Fungal Nails
Nail fungus, also known as onychomycosis is extremely common among the adult population. Up to 50% of those over the age of 60 have one or more fungal nails.
Nail fungus belongs to a certain fungus family called "dermatophytes". Dermatophytes consume keratin which is found in the skin and nails.
The nails become infected when the fungus is driven under the nail, where it starts to consume the nail. As the fungus spreads it leaves behind a brittle, thickened, discoloured yellow or white nail which is odorous.
A nail can become infected after being treated at a salon with unsterilized instruments, by wearing contaminated footwear, walking barefoot in changerooms, or by acquiring it from someone else who has fungus. Fungus can also spread from the skin (athletes foot) to the nail, and vice versa. Fungus thrives in warm, moist, dark environments, making footwear an ideal place for fungus to grow.
Prevention
Treatment
Nail fungus belongs to a certain fungus family called "dermatophytes". Dermatophytes consume keratin which is found in the skin and nails.
The nails become infected when the fungus is driven under the nail, where it starts to consume the nail. As the fungus spreads it leaves behind a brittle, thickened, discoloured yellow or white nail which is odorous.
A nail can become infected after being treated at a salon with unsterilized instruments, by wearing contaminated footwear, walking barefoot in changerooms, or by acquiring it from someone else who has fungus. Fungus can also spread from the skin (athletes foot) to the nail, and vice versa. Fungus thrives in warm, moist, dark environments, making footwear an ideal place for fungus to grow.
Prevention
- Maintain good foot hygiene
- Keep your nails trimmed. Cut nails straight across, smooth the edges with a file
- Do not lift the cuticle or cut down the sides of your nails
- Wear moisture wicking socks and change socks half way through the day if they get sweaty
- Wear breathable shoes if possible
- Wear sandals in pool areas and locker rooms
- Use foot care providers who sterilize their instruments and do not use communal foot baths
- Do not continually apply nail polish
- Treat athletes foot infections to prevent spreading to the nails
Treatment
- Unfortunately nail fungus is difficult to treat. There are a number of topical medications, prescription and off-the-shelf. The important thing when using topical medications is that it is able to penetrate the nail to the level of the fungus. Having the nail ground down regularly by a chiropodist can help greatly in that matter.
- For hard to treat cases, the nail can be surgically removed, which gives the oportunity to treat the nail bed with antifungal medication while a new nail grows in.
- Sometimes the nail is not cureable, but a chiropodist can maintain acceptable nail aesthetics and reduce the possibility of spreading.
- It is imperative to treat the footwear with antifungal shoe spray while treating fungal nails.
