Onychomycosis is a type of fungal lesion, which affects exclusively the nail surface.In order to prevent the spread of infection in time, you should know what the nail fungus looks like, since the therapeutic effect will be achieved faster if the treatment began at an early stage of infection.Most often, the disease occurs in older people due to weak immunity, but the risk of getting an disease concerns every person.There is no single classification of fungal nail damage; in medical practice, it is customary to distinguish them at the place of localization and the depth to which they penetrate.The infection is also grouped depending on the type of pathogen.
Types of pathogens and primary signs
Symptoms of nail fungus in the initial stage are easily determined directly by condition of the nail.This sign is the most informative, since onychomycosis always manifests itself in the form of changes in the color of the surface, deformation of the bed, exfoliation and any external changes.The latter are expressed by roughness, the formation of grooves and cracks, as well as point interspersed and general violation of the nail.
The primary sign of a healthy nail is pink and transparency.Onychomycosis at any stage is characterized by the turbidity of the nail and the change of color to yellow, brownish, or greenish-black.In an advanced stage, the surface can acquire a black shade against the background of almost complete destruction.
External signs of infection with a fungus depend on the type of pathogen that infected.In medical practice, the following possible lesions are distinguished:
- Candida infection with a fungus, which is expressed by the discharge of the nail directly at the base of the box.Candidiasis of the rollers around the nail will be characteristic of candidiasis.This version of the complication can have either a bacterial source in the form of streptococci or staphylococci, or expressed in the form of medium or psoriasis plaques;
- Dermatophytes of the Trichophyton Rubrum type.In this case, the penetration of the infection occurs directly from the free edge of the nail.The first symptoms of such a pathogen are the appearance of a yellowish spot on the surface.In the field of neoplasm, the nail crumbles, and the spot itself tends to increase.The common place of localization of the neoplasm is along the plate, parallel to the nail rollers, in this case, the infection is called distal-Lateral.There is another form of defeat by this pathogen - distal, in which the spot appears on the part removed from the hole, mainly in the middle of the free edge;
Important!
This type of fungus most often occurs on the thumbs of the legs, gradually turning the nails into a loose yellowish mass.In the absence of proper treatment, the disease flows into hyperkeratosis.The nail plate is completely destroyed due to the spread of infection around the perimeter.
- Dermatophytes like Trichophyton Mentagrophytes.Onychomycosis with such exciters is also most often based on the nails of the thumbs, less often than the little fingers.An infection with a fungus of this type requires therapy not only of the nail, but also the feet due to the rapid spread of the pathogen.A symptomatic ailment can be like leikonichia, a disease common in medical practice.The primary signs are white spots that appear on various parts of the nail, neoplasms are distinguished by a non -standard shape and various sizes.It is easy to distinguish the fungus from leakonichia - in the latter case, the spots are an air accumulation, which is not observed with fungal damage;
- Mold fungus.This option of damage is found significantly less often than a candidal or dermatophytic form.The main sign of just such an infection - the surface of the plate acquires a dark, almost black shade.Not the entire finger can be infected entirely, but only part of the nail plate.The first signs of nail fungus on the legs of this type are a sharp change in color.Onychomycosis can develop in the form of a longitudinal strip of black or dark green in color against the background of the rest of the pink part of the nail.
Diagnostics by type of change
It is not difficult to notice a nail fungus on the legs even at the primary stages of infection, since an infection of this type manifests itself quite actively from the first day of the lesion.Instead of the usual transparent nails of pale pink in the patient, a significant surface deformation and a general change in the condition are observed.The affected area has a matte dull yellowish tint, which appears mainly on the thumbs.The type of fungus and the degree of damage is determining factors.
At the first stage, the fungal damage to the legs on the legs is the appearance of small foci.The thickening of the plate and the keratinization of the bed under the nail will be characteristic.This stage is accompanied by such a phenomenon as partial detachment and discharge of the nail plate, which serves as a source of infection for healthy people.
Despite the active thickening of the plate, its constant grinding can be observed, regardless of the current factors.The features of each stage and symptoms of the fungus on the legs depend directly on the type of pathogen.
Depending on the changes occurring with the nail plate, three options for onychomycosis are distinguished:
- Hypertrophic;
- Normotrophic;
- Atrophic.
In the first case, there is a sharp change in the shade of the nail plate, its destruction along the edges, as well as deformation of the surface of the plate.The nail thickens so much that it causes discomfort and painful sensations when walking.Normotrophic mycosis of nails on the legs is distinguished by the presence of a healthy shine, but the plate itself acquires some yellowness, spots are formed on it.With an atrophic type of damage, brown and gray foci form on the surface of the nails.Thanks to them, it is possible to accurately determine the location of the pathogen.
Important!
The atrophic or onycholithic type of nail fungus is characterized by thinning of the nail plate, and not its growth, as in other cases.Those areas on which the pathogen is localized tend to detach.The lack of proper treatment leads to an advanced stage - the complete rejection of the nail plate.
Localization classification
Another sign by which you can separate the fungal damage to the nails of the toes depends directly on the location of the foci on the nail plate.This also includes the depth of the pathogen, which in turn allows you to determine the approximate duration of the upcoming therapy and the chances of a speedy recovery.
Fungal diseases of the nails of the legs at the location of the localization are classified into the following groups:
- Onychomycosis is a white surface type - the appearance of many whitish spots on the surface of the nail plate.A fungal infection leads to detachment of the skin in the places of appearance of spots on which there is an active discharge of scales.The advanced stage leads to the complete destruction and rejection of the plate;
- Distal - develops on the free edge of the nail.The color change is observed first on a small area of the plate, after which there is an active expansion of its boundaries.The lesion is characterized by a yellowish-gray or brown tint, as well as a rough uneven surface and gradual exfoliation;
- Lateral onychomycosis has the stages of development similar to distal, but it is localized exclusively on the side sides of the nail plate;
- Total infection - complete infection of the entire surface;
- Proximal onychomycosis.This ailment begins its activity from the cuticle, which is inflamed, then the fungus quickly affects the nail, and the process itself begins with the appearance of a small white spot near the inflamed area of the periolous roller.
The most common forms of mycosis of nails on the legs are lateral and distal, which is usually caused by dermatophytes.Such forms of damage as proximal and white can act as a secondary ailment that accompanies the disease of the immune system, for example, VICH.Total damage to the nail with a fungus should be considered as an advanced stage of development of any fungus under the nail.
Features of the fungus under the microscope
Despite the presence of an impressive number of signs of onychomycosis, other ailments associated with skin problems and not infectious in nature are accepted for fungal damage to the nails of the legs.You can determine the exact diagnosis and type of pathogen only in the laboratory under a microscope, for which, in a hospital, a scraping of biological material from the affected areas is performed.
The resulting biomaterial is pre -placed in an alkaline environment, after which a multiple increase is performed.Studying the nail fungus under a microscope allows you to see an active pathogen, the external form of which determines its type, scale of distribution and an approximate degree of damage.On a nutrient medium, you can predict the approximate growth of the colonies, which allows not only to make an accurate diagnosis, but also to determine the limitation of infection.
Important!
Since it is possible to determine the presence of onychomycosis only in a laboratory, you should not postpone a visit to the doctor at the slightest suspicion.The nail fungus develops rapidly, and the loss of time increases the therapy.
What is an alarming signal?
The fungus of nails on the legs is manifested by certain symptoms that are partially similar to some skin ailments.The following signs are more likely to indicate an onychomycotic lesion that requires medical intervention:
- The appearance of yellow spots on the plate, its deformation, a change in structure, which was not observed earlier;
- The darkening of the plate, the loss of transparency, some photos of the nail fungus on the legs demonstrate a shade close to black, which is characteristic of molds of pathogens;
- Thickening and keratinization of the nail plate, or vice versa too sharp thinning;
- Rejection of the nail from the bed, detachment of scales and crumbs;
- Swelling of the roller, hanging it above the plate, release of liquid;
- The nails affected by the fungus look inflamed, regardless of the type of pathogen.
All these symptoms indicate a high risk of infection.Some external symptoms of changing the structure of the nail plate can be the result of other diseases.With increased brittleness, the amount of calcium and iron in the body should be increased, increased tuberosity means any infection of the body, with purely white stripes and points, a lack of copper or zinc is possible.Despite the fact that in the photo, the nail fungus looks like a focal damage to the plate with a change in color closer to the yellow, this does not always indicate the infection.The yellowness can indicate various problems with the stomach and liver.
It is not difficult to recognize onychomycosis on the fingers by external signs, despite the extensive classification of the disease.But you can determine the exact type of the pathogen and the stage of damage can only be in the laboratory.