After visiting a pool or relaxing on the beach, you may encounter onychomycosis (fungi).
The symptoms of this disease are as follows: redness, itching and discomfort between the fingers, yellowing and cracking of the nails.
The problem is quite common and does not go away on its own. If you do not consult a doctor, fungi will develop, which can harm your body. From the article you will learn what to do in such a situation and which specialist to contact with this problem.
What should you do if you find that you have ringworm?
If you notice one of the signs of fungus, for example, your nails have changed color -Contact your doctor quickly!Do not allow the mycosis process to progress so that you do not need to deal with treatment for years. Fungal spores, when released into human blood, cause a toxic reaction.
With this problemFirst you should consult a dermatologist, such a specialist is available in a clinic, a hospital, any paid medical institution and a skin and vein dispensary (you can go there for free).
Which specialist should I contact, who does this?
Toenail and toenail fungus is a skin disease, andA dermatologist deals with such problems. You will find him at the district clinic, he conducts the first appointment, examines the patient, diagnoses onychomycosis and prescribes the necessary treatment.
If the disease is advanced or the doctor considers your case complex, the dermatologist will refer you to a mycologist (this specialist deals more deeply with the treatment of fungal diseases). The difficulty in contacting such a doctor is that a specialist in this field cannot always be found in a simple clinic.
The issue of price
Mycologist services in public and private clinics are mostly paid. The consultation price may vary depending on the following indicators:
- the area of the affected area;
- the severity of the disease;
- the number of necessary laboratory tests;
- doctor's qualifications.
The most expensive would be a consultation with a mycologist with a doctorate, and the cheapest would be a consultation with a doctor of the lowest category. Private clinics charge for each test and prescription of an individual treatment plan.
What is an appointment with a mycologist like?
At the first visit to the doctor, the patient is interviewed to identify specific skin and nail complaints.
The mycologist will also ask questions about your lifestyle and perform an initial examination of the affected areas. But it is impossible to visually determine the type of fungus, so the scraping of dead scales from the skin and nails is carried out.
All samples are sent for laboratory analysis. The materials are examined under a microscope and some of them are placed in a nutrient medium. The analysis, which will determine the exact presence of fungi, takes only 3-5 minutes. And to identify a specific type of mushroom it will take up to 2 weeks.
At the next appointment, the mycologist prescribes the treatment, the drugs are prescribed taking into account the tests performed and the patient's condition as a whole.
Further visits to a mycologist are needed to monitor the healing process, sometimes this takes a long time. The disease can decrease in one area of the skin and worsen in another.
The difference between a mycologist and a dermatologist
Specialist in all types ofskin problems - dermatologist.It is used for viral and infectious skin lesions, rashes, eczema, inflammation of the sweat glands, dermatitis and fungal skin diseases.
The first examination is carried out by a dermatologist, he can prescribe treatment himself or refer you to a mycologist.A mycologist is also a dermatologist who deals in depth with the treatment of skin, hair and nails due to fungal infections. But such a doctor cannot always be found in a clinic, and not every city has one.
What tests are prescribed?
- itching of the skin in the leg area and between the toes;
- analysis of the infected nail plate (its fragment);
- blood tests for allergens and antibodies to mycosis.
Important!
If the studies described above do not bring the desired results, histology is performed to ensure that the patient does not have fungi. In this case, consider the possibility of mechanical damage to the nails.
External signs of fungus sometimes coincide with signs of damage to other nails. Therefore, laboratory tests should show whether a fungal infection is present. Calluses on the nail plate, bruises, changes in the color and shape of the nail may have nothing to do with mycosis.
How is the treatment performed?
The treatment methods that were used before are no longer effective today, because the drugs do not fully cope with the microorganisms. Doctors choose special treatment complexes.
There is no medicine that can cure the fungus, you must combine 2 or 3 products. Creams, tablets, solutions, vitamins, droppers, special varnishes and products that dissolve the nail for subsequent removal are widely used in medicine.
Important!
Medicines for the treatment of fungus have a large number of side effects; self-medication should not be allowed! The lesion may move to another location and the disease may become more advanced. Be sure to see a specialist to cope with the disease as soon as possible and safely.
Systemic therapy
Mycologists prescribe systematic treatment for their patients in order to achieve a faster recovery.
What can be prescribed to a patient with mycosis? Systemic therapy includes the following measures:
- Oral medications (tablets).
- Local preparations (in the form of creams, ointments, etc. )
- Surgical removal of nails.
Removal of nail plate
The nail can be removed in several ways: surgically and using special tools.
The non-surgical removal method does not cause pain, and you won't have to worry about seeing a surgeon. A few days - and a new, uninfected nail will begin to grow.
If the visible symptoms disappear, then the treatment is considered complete, but you need to make sure of this by doing repeated tests, twice.
Analyzes are taken once at the end of the treatment course and again after one month from the date of the patient's recovery.
The mycologist must not only prescribe a course of treatment, but also monitor how it progresses and what results it brings. Even after complete recovery, you should visit a doctor and take preventive measures to avoid relapses.
Laser treatment
Laser treatment is a type of physical therapy. Exposure to a laser beam is not used as a separate treatment method.
For maximum positive effectlaser therapy is combined with other drugs. It improves blood circulation and has a beneficial effect on the nutrition of the nail plate.
Thus, antifungal drugs penetrate deeper into the infected area. But it is impossible to kill the infection with laser alone. However, there are no contraindications for the procedure; it reduces the likelihood of re-infection. This is a painless and completely safe method of treating a disease such as onychomycosis.
Therapeutic pedicure
Therapeutic pedicure for nail mycosis is performed in order to have a healing effect on the nails and skin of the feet.
This procedure prevents the development of the disease and the further spread of fungal spores.During the pedicure, the affected areas of the skin of the feet and nails are removed..
Therapeutic pedicure is especially important for patients who:
- often experience ingrown nails;
- they have a lot of calluses on their feet, corns, warts on their feet;
- have a thin and weak nail plate.
The main purpose of the procedure is disinfection. Therapeutic pedicure helps to remove yellowness, unevenness and lumps from the nails. Before applying the spray, be sure to ask your doctor if this is acceptable.
Important!
Be careful and careful when choosing a specialist. Make sure you are qualified and that your pedicure tools are properly processed.
Prevention of foot mycosis
To avoid such an unpleasant disease, you just need to be careful and periodically do fungal prevention. A trip to the beach, pool, gym or spa can result in major problems. The fact is that fungal pathogens are very resistant to external influences. Mushroom spores tolerate heat, drying and freezing.
There are several main causes of infection. Follow the following rules to avoid the disease:
- don't walk on the beach without shoes;
- in the bath and sauna, be sure to use closed rubber shoes that protect against splashes;
- after washing, dry your feet thoroughly, paying special attention to the folds between the toes, also use powder or a special antifungal cream;
- don't use someone else's shoes;
- Wear clean socks or stockings every day.
CONCLUSION
When the immune system is strong and functioning normally, athlete's foot will not harm the body even after the infection, thanks to the protective abilities of the immune system. If the fungus begins to spread on the nails, you should contact a dermatologist or mycologist as soon as possible, who will prescribe the optimal treatment regimen.