Fungal nail infections — medically called onychomycosis — are the single most frequent medical problem to affect the nails. Research, quite shockingly, indicates that up to 14 percent of North Americans may suffer from a fungal nail infection at any given time, while that statistic rises even higher in East Asia and Europe, to 20 and 23 percent respectively.
What exactly are fungal nail infections?
Fungal nail infections are an excessive proliferation of yeasts or mold on, under, and even within the finger nails or toenails. Almost all of these infections are caused by a group of fungal species broadly referred to as dermatophytes, in which case the infection is also known as tinea unguium. Although three species are responsible for most fungal nail infections, very often, multiple organisms will be present.
Contrary to popular belief, fungal nail infections are not highly contagious. Being in close contact with someone who has a fungal nail infection for prolonged periods of time may cause you to pick the infection up yourself and it is also possible to transmit your own fungal infection from your nails on one limb to those of another, other factors determine how likely you are to develop an infection when you are exposed to fungal species. Those include:
- People with diabetes
- Immunocompromised people
- People with restricted blood circulation
- Those who already have athlete's foot
In addition, research has suggested that fungal nail infections are most common in elderly people aged 60 to 79.
What are the symptoms of a fungal nail infection?
The symptoms of a fungal nail infection — which is far more prevalent in toenails but can appear on your fingernails too — are so obvious that they are hard to miss. You'll instantly know something is not quite right when:
- Your nail becomes (or nails become, plural; yikes!) discolored. Most often, this discoloration will have a yellow hue white white accents, but white and brown discolorations are also possible. This trend tends to start toward the sides of your nails on either side.
- Your nail becomes thicker, as though your keratin production is doing overtime.
- Your nail gradually becomes fragile, prone to chipping and breaking. The changes in your nail may lead it to curve differently and even to come off entirely.
The surrounding skin may or may not be affected by similar changes. You are unlikely to experience pain because of your fungal nail infection, but this is possible in severe cases.
What to do if you're pretty sure you have a fungal nail infection?
Official guidelines vary from one country to another. In the United States, for instance, the CDC would advise you to seek medical attention from a doctor. In the UK, the publicly-funded and budget-minded NHS would tell people who think they have a fungal nail infection to head for the pharmacy and ask their pharmacist for an over-the-counter remedy.
If you choose the over-the-counter route, you will be sent off with topical antifungal cream to apply to your nails, along with maybe a nail softener to allow for the top sections to be filed off more easily.
If you go to the doctor:
- They can diagnose a fungal nail infection just by taking a quick peek.
- They may, however, take a nail clipping and send it off for a quick and inexpensive lab analysis.
- You may gain the benefit of being offered a much more effective treatment for your fungal nail infection, in the form of an oral antifungal medication called terbinafine. This is prescribed for six to 12 weeks and gives you a fighting chance at having a fungal nail infection for less than a year. It does have potential side effects, including fever and headache, that you will want to discuss with your doctor first.
- Your doctor will keep an eye on the progress you make. If your fungal nail infection becomes severe, they will suggest the surgical removal of the nail. (Yes, it will grow back. Slowly, but surely.)
Note that if you are immunocompromised or have another underlying medical condition like diabetes, you should always seek medical care when you suspect that you have a fungal nail infection, as your case is more likely to become severe and complicated.
Antifungal sprays that you can apply to your shoes to prevent them from reinfecting you are on the market, and were suggested in a research study to be helpful. Meanwhile, although we know that you're incredibly frustrated by your seemingly ever-lasting nail infection, we'd suggest you steer well clear of the countless "snake oils" offered by predatory "alternative health" companies. Most of the time, they contain no ingredients that were actually proven to be effective and cost a lot of money that you are better off directing at your family doctor.