Although the problem caused by toenail fungus can persist for a long time regardless of the season, the complaints mainly become bothersome in the summer, when thickened, yellowed, crumbly nails are visible from light footwear.
Yellowish-black, thick, brittle, chipping nails
Fungus can develop on fingernails or toenails, but complaints occur much more often on toenails. Based on studies about half of the patients suffering from nail fungus experience pain and discomfort. Nail fungus (onychomycosis in Latin) can affect approximately one in 10 people.
Toenails tend to thicken over the years, but if the color of the nail changes and becomes yellow, dark green or blackit can also be caused by a fungus. In addition, in the case of nail fungus, the area around the affected nail may be painful to the touch or pressure, some parts of the nail may break off and fall off, and the skin around the nail bed may become red and itchy.
Nail fungus and foot skin fungus can occur together
Unfortunately, nail fungus infection is easy to catch. Anyone can become infected in public gyms, sports facilities, swimming pools, beaches, shared showers, using each other’s shoes, slippers or nail care kits. The risk of developing the disease is higher than average in the elderly, in patients with diabetes, in patients with circulation problems, and in those who take antibiotics long-term.
The fungus responsible for toenail fungus is the same as the fungus that infects the skin of the feet, causing itchy skin and a burning sensation between the toes and on the soles of the feet. It’s no coincidence that in more than half of the cases, nail fungus can be accompanied by a fungal infection of the skin of the feet. If someone has a fungus on the skin of the feet, it is worth treating it as soon as possible so that it does not spread to the nails and vice versa.
Nail fungus does not heal on its own
It should be noted that nail fungus does not go away by itself. Therefore, in the case of typical symptoms, it is necessary to act as soon as possible, preventing that the fungal infection spreads to the deeper regions of the nail, possibly to the other nails as well, and later it will be even more difficult to get rid of it.
Over-the-counter solutions and – in more severe, extensive cases – prescription preparations are also available for the treatment of toenail fungus. Current therapeutic options include topical and oral antifungal agents. External preparations they can be ointments, creams, gels, medicated nail polishes, sticks. Those taken orally are usually tablets or capsules.
For the treatment of fungal nail infections (unless the infection significantly affects several nails), external treatment is primarily recommended. The main advantage of external treatment is the minimization of side effects affecting the body as a whole. It is applied locally (e.g. as nail polish or ointment). antifungal agents usually do not enter the bloodstream, they do not reach vital organs, so the side effects caused there are also extremely rare. External treatment is also favorable from the point of view of avoiding drug interactions, especially in the case of patients taking several drugs orally at the same time; since there is no need to take an additional medicine.
Easy to catch, hard to get rid of
Treating nail fungus is not an easy task. Since the nail is approximately 100 times thicker than the stratum corneum of the skin and is made up of approximately 25 tightly fitting layers, it is difficult for antifungal agents to pass through it. For success, it is used before external treatment, for example soaking or nail filing, or products that adhere permanently and strongly to the nail, i.e. nail polishes, were preferred.
Nail fungus therapy requires patience and persistence. Treatment usually lasts several months, typically lasts 6-9 months. Premature discontinuation of medication often results in recurrence of the fungal infection.
If someone is not sure about the “self-diagnosis” of nail fungus, they should consult a doctor; as well as if 3-4 months of brushing, varnishing or smearing treatments do not lead to visible results.
Dr. Budai Marianna PhD
specialist pharmacist
The article was published in Patika Magazin! Look for it in pharmacies, ask your pharmacist!
Source: www.patikamagazin.hu
