophy - Nails become noticeably yellow, thickened, deformed, lose their luster, and begin to collapse to the sides.
- Onycholysis (atrophy) – The affected nail becomes thin, brittle and gradually peels away from the nail bed.
Signs of fungal damage to the nail plate
There are many types of fungi, so the symptoms of the disease can manifest themselves in different ways:
- Spots or streaks appear;
- Nail color changes to earthy grey, yellow or light brown with a pinkish tint;
- Nails become thickened, deformed, cracked, and even fall off in severe cases;
- Pain in the affected nail area, especially when wearing shoes.
Nails affected by onychomycosis can produce an unpleasant odor and severe pain when walking.Advanced fungal infections can cause allergic reactions and create a favorable "platform" for the development of other infectious diseases.
Development stage
Fungi can enter through the free (distal) edge of the nail, the lateral folds on the sides, or damaged areas of the nail.First, the infection becomes anchored at the edge of the nail, and as the colony grows, it spreads throughout the nail.Fungi are able to penetrate the epithelial tissue beneath the nail plate through microcracks and wounds in the nail.
Typically, the big toe is the first to experience a fungal infection.The first sign of onychomycosis is the appearance of light spots on the nails.There is a change in the color of the nail plate - the pinkish color inherent to healthy nails disappears.The nail plate turns earthy grey, yellow or white and loses its transparency.The edges of the nails begin to crack and thin.
If the mushroom becomes fixed and produces hyphae, the nail will gradually begin to deform.After the fungal disease penetrates the nail plate, it slowly spreads to the hard shell of the nail and then to adjacent tissues.Air holes appear and delamination begins.Some people try to cut off the entire affected area - this does not produce the desired results because the infection has penetrated deeper.Sometimes, a disturbance occurs in the formation of nail tissue - the nail grows poorly and new areas look deformed.
Next, the nail begins to deteriorate, pain may occur, and a bad odor may be felt.The next stage in the infection process is the transfer of the fungus to adjacent nails and adjacent areas of skin.
The longer you ignore a fungal problem, the more firmly it becomes established in the body and the more difficult it becomes to cure later.Therefore, if your nails change color, structure, or shape, you should see a dermatologist or mycologist immediately.
Diagnosis and treatment of onychomycosis
Onychomycosis will not go away on its own.Often, the treatment of onychomycosis with "folk methods" or "casual" use of antifungal drugs is ineffective.Even if this has short-term effects, untreated disease can return over time.Getting rid of onychomycosis requires a systematic approach and the involvement of a doctor.
To confirm the diagnosis, a nail scrape is often performed - examined microscopically for the presence of disease-causing fungi, and then cultured to identify the specific pathogen.Based on the test results, the doctor will be able to choose the best treatment plan.
The treatment process for onychomycosis can take anywhere from 2 to 6 months, depending on the severity of the disease.The results will be visible after a few months when the nails recover.
Antifungal agents include topical formulations (creams, sprays, ointments, gels) and combined-action formulations (injections, tablets).In addition to the use of medications, shoes, gloves, floors and bathrooms, towels and sheets need to be disinfected during fungal treatment.
In extremely severe cases, the nail is damaged to such an extent that the only effective treatment is to remove it.But surgery is only done when other treatments for onychomycosis have failed and there is a risk of the infection spreading further.
Prevent onychomycosis
The human body does not develop specific (targeted) immunity against fungi, so even after successful treatment of onychomycosis, there is a risk of reinfection if hygiene rules are not followed.
To avoid contracting onychomycosis, it is important to:
- Follow personal hygiene rules;
- Do not use other people’s personal belongings or clothing;
- Wash your feet (or at least your feet) with cold water and soap every day;
- Keep socks or stockings clean and dry at all times; if you are prone to excessive sweating, use special preparations to treat your feet;
- Don't let your nails grow, but don't cut them too short so that they are flush with your toe pads;
- Disinfect nails regularly with disinfectant;
- Clean regularly and avoid moisture and excessive moisture.
Once a nail is injured, be sure to treat the wound immediately with an antiseptic and ask a doctor to treat the wound promptly, as it may become a "portal" for fungal infection.