Many of us are faced with such an unpleasant disease as nail fungus or, in other words, onychomycosis. This is a fairly common disease that can affect the nail plate. Slowly, the disease moves from the nail, which it destroys, into the depths of the finger. To diagnose such a disease, you need to contact a certified specialist who will conduct an examination and prescribe adequate treatment. It is important not only to start treatment on time, but also to choose the right technique. These can be: creams and ointments, drops for the treatment of nail fungus, general drugs, including anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial ones.
Symptoms and treatment at different stages
Usually people do not think about the color of their nails and do not pay attention to them. Until the infected area starts to hurt and draw attention to itself. But, how can one still determine the presence of fungus on the toenails? There are several signs:
- In the case when the nail becomes yellow or multi-colored instead of pale pink for no reason.
- If the nail plate itself begins to break or exfoliate.
- When the nail becomes unnaturally thick or deformed, causing discomfort.
- In all cases where there is foot fungus.
- Red edges of the skin in the area of the nail, a constant desire to scratch the diseased piece of skin, a burning sensation at the site of the nail lesion.
To get rid of the fungus on the nails in the initial stages, local preparations are used - ointments or drops. They can also be used to prevent disease when symptoms first appear. For example: itching, burning, unreasonable redness of the finger, peeling of the skin in the affected area, discoloration of the nail plate.
If the disease has passed into an advanced stage, then it will not be possible to cure it quickly in this situation. In addition, it will not be enough to use drugs exclusively in the affected area. Drops against toenail fungus help in this case, but their use is not enough. The course of treatment is complemented by the use of drugs inside.
In extreme cases, it is necessary to remove the nail in order to alleviate the suffering of the patient. If you immediately remove the infected area, then the treatment is more effective and faster. There are a number of droplets available to keep the plate intact.
Components and varieties of drops
When choosing antifungal drops, first of all, you need to pay attention to two properties that any such medicine should have:
- Fungistatic ability of the drug, thanks to which it is possible to limit the spread of the disease to another area.
- Fungicidal ability that helps the droplets destroy the fungus itself and all infected cells.
Fortunately, most of the popular drops have both of these qualities and are actively fighting the disease. The main task of the doctor and patient is to choose from a variety of medicines the one that will most effectively help in saving nails from fungus.
Among the variety of medicines that, according to their advertising, will quickly and efficiently help in the fight against an ailment called nail fungus, there are popular products and practically unknown drugs.
Drops for nail fungus are one of the most effective treatments. However, choosing from the large modern assortment of medicines is not easy. It is necessary to focus on the main components of the drugs.
Application specificity and advantages
After the examination, the doctor will prescribe the necessary medications. Having bought drops, before applying them to a sore finger, you need to prepare it. This is an important condition, non-observance of which can negatively affect the treatment, starting with its ineffectiveness and ending with a worsening of the condition. First you need:
- Examine the finger and remove any contamination from it that could prevent the medication from reaching the affected area.
- To carry out the maximum independent or surgical removal of the affected part of the nail, which contributes to more effective treatment. It is necessary to cut and file the diseased piece as much as possible.
- If possible, steam the affected leg, since active substances penetrate into the steamed nail more easily.
The type of drugs in question has certain advantages:
- Application safety. Drops can be used for years, which is necessary in advanced cases. At the same time, side effects from the internal organs or addiction to the drug are not observed, they do not enter the bloodstream, therefore, there is no negative reaction.
- Special composition. The drops are not as thick as ointments, and their composition includes two types of active substances. All this helps the drops to penetrate deeper and act in a wider spectrum in case of fungal infection of the nail bed.
- Price. Do not forget about such a trivial criterion, which is sometimes a serious barrier to purchasing medicinal drops and curing any ailment.
- Convenience. All drops are equipped with special dispensers that do not allow the agent to be spilled by, and the possibility of an overdose is completely excluded. It is quite convenient, practical and economical, because they are applied pointwise specifically to the focus of the disease.
- Simplicity. Treating the affected area with drops is very simple. In addition, drops can be applied not only to the nail, but also under the nail plate as close as possible to the sore spot, without affecting healthy skin. This perfectly protects against possible allergy to the drug.
- Efficiency. Anti-fungus drops are absorbed almost immediately after application and take effect. Do not stay on clothes and do not smear. They penetrate much deeper than ointment and spray, they help to cope with even the most advanced forms of the disease.
Given the peculiarities of the disease itself, you need to tune in to the long-term use of drugs against the fungus. For many reasons, drops are better than other types of medicines.
Contraindications
Despite the fact that all drugs differ in an individual list of contraindications, there are still general recommendations that are the same for all types of drops:
- Individual intolerance to the active substances of the drug. This means, if a strong allergy to drops appears, then you must immediately stop using them.
- It is forbidden to apply drops and ointments from the fungus on an open wound or if the skin area in this place is festering.
- Pregnancy. As with almost all other drugs, the use of drops from the fungus while carrying a baby is allowed only if the risk for the mother is too great.
- Children under 12 years of age. Each drug has its own threshold, but almost all of them are forbidden to be used by children under 12 years of age. Age may decrease depending on the type of active ingredient in the drops.
Even seemingly harmless drops have contraindications. Any of the antifungal drugs should be used with extreme caution. Each drug has its own list of contraindications, which you need to familiarize yourself with before purchasing and using the drug.