Onychomycosis

Some facts to know about Onychomycosis

About

An infection caused by the fungus in either toenail or fingernail

In the United States, around 10 % of the adults suffer from Onychomycosis. [1]

- Can be self-diagnosed
- Can spread because of the fungus in the nail
- May require some tests for observation
- Treatable with the help of a medical professional

Onychomycosis is the medical name for the infected nails. The nail gets infected because of the fungus infection, which generally occurs due to a parasitic fungus named dermatophyte fungi. However, there can be different types of fungus that can infect nails. But the toenails get infected more in comparison to fingernails.

Symptoms

Appearance  One may notice change in color of nails and a nail becomes brittle and thick in size due to fungus.
Pain   Mild pain may occur in the infected area or around it.
The condition of nails   The nails may be broken, flaky, lifted away, or detached from the nail bed.
(One should not delay in getting medical assistance if such symptoms persists.)
Odor   Some foul odor may come from the nail.

Treatment

Self-care: Keep the nails clean so that the infection does not spread. Keep the toes and fingers dry after washing them so that the fungus does not increase because of the moisture.

Medicines: For cleaning and keeping the fungus affected area clean, antifungal products can be applied. The doctors generally prescribe the topical medications for fungal infections.

Specialists: If the nail infection becomes severe, the dermatologist or the doctor may recommend you to get the nail removed so that it doesnt become worse. The treatment for such fungal infections is done at mfine.