Nail fungus is an extremely unpleasant disease and is easy to catch: just go to the pool, the beach or put on someone else's slippers.But getting rid of the disease is not easy: fungal spores tend to affect not only the nail plates, but also penetrate into the deepest layers of the skin and firmly settle there.
In advanced cases, the fungus enters a chronic phase and treatment is delayed for several years.Therefore, it is very important to promptly pay attention to the symptoms and start treatment with special medications, including special varnishes for nail fungus.
Why is the mushroom dangerous?
Fungal infections enter the body through microcracks that appear in the skin for various reasons.For example, this can happen when a person walks barefoot on the beach or on the ground, puts on someone else's shoes, or does a pedicure with tools other than their own.If pathogenic organisms manage to take hold, they gradually penetrate all layers of the skin, thus increasing the territory.
The infection thrives in warm, humid conditions, making the toes an ideal place for fungus to grow, especially if a person sweats excessively.Self-medication in this case is useless and will not bring success.The only way out: the use of ointments, creams, medicated nail polishes.
The difficulty in treating the disease also lies in the fact that there are more than five hundred types of fungi that can harm human health (and there are more than seventy thousand of them in total).Each type should be treated only with drugs specially developed for this purpose, otherwise even the best drug will be ineffective.If you discover suspicious symptoms, you should consult a dermatologist before starting treatment.
The fungus manifests itself with the following symptoms:
- peeling between the folds of the fingers, burning, itching, redness;
- the appearance of suspicious spots on the skin;
- the formation of bubbles is possible, which after a while burst, forming cracks and ulcers;
- the nail begins to change its structure: it bends, wave-shaped formations appear on the nail plate, it itself becomes thicker or thinner, and begins to crumble;
- White or yellowish spots appear on the nails, which is not characteristic of healthy nails.
If you pay attention to the symptoms in time, notice skin problems on your feet, deterioration in the condition of the nail and promptly seek help, you can get rid of the disease in two months.Therapy usually involves ointments, creams and tablets.Recently, special preparations have appeared, namely medicinal nail polishes, the main purpose of which is to stop and destroy fungi that have affected the nail plate.
How does varnish work against fungus?
Antifungal nail polish is most effective at the first stage of development of the disease.The principle of operation is simple: after filing the upper layer with a file and degreasing the plaque with alcohol, apply the product to the nail, after which the medicinal components that are part of its composition, thanks to its liquid structure, easily seep through the plaque layer and begin to destroy pathogens.
After the varnish dries, air ceases to penetrate to the fungal spores, for the development of which it is essential, which also blocks their vital activity.As a result, deprived of air and severely exposed to the medicinal components contained in the varnish, the fungi die.
Anti-fungal nail polish dries in about three to four minutes.After completing the procedure, do not forget to carefully close the bottle and disinfect all tools used to treat the nail and the skin around it.
If the type of fungus was correctly identified and the appropriate remedy was applied, then after a while it will be possible to get rid of pathogenic microorganisms.Another point to take into account is that the use of varnish alone is not enough for effective treatment, as fungal spores are also present in the skin around the nail.
For the therapy to be successful, the treatment must be comprehensive: in addition to the varnish, accompanying creams and tablets must also be used.For example, a well-known company produces not only medicinal varnishes against fungus, but also ointments that help the body cope with the disease.
Before choosing a remedy, you should carefully study the instructions and make sure that it is directed against the type of fungus found in the body (in principle, this should be done by a doctor, but it does not hurt to make sure).It is also worth paying attention to the number of healing components and their concentration.
If the disease is at the end of the second - beginning of the third phase, the fungal spores will already be quite strong, and if a weaker remedy is used, they will begin to fight it, develop immunity and become more resistant.Therefore, when treating any disease, it is necessary to choose more powerful remedies.
Brands and their effects
Currently, there are a large number of antifungal varnishes and, since each case is individual, opinions on their effectiveness are different and often contradictory.According to reviews, they help some people and not others.The second option is due to the fact that the nail plate was prepared incorrectly or a varnish was used that was not designed for the type of fungus that affected the nails.
Particularly popular are antifungal varnishes containing the active ingredient amorolfine.All of them have a wide spectrum of action and are designed to destroy the main types of pathogenic microorganisms.The best choice depends largely on the type of fungus that has affected the nails.Therefore, they should be used only after tests have determined the type of pathogens and the instructions for the drug indicate that the medicated nail polish copes with them.
French varnish against nail fungus is an expensive drug whose active ingredient is amorolfine, the principle of action of which is based on the destruction of the cell membrane of the fungus.It not only destroys already appeared cells, but also prevents spores from multiplying and spreading, thereby capturing new territories.According to reviews, the duration of treatment with this drug lasts from two months to two years, depending on the stage of the fungal infection.
Another product, a product from our manufacturer containing formic acid in its composition, not only fights pathogens well, but can also be used as a prophylactic agent.The active substance of the drug is polyvinyl acetate;it contains Bacillus bacteria, thanks to which it has biochemical activity.
A German varnish containing the active ingredient ciclopiroxolamine, the active ingredient of which is cyclopyros, is considered effective.Opinions about this drug vary, from extremely negative to positive, with many agreeing that varnishes containing amorolfine are better.This may be due to the fact that, unlike previous application methods, the manufacturer allows the varnish to be applied without filing the surface of the plate.
This is not the best application method, as it makes it easier for the product to penetrate deeper into the treated nail.To make the ciclopiroxolamine varnish more effective, it is better to file the nail plate.
How often you should apply antifungal nail polishes depends largely on the disease and the treatment regimen prescribed by your doctor.Some products are recommended to be used once a day, others twice a week, when signs of recovery are visible on the face, the interval between procedures can be increased.
Regardless of the drug chosen for treatment, do not forget the importance of comprehensive treatment and the need to follow hygiene rules.When applying varnish, remember that the nail affected by the fungus must be treated with a separate tool: it is not recommended to file healthy and diseased nails with the same file or cut them with the same scissors.
You also cannot give your manicure tools to other people, or take tools from them to treat your nails.Attention should be paid to strengthening immunity, taking vitamin and mineral complexes and maintaining proper nutrition.