Causes Of Nail Fungus
With fungal nail infections, the main cause is typically
Certain behaviors and preexisting conditions that can affect your risk of nail fungus include:
There are many overlaps between nail fungus and nail cancer. Since its easy to mistake cancer of the nail for a fungal infection, you should see a doctor immediately to get a definitive diagnosis.
See a doctor immediately if you suspect you have toenail fungus or subungual melanoma.
Since the prognosis of subungual melanoma gets worse the longer it takes to diagnose, its better to be safe and get any possible symptoms checked out and cleared as soon as they appear.
Fungal infections are not considered life-threatening, but the 5-year survival rate for subungual melanoma can vary dramatically depending on how early the cancer is identified. According to the Canada Dermatology Association, chances of recovery can range anywhere from 16 to 80 percent .
If you wait too long for diagnosis and treatment, theres a risk of the cancer spreading throughout the bodys organs and lymph nodes.
When To See A Medical Provider
Reach out to your medical provider if youre experiencing symptoms of a toenail fungal infection and are unsure how to treat it.
Symptoms of a toenail fungal infection include:
- Discolored nails that appear yellow, brown, or white
- Toenails that are brittle or thick
- Toenails that are fragile or cracked
Symptoms that warrant more immediate medical attention are:
- A fungal infection that doesnt go away or improve
- Toenails that are painful to touch, red, or drain pus
What If I Have Later Stages Of Toenail Fungus
If your nails have already reached the thick, crumbly, majorly discolored stage, dont fret. Your case is not hopeless!
Toenail fungus can actually be quite complex, but our experts will take the time to carefully examine your condition, assess both the type and severity of the disease, and then recommend a precisely tailored treatment plan we feel will give you the optimal chance of clearing the fungus. One particular treatment method were particularly proud to be able to offer is laser treatment.
Laser treatment is able to pass through nail tissue and hit a fungal infection right at the source. Topical medications, on the other hand, can have more trouble reaching the underlying infection. And oral anti-fungal medications, while able to treat the problem from the inside out, can sometimes come with side effects that dont make them recommended for certain patients.
A course of laser treatment typically requires 3-4 sessions spaced out over a period of weeks or months, depending on the severity of the condition. These sessions dont cause any burning and rarely cause any pain most patients will feel a warming sensation and nothing more.
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How To Spot A Nail Fungal Infection
Nail fungal infection, or onychomysis, is easy to spot. However, it is also easy to be mistaken for another nail disorder. Yellow nails, brittle nails, or blackened nails dont necessarily mean nail fungus they may be signs of other diseases or abnormalities. So what does a nail fungus look like? The infection starts with a fungusmost commonly dermatophytesthat infects one nail at first by getting in through the cracks of the nail. It is often painless, only making the nail look thickened and discolored. However, there are cases when the nail fungus infection can cause pain and discomfort. The nail may also begin to crumble from brittleness, or there may be white or yellow patches if the nail has been lifted from the skin underneath it . The fungus may also spread to and infect other nails.
As some of these symptoms can also be found in other nail and skin conditions, its recommended that the nail is assessed by a doctor. Proper diagnosis of the condition can mean proper treatment.
The Initial Causes What Does A Toe Fungus Look Like
If you suspect that your nails are infected with fungus, it is best to consult your doctor and get a diagnosis. Your doctor will ask you about the symptoms and conduct a thorough examination of your nails. A biopsy is required to determine the cause of the infection. Various types of fungus are found in the skin, including the toenails. Among the most common forms of nail fungus are yellow and black, with white patches surrounded by dark brown or white spots.
The infection is caused by fungus. It can spread to the skin and other parts of the body. It is very common to find a nail fungus on the foot in elderly people, and it is often not treated until the condition gets worse. The disease can even be spread to the skin. The afflicted person should see a doctor immediately if they notice any changes in the color of his or her nails.
Nail fungus can occur in the toenails. The infection occurs due to a variety of factors, including excessive moisture, soaking your hands in water, and a lack of hygiene. If the afflicted person is prone to infection, the fungus will grow in the toenails and may spread to other parts of the body. Consequently, it is essential to prevent the nail fungus from spreading to the skin
> > > This Unusual Morning Habit Helps Me Keep My Fungus In Check .
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Can Thick Toenails Be Prevented
You can reduce the risk of thick toenails or the recurrence of toenail fungus in several ways:
- Keep your feet clean by washing them with soap and water regularly. Dry them off with a towel afterward.
- Keep your feet as dry as possible: Change your socks a few times a day, wear cotton socks that remove moisture from your feet, rotate your shoes so they can dry out, and purchase shoes that breathe and dont constrict your feet.
- Try a foot powder that keeps your feet dry.
- Wear flip-flops or other shower shoes when you are in locker rooms or at the pool.
- Groom your feet properly.
- Make sure to use disinfected tools when trimming your nails.
- Purchase new footwear if your nail fungus has recently been cured.
First Off What Is Toenail Fungus
If youre showing signs of discolored toenails and other unpleasant symptoms, you may just be dealing with toenail fungus.
A fungal nail infection develops from the overgrowth of fungi in, under, or on the nail. Its common knowledge that fungi thrive in warm and moist environments, so the nails on your feet have ideal conditions for fungi to naturally overpopulate. Most fungal nail infections are caused by the very same fungi that cause athletes foot, ringworm, and jock itch. The rapid overpopulation of fungi that are already present in your body can cause nail infections. Fungal nail infections are quite communicable, so if youve come in contact with someone who had a fungal infection, you may have contracted it too. Toenails tend to be affected more than fingernails, since theyre usually confined to shoes, which are the ideal breeding grounds for these fungi.
Pedicures at nail salons can also lead to fungal nail infections, which is why you need to make sure the tools are cleaned and disinfected regularly and well. Tools like nail cutters and files can very easily spread fungal nail infections from person to person if theyre not sanitised properly.
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Can I Wear Nail Polish If I Have Toenail Fungus
You may feel tempted to cover up a discolored toenail with nail polish. But if youre using a topical antifungal, you probably shouldnt use polish. Your healthcare provider may tell you not to wear it in any case.
Nail polish traps in moisture from your nailbed . Because fungi thrive in moist environments, wearing nail polish may make a fungal infection worse. However, your nail continues to grow with or without polish.
Are There Different Types Of Toenail Fungus
There are three different types of toenail fungus, William Spielfogel, DPM, director of the Podiatric Medicine and Surgery Residency Program at Lenox Hill Hospital-Northwell Health, tells Health. They include distal subungual onychomycosis, white superficial onychomycosis, and candida onychomycosis.
We’re going to simplify that for you, though, by telling you that molds and yeast are basically always to blame.
One type of mold, known as dermatophytes, only grows in keratin-producing structures like hair follicles and nails, Ashley Jenkins, MD, a dermatologist at the University of Missouri Health Care, tells Health. This is distal subungual onychomycosis, and Dr. Jenkins says it’s responsible for at least 60% of toenail infections.
Another type of mold, white superficial onychomycosis, is a non-dermatophytethat means it starts by infecting the top layer of the nail rather than the follicles, per the Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. And finally, candida onychomycosis is caused by yeast overgrowththis is the least common type of toenail fungus, but it does happen.
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What Tests Will Be Done To Diagnose Toenail Fungus
Your healthcare provider will probably take a small sample from underneath your nail to further analyze it. Viewing the cells under a microscope can confirm a toenail fungus diagnosis. If the initial test is negative, a scraping can be sent to see if the fungus grows out in a culture. This also helps your healthcare provider identify the type of fungus.
Prevention Of Nail Fungus
Always try to prevent it before it happens, because every prevention is better than the treatment itself. Try to do the following to avoid having those ugly fungi all over your nails:
- Keep your hygiene at a decent level. That includes a good care of your feet.
- Treat the athletes foot if you have it. In case this happens, it is better to act than to regret.
- You should be wearing specific types of socks, called the absorbent socks. They can help your feet to stay dry.
- Last but not least, which does not apply on all, is to control your blood sugar if you have diabetes.
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Nail Fungal Infection Treatment
Prescription medicines can treat a fungal nail infection. Oral antifungal medicines help a new nail grow. This will replace the infected nail. You may need to take antifungal medicine for 6 to 12 weeks. Some oral medicines are not safe for people who have liver problems. They are not safe for people who have a history of congestive heart failure. Tell your doctor if you have one of these conditions. Your doctor will decide which medicine is right for you.
Apply topical treatments to the top of your nail. Topical medicines usually do not cure fungal nail infections.
In severe cases, a doctor might remove the nail completely. It can take several months to a year for the infection to go away.
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What Does A Fungal Nail Infection Look Like
Onychomycosis presents as nail abnormality or a progressive degeneration of the nail tissue . Nail changes may include: brittleness, change in shape, debris trapped under the nail, discolouration, thickening, and detachment of the nail. While nail dystrophy can be the result of many insults and conditions such as psoriasis, an estimated 50% or more cases are due to onychomycosis.
Onychomycosis can present in different patterns:
What Does Fungus Look Like
Toenail fungus usually starts off as a small white or yellowish spot near the tip of the nail.
As the fungal infection spreads and goes deeper into the nail, it causes the nail to discolor and become opaque. The nail thickens and eventually crumbles at the edges.
Nail fungus varies from white to yellow and can sometimes appear brown.
Regardless of the color of your fungi, it will be sort of splotchy looking rather than one uniform color.
The progression of the color of bruising will happen in a matter of days from dark red to black, as opposed to nail fungus which starts off white or yellowish and may eventually turn brown after weeks or months.
Nail fungus will make the nail look dull as the fungus starts to separate the keratin in the nail plate and it becomes opaque.
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Is It Toenail Fungus Or Something Else
Odd-looking toenail? It may be a fungal infection, but there’s a good chance that another condition could be to blame.
If you notice an odd spot on your toenail, you might assume its a fungal infection. However, theres a good chance that its not.
Spots or discolorations on or under a toenail could be bruises resulting from trauma to the nail, blood blisters, warts, or even subungual melanoma, a type of skin cancer, says Ami Sheth, a doctor of podiatric medicine in Los Gatos, California, and a spokesperson for the American Podiatric Medical Association.
Since nail irregularities can be caused by diseases besides these as well, its best to get it looked at, says Dr. Sheth.
Richard Goad, a doctor of podiatric medicine at Baylor Scott & White Health in Waco, Texas, concurs. Sometimes the nail will be the first place to show another underlying problem, Dr. Goad says.
So is it a fungus, a false alarm, or another condition entirely?
What Does Fingernail Fungus Look Like
What does fingernail fungus look like? Is toenail fungus hard to get rid of? Toenail fungus can be tough to get rid of because it can get into and in between those layers. It may also sit on top of the nail or grow underneath it. In some cases, fungus can get into the cells that make the nail, called the nail matrix. .
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Laser Procedure For Toenail Fungus Under The Nails
Using a laser directly on the toenails helps to reach those areas underneath and inside the nail. This is because the type of light used can penetrate through the tough layers of the nails. Laser procedures are very convenient because they can be completed in under 10 minutes per foot.
The PinPointe foot laser is FDA-approved for the temporary increase of clear nail in patients with onychomycosis.
This machine can be used on almost all patients because it has virtually no side effects. In one study, over 83% of people who received three sessions with a laser and improved their foot hygiene had no fungi after 18-months.
Some people start to see visible improvement after just one visit, although you may need to return a small number of times for follow-up.
The laser works by targeting the fungi without hurting your skin and nails. Its designed to be at the right level to penetrate your nail and damage the infecting fungi, while not being too high to cause burning or pain for your feet. Most people dont feel anything, or they just feel a warming sensation.
At the time of the procedure, the toenail will usually not become instantly clearit takes time to grow out. As long as your infection is treated and you dont get re-infected, you should see new healthy, clear nail as it grows out within 12-18 months.
How K Health Can Help
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K Health articles are all written and reviewed by MDs, PhDs, NPs, or PharmDs and are for informational purposes only. This information does not constitute and should not be relied on for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any treatment.
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How Do You Get A Fungal Nail Infection
Most fungal nail infections occur as a result of the fungi that cause athlete’s foot infecting the nails.
These fungi often live harmlessly on your skin, but they can sometimes multiply and lead to infections. The fungi prefer warm, dark and moist places like the feet.
You’re more likely to get a fungal nail infection if you:
- don’t keep your feet clean and dry
- wear shoes that cause your feet to get hot and sweaty
- walk around barefoot in places where fungal infections can spread easily, such as communal showers, locker rooms and gyms
- have damaged your nails
- have a weakened immune system
- have certain other health conditions, such as diabetes, psoriasis or peripheral arterial disease
Fungal nail infections can be spread to other people, so you should take steps to avoid this if you have an infection.
