How to identify onychomycosis

Onychomycosis is a skin disease caused by fungal infection. It often invades people's fingernails or toenails. Its symptoms are relatively obvious. Some symptoms can be used to roughly determine whether you have onychomycosis. For example, the nails will be stratified, the surface of the nails will appear uneven, and they will appear fragile and easy to break. In addition, the nails will change color, often turning yellow or black.

How to determine if it is onychomycosis

1. Nail layering

The thickened cuticle will become dry and brittle, with debris, and will fall off between the nail plate and the nail bed. The surface layer of the nail that was originally bonded to the flesh of the nail will become hollow, and the nail will be divided into two layers, with the surface layer separated from the flesh of the nail, and a layer of nail substance attached to the flesh of the nail.

2. Uneven surface

There is accumulation of keratin on the deck or under the deck. After the deck is damaged, the surface of the deck becomes rough, loses its luster, and becomes uneven. The unevenness may appear in the vertical or horizontal direction.

3. The deck will become brittle and broken

When fungi invade the nail plate and nail bed, the keratin will be dissolved under the action of keratinase, forming tiny keratin particles. The nail plate will lack elasticity and toughness and become brittle. The keratin particles will be powdery, easy to fall off, loose and become fragmented.

4. Nail discoloration

The diseased and thickened nail plate will show color, and the keratin will fall off at the diseased part of the nail plate, allowing dirt to enter. After the nail plate is damaged, debris will fall off and the nail plate will change color, appearing gray, black, yellow, brown, etc.

Treatment of onychomycosis

1. Peeling method

A combination of local and systemic treatments can be used, using urea ointment or carbon dioxide laser treatment to burn the flaking nail plate. After the nail bed heals, antifungal agents can be used, or more holes can be made on the nail plate and topical medications can be applied.

2. Oral medication

Take antifungal drugs, such as griseofulvin, itraconazole, fluconazole, etc., but the medication time is long, nail tinea needs to be taken for 3 months, toenail tinea needs to be taken for 6 months. It is forbidden for children, pregnant women and patients with liver function.

3. Surgical nail removal

After local anesthesia, the affected nail is removed. This method is less effective, but the wound is large and prone to bleeding or infection. The operation will be painful. People with heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, etc. are not suitable for surgical nail removal.