Which doctor treats toenail fungus?

Have your nails changed color, lost their shine, become brittle and crumbling, or even fallen off the nail bed?It is probably onychomycosis, or a fungus, an insidious disease that is very difficult to treat and which comes back often, especially if you delay a visit to the doctor.Which doctor treats toenail fungus and what does proper onychomycosis treatment look like?

Types of nail fungus and symptoms

Fungal infections account for up to 15-40% of all nail diseases.Most often, the causative agents are trichophytons - parasitic fungi, and a little less often - candida - yeast fungi.Risk factors are:

• male gender;
• increased sweating of the feet;
• nail injuries;
• visiting public baths and swimming pools;

• immunosuppression due to diabetes mellitus and HIV infection, long-term use of corticosteroids;
• wear synthetic socks and shoes made from unnatural materials.

The clinical manifestations of nail fungus are varied.Taking this into account, modern medicine identifies six main forms:

1. Superficial white - at first the superficial layers of the nail plate are affected, then the degenerative process spreads deep into the tissues.Most often, this variety appears as white, crumbly lesions;more rarely, white lines may appear.
2. Normotrophic - the thickness and shine of the nail remain the same, the plate only changes color and white and yellow spots and stripes appear.
3. Hypertrophic - the nail constantly thickens and deforms due to the active division of skin cells located under the nail plate.
4. Atrophic - the nail becomes gray-brown, while its thickness constantly decreases, which allows the nail bed to be completely exposed.
5. Proximal – quite rare.The lesion affects the nail fold, while the last sections of the nail remain intact, that is, intact, for a long time.
6. Total – the entire nail plate is involved in the pathological process and often develops against the background of reduced immunity.

Second medical opinion

Experts from leading Russian and foreign medical institutions will give their opinion on the results of tests and examinations, comment on the previously made diagnosis and the prescribed treatment.

"In onychomycosis, the nail plate often loses its connection to the underlying dermis, so it can easily be removed accidentally or intentionally. Doctors call this condition onycholysis."

Which specialist should I contact?

Which doctor treats nail fungus?In most cases, a dermatologist will help resolve this problem.The doctor will conduct an objective examination and laboratory tests to determine the cause of the dystrophic lesion of the patient's nail.Only after this is an appropriate drug treatment selected.

In complex clinical cases, the help of a more specialized specialist – a mycologist – is required.This is a dermatologist who deals exclusively with fungal diseases of the skin, hair and nails.

"If you are unsure which doctor treats nail fungus, make an appointment with a dermatologist. This is usually enough to make a diagnosis and start treatment in a timely manner."

Diagnostic methods

If there are suspicious signs, such as changes in the shape and thickness of the nail, suspicious spots and scratches, crumbling, the doctor should carry out laboratory diagnostics before prescribing treatment.For this purpose, the modified nail plate is collected - part of it is carefully cut off with special tweezers.The biomaterial obtained is subject to:

• microscopic examination - results are obtained almost immediately, since spores and mycelium of mushrooms are clearly visible under a microscope;
• cultural research - the results are evaluated only after 0.5-1.5 months, during which time the fungi grow to form colonies.This method allows you to identify the type of pathogen involved, as well as assess its sensitivity to antifungal drugs.

“The polymerase chain reaction – the creation of multiple copies of a piece of DNA – is only used in difficult diagnostic cases when culture cannot determine the type of fungus involved.”

Therapy

It is important to know which doctor to contact in case of nail fungus, because delayed treatment is not only a cosmetic problem, but also a medical one.It turns out that onychomycosis increases the risk of the following conditions:

• pain and discomfort in the legs;
• difficulty walking and wearing shoes;
• disharmony in the spheres of professional and personal life;
• generalization of a fungal infection on the skin of the legs and arms, groin;
• infection of other family members;
• increased sensitivity of the body to fungal antigens with the development of bronchial asthma and atopic dermatitis;
• Bacterial skin infections - fungi violate the integrity of the dermis, and pathogenic and conditionally pathogenic bacteria easily penetrate into the resulting microcracks.

Therefore, treatment is necessary in all cases of diagnosed nail fungus.Therapy is divided into two types:

1. Topical antifungal - the drug is applied directly to the nail plate.
2. Systemic antifungal - the drug is taken orally and reaches the "problem" site through the bloodstream.

Currently, combined treatment is used for onychomycosis, when local application of the drug (nail polish or medicated cream) is combined with medication.Topical monotherapy is less effective because the closely adjacent keratin and epithelial scales prevent the drug from penetrating the nail plate.Thus, the concentration of the active component can decrease a thousand times.Therefore, local treatment is possible only at the initial stage of superficial nail damage and in the presence of contraindications to systemic antifungal agents.

“If a family member is diagnosed with nail fungus, the whole family is treated at the same time, because onychomycosis is a particularly contagious disease.”

After treatment, the doctor must prescribe control tests - microscopy of the nail plate.If there are no fungi in the biomaterial, then the person is considered fully recovered.In the future, it is important to follow the prevention rules to avoid reinfection:

• use safety shoes when visiting hotels, gyms, public baths and swimming pools;
• apply antifungal powders and adsorbents to the foot - according to indications;
• wear socks made from natural fabrics;
• trim nails regularly using individual pedicure accessories;
• replace old shoes with new ones, as they can contain a large number of dangerous fungi.

A simple rule: the earlier treatment is started, the more effective it is - in the case of onychomycosis, it works more than ever.So don't delay your visit to the doctor if you notice that the appearance of your nail has changed.

Which doctor should I consult for toenail fungus?

If you suspect onychomycosis, you should seek help from, for example, a general practitioner.The doctor will prescribe tests, after which he will make a diagnosis and refer to a specialist.