Dermatologists and mycologists try not to use formal approaches to treating fungus, which consist of the standard prescription of ointments and pills and lead to the chronic course of fungal infections and the development of serious complications that reduce quality of life:
- Fungal eczema.
- Persistent hair loss.
- Destruction of nail plates and healing of the nail bed.
- Chronic inflammation of the glans penis and vagina, which is constantly disturbing for both men and women and makes sex life impossible.
A method to completely get rid of a fungal disease, which helps to achieve the following goals:
- Destruction of pathogenic fungi in the focus of skin lesions.
- Protection of healthy skin (nails, mucous membranes) against the spread of mycoses.
- Relapse prevention.
- Restoration of the normal structure of the skin, hair and mucous membranes, maintaining their elasticity and beauty.
- Removal from the body of fungal waste products, which cause chronic intoxication and allergization.
- Restoring the sensitivity of the skin and mucous membrane of Organs genitals to normalize sex life.
It seems that all this is logical and the way it should be. But in practice, very rarely, dermatologists adhere to all the rules for the treatment of fungal diseases, often limiting themselves to external therapy. Yes, and many patients just want to "anoint something" rather than undergo a full treatment.
What diseases are treated at the clinic:
- Onychomycosis is a fungal infection of the fingernails and toenails.
- Fungal lesions of the skin of the foot, hand.
- Smooth skin fungus.
- Fungal diseases of the inguinal, axillary, under the mammary glands, intergluteal folds.
- Pityriasis versicolor.
- Scalp fungus, dandruff.
- The fungus that causes seborrheic dermatitis.
- Candidiasis, canker sores of the penis and vagina.
- Fungal prostatitis.
- Candidiasis of the oral mucosa and tongue.
- Fungal diseases of the outer ear.
The treatment of the fungus, of course, depends on its type and location of the process. Let's highlight the general stages of therapy:
- Mandatory analysis of scrapings for a fungus with determination, if possible, of its type, drug sensitivity, amount.
- Blood tests, biochemicals and on the state of the immune system.
- Removal of the affected area of nail plate, hair with laser, hardware or surgically.
- Drug therapy: Antifungal drug given intravenously or in pill form. It lasts from 10 days to 4 months (with onychomycosis). The injection of antimycotics proved to be the best and allows to reduce the duration of treatment of a fungal disease and reduce the impact on the liver. External treatment with antifungal ointments, creams and solutions in a certain sequence. Preparations that improve the growth of nail plates, hair, restoring the integumentary epithelium of the skin and mucous membranes. Local treatment in the form of baths on the penis and vagina, restoration of the normal microflora of the genitals with a fungal disease of Organs genitals. Immune therapy and removal of fungal toxins and allergens.
- Physiotherapy: ultraviolet irradiation with medical quartz, treatment of the affected areas with infrared or ultrasonic laser.
- And in the end - mushroom control tests.
Treating fungal diseases can seem very time consuming and complicated. So it is, but only for a doctor! The treatment regimens are designed so that the patient does not experience too much discomfort during therapy and everything goes smoothly for him.
Skin fungus treatment usually takes no time and lasts for about 10 to 20 days. Hair and nail treatment is longer and takes several months.
But it's not even about the duration of therapy. The treatment of fungal diseases should be carried out by a professional, a dermatovenereologist, a mycologist who is familiar with all the methods listed above and actively applies them in practice. Specialists in this area are receiving in clinics daily.
Foot fungus treatment
The treatment of foot fungus has been carried out along with the therapy of other fungal diseases for more than 13 years.
The method of treating foot skin fungus, developed and used in the clinic, has long since proven its effectiveness, despite the known difficulties in treating fungal diseases.
What patients who have completed a full course with a diagnosis of mycosis of the foot receive as a result:
- Complete destruction of the pathogenic fungus on the soles of the feet, in the interdigital spaces, on the back of the foot, in the thickness of the nail plates.
- Elimination of itching and unpleasant foot odor.
- Healing of cracks and inflammatory changes in the skin of the foot.
- Restoration of skin elasticity, elimination of hyperkeratosis - thickening of the skin of the sole of the foot, especially in the heel area.
- Elimination of excessive sweating - hyperhidrosis of the feet.
- Healthy nail growth.
That is, if in the initial consultation, the dermatovenereologist, the mycologist and the patient himself see a picture of thickened soles, with cracks, exfoliated epithelium between the toes, congestive redness of the skin of the foot, shoes and socks that are constantly wet and twisted, darkened nails, after a full course of fungal therapy on the feet, there is a pleasant feeling of comfort in this part of the body, the skin becomes smooth, the smell disappears, the nails are gradually restored.
Treatment steps for foot fungus
- The diagnostic step includes the study of skin scrapings and nail plates for a pathogenic fungus with the determination of the pathogen group, which is important for choosing an antifungal drug. To complete the picture, information is needed about changes in the patient's metabolism, which may be the root cause of excessive sweating of the skin of the feet and decreased local resistance to fungal infection. This is where blood tests help us.
- The treatment of mycosis of the feet itself is carried out in several stages, which depend on the initial clinical picture and the type of fungus. Removal of thick layers of keratinized skin and affected areas of nail plates. This is achieved with the help of special ointments, procedures or hardware and laser removal of pathological areas. The duration of the internship is from 1 to 7 days. Once the skin is clean, it becomes possible to use an external antifungal therapy that delivers the drug directly to the skin of the foot.
- Systemically acting antimycotics, that is, antifungal drugs given by injection or in tablets. Of course, the intravenous drip of such drugs proved to be more effective. Furthermore, it was shown to be safer for the liver and reduced the duration of treatment, which is from 7 to 14 days for skin lesions and up to 4 months in combination with nail lesions.
- Physiotherapeutic treatment of foot fungus includes exposure to medical ultraviolet radiation, which has a harmful effect on foot fungus, and infrared laser therapy, which further improves blood supply to the affected areas, accelerates skin recovery and nail growth. The duration of the procedure is 3 to 10 minutes.
- If, as a result of the diagnosis, problems with internal organs, a lack of microelements and other substances necessary for the delivery of antifungal drugs to the skin, for skin regeneration, to activate the fight against the pathogenic fungus are identified , then additional auxiliary drugs are used. prescribed to correct these alterations: immunomodulators, ozone therapy, vitamins, hepatoprotectors, iron, calcium and vitamin complexes with microelements.
- Excessive sweating and odor will usually go away with this foot fungus treatment. But sometimes it is necessary to prescribe drugs that block the sweat glands of the skin of the foot, to carry out sessions of laser therapy and cryomassage with liquid nitrogen.
- After treatment, it is necessary to check whether the fungus on the feet has been destroyed. Repeat analysis of scrapings for fungi is performed. But usually the result is close to 100%.
A very important step in the treatment of foot fungus is the appointment of subsequent relapse prevention, which includes skin care products and the treatment of shoes in which the fungus spores can remain.
The treatment of foot fungus is very diverse. It is impossible to describe all therapy options in one article. The doctors of the dermatovenereologists at the clinic, upon examination and based on the results of laboratory diagnoses, will be able to determine the most appropriate technique for your particular case of fungus on the skin of the foot and carry out a complete treatment.
nail fungus treatment
The treatment of nail fungus is one of the main areas of clinical work in specialized centers, for the development of which specialists cover in detail each stage of onychomycosis therapy.
It has long been known that treating fungal diseases is a serious problem, even more serious than treating bacterial infections. The uncontrolled use of various antifungal ointments, tablets, solutions and varnishes has led to the growth of a large number of drug-resistant fungi. And the number of these drugs is very limited, unlike antibiotics. Therefore, to get the maximum treatment effect from patients, we had to use a scientific and practical approach in treating nail and nail fungus, and not limit ourselves to formally prescribing external therapy for onychomycosis.
What results will you see after a full course:
- Restoration of the color and structure of the nail plate.
- Normalization of nail growth and its shape.
- The disappearance of nail fungus, confirmed by laboratory.
- The unpleasant odor and excessive sweating of the feet will disappear.
- The inflammatory process of the skin of the periungual crests, interdigital spaces and soles of the feet or palms of the hands will disappear. That is, redness, itching, scaling and crying caused by a fungal disease will disappear.
Treatment of nail fungus on the hands lasts 2-3 months, on the legs up to 3-4 months. But everything, of course, is individual and depends on the type of pathogenic fungus, the rate of growth of nails in a particular person, the presence of concomitant pathology of internal organs and blood vessels. For example, in diseases of the veins or arteries of the lower extremities, when the delivery of drugs and nutrients to the nail is interrupted, the treatment time is much longer and the result is very difficult to achieve.
Cure control is performed with a fungus of the fingernails after 6 months, with mycosis of the toenails after 1 year.
The clinic employs dermatovenerologists trained in all nail removal methods and professionally select the best course of therapy for each patient diagnosed with hand and foot fungus.
How nail fungus is treated in the clinic
Nail fungus is a chronic disease, so the treatment has several stages and is always preceded by a detailed diagnosis that reveals the type of fungus and the possibility of complex treatment, which, unfortunately, cannot be prescribed for everyone.
Treatment steps for nail fungus:
- Mycologist consultation.
- Diagnosis.
- Direct treatment.
At the initial consultation, the doctor will assess the damage to the nail plates and the surrounding skin, if it is also involved in the pathological process, which is often the case. He will examine other areas of the skin, mucous membranes, hair, because there are cases where a patient is referred for suspected fungus, and in the end the diagnosis sounds like onychodystrophy, that is, the symptoms are similar to those of the disease, but without an agent. infectious. It is associated with metabolic disorders, hormone levels, chronic skin diseases and lesions of the nail matrix and bed.
Then, a plan of diagnostic measures is drawn up, particles from the nail plates and blood are collected for examination.
Diagnosis of onychomycosis of the fingers and toes
| Not. | Analyze | Target | Execution period |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Scraping nail plates and nail bed for mushrooms | Determining the type of fungus to select the most effective drug | 1-3 days |
| two. | mushroom sowing | Determining the type of fungus and its sensitivity to antifungal drugs | 7-10 days |
| 3. | PCR Diagnosis for Candida | Identification of mycoses caused by yeast-like fungi | 1-2 days |
| 4. | blood chemistry | Determining the status of liver and kidney function when planning systemic antimycotic therapy. It is also possible to detect metabolic disorders that have led to a change in the nails. | 1 day |
| 5. | Hospital complex (syphilis, HIV, hepatitis, coagulogram) | If you plan to remove the nail plates or the affected part of the nails | 1 day |
Here is a complete list of key diagnostic measures, but not all people get all these studies by a mycologist. In superficial forms, for example, when there is no need to remove the plaques and prescribe oral or drip antifungals, there is no need to perform blood tests.
Harvests are also carried out very rarely due to their low sensitivity.
Therefore, anyone who treats toenails or toenail fungus should always consult a dermatologist or mycologist first, and then start doing exams, applying ointments and taking pills, and not vice versa.
Also of great importance is the correct sampling of material from the affected areas to identify the fungus. Its detection in a given patient depends on it by 90%. Not only the hard parts of the nail plate are taken for research, but also the loose mass of the nail bed, which contains the maximum amount of the pathogen.
But even with this approach, the laboratory does not always immediately determine the presence of a mycotic infection.
With obvious signs of onychomycosis, the analysis is repeated three times with negative results.
Then the diagnosis was made, the fungus was detected, its type was identified, the condition of Organs internal organs was examined, and therapy began.
Treatment of nail fungus by a mycologist
Everything here depends on the clinical situation. Superficial forms of ringworm can be cured with the use of external agents such as varnishes, solutions containing fungi-damaging drugs, and laser processing of plates. Total nail injuries require removal of the affected areas and administration of oral or intravenous medication.
We will consider the stages of treatment of an advanced form of nail fungus as this is the most difficult stage of onychomycosis to treat with medication.
Removal of the nail or part of the nail plate affected by the fungus.
As a result, we will immediately rid the body of a huge accumulation of the fungus and make the nail bed accessible to the penetration of medicinal substances into it in order to destroy the remaining microbe in it. It also reduces the absorption of fungal waste into the blood, reducing allergic and toxic effects in humans.
There are several methods to remove the plaques affected by ringworm. The choice depends on the clinical situation and on which doctor treats the nail fungus in this patient, which technique he has more professionally:
| Not. | Methodology | how is it performed | Benefits | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Hardware nail removal | Used most often. The affected part of the nail plate is sawed off with a special cutter for the nail bed and posterior periungual crest. | Safety minimal discomfort The patient does not lose the ability to work |
1000-1500 rubles |
| two. | surgical removal | After finger conduction anesthesia, the nail plate is removed completely or partially, if necessary. An antibacterial dressing is applied. | The "cleanest" removal of the affected nail, when the fungus is removed, including under the ridges of the nail, the nail bed is cleaned of mycotic layers. It is possible to carry out plastic surgery from a curved nail bed. | From 2500 rubles. |
| 3. | laser nail removal | Anesthesia of the treated finger is also performed. The laser beam burns the fungus-affected area of the nail by capturing the nail bed | Maximum removal of fungal masses, but no penetration under the rear roller | From 3000 rubles. |
The priming technique is used more frequently, as it provides a minimum number of complications, does not damage the growth zone and the nail bed, is accessible, but requires more frequent cleaning of the nail beds, as it does not provide complete hygiene of the nail bed. fungus finger.
After surgical or laser removal, of course, the amount of fungus remaining is minimal, but the length of the recovery period, possible disability, dressings limit the use of these methods in some patients.
Destruction of the fungus by external means.
On the clean nail bed as a result of nail plate removal, antifungal solutions are applied daily for several months until normal nail growth and a negative analysis for fungi. It is also possible to add antifungal varnishes to the growing edge of the nail plate.
The use of oral and intravenous systemic antifungals. This is the main treatment step after nail removal.
It is necessary to ensure the delivery of drugs to the nail matrix, from which a new nail grows, and to the nail bed with blood flow.
Based on the tests, the doctor will select a suitable drug for that patient, as well as the method of its administration.
The type of fungus, the condition of the liver and kidneys, and the convenience for the patient are all taken into consideration.
For the liver, intravenous administration of drugs that enter the blood and nails, bypassing the intestines and liver, respectively, is the safest.
Treatment is carried out for up to 3-4 months with lesions on the feet and 2-3 months if the fungus is on the hands.
There are several treatment regimens for nail fungus, which include daily medication and intermittent courses.
At least once a month, a blood test is carried out for liver and kidney indicators. If it deviates from the norm, treatment is stopped.
- Physiotherapy in the treatment of nail fungus - helps to destroy the infection and improve drug delivery, accelerate the growth of the nail plate. UV radiation from the nail bed is a harmful effect on the fungus. 10-15 3-5 minute sessions. Infrared laser - improves blood flow in the area of the growth zone and in the nail bed, which ensures greater delivery of medication to the affected area and acceleration of the growth of a new plaque impregnated with an antimycotic. Antifungal drug electrophoresis is the creation of the maximum possible concentration of drugs directly at the focus of the pathological process.
- Regular cleaning of nail bed hardware from layers of hyperkeratosis and fungal residue. For patients with fungal nail diseases, it is important to imagine the entire treatment process and understand that this is a long-term event, the success of which largely depends not only on which doctor treats the nail fungus, but also on themselves. It is important to regularly take medication and apply antifungal solutions, regularly treat shoes, adhere to the schedule of physical therapy procedures, and clean the nail bed.
Which doctor treats nail fungus?
Toenail fungus is a serious problem. Everyone who has encountered the defeat of nail plates with ringworm knows this. It is treated for a long time, far from always with a good effect, and the use of various ointments, creams, solutions in almost 95% of cases does not bring any results.
But in fact, not everything is so sad if you know which specialist to contact with nail fungus. And then success is guaranteed even when it comes to onychomycosis.
A doctor who treats nail fungus is a mycologist or dermatologist experienced in treating such patients.
Why experience matters, not just theoretical knowledge. The fact is that therapy for a fungal infection that affects the nail plates lasts for more than a month. The result is not immediately visible, it can be very difficult to assess the effectiveness. It is also not easy to choose the full range of procedures and medications for a given patient, which differ in each clinical situation.
There is a lot of information on the Internet about antifungal medications, various lasers, physical therapy methods and nail removal. Patients, self-medicating, begin to buy one drug after another and, not having received the result, despair and stop all attempts to get rid of the fungus. The same thing happens when the treatment is prescribed by a doctor who has no experience in following up these patients.
The clinic receives a doctor who treats the fungus on the legs and arms every day, there is also a fully equipped mycological room, in which all stages of diagnosis and treatment of onychomycosis are carried out.
Which doctor treats nail fungus effectively
- This is necessarily a dermatologist or mycologist.
- He has experience in the examination and treatment of nail mycoses.
- Knows how to remove affected nail plates, clean nail bed.
- Knows the stages of systemic therapy of onychomycosis, introduction to the course of physiotherapy methods.
- It can change treatment tactics over time or add a procedure, a drug, with a weak effect from the previously prescribed therapy.
- It has the ability to use all the modern methods and equipment needed in the clinic for the treatment of nail fungus.
The treatment of such mycoses is a planned procedure and not an emergency. Therefore, after the examination, the doctor who treats mycosis of the nail explains to the patient all the possible therapy options, but the choice is always the person's own choice.
The course, regardless of the choice of technique, is very long, and each patient must understand from the beginning the effectiveness of each method:
Treatment of nail fungus with external methods (solutions, varnishes, ointments) - the effectiveness is less than 10%, that is, it helps only in the initial and superficial forms.
Using an integrated approach, but without removing the affected areas of the nails, is up to 60% effective.
Complex treatment with removal of the affected part of the nail plate and physiotherapy - efficiency of up to 90-95%.
Typically, at the initial consultation, the doctor treating the nail fungus tells the patient: If patients are ready to undergo a 3-4 month course of complex therapy for onychomycosis, then success can be achieved. If not, then it's better not to start. Money, time will be spent and the result will be doubtful. This is a disease that requires a long and pedantic approach to the treatment of both the doctor and the patient, where even the smallest details are important.