Toenail fungus cannot be confused with anything in its advanced stage, when it is almost impossible to cure it. But if you know the first symptoms of nail fungus, it won't be too late to start fighting the infection, and nail loss can be prevented. But in different cases, the fungus looks different, so first you need to understand a little about the nature and course of the disease.
General signs of the disease
Regardless of the fungus type, variety, disease course and even stage, these symptoms will remain unchanged and will definitely indicate a developing or already running onychomycosis.
- A change in the color of the nail plate is a key sign from which the disease begins to develop. The shades can vary from whitish to black, but the most common color of a fungal nail is yellow-brown.
- An unpleasant odor always accompanies onychomycosis, although it may not be very noticeable in the early stages. True, you will hardly smell at your feet, and a specific smell will become noticeable already at the stage of development of the disease.
- The layering, crumbling and peeling of the nail plate doesn't start right away, but it's these signs of nail fungus that make most people sound the alarm. If these symptoms are moderately expressed and appear locally, then there is still a chance of returning a healthy appearance to the nail.
- Painful sensations rarely appear at the initial and developmental stage, but as the disease progresses, discomfort and pain cannot be avoided: in any case, it will appear due to deformation, or due to a destroyed nail plate, or due to the onset of inflammation with pus.
- Burning and itchy skin should also not be ignored. Also, in the initial phase, it is these symptoms that can help to recognize the disease, because in some cases it passes to the nail plate of the skin in the lateral or posterior ridges or cuticles.
By the way
Onychomycosis is much more common on the toenails, while the fungus affects the hands much less often, most often after contact with the affected nails.
Symptoms of foot fungus
It seems that you already know how to identify nail fungus, but this information is quite general, although it helps to accurately diagnose onychomycosis. The fact is that there are more than 50 species of fungi that can cause it and about 10 of the course of the disease. It's best to know what awaits you in each of the possible scenarios in advance.
More than 90% of all cases of infection with onychomycosis of the legs are due to dermatomycetes, a little less than 10% - to yeast-like fungi, and only a small proportion - to mold fungi.
Different types of nail fungus provide different symptoms.
- With a normotrophic fungus, the nail plate itself is not deformed, and the most noticeable manifestation of the disease is a change in the color of the plate on the sides to yellowish-brown. At the same time, its thickness does not change, does not crumble, and the natural shine does not fade. If you do not deal with the treatment of normotrophic fungi, it will affect a growing area, the plaque will begin to flake off and may come off completely.
- The hypertrophic fungus causes the nail plate to thicken, leading to the formation of claw-like growths. In the advanced stage, this fungus causes discomfort and often pain when walking, and of course, nail damage is accompanied by a color change to grayish or yellow. These nails lose their natural shine and begin to crumble and exfoliate.
- If you come across an atrophic fungus, the risk of losing the plaque without proper treatment is extremely high. Such a fungus gradually destroys the nail plate, making it loose and exfoliating, resulting in its atrophy. In the early stages, it is difficult to distinguish an atrophic course, as it is accompanied only by a loss of brightness and a change in the color of the plaque to yellow, brown or gray.
Less typical are the laterodistal cast with darkening of the nail plate, pain, suppuration and atrophy of the nail plate in an advanced stage; a proximal fungus with white spots in the area of the growth zone and damage to the nail plate on the side of the cuticle, as well as a white superficial fungus, which manifests itself in the form of small white spots on the nail, growing gradually and occupying an increasing area.
By the way
The older the person, the more susceptible to fungal nail diseases. In addition, the occurrence of the fungus can be influenced by climate, hygiene and gender.
Symptoms of a fungus on the hands
In the hands, the 3 main variants of the course of the disease do not differ from those found in the legs, only the distribution of causes of occurrence is slightly different: approximately 30% and 45% are due to dermatomycetes and yeast fungi, respectively, just under 15 % are molds, and also a small number of infections are caused by other mycotic organisms.
The main symptoms are also the same for plaques on the arms and legs, and the affected areas look similar. The only difficult point may be the question of how to recognize nail fungus in less frequent cases such as rubromycosis or trichophyton infection, but this is more of a task for qualified doctors.
fungus progression
If at the initial stage the disease does not seem frightening and the thoughts of serious treatment are rarely visited, being increasingly replaced by folk methods, at an advanced stage it will not be possible to do without long-term medical treatment. And even that cannot guarantee that the nail will stay with you.
- The ideal would be to start treating the disease at an early stage, but it is almost impossible to determine it outside the laboratory: all symptoms have an almost imperceptible manifestation. Although some signs can still be seen. If you notice something wrong with the skin, for example, cracks, blisters or burns may appear, this is a clear harbinger of onychomycosis on the nails. If you notice that the color of the nail plate has started to change along the edges or along an edge, this is also a cause for concern.
- Usually, the fungus becomes noticeable at the stage of development, and in order to notice it as soon as possible, you need to regularly do at least a simple pedicure and monitor the condition of the nails and skin of the feet. During this period, the nail looks unhealthy, loses its luster, begins a significant change in color, and closer to the beginning of the advanced stage, the nail begins to deform, peel and crumble.
- At an advanced stage, the nail will definitely actively collapse: delamination, breakage, loosening up to the total destruction of the nail plate and even damage to the nail bed. For the disease to reach its advanced form, it must be ignored for a long time, enduring itching, discomfort, disgusting appearance and unpleasant smell, which people still do not usually do. Therefore, this stage is typical for the rapid development of the fungus in old age or in the presence of certain diseases.
It is important to remember that untreated nail fungus can turn into foot fungus, and this disease is even more unpleasant and difficult to treat.
It is not so difficult to determine the presence of a nail fungus at least at the stage of development, but it is better to entrust it to qualified professionals to determine the cause and type of course. Do not neglect the help of doctors and contact them at the first suspicion of a disease.