Many people are faced with diseases that affect the nails. But not everyone knows which doctor treats toenail and fingernail fungus. Refusal of treatment leads to the development of dystrophy. It can be dangerous, as the infection is constantly evolving and "capturing new territory. " It is important to immediately seek help from a specialist when the first symptoms of a lesion appear. The choice of doctor largely depends on the general condition of the patient.
Symptoms of mycosis
In the early stages, the fungal infection does not manifest itself in any way. The appearance of the first symptoms is not noticed. Healthy nails are pink and shiny. When infected, it fades, becoming a dirty gray.
Gradually, the nail plate thickens, making it difficult to cut the free edge with scissors. In the final stages, hyperkeratosis develops, the nails become yellow and brittle. Over time, the plate moves away from the nail bed. As a result, the resulting voids are filled with pathogenic microorganisms that are part of the skin microflora. Decreased immunity. There are complications in the form of attachment of bacterial components. At a later stage, the fungus spreads to the periungual ridge, and the foot becomes infected. The skin is very itchy and cracked, the toes are covered with painful cracks.
What to do to cure mycosis
You can restore your nails to their first healthy appearance by using complex antifungal therapies. Patients are prescribed oral antimycotics in tablets. They act on pathogenic microorganisms located in the innermost layer of the stratum corneum. The active ingredients of topical preparations can not reach them, therefore, treatment of affected nail plates with creams and ointments, solutions and varnishes having antifungal properties, without systemic preparations, does not allow to achieve the desired therapeutic effect.
There are several groups of antimycotics. Some of them are active against dermatophytes, others against mold and fungi such as yeast. Appointments are made after identifying the causative agent of nail fungus. For this purpose, abrasion is made from the affected area. Biological material was sent for microscopy and bacteriological culture. They also allow to determine the sensitivity of pathogenic microorganisms to certain groups of antifungal drugs.
Which doctor should I contact if there is fungus on the toenails
To conduct an examination and make a correct diagnosis, you need to contact a dermatologist, mycologist or podologist.
- A dermatologist is a general specialist who treats all types of skin diseases caused by various provocative factors. It is to him that you need to get first aid, if necessary, he can refer the patient to a mycologist.
- Mycologists are narrow -profile specialists. He is involved in the treatment and prevention of infections, the development of which occurs after a fungal infection. He knows everything about these pathogenic microorganisms, so he can easily identify the type of infection and choose the right medication to block it.
- A podologist is a pedicure specialist with a medical education. It treats cosmetic defects, a development that can trigger foot deformities. Its job is to detect and identify any pathological changes in the early stages of development and produce therapies that can be implemented in a beauty salon (remove nails that grow inwards, clean the stratum corneum, remove corns and cracks). If a problem is identified that he or she is unable to resolve, the doctor writes a referral to a narrow specialist (to a dermatologist, surgeon or mycologist).
Preliminary examination by a doctor
Whoever is referred by the patient, the first examination is the same everywhere:
- First, the doctor interviews the patient, collects all complaints, describes the history of pathology in history.
- Then a visual examination of the affected nail is performed, the condition of the skin around the infected nail is assessed.
- According to patient complaints, according to the characteristics of the course of the disease, according to symptoms, specialists try to formulate an initial diagnosis and distinguish fungal infections from psoriasis, lichen.
- Then he must write instructions for lab tests. They allow you to confirm the diagnosis, identify the pathogen and indicate its level of sensitivity to existing drugs.
Only according to the results of laboratory studies, treatment tactics are developed. In each case, the therapeutic regimen may be different: it all depends on the stage of the disease.
Treatment of nail fungus in the early stages
The early stages of the infection develop without visible symptoms.
But it is also easy to diagnose if you pay attention to small changes in the structure of the nail plate.
- First, the free edge of the nail turns slightly yellow.
- The thickness of the stratum corneum increases, and this becomes noticeable when compared to the thickness of a healthy nail.
- If the feet are sweaty, a characteristic sour smell appears.
When one or three of the listed signs are detected, you should make an appointment with a mycologist. If there is no such doctor in the clinic, then consultation with a dermatologist will be useful. At this stage, the infection can be treated with folk remedies and antifungal drugs intended for topical treatment. The therapeutic scheme in this case is as follows:
- Every day, the feet are first soldered in a bath with the addition of a decoction of chamomile or potassium permanganate. They disinfect the skin and prevent the attachment of bacterial components. Better make it at night.
- After the nails are thoroughly dried with a towel, then a cotton pad is applied to the affected plate, moistened profusely with a solution of apple cider vinegar, vodka and glycerin (the first two ingredients are mixed in half, one tablespoon of the third component. Added to them). After half an hour, the compress is removed. The fungus does not tolerate acidic environments, so it stops multiplying.
- In the morning, a few drops of iodine (5%) are applied daily on the affected plate.
- Every day in the first month you need to cover your nails with antifungal varnish. In the second month, the varnish is applied twice a week, in subsequent months once every seven days.
Experts recommend that treatment be carried out until a healthy nail plate has fully regenerated (about three to four months). Periodically, it is useful to visit your doctor and monitor the effectiveness of the therapy used with it. If necessary, a dermatologist or mycologist can make changes to the treatment regimen by adding antifungal ointments or disinfectant solutions.
Advanced mycosis therapy
If a comprehensive treatment regimen does not help overcome mycosis, a specialist may decide to remove the affected nail. This can be done in several ways.
Surgical operation allows to solve the problem shown in the shortest possible time. For its implementation, the patient receives a referral to a surgeon. The doctor removes the nail with a scalpel, then sutures and an antiseptic bandage are applied to the wound. The recovery period lasted for two weeks. The patient is undergoing a course of antibacterial therapy, going daily to bandage the operated finger. After leaving the house.
If there are any contraindications to surgical intervention, the nails are removed using special patches. They are glued to a plate and left there for five to six days, after which the condition of the nails is assessed. If necessary, the procedure is resumed. The composition of the patch contains a substance that softens and dissolves the stratum corneum. The remnants of the nails are then removed with scissors.
To remove the plate, the patient may be offered laser therapy. With the help of a special light pulse, the stratum corneum is burned. The procedure is painless, it is performed under local anesthesia, and there is no postoperative period. To achieve therapeutic results, it is necessary to carry out eight procedures. Many people are not happy with this.
Preventive measures for the patient and his family members
Fungi reproduce by spores, they scatter over long distances by air currents and sow on any surface. The infection is spread indirectly through contact with contaminated objects. Therefore, if there is a sick person in the house, his family members should take special precautions. It is prohibited:
- wearing sick people's shoes barefoot;
- use bath accessories and tools used to do pedicures;
- walking around the house barefoot;
- ignoring the rules of personal hygiene.
It is useful, when entering the bathroom, shower or sauna, to wear interchangeable shoes on your feet. It is important to take care of the feet properly, constantly strengthen the immune system and enrich the diet with foods high in vitamins and minerals. At the first sign of infection, seek medical advice.