Onychomycosis of nails. Treatment with the best drugs at home

Treatment of nail onychomycosis with drugs is carried out according to a certain scheme. The disease is perceived by patients as an unpleasant aesthetic defect. This is a fairly serious pathology that requires long-term treatment.

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The site provides reference information. Adequate diagnosis and treatment of the disease is possible under the supervision of a conscientious doctor. Any drugs have contraindications. Consultation with a specialist is required, as well as detailed study of the instructions! .

Treatment – ​​drugs for onychomycosis of nails

The list of tablets and drugs for the treatment of onychomycosis of toenails is large. Only a specialist can decide which complex treatment regimen and which drugs will be safest and most effective for a particular patient.

Commonly prescribed oral tablets with systemic antifungal action:

1. Fluconazole.
2. Ketoconazole.
3. Fungavis.
4. Itraconazole
5. Terbinafine.

Indications for the use of antifungal tablets:

1. The disease has existed for a long time, and no measures have been taken to eliminate it.
2. Rapidly progressive course of the process.
3. Large area affected by fungus.

Contraindications:

1. Antifungal tablets are prohibited for children.
2. Concomitant pathology of the liver or kidneys.
3. Not compatible with the simultaneous administration of drugs from other drug groups - with oral contraceptives to prevent their interaction and undesirable effects.

Tablets and their side effects on the body

Antifungal drugs for nails should be prescribed taking into account the following rules:

1. An accurate diagnosis must be established by a specialist doctor.
2. To prevent interaction and the development of negative side effects during antifungal therapy, you should abandon all
3. Medicines other than those prescribed for health reasons.
4. Course of drug treatment systemic action should be used against nail fungus
5. Have a sufficient duration to achieve complete recovery and disappearance of the fungus. Medical supervision is strictly required throughout the entire treatment, which sometimes lasts a long time.
6. Doctor's examinations are appropriate once every 2 weeks at the beginning of treatment, and subsequently once a month.
7. A repeat fungal test is taken six months after treatment. If a fungus is detected, an additional course is carried out, prescribing antifungal agents.

In dermatology safe method Pulse therapy is recognized as the most effective treatment for nail fungus. Broad-acting tablets are taken in courses at long intervals.

Over the course of a week, the required concentration of the medication accumulates in the body and during the interval when the patient does not take the medicine, the fight against the fungus continues. After completion of therapy, the drug continues to have an effect, preventing relapse of the disease for a year.

The advantage of this technique is the opportunity for the patient’s body to rest from taking medications. Allows you to freely take other pills – and antibiotics – during intervals. Therapy significantly reduces the risk of developing recurrent fungal infection.

Factors influencing the choice of anti-nail fungus products:

• The size of the area and shape of the lesion;
• Spread of fungal infection;
• Concomitant chronic somatic pathology;
• Patient's age.

In complex treatment, systemic drugs for nail fungus will be supplemented with topical agents to complement and enhance each other's antifungal effect.

Antifungal drugs for external use can have a therapeutic effect only on the most initial stages diseases.

When treated with tablets, side effects may develop against the background of a general positive therapeutic effect:

1. Headache.
2. Itchy skin.
3. Impaired sense of taste in the form of loss of taste.
4. Disorders of the digestive system.
5. Rashes.
6. General weakness and unmotivated fatigue.
7. Liver dysfunction.
8. Central nervous system disorders. Weakened concentration, slower reactions.
   Increased toxic effects of alcohol.

Causes of foot fungus

Onychomycosis is a disease caused by a fungus that affects the nails and then spreads to the nail bed.

The clinical picture is manifested by characteristic changes in the structure of the nails. There is a change in their shape and deformation, the color changes. The nail plates lose their natural color, become whitish, or acquire a yellowish tint.

With further progression of the disease, in the absence of proper treatment, inflammation of the nail bed, trophic disorders, and detachment may occur. nail plate.

The final diagnosis is made after an examination of the appearance and nature of the nail lesion, after taking material from the nails to identify the pathogen.

The disease is quite common, affecting approximately one tenth of the population. With increasing age, the incidence of infection and development of the disease increases to 30% among people over sixty.

After infection with a fungus, the disease is initially asymptomatic, the clinical picture appears after a certain period of time, this explains the fact that at the very beginning of its development, there are no noticeable changes in the nail during a routine examination, which makes it difficult to make a diagnosis and early treatment. With onychomycosis, damage to the toenails is 10 times more common than to the fingernails.

Infection with the fungus occurs through contaminated items used for personal hygiene and everyday life. They will be a foot mat placed in the bathroom, poorly treated manicure accessories, washcloths or house slippers.

Contact with a fungal infection in gyms, showers, saunas, baths and swimming pools is possible. Upon contact with the fungus, the development of onychomycosis does not always occur.

Provoking factors play an important role in the occurrence of the disease:

1. Tinea pedis.
2. Against the background of existing nail dystrophy, as a result of a violation of their trophism (for example, as a concomitant symptom in patients suffering from psoriasis).
3. Close contact with someone with tinea pedis or onychomycosis.
4. Pathology of peripheral vessels or diabetes mellitus.
5. Immunosuppression.
6. Elderly age. Elderly people are at risk due to impaired blood circulation in the lower extremities. It is typical for them slow growth nails and their thickening.
7. Poor circulation of the extremities, weakened immune system or damage, microtrauma to the skin around the nail bed.

Non-tablet products to combat onychomycosis

Antifungal nail medications used externally include varnish, ointment, and patches:

1. Against nail fungus, use a broad-spectrum varnish containing loteryl and 5% batrafen. Its action occurs due to deep penetration into the layers of the nail, into the tissue of the nail bed. Varnishes are applied to the pre-treated nail. It is better to remove areas of the surface of the nail plate affected by the fungus using a file attached to the varnish, then clean and degrease with alcohol.
2. Ointment and plasters. They are used to remove damaged nails as a result of fungal infection. They effectively soften the nail plate. The nail is easily separated from the nail bed and removed without causing pain. As an active ingredient with a keratolytic effect, the patches contain urea or salicylic acid. In addition, the composition will include antiseptic substances, to enhance the effect of the antifungal agent ketoconazole. A special keratolytic plaster is placed on the modified nail, sealed with a regular adhesive plaster on top and bandaged. Leave for 2-3 days, areas affected by the fungus are removed, then repeat the procedure again. Do this every day until the affected nails are completely removed. On average, the duration of the course is about six months for fingernails, a little longer - from 9 months to a year - for toenails.
3. The specially produced set for nail fungus “Mikospor” is more convenient to use. It contains an ointment consisting of a complex of an antifungal agent and a substance with a keratolytic effect, a nail scraper, and a patch.
4. When extending the process to skin creams containing anti-fungal medicine (loceryl) can be used around the nail plate. They are applied daily to the affected area for 20 days, if the hands are affected, and for up to a month and a half if the process is localized on the legs. Antifungal agents for external use have a noticeable effect only at the very beginning of the development of the disease.

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During treatment and after its completion, it is of great importance to disinfect all objects and things that the fungus could have gotten on. The premises (floors, walls) and all equipment in bathhouses, showers, and bathrooms should be treated.

And most importantly, all things used by a patient with mycosis must undergo treatment.

All surfaces are treated with a mixture of washing powder and chlorine-containing disinfectant, diluted with water to a thick sour cream. The mixture is applied to the contaminated surface for half an hour to have a detrimental effect on the fungus, then washed off.

Antifungal agents effective for treating shoes are a solution of formaldehyde (25%) or acetic acid (40%). They wipe the insoles and side surfaces. Then a tampon moistened with the product used is placed in the sock. The shoes are placed in a cellophane bag, which is hermetically sealed for a day for the action of antifungal agents.

For destruction unpleasant odor After 24 hours, the shoes are aired or wiped with ammonia. An effective way to treat linen and clothing is to boil for 15-20 minutes in a 2% soap-soda solution. Then the washed items are carefully ironed with a hot iron. Manicure accessories are disinfected by placing them in alcohol and then fired over an open fire.

Features of use in children and the elderly

Treatment of nail onychomycosis with drugs that have a systemic mechanism of action is considered inappropriate:

1. In children. Due to the imperfection of a fully formed immune system. The use of antifungal drugs will harm.
2. Elderly people suffer from a number of chronic diseases for which they take many medications.

Prescribing antifungal drugs orally may cause an undesirable reaction due to interaction with other medications.

In children and the elderly, externally applied agents are preferred. They are quite effective. They allow you to cure diseases without developing unwanted side effects.

General opinion of patients

Patients who have encountered fungal infections of the nails on their fingers and toes note in their reviews positive dynamics against the background of complex treatment. It includes: systemic drugs in tablet form for oral administration, agents used externally.

Treatment with only one drug is ineffective.

Correctly prescribed treatment after consultation with a specialist doctor copes with an unpleasant illness and ends with a complete recovery.

Self-medication is ineffective and sometimes harmful.

Other medicines for treatment

Systemic tablet preparations with antifungal effects for internal use:

• Itraconazole;
• Fluconazole;
• Ketoconazole;
• Terbinafine.

Products for topical use to treat affected nails:

• Boric acid solution;
• Fukortsin;
• Iodicerine;
• Miramistin;
• Chlorhexidine;
• Ichthyol ointment;
• Therapeutic antifungal varnishes.

Additional means for maintenance therapy:

• Vitamins;
• Preparations containing zinc;
• A nicotinic acid;
• Iron.

List of pharmaceutical drugs

Antifungal varnishes and solutions:

• Loceryl varnish;
• Oflomil varnish;
• Batrafen;
• Cyclopiroxolamine;
• Mikozan.

Plasters with peeling effect.

Remedies for removing damaged nails affected by fungus:

• Nogtevit;
• Noctimycin

Creams, sprays and ointments:

• Zalain cream;
• Exoderil cream;
• Nizoral cream;
• Mycozoral ointment;
• Mifungar cream;
• Nitrofungin solution for topical use;
• Fundizol cream;
• External dosage forms with terbinafine;
• Creams based on cyclopiroxolamine;
• Bifonazole based cream.

Antifungal tablets of systemic action on the body:

• Fluconazole and its analogues;
• Ketoconazole;
• Itraconazole;
• Itrazole;
• Terbinafine;
• Terbizil.

The list of drugs and remedies is quite long. It is quite difficult for the average person to understand. There is no need to self-medicate. An experienced doctor will select the appropriate medications for a particular patient and draw up a treatment regimen.

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Nail fungus is a common condition that begins with the appearance of white or macular spot at the tip of the nail. The fungus affects both fingernails and toenails. As the infection penetrates deeper, the nail plate becomes discolored, thickens, and begins to crumble at the edges. The disease may affect several nails, but usually not all.

If you are not suffering from symptoms of a fungal infection or experiencing discomfort, onychomycosis (the correct medical name for this disease) may not be treated. If pain is present and signs of thickening of the plates appear, you should pay close attention to onychomycosis of the nails. Treatment at home is quite safe. Inexpensive medications that are sold in pharmacies without a prescription will help you. The only negative is that even with effective treatment the fungus may return.

If the infection has spread to the areas between the toes and the skin of the feet, the disease is called tinea pedis (mycosis).

Symptoms

Onychomycosis - what is it and how to determine if you have this disease? First, find out if you have any characteristic symptoms. Usually the disease is diagnosed in cases where one or more nails:

• thickened;
• became brittle, began to crumble, acquired uneven edges;
• deformed;
• faded, lost their shine;
• darkened.

Infected nails may separate from the nail bed, a sign of the disease called onycholysis. This condition is characterized by painful sensations in the fingertips and a slight unpleasant odor.

Try to eliminate nail onychomycosis yourself. Home treatment is effective for most patients. If it does not help, it is better to consult a doctor. Patients diagnosed with diabetes should immediately see a specialist.

Causes

• live in warm, moist environments, including swimming pools and showers;
• are able to penetrate the skin through microscopic cuts, invisible to the naked eye, as well as as a result of a slight separation of the plate from the nail bed;
• may cause health problems if your hands are often exposed to heat and moisture.

Arms and legs

Onychomycosis of toenails is more common than infection of fingernails because:

• Toenails are often exposed to a dark, warm, damp environment (in shoes), which provides ideal conditions for fungus to grow;
• The toes receive less blood than the fingers, making it difficult for the immune system to recognize and destroy the infection in a timely manner.

Risk factors

You may be at risk of nail onychomycosis if you:

• Treat your elders age groups. Over the years, blood flow becomes less intense, while nails are forced to live with potentially dangerous fungi for many years. In addition, older people's nails grow more slowly.
• You suffer from profuse sweating.
• Be male, especially if there is a family history of fungal infections.
• You work in conditions of high humidity or hold a position that requires frequent washing hands

• Wear socks and shoes that do not allow air to pass through your skin or absorb sweat.
• You live with a carrier of a fungal infection.
• Walk barefoot in high humidity(swimming pools, gyms, showers).
• Do you suffer from tinea pedis?
• You have slightly damaged your nail or suffer from a skin disease (for example, psoriasis).
• Have diabetes or circulatory problems, or have been diagnosed with a weakened immune system or (in children) Down syndrome.

Complications

There are a number of complications that onychomycosis can cause. What it is? These are usually other serious infections caused by a severe case of fungal infection. How to determine the severity of the disease? If your fingers hurt or your nails are deformed, you should consult a doctor, otherwise such symptoms may remain for life. Other infections affect the body when the immune system is weakened by medications, diabetes, or other illnesses.

With diabetes, there is a risk of impaired circulation and innervation of the legs. The danger of contracting a bacterial skin infection also becomes great. If you have diabetes and suspect that changes in the appearance of your nails are caused by a fungus, seek advice from a specialist as soon as possible.

Diagnostics

First of all, the doctor examines the affected nails. He may take a sample of plaque from under your nails and send the material for laboratory analysis to determine the specific type of fungal infection.

Other ailments, such as psoriasis, often have the same external signs as onychomycosis of the nails. The infection can also be caused by microorganisms such as yeast and bacteria. Knowing the exact cause of the disease will allow you to finally determine the optimal course of therapy.

Onychomycosis: treatment (drugs)

If home treatment and conventional pharmacy antifungal agents do not cope with the infection, you should visit a doctor and start a new course of therapy. Drugs for onychomycosis are divided into the following groups:

• Antifungal agents for oral administration. Based on the results of scientific research, it turned out that the most effective medicines for fungus are Terbinafine and Itraconazole. They promote the growth of a healthy nail and the gradual replacement of the infected area with a normal nail plate. This type of medication is taken over a course of six to twelve weeks, but the final result will only become apparent when the healthy nail has grown completely. Final clearance of the infection often takes four months, or even longer, since onychomycosis becomes more difficult to defeat as the disease spreads.

Treatment at home, even with drugs recommended by doctors, is less effective if the patient is over 65 years old, so older people are recommended to combine drugs from this group with ointments for topical use. It should also be taken into account that oral medications can cause side effects - from skin rashes to liver problems. You may need to have blood tests periodically to monitor your body's response to the medications. You will not be prescribed such drugs if you have been diagnosed with liver disease or heart failure with congestive phenomena, or if you need to regularly take specific medications.

• containing an antifungal agent. If you have onychomycosis, medications to fight the infection may include a special nail polish called Ciclopirox. It is applied to the nail plates and surrounding skin once a day. After a week of use, you need to wipe off the accumulated layers of varnish with alcohol and start applying again. You may have to use the product every day for a year.
• Medicinal nail cream. The doctor may prescribe an antifungal cream (ointment), which must be rubbed into the infected nails after preliminary steaming. You can increase the effectiveness of the drug by thinning the nail plates - this way the cream will quickly reach the fungus through the nail. To make your nails thinner, you can use an over-the-counter product - any lotion with a high urea content. Sometimes special tools are used for these purposes.

Other treatments

For a patient diagnosed with onychomycosis of the nails, treatment is simply necessary. But what if non-invasive techniques simply don’t help?

If your nails are severely affected by a fungal infection, your doctor will suggest that a new healthy nail will usually grow back at the site of removal, but this process may take more than a year. Sometimes combined with the use of Ciclopirox, which helps heal the nail bed.

There are other types of therapy that can cure onychomycosis. What it is? This is exposure to laser and light for medical purposes. The effect of these procedures has not yet been fully studied, but they do help improve the condition of patients with onychomycosis and practically do not require the use of additional medications.

What you can do yourself

If you find yourself with nail onychomycosis, treatment (drugs and procedures) can be carried out with relative safety at home, without going to clinics and medical centers.

Try the following measures:

• Use antifungal nail creams and ointments, available over the counter. As a rule, there are always several products from different manufacturers in stock. If you notice white spots appearing on the surface of your nail, scrape them off, soak your nails in water, dry them, and apply a medicated cream or lotion to them. If tinea pedis complicates your nail onychomycosis, medications should be selected in a comprehensive manner: cream for the nail plates, powder or spray for the skin of the feet. Remember to keep your feet dry and clean.
• Remember the rule of regular manicure and pedicure. Polish, trim, shape and thin your nails. These simple procedures will help relieve pain. Caring for your nails immediately before applying an antifungal agent promotes deeper penetration of the medication.

Helpful hint

Before grinding off thick layers, you can carry out a simple procedure to soften the nails. Before going to bed, apply urea cream to infected nails and apply a bandage. In the morning, wash off the product with soap and water. Repeat every day until your nails soften. The skin of your fingers should be treated with Vaseline.

Folk remedies

The following alternative medicines are particularly effective in combating fungus:

• Eryngium extract. In one scientific study, the effectiveness of eryngium extract was equated to the effectiveness of Ciclopirox. The substance is applied to the affected nails once every three days during the first month and twice a week during the second month of treatment.
• Tea tree oil. It is applied to the nails twice a day, but the effectiveness of the oil has not yet been scientifically proven. However, many recommend it as the optimal folk remedy treatment of onychomycosis.

Many people consider it harmless cosmetic defect changes in the nail plate, but this often indicates a fungal infection. Onychomycosis of the nails requires treatment, as it has a negative effect on the immune system and can cause other diseases. This disease will not disappear on its own, but will only worsen over time.

What is onychomycosis?

Onychomycosis is a fungal infection of the nail plate that can occur at any age on the hands or feet. Mycosis of the toenails requires more thorough treatment than on the upper extremities, since these toes are almost constantly in shoes. It can be expressed in different ways, treatment depends on the stage of the disease and its manifestation.

In some cases, pain is present, which requires a more careful approach to the choice of drugs. You should not forget about the disease and its symptoms even after complete recovery; there are many reasons that can provoke a reappearance. Timely prevention will allow you to avoid unpleasant consequences and forget about onychomycosis forever.

Methods of infection with onychomycosis

There are several ways to contract this disease, each of which should be known in order to prevent the disease from occurring.

The most common types of infection include:

1. Direct close contact with an infected person and use of general personal care items. You can pick up a fungus by using a shared towel or wearing someone else's slippers.
2. Failure to comply with hygiene rules in common areas. Infection can occur in a shared bath or sauna, shower stall, even in a fitness center, after training on someone else’s mat.
3. In some cases, onychomycosis may appear after contact with animals with microsporia.

Care should be taken on the beach and in the pool, as well as anywhere where you have to walk without shoes, and there is no confidence in the complete sanitization of the floor.

Pathogens

There are many causative agents of onychomycosis, all of them are divided into three groups:

1. Dermatophytes.

   It is the main pathogen that causes infection in humans

2. Candida mushrooms.
3. Non-dermatophyte molds.

Depending on the pathogen, the symptoms of the disease, the course and features of therapy differ. Identifying the pathogen is extremely important for prescribing a specific drug; improper treatment can aggravate the situation and contribute to the addition of another type of fungus.

Stages of onychomycosis

Damage to the nail does not occur at one moment; it is preceded by several symptoms, each of which belongs to a certain stage. It is possible to detect onychomycosis even at the initial stage, while additional examination is required only to confirm the diagnosis and identify the pathogen.

Doctors distinguish three stages of the disease:

Lack of measures to get rid of onychomycosis leads to onycholysis - complete loss of the nail. In addition, the infection is present in the blood, preventing the body from fully protecting itself from viruses and diseases.

Symptoms of the disease

You can identify onychomycosis yourself; the symptoms are clearly visible. You should consult a doctor if you notice one of the following signs of illness in yourself or your child:

• redness of the periungual ridges, their soreness and itching;
• thickening of the nail plate, nail lamination;
• the appearance of yellow or white spots, stripes on the plate;
• unpleasant odor from nails with proper hygiene;
• detachment of the nail from the bed;
• nail deformation.

Even one symptom can indicate the presence of a disease, but if there are several of them at once, we can confidently speak about the presence of onychomycosis.

Diagnostics

Diagnosis of onychomycosis is important at an early stage of the disease; it is in this case that it will be possible to promptly select a drug that will quickly relieve the disease. The last stage is much more difficult to treat; long-term use of serious medications is required to eliminate the pathogen.

When contacting a dermatologist, the patient is examined and interviewed to identify the exact symptoms that will help identify the pathogen. After the initial examination, laboratory tests are prescribed.

Diagnostic tests

To determine the causative agent of the disease and confirm the diagnosis, mycological examination is used. A scraping is taken from the affected nail using a sharp scalpel; no discomfort occurs. After identifying the pathogen, it is necessary to take a biochemical blood test, which will confirm the presence of infection and help the doctor decide on the treatment method.

Treatment of nail onychomycosis

It is very difficult to get rid of fungal nail infections on your own. Wasting time on incorrect treatment can aggravate the situation and complicate further recovery from the disease. A dermatologist will help you select an individual treatment method that will be effective in combating a specific pathogen of onychomycosis. The same specialist takes a scraping to identify the characteristics of the disease. Based on the tests, the dermatologist will select the optimal treatment, depending on the stage of the disease, which will help get rid of onychomycosis. He will also advise preventive measures, allowing you not to remember the illness after recovery.

You can stop treatment after a follow-up test and consultation with a specialist, since the infection remaining in the blood can provoke re-spread of the fungus and complications

Treatment of mycosis of the nails on the toes and hands can include both external preparations - creams, sprays, solutions, and complex treatment with taking tablets:

It is recommended to take medications before complete disappearance symptoms and regrowth of a healthy nail. The duration of treatment depends on the stage and can take from a month to a year, especially if the fungus has spread to several nails and caused the plate to peel off.

Before starting treatment, it is necessary to remove the affected plate, otherwise there will be no effect of therapy

Complications without treatment

The danger of onychomycosis is the spread of infection throughout the body, which leads to serious consequences. Immunity decreases, resistance to various diseases becomes much worse.

Advanced cases can lead to the fact that the fungus will remain in the body forever, and the need for long-term treatment will have a negative impact on the condition of the liver

Pain when walking can occur in the later stages of the disease, when inflammation of the periungual ridges occurs. The presence of infection in the body for a long time contributes to the addition of other types of fungus, complicating the course of the disease.

Prevention of onychomycosis

To prevent infection, it is enough to follow standard rules of personal hygiene:

• use individual shoes and fitness mats;
• do not walk barefoot in crowded places (bathhouse, sauna);
• wash your feet regularly and avoid overheating them;
• treat nails with protective sprays after visiting public places and contacting sources of infection.

Following the rules will prevent re-infection and maintain the health and beauty of your nails.

Nail onychomycosis is a fungal infection of the nail plates and a serious dermatological disease that manifests itself in various forms, most often on the feet. Let's consider the most effective methods treatment of nail onychomycosis.

The causative agents of onychomycosis are mainly dermatophyte fungi and microsporia. Their negative impact is often accompanied by the influence of concomitant yeasts and molds, which give the disease resistance to therapeutic drugs.

About 20% of all humanity suffers from mycosis and no one is immune from infection with this disease. The cause of the disease can be visiting a public swimming pool, sports complex, shower, solarium, barefoot walks on the beach, trying on shoes belonging to a fungus carrier. Even elevated temperature The air in baths and saunas is not dangerous for fungal infections. Therefore, it is extremely difficult to remove them completely from wet rooms.

To recognize mycosis or onychomycosis in time, you should familiarize yourself with the symptoms of the disease:

• change in the color of the nail plate - darkening, yellowing, the appearance of a white coating;
• thickening of the nail plate or peeling of the surface;
• unpleasant foot odor;
• itching, irritation or burning sensation in the affected areas;
• fragility and brittleness of nails, loosening and destruction of individual areas;
• inflammation of the periungual fold;
• separation of the nail from the skin.

At the first signs of the disease, it is important to begin treatment immediately. If the disease is advanced, even the most powerful drugs are not able to defeat fungal colonies without additional expensive treatment. In the early stages, you can get by with home or available medical remedies.

Classification

Depending on the pathogen, location and stage, fungal nail disease is divided into several types.

Based on localization, the following forms are distinguished:

• Distal - manifestation of the disease at the free edge of the nail. Causes plate thickening, yellowing and darkening to Brown. The most common form.
• Lateral - damage to the lateral sides of the plate. May spread into the matrix and deeper.
• Superficial - infection of the upper layers of the nail, which can reach the deep nail bed. With this form, the structure and color of the plate changes, it begins to exfoliate and crumble.
• Proximal - begins with inflammation of the cushion. It penetrates the nail through a damaged cuticle or matrix and constantly infects the newly formed plate. Quickly spreads to all zones and layers.
• Total - a disease of the entire nail.

Based on the type of fungus that causes it, mycosis is divided into the following types:

• moldy;
• dermatophyte;
• yeast.

By clinical picture the disease is divided into stages:

• normotrophic - does not significantly affect the shape of the nail, but changes its color and can cause thickening of the corners;
• hypertrophic - deformation of the plate occurs, the nail loosens, breaks, darkens or turns yellow, changes shape;
• atrophic - the plates are destroyed and break off, the nail begins to move away from the skin.

Separately, candidiasis of the nail plates is distinguished. It most often occurs in women, as the cause is the Candida fungus, which causes thrush.

Home therapy for the disease

Treatment of onychomycosis of toenails and fingernails depends on its form and stage. The earlier a problem is detected, the easier it is to get rid of it. If the disease is noticed on time, application is sufficient. traditional methods at home.

After using such recipes, the condition improves after 7-10 days, but treatment cannot be stopped there. All procedures must be carried out until the nails and skin around them are completely restored.

Treatment with natural remedies

In addition to remedies from your home medicine cabinet, they help against fungal diseases. folk recipes using natural plant ingredients.

Medications

Many of the home remedies are quite effective only in the initial stages of fungal nail infections. Baths, lotions, and oils complement the main therapy well and speed up the healing process.

Among the effective drugs the best means Nizoral and Exoderil creams, Mycomax capsules for internal use, Clotrimazole gel and liquid are considered to be effective against fungus on the fingernails and toenails.

These drugs help get rid of the disease even with the most serious lesions. They are used until the nails are completely restored and are used strictly as prescribed by the doctor, according to the attached instructions.

You should not prescribe your own treatment by purchasing various medications at the pharmacy. The trial and error method wastes valuable time and money. Each drug has an effect on a specific group of fungi. The wrong medicine simply won't work. Therefore, before purchasing medications, you should be tested to determine the type of causative agent of the disease.

Some diseases cannot be ignored because of their obvious, visible symptoms. One of these problems is onychomycosis. Nail fungus deforms them appearance, causes itching and discomfort in the feet and hands. In the article we will look in detail effective ways fight against onychomycosis.

You can approach the treatment of onychomycosis using several approaches. Both local remedies - ointments, creams and nail polishes - and systemic preparations are recommended. In addition, it is imperative to follow lifestyle recommendations. Nail fungus is not a fatal disease. It responds well to treatment if treatment is prescribed correctly and all necessary measures are followed.

Important! The most common causative agent of onychomycosis, the fungus Trichophyton rubrum, causes 90% of all mycoses.

Ointments, creams, sprays

All ointments and creams for onychomycosis require long-term use, since the active substance must accumulate in the plate in an effective concentration. We can talk about a final cure after a healthy nail grows back. The agents differ in their active antimycotic component.

One of the most effective remedies for onychomycosis today. Terbinafine is included in clinical guidelines for the treatment of fungal infections.

A number of drugs are produced based on it:

• Lamisil;
• Fungoterbin;
• Exifin;

All products are applied twice a day until clinical and laboratory cure. Hands or feet must first be thoroughly washed and dried.

Naftifin

It exists only in the form of one medicine - Exoderil cream, ointment or solution. It effectively helps with onychomycosis and mycosis of the feet and hands. Exoderil is used once or twice a day until a healthy nail plate grows. You should not stop treatment early, as there is a high risk of recurrent fungal infection.

Important! Exoderil is contraindicated in pregnant and lactating women.

Used for onychomycosis in a long course once a day. The manufacturer recommends applying the product for another two weeks after a clean nail grows out. This will help avoid relapse.

Bifonazole is contained in the following products:

• Bifunal cream or spray;
• Bifosin cream or spray;
• Mycospor cream or solution.

Sertaconazole

A modern antimycotic agent, which is contained in just one drug - Zalain cream.

Zalain cream is a broad-spectrum antifungal drug that kills skin fungus of any location

Sertaconazole has a broad spectrum of action and is effective against several types of fungi. For onychomycosis, it is recommended to apply twice a day to the affected nail plate. The course of treatment is at least a month.

One of the most famous antifungal drugs, it is still used in the treatment of mycoses. It is used twice a day, applied to the affected nails, covering the surrounding skin.

Clotrimazole-based products differ in manufacturer and price.

This is a broad-spectrum antifungal drug, so you can find shampoos, creams, ointments and sprays with ketoconazole on sale. They effectively get rid of dandruff, smooth skin mycoses and onychomycosis. A product based on ketoconazole Nizoral in the form of a cream is used twice a day until a healthy nail grows.

Important! Any local remedy can cause an allergic reaction: if burning and redness occurs, the drug should be washed off.

Lucky

Nail polishes are used as one of the options for external therapy for onychomycosis. The drug is applied to the affected surface, covering it completely. The antimycotic effect is provided by the active substance: amorolfine or ciclopirox.

An effective antifungal agent that actively accumulates in the nail plate. Amorolfine penetrates deeply and persists for 7-10 days, so daily application not required. Main disadvantage drugs based on amorolfine– high cost, which differs somewhat among different manufacturers.

In addition to the bottle with the drug, the kit includes files for removing the affected part of the nail, spatulas for applying the drug and alcohol wipes for pre-treatment of the nail.

The manufacturer recommends using drugs with an 8% solution of ciclopirox for 24 weeks. In this case, for the first month it is necessary to apply the product every other day, for the second month twice a week and then once a week until a clean nail grows back. The total duration of treatment should be at least 6 months.

Medicines containing ciclopirox:

Systemic drugs

For large fungal infections, external therapy alone is not enough. In such cases, it is recommended systemic antifungal drugs.

All systemic drugs have a toxic effect on the liver, so before prescribing them, it is always recommended to examine a therapist and conduct liver tests. When transaminase levels deviate from normal, as well as in a number of chronic diseases, systemic drugs are contraindicated.

The fungus can persist on clothing and shoes, causing a relapse of the disease. Therefore, it is important, in parallel with antifungal agents, to carry out antifungal treatment of shoes, socks, and tights during the entire course of treatment once a month.

Attention should also be paid to the condition of the feet. Increased sweating, tiny cracks, rare hygiene procedures - all this is fertile ground for fungus. Feet should be washed regularly, 1-2 times a day, using non-irritating soap. After hygiene procedures, be sure to dry your skin thoroughly; it is advisable not to put on socks immediately.

Synthetic ones should be avoided nylon tights and socks, as they do not allow the skin to breathe and create a greenhouse effect. The skin actively sweats, increasing the risk of fungal infection. Shoes made from synthetic, non-breathable fabrics have a similar effect.

Before applying external antifungal medications, you should steam the affected limbs in a bath of soap and a small amount of baking soda. This soap and soda treatment allows you to soften the affected nails. After this, the nail is cut off and filed down as much as possible. It is recommended to steam your nails in a bath once a week. All means must be individual: basin, files, scissors, shoes.

Important! During the treatment period, visiting public baths and swimming pools is contraindicated.

Choice of treatment

The tactics for each specific case of onychomycosis will be different. The choice of therapy depends on:

• area of ​​the affected nail;
• skin involvement;
• concomitant pathologies;
• responsibility of a person, his readiness for regular nail treatments.

If the fungus has affected no more than a third or half of the nail plate of one or two fingers, then only local remedies are recommended. In this situation, creams, ointments and nail polishes will be effective. Systemic drugs are not indicated.

In some cases, a person is not ready for regular treatment of nail plates. Treatment of onychomycosis is always a long process that usually lasts about six months or more. Therefore, some people prefer oral antimicrobial agents over topical therapy because they do not require a time investment.

However, the opposite situation also happens, for example, pregnancy or severe somatic pathology (liver failure) in combination with fairly common onychomycosis. In such a situation, tableted antimycotics are undesirable. Therefore, local forms are recommended: creams and varnishes.

When choosing between creams and varnishes, it is worth considering that creams and ointments tend to take a long time to be absorbed. It is not advisable to wear shoes or socks for at least 15-30 minutes after application, as the product will smear. In addition, the drug can contaminate clothing. In this regard, varnishes have a clear advantage: they dry on the surface of the nail in a couple of minutes, allowing actively working and studying people to live a full life.

But with a combined lesion, when there is onychomycosis and mycosis of smooth skin, nail polish alone will not be effective enough. An additional cream or systemic antifungal agent will be required.

Fungal infections of nails are one of the most common in dermatological practice. Treatment is not difficult, however, due to the long regrowth of the nail plate, it takes a long time. Proper adherence to nail care recommendations in combination with antifungal therapy allows you to get rid of the fungus forever. In the future, advice on foot hygiene and the preventive use of antifungal agents with each visit to saunas, baths, and swimming pools will remain relevant.

Video - Treatment of onychomycosis