A variety of fungal toenails

Onychomycosis – a fungal disease that affects the nail plate. It becomes brittle, thin, brittle, crumbles, changes color. The disease is highly contagious, according to statistics, this disease affects around 20% of the population. A closer look at what kind of fungus toenails are and how they differ from each other

Classification of fungal infections of the nails

Find more than 500 different mushrooms that can bring problems to your health. But one classification among the fungal infections is not. The two main features that distinguish the disease, type of infection and its localization. The image is a different type of nail fungus, you can see their features and properties.

Classification of localization

Infection can settle in any part of the nail, it becomes the hallmark. The appearance of the affected nail plate varies depending on the localization of onychomycosis.

Description of the basic forms of nail fungus on your feet

• The distal — most common fungal toenails. Infected the free edge of the nail. From one end of the plate changing color, it becomes brown, yellowish or grayish. Gradually the area is increasing. The nail plate becomes cloudy, crumble and delaminate. In this process the development of the disease appears subungual hyperkeratosis (thickening of the stratum corneum), where the loss of the entire nail dystrophy of tissues.
• Lateral. The symptoms are the same as for the distal form, but this source of infection spread to the lateral edges of the nail.
• The surface of the white. Appears only in the lower limbs, usually the fungus settles on the thumb, the other four much less. Visually, this form is easy to distinguish because of the white spots, located on the entire surface of the nail. Over time the disease progresses and to capture a large area of keratinized tissue. Color spots can vary from white to yellowish or greenish. The structure of the nail plate becomes brittle, porous. Without treatment the nail may fall apart completely.
• Proximal. In this form the infection begins in the cuticle, it is red, inflamed, swells, changes its structure and shape. In the end, the nail wall is separated from the plate, and the infected nail becomes deformed, becomes turbid and crumbly. If you run a disease, it is possible to perform the fracture of the plate.
• Total dystrophic covers the entire area of the nail, the old form of proximal or distal of the fungus. The nail plate is deformed, thickens, changes color and collapses partially or completely.

The classification by type of agent

There are a variety of causative. Each of them has distinctive features that are important to consider when planning the treatment of onychomycosis. Most often the cause of the disease are fungi, dermatophytes, and slightly less common yeast of the genus Candida, then a kind of mold. Consider them in detail:

• Dermatophytes. These are red Trichophyton, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, flocculent Epidermophyton and many others. When infected by these fungi appear brown spots or stripes, gray or yellow, the rest of the areas will become muddy, loose edge changes its color, the entire surface of the nail changes, and finally began to separate from the nail bed. A large area of the plate was a different color, the more the disease started.
• Yeast fungi of the genus Candida thinner the nail, to provoke its detachment. This type of pathogen often causes superficial white form, which is an inflammation of the cuticle. It can be accompanied by pus and causes severe pain. If nothing is done, the nail turns brown and thin, then completely off the nail bed.
• Mold is a relatively harmless form of the pathogen. He can't penetrate deeper into the nail, so it causes a color change in the disk surface. It can be brown, yellow, gray, green, black, any. The color can cover the surface completely or partially.

If you notice signs of nail fungus, be sure to consult an expert. Fungal infection quickly spread, and treatment can be delayed for months.

The stage of development of the disease

Healthy tissue is gradually affected by the fungus. A lot depends on what type of pathogen, but some of the characters you can emphasize a number of key development stage of onychomycosis:

1. Normotroficheskie, or original. There is no obvious symptoms is not, at this stage it is difficult to notice the fungal infection. The nail becomes more matte, can slightly change the color, there are small cracks, bumps on the surface. You may feel burning and itching. This period is easily confused with other diseases: psoriasis, changes in the liver. Therefore, to confirm the diagnosis is recommended to consult a dermatologist.
2. It hypertrophic form, if nothing is done in the early stages. Symptoms become more pronounced. The nail thickens and darkens, deforms the shape of the plate, it will crumble and collapse.
3. Atrophic, or running. Appears when the infection spreads to the cuticle, the latter is rejected, inflamed and swollen. The entire surface of the nail plate will change its color, it is completely separate from the bed. Treatment can be inefficient, nail rescue is not always possible, due to its atrophy.

Good to know!

The duration of each phase of the disease is individual, it depends on the health status of the patient. By reducing the immunity of the nail fungus progresses faster.

How to cure fungus toenails

Numerous species of fungus toenails require treatment. Be sure to consult a doctor, he had to take tests to confirm the diagnosis and determine what type of fungal micro-organisms was the cause of the disease.

This is necessary in order to develop individualized, effective treatment plan. Self-medication can only aggravate the situation.

The most effective medicines antimycotic funds quickly to cope with the pathogen and help to completely cure the fungus.

It is now modern and easy-to-use varnish for the treatment of fungal nails. They are used in early stages of disease development or as a means of the complex treatment.

Note!

Because dermatophytes number of prescriptions, fluconazole, terbinafine, ketoconazole and Itraconazole. Voriconazole and means that it contains kill the fungus of the genus dermatophytes, molds and yeast. The treatment of molds are used for drugs with itraconazole. Fungi of the genus Candida are most often removed with the help of fluconazole.

Contagious fungal infection of nail ringworm is very easy to catch through casual contact with the patient. There are different types of nail fungus, which differ from each other depending on the focus of infection and type of pathogen. Also there are different stages of the disease, the first is not striking features, but it is easier and faster to improve. If you don't take any measures, the infection affects not only the nail and skin around it, but spread to the whole foot. In the end, can occur in the complete destruction of the nail plate. To avoid this, it is recommended to consult a doctor immediately and start on their assigned treatment.