What causes nail fungus?
It is a common and highly contagious infection. It appears with color and shape defects on the nail, and it spreads rapidly in the society due to its contagious nature. Nail fungus, which is mostly seen in adults, causes pain and odor as well as aesthetic problems and seriously impairs the quality of life of the person.
Symptoms of Nail Fungus
Fungus infected nails usually do not cause pain at first, but in case fungus is not treated for a long time, pain and tenderness can develop in the fungal nail. The most indicative symptoms in nail fungus are the following:
- Nail becomes thicker and may turn yellow, white or black.
- Vertical or horizontal yellow lines may appear on the nail.
- Both nail and skin rashes may appear visibly beneath the nail.
- Nail can become delicate and fragile.
- In time, fungal nail can detach and break off.
How is nail fungus transmitted?
- Common use of slippers and shoes
- Failure to comply with hygiene rules
- Stepping on the floor without shoes or slippers in common areas such as sports centers and pools
- In humid environments that facilitate the occurrence of fungal infections
- In case the hands and feet are not dried well after washing
Nail Fungus Treatment Methods
Treatment of fungal infections that occur mostly on the fingernails or toenails can take quite a long time and requires the use of very strong medicines. Many forms of medication are used in treatment. Some of these should be applied to the nails while others should be taken as pills. Some medicines may have serious side effects and should be used properly under physician control. For effective treatment of nail fungus, antifungal medicines taken orally should be used for 3 months. Since these pills are excreted from the liver, liver function tests should be followed very carefully during usage. Oral treatment of fungus is inconvenient in patients with altered liver functions. That’s why, laser fungal treatment has become prominent in recent years without the use of oral antifungal medicines.
Treatment of nail fungus with laser
In laser treatment, a special laser light called “Nd-Yag” with short wavelength is used. Nails are heated up to 39-42 degrees by laser. There is no need to use painkillers or anesthesia during the process and it takes approximately 15 minutes. Treatment should be continued until clean nail appears from the bottom of the nail. 5 sessions of treatment once a week or once every 15 days are usually sufficient. It is possible to return to work and social life immediately after the application.