Important Information About Nail Fungus

Nail fungus is a fungal infection that can be seen in the fingernails and toenails, and can occur in any person and at any age. This fungus, which can appear for various reasons, can show itself even if you are well-groomed and clean. If left untreated, it can have serious effects on both aesthetic and physical health for the person. As soon as nail fungus is noticed, a doctor should be consulted and treatment should be started immediately in order to prevent its spread and to prevent more serious problems.

Nail fungus is a type of infection that manifests itself with a whitish color in any or more of the finger or toenails and then turns yellow. Nail fungus infection spreads in the space between the nail and the skin, and the infection progresses inside. It first appears as a white dot. If left untreated, it turns yellow, begins to cover the white area of ​​the nail, and hardening occurs in the nail margins. If the fungus is not treated, it begins to deepen in the nail. If the deepening begins, the nail loses its health. The nail will turn yellowish, very hard and look bad. In addition, the skin around the nail will begin to break down and become damaged. As the condition progresses, the overall appearance of the nail will worsen. If left untreated, the fungus can spread. Fungal infection, especially in the toes, can spread between the two toes. This is called tinea pedis. It is also called athlete's foot or athlete's foot among the people.

Laser treatment is not applied to every nail fungus. It is used for patients with special conditions, and laser treatment is an expensive method. Nail fungus surgery, which is another method, is an operation performed with local anesthesia. If the infection in the nails due to the fungus has progressed and the drug treatment does not respond, the nail is completely removed by surgery. The purpose of this is to remove the nail and allow the drug to directly contact the problem area in order to heal the fungus. It may take 6-12 months for the new nail to grow.

What Are the Symptoms of Nail Fungus?

-More than normal thickening of the nail tissue

-Whitening on nails

-Easy breakage of nails

-Mattening of the glossy appearance of the nails

-The formation of yellowish tones in nail colors

-Disintegration of the nail skin and the formation of an irregular structure

- Distortion of nail shape

-The onset of odor problem

IMPORTANT NOTE: As soon as you see any of these symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor for treatment.
   

What Causes Nail Fungus?

-Yeast, mold, etc. come into contact with organisms

-Nails are constantly damp or wet

- Failure to regularly clean shoes

-Being an athlete or sportsman

-Not paying attention to hand and foot cleaning

-Excessive sweating problem

- Frequent presence in areas such as pools, showers, changing rooms that are used in common

-Step barefoot on the floor in common areas

Shared tools used in manicure and pedicure places

- Impact and damage to the nails

-Weakness of the immune system

- Having diabetes, thyroid or psoriasis

What are the Nail Fungus Prevention Methods?

-Bacteria and infections love moist environments and emerge more quickly. Therefore, you should be careful not to keep your hands and feet too moist.

-Take care to cut straight instead of giving shape during nail cutting. You can straighten it with a rasp after straight cutting. Don't forget to disinfect your nail clippers and nail file regularly.

-Take care of hygiene in common areas (gym, pool, etc.). Do not stand barefoot on the floor.

- Pay attention to the use of shoes and socks and never forget how important hygiene is. Choose breathing shoes and socks.

- If you are having a manicure and pedicure, do not use common tools. Take your own special tools and have them used.

- Minimize the use of false nails, nail polish and nail polish.

- Use the creams and medicines given by your doctor regularly to prevent the infection from recurring.

Nail fungus can go away on its own like some skin diseases. It is absolutely necessary to pay attention to regular drug use and personal hygiene. It can pass with drugs under the control of the doctor, if it does not go away with the drugs, other methods should be applied under the control of the doctor. The treatment process may vary depending on the cause of the fungus and the type of fungus. If necessary, it can be performed in a surgical operation. The treatment process may take a long time, and even if the fungus heals as a result of the treatment, it may reappear after a while. Therefore, it is a type of disease that requires regular control.

We wish you healthy days…