Which doctor treats toenail fungus?

Have your nails changed color, lost their shine, become brittle and brittle, or even fallen off the nail bed?It is likely that it is onychomycosis or a fungus, an insidious disease that is very difficult to treat and often recurs, especially if you delay going to the doctor.Which doctor treats toenail fungus and what is the correct treatment for onychomycosis?

Types of nail fungus and symptoms

Fungal infections account for up to 15-40% of all nail diseases.The most common pathogens are Trichophytons - parasitic fungi, and somewhat 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;
• Wearing synthetic socks and shoes made from non-natural materials.

The clinical manifestations of nail fungus are diverse.Given this, modern medicine identifies six main forms:

1. White superficial - initially the superficial layers of the nail plate are affected, then the degenerative process spreads deep into the tissue.Most commonly, this variety appears as white, crumbling lesions;White lines can occur more rarely.
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 under the nail plate.
4. Atrophic - the nail becomes gray-brown while its thickness constantly decreases, which can completely expose the nail bed.
5. Proximal – quite rare.The lesion affects the nail fold, while the last sections of the nail remain intact, i.e. undamaged, for a long time.
6. In general, 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 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, making it easy to remove 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 solve this problem.The doctor conducts an objective examination and laboratory tests to determine the cause of the patient's dystrophic nail lesion.Only then is a suitable drug therapy 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 don't know which doctor treats nail fungus, make an appointment with a dermatologist. As a rule, this is 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 stripes, crumbling, the doctor must carry out laboratory diagnostics before prescribing treatment.For this purpose, the changed nail plate is collected - part of it is carefully cut off with special tweezers.The resulting biomaterial is subjected to the following conditions:

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

“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 causative fungus.”

therapy

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

• pain and discomfort in the legs;
• difficulty walking and wearing shoes;
• disharmony in professional and private life;
• Generalization of a fungal infection on the skin of the legs and arms and groin area;
• 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 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 area” through the bloodstream.

Currently, a combined treatment is used for onychomycosis, in which the local application of the drug (nail polish or cream containing the active ingredient) is combined with medications.Topical monotherapy is less effective because keratin and closely adjacent epithelial scales prevent the drug from penetrating the nail plate.This can reduce the concentration of the active ingredient by a thousandfold.Therefore, local therapy is only possible in the initial stages of superficial nail damage and in the presence of contraindications to systemic antimycotics.

“If a family member is diagnosed with nail fungus, the entire 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, the person is considered to have completely recovered.In the future, it is important to adhere to the rules of prevention to avoid re-infection:

• Wear safety shoes when visiting hotels, gyms, public baths and swimming pools.
• Apply antifungal powders and adsorbents to the foot - depending on the indication;
• Wear socks made from natural fabrics.
• Trim nails regularly using custom pedicure accessories.
• Replace old shoes with new ones as they can contain many dangerous fungi.

A simple rule: the earlier treatment is started, the more effective it is - with onychomycosis it works more than ever.Therefore, do not delay your visit to the doctor if you notice that the appearance of your nail has changed.

Which doctor should I see if I have toenail fungus?

For example, if you suspect onychomycosis, you should see a family doctor.The doctor will prescribe tests, then make a diagnosis and issue a referral to a specialist.