Nail fungus, also known as Onychomycosis, is a nail disorder that you would not notice when it starts happen to you unless the condition getting worse. It starts with the discoloration of the tip of the nail (usually yellow or black), then eventually cover the whole nail if left untreated. Typically, nail fungus happens at the toenail because of the environment that it is exposed at. However, there are also some cases that nail fungus happens at the fingernail. This occurs when the hands are usually working in a wet environment.
What really causes nail fungus and what are the common symptoms usually seen in nails so that one may be able to prevent it?
Causes of Nail Fungus?
Nail fungus is caused by the tiny organisms called dermatophytes. It usually lives in wet areas or moistened places including the shower rooms and swimming pools. These dermatophytes embed itself to the small space between the nail and the nail bed. When this happens, the protein that protects the nail called keratin is being destroyed by the dermatophytes. As a result, there would be nothing to protect the rest of the nails as well as the skin that surrounds it. Sooner or later, the nail fungus will spread and will affect the other nails as well. If you are often wearing shoes with warm socks, it can be very cozy. However, you are more prone to have nail fungus since warm socks usually results into a damp environment where fungus may easily breed.
Aside from the environment, nail fungus also happens when the nails experiences trauma. This is when something hard hits against the nail, causing it to have more distance from the nail bed. The bigger the space is, the easier these dermatophytes can creep into your nails. If this happens, you must protect your nails immediately to prevent the fungus from setting in. Home remedies are good, but it is still advisable to ask your doctor first because it might contradict the type of trauma that your nail experienced.
Those who have health disorders such as H.I.V., or diabetes, are also prone to have toenail fungus and fingernail fungus. These conditions cause the person to have weaker immune system. Because of this, the body would not be able to fight infections such as dermatophytes or any type of fungus for that matter. The same goes for the people having poor circulation of the blood. If there is no ample amount of blood flowing in the affected area such as toe nails or finger nails, the immune system will not also properly do its function in that area. Moreover, if there is not enough blood flow it would cause the nails to have poor nail nutrition which makes it more easily to be traumatized. Thus, it would result t nail fungus as well.
The Symptoms of Nail Fungus
The first symptom of fungal infection in the nails is the appearance of yellow or white spot commonly seen under the tip of the affected toenail or fingernail. Eventually, if left untreated, the fungus will go deeper into the nail. As a result, the whole nail will have discoloration, will thicken and will build crumbling that edges which can be a start of a very painful nail dilemma.
Toenail and Fingernail Fungus
More often than not, toenails are commonly affected by nail fungus rather than the fingernails. This is because toenails are more exposed to the perfect breeding ground of fungi – the shoes. The insides of a shoe have a warm, dark, and moist surroundings. Furthermore, studies show that there is a lesser circukation of blood happening in the toes compared to the blood circulating activities in the fingers. As a result, the immune system of the body is having a hard time detecting the affected area as well as eliminating the cause of infection.
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