Nail Fungus

Onychomycosis is the medical term for Toenail fungus, a common condition under certain circumstances such as wearing tight-fitting or nonporous shoes or going barefoot all the time, although nail fungus usually spreads in warm, wet environments. This fungal infection begin discolor a toenail, disfigure its shape and finally destroying the nail. The infection can propagate to the other nails of the foot, causing severe pain and a foul odor. 

In the United States, it is estimated that Toenail fungus affects 3% to 5% of all people in the nation, while the problem increases in up to 18% of all people worldwide. Toenail fungus rarely occurs in children, although 1 out of 200 teenagers are affected prior to age 18, increasing their chances of fungal infection with age. Studies show that 48% of all individual reaching age 70 have suffered from toenail fungus. 

This infection is caused by fungi, which there are several types of microscopic organisms closely related to mildew and mold, feeding on keratin, as they grow, hidden in the darkness of your shoes and moving underneath your nail’s bed. As infection, toenail fungus can also be caused by yeasts and molds infections, particularly those called dermatophytes, such as the Trichophyton rubrum and Trichophyton interdigitale. 

Research reveled that 2.5 million Americans over 18 years of age, visit their podiatrist at least once a year for treatment of toenail fungus, although many infected individual never seek help in the hope of resolving the problem on its own, minimizing its importance in the belief that toenail fungus is just a cosmetic problem and not an infection, as it really is. 

All fungal infections have the risk to spread from one foot to another, and generally affect the big toe’s nail before any other nail, because it is constantly exposed to friction from the sides of shoes. Toenail fungus infection occurs more often in athletes, miners and military people, although anyone exposed to wet floors of showers and locker rooms can catch fungi. 

In addition, people who suffer from chronic disease, have an increasing risk factor to develop toenail fungus, particularly diabetic patients and persons who have been diagnosed with HIV, although individuals with circulatory problems are also in risk due to decreased blood flow to their toes. Toenail fungus is a chronic condition that gradually worsens, being long lasting and involving more and more of the nail that turns yellow or brown during the different stages of the degenerative process.