Onychomycosis or nail fungus as it is more commonly known today is caused by a fungi infesting your nail. It can affect toe and fingernails a like and is a common ailment among adults. You will suffer the biggest risk of getting infected by nail fungus if there allready exist a injury to the nail or nailbed. A hot humid environment has also been shown to increase the risk of nail fungi, e.g. the inside of a jogging shoe or other closed fotwear.
In tropical and subtropical parts of the world nail fungus is usually caused by non-dermatophytic moulds and candida while it in temperate climates usually are caused by dermaphytes. Dermatophytes can spread in a lot of different ways and through both direct and indirect contact with infected skin and nail particles. They can for instance spread through locker room floors, towels, bed linens, clothing, combs and brushes, and furniture. Renting shoes, e.g. bowling shoe rental can cause infestation unless the shoes are properly steralized between usages.
You don’t have to come into direct contact with infected skin, hair or nails to get infected with dermatophytes since they can survive outside their host and spread through locker room floors, towels, brushes, rented shoes and skates, and so on. If the conditions are suitable for the species of nail fungus they can survive for up to 15 years.
Thick yellowing nail with a cluody appearance is usually infected by nail fungus. Sometimes nail fungus can cause nails to become rough and crumbly, the nails sometimes seperate from the nail bed. Nail fungus is only painful in severe cases and is almost always painless. If you have a working immune system nail fungi will likely only be able to infest dead tissue, e.g. nails and the upper part of our skin, since the immune system will prevent them from entering living cells.
Different variants of nail fungus treatment there are a lot of alternatives to combat nail fungus and that include home remedies, over the counter meds and precription meds. Be prepared to wait weeks or even months before you notice any results since nails need a lot of time to regenerate.
Thyme oil has been used in European folk medicne as toenail fungus treatment while they n other parts of the world have used citrus seeds made into a power or paste. Today, Australian tea tree oil is commonly applied to all kinds of skin and nail problems, including nail fungus.
