Toenails have changed color, become flat, covered with thin grooves or exfoliate - often we do not consider this a problem or do not notice at all. Meanwhile, even subtle changes in the nails can be a signal of serious internal problems in the body. Find out how common toenail diseases appear and why they occur, what folk and traditional methods and means treat them, which doctor to contact - find out from the article.
Health indicators of toenails:
Diseases of the toenails, depending on the causes, are infectious And non-infectious.
Non-infectious include:
Infectious include:
Yes, any, even not too noticeable, changes in the nails are undoubtedly a cause for concern and an urgent visit to the doctor. Firstly, they may indicate metabolic disorders, hormonal imbalance, lack of trace elements important for the body, and serious internal diseases. Secondly, infectious (fungal and bacterial) nail lesions are contagious, moreover, they can spread into the deep layers of soft and bone tissues. Thirdly, yellowed, exfoliating, grooved or dense nails look unaesthetic.
Mycologists are involved in the examination and treatment of patients with infectious diseases of the toenails. Non-infectious toenail diseases are treated by dermatologists and, if necessary, by surgeons.
Twisting of one or more toenails from the lateral edges to the center is not an independent disease. Most often, this is a consequence of an unprofessional pedicure, mechanical trauma to the cuticle and onychocryptosis - ingrowth of the edges of the nail into the proximal (periungual) skin roller. Also, twisting of the toenails can be a complication of onychomycosis - the defeat of the nail plates by the fungus.
Nail twisting is diagnosed if:
Eliminating curled toenails is always complex. During the examination, they find out what is the cause of the problem. If it is an injury, surgical treatment is performed, a course of physiotherapy recovery procedures. If the twisting is caused by onychomycosis, first of all they fight a fungal infection and only then correct the shape. nail plate and the direction of its growth.
Causes of dark spots and stripes on the nail plates:
When diagnosing, first of all, pay attention to the color of the spot under the toenail. Crimson and dark purple (hematomas) usually appear due to trauma. Dark spots with a greenish or yellowish tint are formed with the complication of onychomycosis - fungus of the toenails. Black, dark blue and brown spots may indicate problems with the liver, as well as subungual tumors. The treatment of dark spots under the nails is aimed primarily at identifying and eliminating the cause.
If you know for sure that the dark spot under the toenail appeared as a result of a bruise or pressure, while there is no pain, inflammation, swelling, you can wait. After some time (2-3 weeks), small hematomas dissolve and disappear, and large ones disappear along with the damaged area of the nail plate. If the reason for the appearance of a spot under the nail is unclear, you should hurry to a specialist.
They say about the bundle of the toenail if:
Toenails can exfoliate:
Often, simple measures - a balanced diet, avoidance of contact with chemicals, regular nail and cuticle care - are enough to stop the nails from exfoliating. If you can’t cope with the problem on your own, it makes sense to contact a dermatologist or therapist.
Treatment of exfoliating toenails is prescribed depending on the cause of the disease. You may be recommended vitamin and mineral complexes and dietary supplements, paraffin therapy, baths with herbal teas, applications with essential oils, therapeutic varnishes and other procedures to restore the normal strong and elastic structure of the nails and stop their delamination.
To deform - change shape and structure, become heterogeneous, become covered with grooves and undulating influxes, separate from the cuticle and twist - toenails can be for a number of reasons.
Common causes of curvature of toenails:
For the treatment of curvature of the toenails, vitamins, mineral complexes, paraffin therapy, applications with ozocerite and healing mud, physiotherapy are prescribed. In difficult cases, when crooked nails hurt, become inflamed, interfere with walking, surgical correction is made.
‘]Onychomycosis legs - local or total fungal infection of the surface of the nail plates - refers to infectious diseases. It can be caused by several types of dermatophyte fungi: Trichophyton Rubrum, Trichophyton Interdigitale, Trichophyton Tonsurans, Microsporum Canis, etc.
Examination, identification of the causative agent of onychomycosis, as well as the appointment of a course of antibacterial, anti-inflammatory treatment and restorative procedures mycologist.
You can suspect onychomycosis of the toenails if:
Factors provoking the development of onychomycosis:
Radical methods of treating foot fungus with the complete removal of the affected nail plates are in the distant past. Modern medicine uses a hardware treatment procedure - gentle grinding of diseased areas of the nails in several sessions (as they grow back) under local anesthesia.
Hardware treatment is used if more than 40% of the nail surface is affected by the fungus. At the initial stages of onychomycosis, antifungal drugs, antimycotics, antibacterial treatment, therapeutic varnishes and emulsions are prescribed, restoring the healthy structure of the toenails and physiotherapy.
The effectiveness and timing of the treatment of fungal infections of the toenails directly depend on the time of application for treatment. medical care. In the early stages of onychomycosis, it is much easier to cope with the disease than with a developed, total and complicated infection. Therefore, if one of the above manifestations is detected, you should not postpone a visit to the mycologist. It is important to understand: if "onychomycosis" is diagnosed, self-medication is canceled!
One of the most effective methods of dealing with onychomycosis of toenails is laser therapy. The procedure is based on the sterilization of spores of the fungus that has affected the surface of the nail plates, after which their reproduction, and hence the development of the disease, stop.
As a result of exposure to laser beams, the fungus dies, and the damaged nail plate is replaced with a healthy one over time. A full course of laser treatment is from 7 to 10 procedures at intervals of 1-1.5 weeks. In difficult cases, along with laser treatment, systemic and antifungal drug therapy is used,
Among the advantages of laser treatment of onychomycosis:
In combination with hardware procedures and antifungal medications, varnishes and ointments are used in the treatment and prevention of relapses of onychomycosis.
The action of varnishes is based on the destruction and sterilization of fungal spores, depriving them of their ability to multiply, creating a dense airtight coating on the surface of the nail plate, and preventing the spread of infection to healthy nails.
Seven effective healing varnishes for onychomycosis of the legs:
Antifungal ointments contain antimycotics, anti-inflammatory and nail regeneration substances. Due to their thick and viscous consistency, they provide a long-lasting, effective and gentle effect only on the affected areas of the toenails.
Ten effective medicines in tablets for onychomycosis:
Any deviations in the condition of human nails do not just happen. As a rule, this is a side effect of taking certain medications, a reaction to a deficiency in the body of certain nutrients, vitamins, microelements, to hormonal and metabolic imbalances, to exacerbations of chronic diseases.
Platonychia- flattening (dystrophy) of one, several or all nails - may be the result of:
Left unattended, platonychia of one nail plate can develop on other nails. Therefore, it makes sense to find out the cause that caused the pathology as soon as possible and eliminate it. In the treatment of platonychia, in addition to the basic medicines prescribed by the doctor, inophoresis, phonophoresis, paraffin therapy are used, therapeutic baths on the basis of phytocollections that improve blood circulation, tissue trophism and restore the structure of nails, essential oils and sea salt.
Transverse furrows (the so-called Bo strips), stretching from one periungual roller to the opposite, may appear:
Doctors strongly advise against grinding irregularities and stripes on the nails with files and buffs. In the absence of proper treatment, such a “disguise” can only exacerbate the problem - damage and seriously deform the nail plates.
Micronichia. The main signs of this pathology are shortened and reduced in size nail plates. Sometimes changes also concern the density of the stratum corneum of the nails, as well as their color and relief.
Micronychia nails can occur for a number of reasons:
It is impossible to cope with developing micronichia on your own. To determine the cause of the disease and draw up an effective treatment regimen, it is important to contact a dermatologist as early as possible (when the first, even subtle, manifestations are detected). You may need to consult a neurologist and additional examinations.
Leukonychia called whitish dots, strokes and stripes under the nails. This is nothing more than microscopic accumulations of air bubbles between the layers of the nail plate.
Causes of leukonychia:
Treatment, depending on the cause of leukonychia, includes the mandatory therapy of the underlying disease, the appointment of courses of vitamins and mineral complexes, diet, physiotherapy, therapeutic baths and applications.
Onycholysis- partial detachment of the nail plate from the proximal (lateral) skin ridges and tissues of the subungual bed. As a result, the nails are noticeably deformed, become dry, brittle, lose their luster and transparency, and in complicated cases, turn blue, turn yellow or acquire a grayish-brown tint.
Why does onycholysis of the nails occur:
Therapeutic measures are aimed primarily at eliminating the cause of onycholysis. Exclude contact with allergens and aggressive household chemicals; carry out restorative treatment after taking antibiotic drugs; prescribe sensitizing and antimycotic drugs; physiotherapy for the correction of nail growth and therapeutic baths for their regeneration.
At onychorrhexis the integrity of the nail plate is violated. Simply put, it splits from the root to the outer edge of the nail. The main manifestation of the disease is a noticeable vertical crack on the surface of the nail (usually closer to the center).
Causes of onychorrhexis:
Treatment of onychorrhexis is complex. After finding out the cause of the pathology, a course of drugs is prescribed to treat the underlying disease, as well as procedures aimed at restoring and correcting the growth of the nail plate.
The ingrowth of the lateral edges of the nail into the tissues of the periungual roller is called onychocryptosis. In addition to the fact that an ingrown nail inevitably causes inflammation of the cuticle and palpable pain when walking, if not properly treated, it can cause a periungual or subungual abscess. One of the most formidable complications of onychocryptosis is gangrene. Most often, the pathology occurs on thumbs legs.
Causes of onychocryptosis:
At the first stages of the treatment of onychocryptosis, antiseptic dressings that relieve pain and inflammation are used, and if necessary, antifungal drugs. In complicated cases, a minor surgical operation may be necessary to free the edges of the ingrown nail, eliminate abscesses and necrotic tissues. After the removal of acute symptoms, splints correcting the correct growth of the nail are prescribed.
Chromonychia diagnosed with yellowing of the surface of the nail plates.
Chromonychia may be due to:
The best way to get rid of chromonychia is to identify and eliminate the cause of the pathology.
Home remedies in the treatment of nail diseases are effective only in combination with medicines, vitamin preparations and professional procedures prescribed by the doctor. This is especially important to consider in infectious diseases of the nails.
Please note: this article is informational. We do not recommend using the listed ointments, varnishes, tablets and folk recipes for the treatment of nail diseases without examination and consultation with a mycologist or dermatologist.
It is impossible to imagine beautiful and well-groomed legs without healthy nails. But they are often subjected to mechanical and chemical stress, which leads to deformation.
Deformation of the nail plate a fairly common occurrence. Many adults, as well as children, suffer from this problem.
Nail deformation is a process in which the structure of the nail plate changes due to external, internal influences or due to some kind of injury.
In some cases, nail removal will be indicated. It can be partial or complete. There are several methods for removing nails:
Surgical;
Chemical;
Laser.
Ingrown nailThen contact an experienced specialist as soon as possible so that he can prescribe you a high-quality and effective treatment. When a hematoma forms under the nail, a puncture must be made to release blood. Instruments must be completely sterile to prevent inflammation of the nail.
Most often, patients start treatment, thereby exacerbating their disease.
And if you are very concerned about the deformation of the toenails, and you cannot get to the doctor in the near future, then the following recipes will help you soothe irritation and pain.
Infusion with celandine.
It is made at the rate of 100 mg of grass per 4 liters of water. Bring the water to a boil and immediately pour the prepared raw materials with this water. They insist for about an hour. Make such lotions to sore spots for 15 - 30 minutes, every day for 3 weeks. Then they take a break for 1 month and repeat the course.
healthy and fungal nailOr you can grease sore spot Kalanchoe juice, celandine juice, onion cut in half, and eucalyptus oil.
Can be used internally herbal decoctions:
1) nettle decoction;
2) calamus decoction;
3) a decoction of a string;
4) decoction of St. John's wort;
5) decoction of elecampane.
All these herbs can be purchased at any pharmacy. Read the instructions for their use on the packaging.
Most importantly, stay positive! Strengthen your immunity! Don't be discouraged! And don't give up!
Human nails are derivatives of the epidermis and are horny plates that serve to protect soft tissues on the terminal phalanges of the fingers. Nails, like skin, can signal the onset of any diseases in our body. For example, they can turn yellow with diabetes, chronic bronchitis, etc.
Nail diseases are divided into and non-fungal.
Anonychia is a disease of the nails on the hands or feet, in which the nails are completely or partially absent. In the place where the nail should be located, there is a hardened, tightened tissue, similar to the nail germ. The disease can develop both on one finger and on all. anonychia
is divided into congenital (it is a hereditary pathology and acquired) - it can occur with a nail injury, or as a consequence of severe nail diseases, and in some cases diseases nervous system.
Nails are characterized by thinning of the nail plates, splitting, as well as paleness of color. As with anonychia, atrophy can be congenital or acquired.
Atrophy can develop with systemic and dermatological diseases such as fungus, lichen or psoriasis.
Signs of atrophy:
- a disease of the nails, in which the nail plate exfoliates from the bed. It starts, as usual, from one edge and, as it develops, increases the area of exfoliation. During the course of the disease, the nail may change color, taking on blue, yellow, brown shades, or fade. May develop with nail injury, frequent contact with chemicals, side effect antibiotics, bacterial infection, onychomycosis, etc.
Signs of onycholysis:
- a disease of the nails in which the nail plate grows into the lateral part of the nail fold and is accompanied by inflammation of the nail fold.
The main causes of onychocryptosis:
- a disease of the nails, in which the nail is infected with a fungus on the hands and feet.
Signs of onychomycosis:
It is worth noting that with onychomycosis, almost all of the above signs should be involved.
Or panaritium, paronychia - a disease of the nails, in which inflammation of the cuticle and periungual roller occurs. Most often it develops as a result of infection through wounds and microcracks.
Paronychia is divided into acute (it develops rapidly and unexpectedly), the cause of which is an accidental injury, and chronic (progresses slowly, frequent relapses), occurs on the basis of systemic abnormalities of the body, a fungus, or a weak immune system.
Diseases in which the nails change color. Such anomalies can be initiated by a wide range of pathogens, not necessarily fungal in nature. As a result, the color can be anything: blue, yellow, green, white, black, etc. Causes of discoloration of the nail a large number of: arthritis, diabetes, beriberi, disease of internal organs, infectious diseases, etc.
Everyone can face a very unaesthetic problem of nail disease. And although fingernail diseases can be cured quickly and painlessly, this unpleasant problem spoils appearance manicure, sometimes accompanied by pain and can bring psychological discomfort to its owner. Problems associated with an external change in the nail plate can be either serious and require the immediate intervention of a specialist, or quite simply solved with the help of simple folk remedies. Therefore, before proceeding with treatment, it is necessary to determine the type of disease and find out the cause.
However, it is worth knowing that a yellowed nail plate may indicate a malfunction. digestive system. Therefore, if your manicure has acquired an unnatural color and the reason is not at all decorative varnish or fungal infections, you should contact your doctor and undergo an examination.
It should be noted that real professionals can easily determine the degree of the disease by the nails: for example, a deformation more reminiscent of watch chips occurs with lung diseases and heart defects. The white color of the nails, as a rule, indicates serious problems with the liver. If light lines appear on the nails, this indicates that your disease is progressing.
It is very important to recognize the symptoms that indicate a particular disease in time and, if necessary, contact a specialist.
There are a huge number of effective ways to treat external and internal diseases of the nails, and it must be properly selected depending on the cause and type of disease. For example, in the early stages of fungal infections, traditional medicine and numerous fungal creams and ointments are ideal. But if you bought big nails yellow and began to crumble, it is best to resort to laser procedures or use others, no less effective methods. To learn more about the treatment options, check out our list.
You should know that for the effectiveness of this method of treating nail disease, it is necessary to remove the surface part of the infected area before applying the drug. To do this, just steam your nails in a warm soda bath and use a nail file to polish their top layer.
It must be remembered that almost all non-traditional methods of treatment are most effective in the early stages of the disease, and they are best used in combination with traditional drugs. But if you still decide to use healing herbs in the later stages, it is best to consult a doctor.
In order for the nails on the hands to always look beautiful and neat, and each fingertip radiates health and pleases its owner with a natural shine, simple preventive measures must be followed. After all, it is the usual care that can prevent the occurrence of a serious disease and preserve the natural beauty of the hands and fingertips for many years.
It is worth noting that if you are doing a manicure at the master, you need to make sure that all nail tools are disinfected and that the nail materials meet your standards. And do not be shy to ask the master questions of this kind, because the health of your nails is much more important.
Thanks to the usual recommendations and simple preventive measures, it is possible to keep fingernails in perfect order. However, it is worth remembering that any external change can signal a more serious internal disease. Therefore, at the first signs of a change in the nail plate, it is necessary to consult your doctor and, if necessary, undergo complex treatment.
The methods for determining diseases by the nails, which we will discuss in this article, will help to take timely measures to get rid of the health problem that has arisen.
An experienced physician can determine the state of human health, not only by the color of the skin of the face and the presence of edema, circles under the eyes, but also by the condition of the nails.
Even in ancient times, each nail of the hand was associated with the state of health of a certain internal organ human body.
Healthy nails have a pink color, a smooth surface, a little natural shine. The slightest deviations from this indicate the appearance of health problems.
When determining the disease, one should take into account the change in nails according to:
If only on the index fingers, then there may be excessive deposition of calcium salts
Lunula are white semicircles on the nails, on the border with the cuticle.
Toes, as well as hands, can say a lot about a person's health:
An important factor in the diagnosis is the shape of the nails.
The outlines of the nail plate are considered: in shape, pattern, size, concave or convex.
There are many options for the shape of nails changed as a result of the disease, consider the main ones:
The state of health also depends on the color of the legs:
Changes in the nail plate | Possible disease |
white nails | Hepatitis, cirrhosis of the liver |
Yellowish, thickened, slow growing nails | Lung problems |
Yellowish nails with a slight bluing at the base | Diabetes |
Half white, half pink nails | kidney failure |
red nails | Heart problems |
Pale and white nails | Anemia |
Furrows or delamination of the surface of the nail | Psoriasis or arthritis |
Thickening of the terminal phalanges of the fingers | lung disease |
black lines under nails | Melanoma |
Red, uneven lines along the nail fold | Lupus, a connective tissue disease |
Without professional knowledge, it is very difficult to diagnose the disease from photographs of nails. The violations of the nail plate listed in the article provide assistance only in the direction that you should pay attention to your health. In case of cardinal changes in natural nails, it is necessary to consult a doctor.