If you have problems with your nails, it is important to know which doctor treats toenail fungus in order to consult a specialist without waiting for complications.It is difficult for a person who encounters a fungal infection for the first time to understand the name of this specialist.Dermatologists and mycologists deal with the problems of fungal diseases, so visiting a therapist is not recommended.
What is nail fungus
A disease caused by parasitic microorganisms is called a pathogenic fungus.The disease affects the horny integument (nails) and the skin of the legs around them, develops rapidly, brings discomfort and discomfort.Living in the body, dangerous parasites poison it with toxins and can worsen the general condition.You can get the infection by wearing someone else's shoes, not maintaining foot hygiene, or walking barefoot on the beach or pool.People with such problems need to know which doctor treats nail fungus to prevent complications and receive adequate treatment to eliminate the unpleasant disease.
Symptoms of the disease
The doctor who treats the symptoms of toenail fungus depends on how badly the plaque affected by the fungus is destroyed and the nature of the lesion.The following characteristic signs of the appearance of a mushroom are distinguished:
- normotrophic type: stripes, spots on the lateral parts of the nail of yellow ocher or white color, ease of separation of the plaque from the skin, a person suffers from itching of the skin under healthy nails;
- hypertrophic: thickening of the plaque, loss of luster, crumbling, opacity, severe deformation, dark yellow or gray color;
- atrophic: gray-brown color, loss of shine, pallor, necrosis and destruction of the nail bed of the toes;
- lateral and distal: loss of color, yellowish transverse furrows, crumbling, roughness, exposed nail beds of the toes, swelling, redness, thickening, pain of the skin of the foot, advanced cases may be characterized by the appearance of pus;
- proximal: whitening, destruction;
- total: complete destruction of the nail due to lack of therapy;
- white surface: white spots, crumbling, delamination, pain.
Which doctor treats nail fungus
Knowing which doctor treats your nails is helpful for any patient suffering from toenail fungus.In this case the therapist will not help;you need to visit a specialized specialist.This doctor is a dermatologist, he advises in the initial stages of the disease.In advanced cases, consultation with a mycologist is necessary: this is a specialist who treats nail fungus in a highly targeted way.
Dermatologist
This doctor can prescribe the correct treatment and eliminate nail fungus.His qualifications allow him to eliminate skin problems, including viral and infectious lesions, dermatitis, eczema and parasitic diseases.The latter includes a fungal infection.If the case is not in an advanced stage, you need to contact a dermatologist at a local clinic or dermatovenerological dispensary and sign up for the first examination.According to indications, he can refer the patient to a mycologist.
Mycologist
In difficult cases, the answer to the question of which doctor treats toenails is to contact a mycologist.This is the name of the same dermatologist who treats only fungal infections of the skin, hair and nails.It is not available in all clinics or even in the city.Consultation with mycologists includes the treatment and prevention of fungal diseases: onychomycosis, candidiasis, microsporia, ringworm, epidermophytosis, mycosis of the foot.It is necessary to contact them after a consultation with a dermatologist.
How's the date going?
Once you find out which doctor treats toenail fungus, don't hesitate to make an appointment.During the first visit, the nail specialist interviews the patient about how long ago the problem appeared, the sensations experienced by him and the patient's lifestyle.After collecting information, a preliminary examination of the affected areas of the foot is carried out, a diagnosis is made and the stage of the infection is determined.
External signs may not always indicate a fungal species, so a scraping of the dead scales is made for examination in the laboratory.The resulting medical material is examined under a microscope and plated onto nutrient media.It is necessary to consult a doctor as soon as possible to cure the fungus without consequences for the patient and his body.
Repeated consultation
After receiving the tests from the laboratory, a second consultation is carried out.A mycologist or dermatologist reports the cause of the growth, the presence of the fungus, its type and prescribes the correct treatment.Drugs are selected based on the individual characteristics of the patient.The procedure for treating the disease is long, so it will be necessary to visit a specialist several times to monitor the therapy and prevent infection of the patient's body.
Treatment options
After studying the etiology of the fungus that has affected the nail plate of the toes, treatment is prescribed.It is not recommended to choose drugs yourself because there is a risk of side effects.The main antifungal drugs and treatment methods used:
- oral – tablets, capsules for a complete effect on the parasite from the inside;
- local effects - applied externally, include ointments, creams, compresses, drops, varnishes;
- special laser treatment – improves the penetration of agents inside and the microcirculation of the tissues;
- a recommendation is given for surgical removal of the nail in extreme cases when recovery is impossible.
Popular effective drugs, divided into groups according to their effect on the fungal pathogen, are:
- Antifungal paints.
- Preparations to remove plaque (sometimes necessary to cure the fungus).
- Antifungal tablets.
- Creams, ointments, sprays.
- Other remedies: medicinal liquids, tea tree oil and others.