How to effectively treat foot and nail fungus?

After the winter spent in closed shoes, as well as perhaps more frequent visits to public pools, sports clubs, saunas and saunas, we can be greeted by an unpleasant surprise – nail and foot fungus. How to recognize it, whether it can be completely cured and what are the main preventive measures, tell “Veselības centrs 4” podiatrist Angelika Kašina and “BENU Aptieka” pharmacist Konstantin Cheryomukhins.

What exactly is toenail fungus?

Nail and foot fungus is a chronic, contagious disease that damages the skin of the feet and the nail bed, explains the podiatrist. The fungus spreads by spores and reproduces well in a warm, moist environment, so it is often said that the risks of acquiring it increase most often during the “season of closed shoes”, because they have a warm and moist environment in which the infection likes to grow and multiply. However, it should be noted that the problem of toenail and foot fungus is relevant throughout the year, as infection occurs for various reasons both in summer and winter.

Both athlete’s foot and nail fungus are often distinguished, but most often both are caused by the same fungal infection. However, there are also cases when the causative agents are different fungi, because there are several types of fungal infection that can be present in the same infected area at the same time. The fungal species that cause these problems are dermatophytes, yeast or non-dermatophyte molds.

The most common causes of fungus

Fungal infection is very contagious, so it is easy to get infected with it through direct and indirect contact, Kashina says. Most often, infection occurs in public places, for example, walking barefoot on an infected surface – it can be in a SPA, swimming pool, gym, water park and elsewhere. Also, a risk factor is trying on infected shoes in a store or using house slippers worn by a person with a foot or nail fungus infection. However, the individual factors of the body are also very important – primarily it is weakened immunity, which is also affected by chronic diseases, age and various other factors.

Also, nail fungus is more often observed in patients after a nail injury, this problem is especially common in athletes who tend to injure their nails during activities.

The main signs of nail fungus

In the case of fungus, the nail will have visual changes. Usually, starting from one corner of the free edge of the nail, it begins to separate, change color, turn yellow or brown, and white spots may appear on the nail. Likewise, the infected nail often thickens, becomes uneven, crumbles, and its growth slows down, says the specialist. However, it should be taken into account that these visual changes are also present in cases where the patient has other nail or other diseases, as well as nail injuries. Therefore, to diagnose a fungal infection, it is necessary to consult a specialist (podiatrist, dermatologist), who will perform or send the patient for analysis. In case of suspicion of nail and foot fungus, the fastest way would be to contact a podiatrist, who will familiarize himself with the situation, perform or send for analysis – it will take time, approximately three to four weeks, to perform the analysis and receive an answer. And when the results of the tests are received, the patient will be able to go to the dermatologist to draw up a treatment plan.

Can nail fungus be cured?

By following all the doctor’s instructions, nail fungus can be completely cured. During the treatment, the interaction of the patient, dermatologist and podiatrist is very important, which will help to achieve the desired result, the podiatrist emphasizes. However, you should be prepared for the fact that the treatment process will be relatively long – in the mildest cases, you should expect a period of at least half a year to a year, because it should be taken into account that the duration of nail regrowth is 9-12 months.

The treatment process depends on the type of fungal infection and the size of the affected part of the nail. For example, if the damage of one nail plate is up to 50% and the infection has affected only one nail, then there is a possibility to cure the nail by using only topical or externally applied antifungal agents. However, in cases where more than 50% of the nail surface is damaged, oral medications will be required. However, it should be taken into account that most often both topical and oral medications are used for treatment at the same time – this approach gives the best results.

Although nail and foot fungal infection is not life-threatening, it should be taken into account that if it is not treated, the disease progresses and causes great discomfort, significantly worsening the patient’s quality of life. If the nail fungus infection starts from one nail, over time it can affect all the toenails and fingernails, the skin of the feet, the groin and other parts of the body. In addition, a fungus that has not been treated for a long time weakens the body’s immunity and affects the development of other chronic diseases, so the podiatrist recommends not to be shy and in case of suspicion of a fungal infection, do not postpone a visit to a specialist – the sooner appropriate treatment is started, the faster the chances of recovery will be.

Means for external and internal use

Pharmacist Cheryomukhin says that there are many different means available to effectively treat nail and foot fungal diseases. They differ in type, principle of action, active substance, composition, method of use and other factors. Some of them are intended for use in the initial stages of the spread of the infection, while others are in the advanced stage, so the right choice will be recommended to you by a specialist who has evaluated the condition of the nails and is guided by the results of the analyses.

The range of antifungal agents for external use is very wide: ointments, creams, varnishes, felt-tip pens, liquids. They are an important part of the healing process, but it should be noted that they act on the surface to which they are applied, and often oral preparations will also be necessary for successful treatment. Antifungal varnishes deal directly with mycoses that are localized on the surface of the nail, while oil-based creams, ointments and sprays are more suitable for areas affected by the fungus on the skin and can also be used on the nails at the same time. On the other hand, deeper thickened nails will be able to penetrate solutions, because they have a hydroalcoholic base.

Oral preparations are tablets with a synthetic and natural composition, which are prescribed to the patient by a doctor after conducting examinations. It should be noted that topical topical antifungal agents can independently deal with minor manifestations of a fungal infection, but oral tablets are prescribed in cases where the fungus is more widespread, and these oral preparations cannot completely cure nail fungus without the support of external agents. The task of oral preparations is to create a high concentration of the antifungal substance in the blood, thus acting on the fungus from the inside, while the externally applied products will take care of the effect on the specified area affected by the fungus from the outside. It should be noted that these medications can only be used under the supervision of a doctor and there are cases when they are contraindicated, for example during breastfeeding and pregnancy, as well as in case of severe liver damage, kidney dysfunction or certain diseases, explains the pharmacist, therefore, in the case of nail fungus, we should not practice with self-help, but you should contact a specialist as soon as possible.

Antifungal treatments

A good helper in the fight against nail fungus is also laser treatments, which are recommended in combination with local and medicinal therapy for faster and more effective treatment of the fungus, Kashina says. As part of the procedures, nail areas affected by the fungus are treated with the help of a diode laser – by treating the infected area with a laser beam, the cells damaged by the fungus are irreversibly destroyed. These procedures are also useful in cases where oral antifungal medications are contraindicated for the patient – then laser procedures are combined with therapy of externally applied agents.

Treatment with topical or oral medications combined with laser therapy and a visit to a podiatrist can significantly improve the condition of the nail. When using any method alone, the efficiency is lower, the specialist emphasizes, therefore a complex approach to the treatment of the fungus is recommended.

Tips for preventing nail fungus

Nail and foot fungus is a very common problem, and patients often ask for advice about it at the pharmacy, says pharmacist Cheryomukhin. Considering the wide spread of nail fungus, it is very important to think about preventive measures in time – be attentive and take care of your feet and nails, especially when you are in public areas such as swimming pools, sports club showers, SPAs, saunas and elsewhere, use slippers to reduce possibility of contact with fungal infected surfaces. Even during the beach season, take proper care of your feet’s hygiene, as well as choose suitable shoes every day that provide comfort for your feet and do not cause increased sweating.

Also, various preventive agents are available in pharmacies, for example in the form of aerosols, which have an antifungal effect. They are very convenient to use by spraying in the shoes, especially before sports activities, because the feet tend to sweat more during sports.

Remember the great importance of prevention, but if you suspect a fungal infection, don’t postpone a visit to a specialist!

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