Tuesday, April 4, 2017

Toenail Fungus Infection – Gather Facts and Get Rid of It



The toenail fungus infection is a common problem to a lot of individuals. It affects men and women, young and old alike. This nail fungal infection is not just about getting fungus on your toes. It can be embarrassing because it discolors your nails, destroys the nail bed and can even cause stinking of the feet at times.In scientific terms, toenail fungus is an ailment which is also known as onychomycosis. It starts progressing not from a nail fungus but from skin fungi. Then the problem heightens once it becomes a nail fungus infection.

Realities on Toenail Fungus Infection

The skin fungi that affect you may not only cause disfigurement on your nails but it can also result to physical ache. This being said, it can destroy your capacity to perform your daily activities.  The nail fungi that affect your toenails are more severe than what can infect your fingernails.  As soon as the fungi start to proliferate, it spreads rapidly from one nail to another. Birthorderplus states that his happens most especially if your nails are open to the elements like humid and hot surroundings.

Kinds of Toenail Fungus Infections

If you think that there is only one type of toenail fungus that may affect you, well think again. There is a variety of infections from nail fungi that may grow in the area. Here are some of them:

•    Nail Fungus Infection

Distal Subungual Onychomycosis or DSO. This is a kind of fungal infection which is caused by the dermatophyte type of fungus. It attacks the gap in between the point of the toe and the point of the nail. It may extend to the skin fold located at the surface of the nails.  You can distinguish this kind of fungal infection through the yellowish color on your toenails and the division of the nail bed underneath it.

•    White Superficial Onychomycosis or WSO

This is not more prevalent unlike DSO.  It usually involves only the facade of the nails making it white in color and brittle.  Among all types of toenail fungus infections, this is the easiest to get treatment. Scraping off the nail and applying topical antifungal medication will do it.

•    Proximal Subungual Onychomycosis or PSO

This is considered as an ordinary kind of toenail fungal infection which initially occurs through white or yellowish marks on the nails adjacent to the cuticle.  It can develop into a plaque which gathers underneath the nail followed by wreckage gathering beneath the nail. This may later rise off its bed and may totally discard if the infection is severe.  This type of contamination can be remedied by using systemic medication.

•    Candida Ablicans also known as Yeast Infection

This kind of fungal infection usually involves fingernails more than toenails. It can be cured topically.

Medication for Toenail Fungal Infection

Applying topical ointments and antifungal powders may be useful in restraining the widespread of fungal contamination.  However, it has no ability to cure the most severe cases of DSO, PSO, and persistent yeast infection like candida albicans. Therefore, you may consider the following treatments:

•    Griseofulvin

This is the most typical oral kind of treatment for toenail fungal infection.  It is used to put off the fungus from increasing until such time that the contaminated nails begin to develop again.

•    Ketoconazole

This is another type of drug recommended for treating toenail fungal infection.  However, this contains harmful side effects and you will have to use it for a long period of time.

Avoidance of Toenail Fungal Infection

In order to avoid the development of a toenail fungal infection, the best thing you can do is to maintain your hygiene like always keeping your nails dirt-free and dry. Make sure that you change socks frequently to avoid moisture. You can also use antifungal foot spray or powder to maintain the dryness of your feet. Lastly, you should refrain from wounding the skin in the region of your toenails to avoid the entry of infection.

While this article says that there are different types of toenail fungus infection, you are indeed lucky to have a cure for it. What matters is you start avoiding the plight when you still can refrain from its manifestations. Should you need any medical treatment for the problem, never hesitate to ask your doctor for help. Then and only then can you cure an existing nail fungus.