
Onicycosis is a type of fungal lesion, which exclusively affects the surface of the nail.To avoid the spread of time infection, you must know how the fungus of the nails looks, since the therapeutic effect will be achieved faster if the treatment began at an early stage of infection.Most of the time, the disease occurs in older people due to weak immunity, but the risk of obtaining a disease refers to each person.There is no unique classification of damage to fungal nails;In medical practice, it is usual to distinguish them in the place of location and the depth they penetrate.The infection is also grouped depending on the type of pathogen.
Types of pathogens and primary signs
The symptoms of the fungus of the nails in the initial stage are easily determined directly by condition of the nail.This sign is the most informative, since onychomycosis is always manifested in the form of changes in the color of the surface, the deformation of the bed, the exfoliation and any external change.The latter are expressed by roughness, the formation of furrows and cracks, as well as intercalated points and general violations of the nail.
The main sign of a healthy nail is pink and transparency.Onicycosis at any stage is characterized by the turbidity of the nail and the change from color to yellow, brownish or greenish black.In an advanced stage, the surface can acquire a black tone at the bottom of the almost complete destruction.
The external signs of infection with a fungus depend on the type of pathogen it infected.In medical practice, the following possible injuries are distinguished:
- Candida infection with a fungus, which is expressed by discharge from the nail directly at the base of the box.The candidiasis of the rollers around the nail will be characteristic of candidiasis.This version of complication can have a bacterial source in the form of streptococci or staphylococci, or express yourself in the form of medium or psoriasis plates;
- Trichophyton Rubrum type dermatophytes.In this case, infection penetration occurs directly from the free edge of the nail.The first symptoms of this pathogen are the appearance of a yellowish spot on the surface.In the field of neoplasia, the nail falls apart and the place itself tends to increase.The common place of location of neoplasia is along the plate, parallel to nail rollers, in this case, the infection is called distal lateral.There is another form of defeat of this distal pathogen, in which the place appears in the withdrawal of the hole, mainly in the middle of the free edge;
Important!
This type of fungus occurs more frequently in the thumbs of the legs, gradually turning the nails into a loose yellowish dough.In the absence of proper treatment, the disease flows towards hyperkeratosis.The nail plate is completely destroyed due to the spread of the infection around the perimeter.
- Dermatophytes like Trichophyton Mentagrophytes.Onicycosis with such exciters is also based more frequently on the nails of the thumbs, less frequently than small fingers.An infection with such a fungus requires therapy not only of the nail, but also of the feet due to the rapid spread of the pathogen.A symptomatic ailment can be like Leikonichia, a common disease in medical practice.The main signs are the white points that appear in various parts of the nail, neoplasms are distinguished by a non -standard shape and various sizes.It is easy to distinguish the fungus from leak leaks: in the last case, the points are an air accumulation, which is not observed with fungus damage;
- Mold fungus.This damage option is significantly less often than a candidal or dermatophytic form.The main sign of such infection: the surface of the plate acquires a dark, almost black tone.Not all finger can be completely infected, but only part of the nail plate.The first signs of nail fungus on this type's legs are a strong color change.Onicycosis can be developed in the form of a longitudinal black or dark green strip against the bottom of the rose part of the nail.
Exchange diagnoses
It is not difficult to notice a nail fungus in the legs even in the primary stages of the infection, since such infection manifests itself quite actively from the first day of the injury.Instead of the usual transparent nails of pale pink in the patient, there is a significant surface deformation and a general change in the condition.The affected area has an opaque matte yellowish dye, which appears mainly in the thumbs.The type of fungus and the degree of damage is to determine the factors.
In the first stage, the fungal damage to the legs on the legs is the appearance of small foci.The swelling of the plate and the keratinization of the bed under the nail will be characteristic.This stage is accompanied by a phenomenon such as partial detachment and the download of the nail plate, which serves as a source of infection for healthy people.

Despite the active thickening of the plate, its constant grinding can be observed, regardless of the current factors.The characteristics of each stage and symptoms of the fungus in the legs depend directly on the type of pathogen.
Depending on the changes that occur with the nail plate, three options for onychomycosis are distinguished:
- Hypertrophic;
- Normotrophic;
- Atrophic
In the first case, there is an acute change in the tone of the nail plate, its destruction along the edges, as well as the deformation of the plate surface.The nail thick so much that it causes discomfort and painful sensations when walking.Normotrophic mycosis of the nails on the legs is distinguished by the presence of a healthy brightness, but the dish itself acquires some bitter, points are formed in it.With a type of atrophic damage, brown and gray spotlights are formed on the surface of the nails.Thanks to them, it is possible to accurately determine the location of the pathogen.
Important!
The type of atrophic or onycolytic nail fungus is characterized by the thinning of the nail plate, and not its growth, as in other cases.Those areas in which the pathogen is located tend to separate.The lack of proper treatment leads to an advanced stage: the complete rejection of the nail plate.
Location classification
Another sign by which you can separate fungal damage to fingers depends directly on the location of the spotlights on the nail plate.This also includes the depth of the pathogen, which in turn allows it to determine the approximate duration of the next therapy and the possibilities of rapid recovery.
The fungal nail diseases of the legs in the location of the location are classified in the following groups:
- Onicycosis is a type of white surface: the appearance of many whitish spots on the surface of the nail plate.A fungal infection leads to the detachment of the skin in the places of appearance of spots in which there is an active discharge of scales.The advanced stage leads to the complete destruction and rejection of the plate;
- Distal: It develops on the free edge of the nail.The color change is first observed in a small area of the plate, after which there is an active expansion of its limits.The lesion is characterized by a yellowish or brown gray dye, as well as an irregular surface and gradual exfoliation;
- Lateral onylomycosis has the stages of development similar to distal, but is located exclusively on the side sides of the nail plate;
- Total infection: complete infection of the entire surface;
- Proximal onylomycosis.This ailment begins its activity of the cuticle, which is inflamed, then the fungus quickly affects the nail, and the process itself begins with the appearance of a small white spot near the inflamed area of the periological roller.

The most common forms of nail mycosis on the legs are lateral and distal, which are generally caused by dermatophytes.Such forms of damage as proximal and white can act as a secondary ailment that accompanies the disease of the immune system, for example, Vich.Total damage to the nail with a fungus should be considered as an advanced stage of development of any fungus under the nail.
Fungus characteristics under the microscope
Despite the presence of an impressive number of signs of onychomycosis, other ailments associated with skin problems and not infectious nature for fungal damage to the nails of the legs are accepted.You can determine the exact diagnosis and the type of pathogen only in the laboratory under a microscope, for which, in a hospital, there is a scraping of biological material from the affected areas.
The resulting biomaterial is previously placed in an alkaline environment, after which a multiple increase is made.Studying the fungus of the nail under a microscope allows you to see an active pathogen, whose external shape determines its type, distribution scale and an approximate degree of damage.In a means of nutrients, the approximate growth of the colonies can predict, which allows not only to make an accurate diagnosis, but also to determine the limitation of the infection.
Important!
Since it is possible to determine the presence of onychomycosis only in a laboratory, you should not postpone a visit to the doctor with the slightest suspicion.The nail fungus develops rapidly, and the loss of time increases therapy.
What is an alarming sign?
The nail fungus on the legs is manifested by certain symptoms that are partially similar to some skin ailments.It is more likely that the following signs indicate an onychomicotic lesion that requires medical intervention:
- The appearance of yellow spots on the plate, its deformation, a change in the structure, which was not observed above;
- The darkening of the plate, the loss of transparency, some photos of the fungus of the nails in the legs demonstrate a tone near the black, which is characteristic of the pathogenic molds;
- Thickening and keratinization of the nail plate, or vice versa that is too thin to lose weight;
- Rejection of the bed nail, detachment of scales and crumbs;
- Swelling of the roller, hung on the plate, liquid release;
- Fungus affected nails seem inflamed, regardless of the type of pathogen.
All these symptoms indicate a high risk of infection.Some external symptoms to change the structure of the nail plate may be the result of other diseases.With the increase in fragility, the amount of calcium and iron in the body must be increased, the increase in tuberosity means any infection of the body, with purely white stripes and points, the lack of copper or zinc is possible.Despite the fact that in the photo, the nail fungus seems focal damage to the plate with a color change closer to yellow, this does not always indicate the infection.The bitter can indicate several problems with the stomach and liver.
It is not difficult to recognize onylomycosis in the fingers by external signs, despite the wide classification of the disease.But you can determine the exact type of the pathogen and the damage stage can only be in the laboratory.