The initial stage of toenail fungus or hand nail fungus may not manifest itself in any way until the symptoms are pronounced. Here it is important to know the first signs of the onset of the disease, since it is easier to overcome athlete's foot or toe fungus in the weak stage than to treat the advanced stage for a long time. It is important to detect the disease in time, as it has an incubation period.
What bacteria
The fungus on the nails of the feet or hands is called onychomycosis. It is caused by the following types of fungi:
- dermatophytes;
- Yeast;
- moldy.
They mainly live in the soil and from there spread to other surfaces that a person can pass. Toenail and hand nail fungus can enter the human body through micro-cracks in the skin.
The incubation period lasts on average half a month, during this period the fungus does not show itself in any way. Since it penetrates deep into the skin and nutrition, symptoms of the disease appear. This is manifested by an inflammatory process on the skin of the hands or feet. A person may feel an unpleasant odor in the area of \u200b\u200bthe affected finger. If left untreated, the fungus penetrates under the nails.
Signs of fungus on the nails in the initial stages
![Stages of toenail fungus](/images/articles/591/Stages%20of%20toenail%20fungus.jpg)
Before proceeding to the manifestations of onychomycosis, you should know for what reason fungal diseases begin. The fungus on the legs and hands is transmitted from person to person, so the disease can be easily spread in public places such as a sauna or a swimming pool. The disease is transmitted by wearing ordinary shoes, this can happen in large families, and by using a towel or slippers.
The following conditions contribute to the development of athlete's foot:
- Damage to the nail plate.
- Excessive sweating of hands or feet.
- flat feet.
- uncomfortable shoes.
- Long-term antibiotic therapy.
- Decreased immune system.
- diabetes mellitus.
A nail fungus disease manifests itself differently depending on the type of pathogen. But there are also unifying signs of this disease when it is just beginning. You can tell what the fungus looks like by the following symptoms:
- At the very beginning of onychomycosis, the structure and color of the nail plate changes.
- The nail becomes thicker and rougher.
- In some cases, cracks appear on the nail.
- Gradually, the nails begin to crumble from the inside, exuding an unpleasant odor.
- Due to the activity of fungi between the skin and the nail plate, the latter acquires a dull appearance.
- The color of the nail can be different - white, gray, yellow, green, brown.
In order not to bring the problem to such a state, it is necessary to fight the infection at the onset of the disease.
How to treat a fungus in its early stages
![Girl chooses a remedy for nail fungus](/images/articles/591/Girl%20chooses%20a%20remedy%20for%20nail%20fungus.jpg)
As already mentioned, nail fungus in its early stages should be cured as early as possible. If you experience the symptoms described above, you should see a doctor immediately. In order for the treatment to achieve the desired effect, the pathogen must first be identified.
Common therapeutic measures include:
- First cut off the nail plate affected by the fungus. This is best done by a doctor who can rid the nail of the fungus without pain or minimal discomfort.
- After that, the nail plate is covered with antifungal ointment or varnish. At the initial stage of the disease, you can not even resort to other therapeutic measures. But don't think that once is enough - you need to treat the nail daily as prescribed by the doctor.
- In the initial stages of nail fungus, antifungal drugs are not usually prescribed, but if they are prescribed by a doctor, it is worth drinking the drug. So the disease will pass quickly.
What are the modern methods of treating nail fungus in the initial stages? The pharmaceutical industry offers a wide range of drugs to treat athlete's foot. These are sprays, ointments, drops, powders, varnishes. These funds are used not only for the treatment of onychomycosis, but also for preventive purposes. They can penetrate deep under the skin and fight germs. However, their effect is manifested only in a mild form of the disease or in the initial stages of a fungal infection, subject to the regular use of these drugs.
With the advanced form of onychomycosis, you need to fight the infection not only from the outside, but also from the inside.
In this case, the patient takes special pills that destroy the infection in the body. They should be taken for several months, only then the result will be visible.
Prevention of fungal infections
It is not difficult to catch a fungus on the legs and arms, getting rid of it will be more difficult, so you need to know the measures to prevent this disease:
- If a person follows simple rules of hygiene, changes socks more often, puts on shoes in public places, then toenail fungus does not threaten him.
- Remember that you should always have personal hygiene items with you – your own towel, washcloth and slippers.
- For cuts or other injuries to fingers and toes, treat the wounds with an antiseptic immediately.
If you follow these simple rules, you will never know what a fungus on your feet and hands is. If the infection occurs, get rid of the disease at the initial stage, since the problems are minimal and it is easier to get rid of them.