Let’ s face it: our lower limbs are usually the most neglected. However, when infected with fungi, then things change and needs immediate care and treatment to overcome the problem!
A white or yellow mark under the nails of the hands or feet, should alarm you, because this means that your nails are infected with onychomycosis.
This is a fungal infection (dermatophytes) that can occur at any age, with an emphasis however on older people, who due to weak immune system and reduced blood circulation are prone to infections. Also, you can “meet” onychomycosis, if you walk barefoot in public places (in the pool, gym, showers), if there is a medical history of skin disease (e.x. psoriasis) or if conditions such as diabetes or cardiovascular co-exist.
Onychomycosis can affect the entire nail, a part of it or even be transmitted to the rest. It can hardly be transmitted from person to person, but it can be done if the Basic Rules of hygiene are not fulfilled. Finally, fungi often appear during summer while "partying" and develop since they find wet and warm environment.
Cracking: nails’ tips begin to break while we may notice peeling.
Color change: nails’ color becomes more yellow, brown or even black, while they look more aged and damaged.
Sclerosis: the nails harden and, sometimes, deform.
Bad smell: fungi can cause intense odor.
Edema: mycosis can lead to inflammation, which in turn causes swelling, which causes pain or makes walking difficult.
A dermatologist will indicate the proper treatment of onychomycosis – which can be long - lasting, depending on the fungus and the severity of the condition. The doctor will recommend drugs in the form of a pill, ointment or a combination of such pharmaceutics.
However, it's always better to prevent than to heal, so, in order to avoid such unpleasant problems, you:
Take care of the hygiene of the foot area regularly.
Wash your feet often, change your socks daily, wear open shoes or sandals that allow your foot to breathe.
Keep your nails tidy (clean, cut, polish-free), make sure that the pedicure accessories you use are sterile.
Use antifungal sprays preventively-especially if you experience relapses of onychomycosis.
Fungi not only attack the toenails, but can infect the soles and toe areas, developing an infection, known as the "athlete's foot". The condition’ s name, betrays that it usually affects young adults, athletes and the elderly. However, it also concerns people who suffer from diabetes, circulatory disorders or have a weak immune system.
As in onychomycosis, heat and humidity are the ideal growth environment for fungi. Thus, the floors of several common areas (such as swimming pools, gyms, changing rooms, showers) are very hospitable for fungi, since there they can survive for months to years!
There are, of course, some more factors that favor the appearance of the problem: poor hygiene of the feet, poor quality of footwear, excessive sweating of the feet, poor aeration, etc. All these factors create the conditions for fungi to grow on our feet.
The problem usually manifests itself when a skin rash appears between or under the toes (usually in the last 2 toes), on the sides of the foot or on the sole. The skin crack, peels, reddens while we have peeling, irritation, itching, burning sensation and, sometimes, pain. The infection softens the skin, resulting in wounds between the toes, heels and soles. In more severe cases, wounds are infected by bacteria and purulent inflammation is created while, things become even more difficult, when open wounds and inflammation deform the nails (with aesthetic and functional problems for the patient) or create skin lesions to the limbs as a result from the endogenous reaction of fungi.
Mycosis needs early diagnosis and immediate treatment as, if not treated, it can develop into chronic dermatosis or extend to other parts of the body.
Diagnosis of the disease is made by a dermatologist, who will also determine the type of treatment (topical pharmaceutical medication, antibiotic therapy). However, the patient must show consistency and persistence in the execution of the treatment, as this requires patience and time, since often the effort may be long lasting. In any case, good hygiene, foot care and compliance on basic hygiene rules will protect our feet from any enemy.
