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What exactly is toenail fungus and fingernail fungus? Onychomycosis is the medical word that the majority of Americans refer to as toenail fungus. Toenail fungus is a living thing that lives off the keratin that is found in your fingernails and toenails. It is usually brown or yellowish in color. Your fingernails are made to be non-penetrable naturally so diseases, fungus and a variety of infections can’t enter your body through your fingers and toes. This is fine in most cases, but somewhat backfires in the case of nail fungus. While the barrier holds infections out, it also holds infections in once they penetrate. This is the case with toenail fungus. It is tough to get rid of once it penetrates the natural barrier of your nail. How common is toenail and fingernail fungus? Nearly 10% of the population of North America is infected with nail fungus. What are the symptoms? Toenail fungus is simple to detect because the outward signs are obvious to even the untrained eye. The look of the nails is a give-away. Discoloration, generally brown or yellow and even green, is a common sign of nail fungus. The nail may appear flaky and be thick. It will look as though something is building up under the nail. There is likely to be smell associated with toenail fungus as well. Usually, there is no pain associated with nail fungus but in some instances, it can get painful to wear shoes and it might even be painful to walk. It depends upon how bad the infection is and how it is being treated. What can I do about nail fungus? There are many treatment options if you have nail fungus. If you see a healthcare provider, she/he is likely to prescribe a medication where you’ll need a prescription. The most severe cases of nail fungus almost always require a prescription medication. Drugs taken internally are capable of curing nail fungus from the inside out due to being circulated throughout your entire body. Over the counter treatments generally are applied to the surface of the nail. Topical creams and oils aren’t near as effective due to the barrier of your nail protecting the bed of the nail. The creams and oils are acid based and create a hostile environment for the fungus that kills it. Home remedies include vinegar and soaking your nails in other acid substances. Most home remedies do not work well. You certainly should not be soaking your feet in any chemical that is harmful. Keep in mind, chemicals penetrate your skin when you soak your feet and you could receive harmful doses of a chemical if you attempt a radical home remedy. How can I prevent nail fungus? Nail fungus can be avoided in a couple of ways. The easiest way is to keep your feet and hands dry after taking a shower, swimming pool, or doing other activities getting your feet or hands wet. Similar to all living things, toenail fungus needs moisture to stay alive. If you are exercising often or engaging in activity where your feet perspire to a great extent, be sure to wear moisture wicking socks and change them often. Another critical step is basic nail grooming. Nails should be trimmed but not too short intruding in to the nail bed. Small abrasions to the skin around your nail can provide the passage way to your nail bed and organisms including fungas can take root. To prevent toenail fungal problems, keep your feet as dry and clean as possible all the time. Be mindful of sharing nail clippers. If you go to nail salons, double check that the tools they use are sterilized after every use. It is quite easy to contract nail fungus from nail clippers and nail salons must follow specific protocol for cleaning their equipment. If you think that you have a nail fungus infection, you should see your doctor or dermatologist. A simple test can reveal the presence of nail fungus. At that point, you can discuss suggested treatment.
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