About Toenail Fungus

Onychomycosis, also commonly known as nail fungus, is a condition many people experience. It affects both toenails and fingernails, and varies in mild to severe symptoms that are caused by imbalanced internal pH levels and bad hygiene. Other causes include nail trauma, such as slamming the end of your finger in a car door, and contraction from others who have toenail fungus. Because fungus thrives in dark, moist environments, it will continue to grow on toenails until preventative action is taken.

Types

• There are five types of toenail fungus: Candidal, Proximal Subungual, Distal Subungual, White Superficial, and Total Dystrophic, with the most severe of these being Total Dystrophic, in which case the nail bed is totally destroyed after being subjected to one of the other four types of toenail fungus.

Identification

• Toenail fungus can be detected by physical signs including severe black or yellow discoloration, visible decay and degradation of the nail and surrounding skin. However, since many other nail diseases share these signs, further medical examination of the nail and tissue is used to conclusively determine a case of toenail fungus.

Effects

• Cases of toenail fungus bring about both physical and emotional problems. People with toenail fungus may feel severely self-conscious about their feet and abstain from activities like swimming, or even being barefoot in front of others. Many cases of toenail fungus are also very painful, and prevent affected individuals from leading normal lives.

Misconceptions

• Many people believe that toenail fungus solely stems from poor hygiene or neglect to take care of your feet, when in fact it is also a transferable disease that can be picked up in public showers, pools, and simply by using the same towels or cloths to dry your feet as an affected individual.

Prevention/Solution

• Because fungus grows in moist and damp conditions, making sure that your feet are always dry is a good preventative measure. Regular cotton socks should be worn because they allow air to circulate and help keep the feet dry. If you find that your feet are sweating, take time out to dry them off with a clean paper towel or cloth. Also, wear sandals when using public or dormitory showers, and refrain from using towels and shoes that are not yours. For present cases of toenail fungus, make sure that your toenails are cut short and are free of dirt, dead skin and fungus. Shorter toenails give fungus less surface area on which to grow. Medical solutions like creams and pills are very popular and useful in combating present cases of toenail fungus, but should always be prescribed by a doctor due to potential internal side effects like liver damage.