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Running nail fungus, treatment and doctor’s advice
Is it possible to cope with nail fungus on my own or do you need qualified medical assistance? Which doctor should I go to to cure, what medications are prescribed for treatment? Let’s figure it out.
Fungal infections of the skin of the feet and nails are a fairly common but underestimated condition. Many people who notice the first signs of onychomycosis are in no hurry to see a doctor and try to cure nail fungus at home. This decision often entails unpleasant consequences up to the complete removal of nails (matrixectomy). How to cure nail fungus? Is it possible to save nails in especially neglected situations? Yulia Mironikhina, a podiatrist of the TsIDK network of clinics, tells us.
Podiatrist of the TsIDK network of clinics
Which doctor should you go to if you have nail fungus?
How is the type of fungus diagnosed?
“Nail fungus (onychomycosis) is always confirmed by microscopic analysis. It is very difficult to visualize onychomycosis, since they often resemble various dystrophies associated with the internal state of the body. If the microscopy test is positive, a solution to the problem of nail fungus can be found in the podiatrist’s office. His specialization implies the treatment of the nail tissue with the help of hardware cleaning, which is a completely painless procedure and is tolerated by patients without any problems, ”noted the podiatrist.
Medical intervention and treatment depending on the degree of the disease
How to treat toenail fungus?
Medium lesion
Only a qualified specialist will be able to determine which parts of the plate can be removed and cleaned off, and which ones need to be left, thereby organizing the growth of a healthy and good nail sheet.
If the nail plate is affected by less than 1/2 part, then only local therapy will be sufficient for treatment, which includes drops for nails developed by podologists. In the complex, they act not only as a treatment for fungal attachment, but also to stimulate growth, and a local rise in immunity.
Strong defeat
Unstable areas of the nail plate that have been destroyed or discolored are removed.
Further, together with a dermatologist, systemic treatment is prescribed for more than 1/2 of the nail plate. This treatment includes taking medications, local treatment, as well as the obligatory treatment of the skin, since nail fungus cannot be a separate phenomenon from skin fungus.
Typically, general treatment for fungus by a podiatrist consists of a monthly appointment to cleanse and scrub unstable nail plates.
Duration and completion of treatment
Doctor’s advice in the treatment of nail fungus.
In terms of duration, general treatment can take more than a year, because the nail plate on the legs grows from 12 to 18 months. Microscopy analysis is taken at the beginning of treatment, and after 3-4 months. The nail apparatus should grow back completely, but as soon as the nail forms at least half normally, then doctors can offer prosthetics and extensions to create an aesthetic appearance of the nail plate.
Nail fungus is a complex and unpleasant disease if you fight it alone. The sooner the podiatrist can prescribe a course of treatment, the faster the recovery will come. Delaying treatment and going to the doctor will only exacerbate the consequences. When it comes to health, the saying “better late than never” should automatically translate into “better sooner than late”.