Toenail Fungal Infection Causative Agents
Nail infections are often due to fungus. They can also affect the surrounding skin of the nail. Most of the time, the symptoms are not apparent which is the leading cause of chronic infection. It does not only deface the nail and skin but also causes pain. The pain makes it difficult for the patient to normally perform daily activities.
Toenails are usually infected (four times) compared to fingernails. The infection can extend from a single foot to another foot; or from a single nail to another. Anyhow, fingernail fungus is usually limited only to a single hand or nail.
The main cause of a toenail fungal infection is the exposure of a nail to a warm environment and moisture that is highly ideal for fungus growth. Furthermore, the severity and symptoms of a toenail fungal infection is related to the type of fungus involved. Some cases make the nail turn yellow, brown, or even black and may even result to a brittle nail which eventually cracks. The infected area may also be itchy, swollen, and red. Now let us try to understand how each type of fungi affects the nails.
Trichophyton rubrum, the fungus causing athlete’s foot, is also responsible for a thickened nail in some cases of toenail fungal infection. Other types of fungus like yeasts, some exotic fungi and even a skin condition known as psoriasis may also be the cause of the thickening of nails.
A distal subungual onchymosis (DSO) is a type of fungal infection caused by a dermatophyte fungus invading spaces in between the toe’s tip and nail tip. This type of fungus causes the yellow discoloration and separation of the nail from its nail bed.
White superficial onchymosis (WSO) turns the nail color into white with crumbly spots. However, it can easily be cured by scarping. After scraping, an application of topical antifungal will be done to prevent recurrence.
Proximal subungual onchymosis (PSO) is a not so common nail fungus causing toenail fungal infection. For this type of fungus, the nails turn white or yellow near the cuticle. Thus, the nails eventually lift and fall due to plaque build up. This kind of toenail fungal infection is usually given a systemic medication.
Knowing what these kinds of fungus are capable of doing should help you recognize the importance of early toenail fungus remedy and proper care. Toenail fungal infections must be eliminated as soon as possible before it takes over your nail and surrounding skin.
At his wesite, ToeNailsFungus.net, Art Fedrohr writes more about fingernail fungus and toenail treatments.