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What Is Tinea Unguium? Complete Guide

About:

A fungal infection of the nails, also known as Onychomycosis.

Tinea Unguium represents about 30% of all dermatophyte (fungal) infections and accounts for 18-40% of all nail disorders. (1)

- Can be treated by a medical professional
- Usually self-diagnosed, abnormal developments can be seen
- Spreads easily, from one part to another or to people
- Long-term: chronic, can last for a long time

It is an infection in which the fungi breed on the nail plate, and/or the nail bed starts developing. There are various types of this disorder -

- Distal Subungual Onychomycosis - Growth of the fungi is away from the center or lateral, and can occur in both fingernails and toenails.
- White Superficial Onychomycosis - A certain type of fungi starts developing superficial layers of plaque on the nail.
- Proximal Subungual Onychomycosis - The least common of all, it invades the nail from near the cuticles/nail fold and then progresses on.
- Candidal Onychomycosis - It is caused by the Candida species and often occurs when people immerse their hands in water a lot.
- Total Dystrophic Onychomycosis - it is a combined state of all the above and can result in the total destruction of the nail.

Ages affected: Most common in adults, especially after 60 years of age