Nail Fungus Treatment

Nail fungus is a commonly occurring infection of the nail, or onychomycosis as popularly referred to. It starts as a small spot beneath fingernails or toenails which is whitish or yellow-brown in color and eventually results in discoloration, thickening, and crumbling. Such cases, when mild and non-irritating, may not require treatment. Painful thickened nail fungus is benefited by self-care and may need medication. Treated nail fungus often recurs. Tinea pedis or athlete's foot is a type of fungal infection that has symptoms spread over the space between the toes and the skin of the feet.

Nail Fungus Symptoms

A condition called on also known as nail fungus, commonly manifests as thicker or fragile nails, distorted nail shape, and nail discoloration (yellow, brown, or white). Certain people might feel discomfort or pain, particularly if the illness spreads.  

Look at Nail Fungus Symptoms in More Detail:

• Discoloration: The nail may be seen to become white, yellow, brown, or even green.
• Thickening: The infected nail becomes thicker than the normal nail.
• Brittleness and Crumbling: The nail may become brittle, lead to a ragged appearance, or crumble at the ending points.
• Distortion: Distortion or misshapen of nails occurs.
• Separation formation: The formation of separation of the nails from the nails occurs.
• Odor: In some cases, a slightly bad odor comes out from the nail that has gotten infected.
• Pain and Discomfort: Pain may occur if the infection spreads to the surrounding skin surrounding the nail.
• White or Yellow Spots: White or yellow spots can appear under the nail in the early infection stages.
• Scaly Skin: The skin around the nail may show signs of inflammatory or scaly formation.

Types of Nail Fungus

Nail fungus is classified according to the different manifestations before being considered types according to the site of infection and the specific type of fungus. The classification has been made as follows:

• Distal Lateral Subungual Onychomycosis: DLSO is the highest common type with thickening, discoloration, and crumbling due to dermatophytes which initiate at the edge of the nail and continue towards the cuticle.
• Proximal Subungual Onychomycosis: PSO begins from the cuticle and grows outward less frequently as in most cases in people who are immunocompromised individuals.
• White Superficial Onychomycosis: The nail plate surface layer leads to the formation of white spots or patches, causing nails to be crumbly.
• Candidal Onychomycosis: This is a yeast-induced infection that includes the entire nail and generally inflames and raises the skin around it, usually from fingernails.

Causes of Nail Fungus

The causes of nail fungus are many. The first is that they existed as fungal organisms. These are the following primary causes:  

• Fungal Organisms: The agents causing the infection are dermatophytes, which are fungi that feed on keratin, found in nails, skin, and yeasts like Candida species, and molds.
• Environmental Factors: Humid climates tend to provide fertile grounds for the fungi, thus encouraging them to be filled up in places such as sweaty shoes and public showers that expose individuals more. Another example would be walking barefoot in damp public areas such as pools, gyms, and locker rooms.
• Risk Factors: Older people, nail injury, poor immune system, poor blood flow, athlete's feet, and tight shoes are all risk factors in allow one to be infected by nail fungus.
• Other Health Conditions: Vulnerable conditions would be concerning diabetes and possibly psoriasis.  

In essence fungal diseases, frequently brought on by dermatophytes, yeast, or mold, are the common cause of fungus in the nails. Warm, humid settings (like sweaty shoes or open showers), damaged nail integrity (such trauma or injury), an immune system that is weakened, poor circulation, and specific medical disorders (like diabetes) are among the factors that raise the chance of getting fungus on your nails.

Risk Factors For Nail Fungus 

Nail fungus is one of the many conditions considered common, and several factors could lead to its higher risk development: Here are some of the most important risk factors:

• Older Age.
• Previous Nail Injury.
• Weakened Immune System.
• Poor Circulation.
• Diabetes.
• Athlete's Foot.
• Excessive Sweating.
• Walking Barefoot in Damp Public Areas.
• Wearing Tight-Fitting Shoes.
• Psoriasis (skin condition).

Complications of Nail Fungus

Nail Fungus Complications Although many perceive nail fungus to be only a cosmetic issue, it comes with potentially severe complications if unattended or if one has a severe form of infection. Here are some incidental complications:

• Pain and Discomfort: It might occur due to infection or of thickening the nail.
• Spread of Infection: The fungi may spread to other nails, skin, and body parts with more profound impacts on weakened immune systems, and to others.
• Bacterial infections: Entry into cracked nails infected with fungi may lead to severe secondary infections as bacteria invade.
• Permanent damage to the nail: severity can cause irreparable changes in the appearance of nails, and in some cases, lead to permanent loss.
• Cellulitis: Nail fungus in diabetes individuals and those with weak immune systems may lead to cellulitis, which is a serious skin infection.
• Walking or Using Hands would be Difficult: In actual annoyance, pain, and discomfort cause severe toenail fungus, the routine activity is disrupted, and motor skills become less dexterous.
• Psychological Effect: Nails become a source of embarrassment, anxiety, and social withdrawal, which in turn have effects on quality of life.
• Higher Risk for Diabetics: Diabetes makes them more susceptible to severe problems involving the feet, including infections, because of lower blood supply and nerve damage.

Prevention

Preventing the occurrence of nail fungus involves maintaining hygiene and preventive measures from exposure to fungal organisms. Here is an exhaustive guide to prevention.

• Hygiene regularly wash hands as well as feet, especially in public places. Dry feet thoroughly between the toes.
• Trim nails, but take care not to injure. Keep them short and straight.
• Disinfect all nail clippers and implements after using them. Avoid sharing personal hygiene items. Change socks daily, especially if your feet sweat.
• Wear open shoes to eliminate tight shoes that trap moisture. Throw away old pairs. Use antifungal in shoes if needed.
• Use shower shoes in public wet areas such as the showers and pools.
• Wear breathable protective shoes like leather or canvas during risky activities to protect your nails from accidents.
• Treat an athlete's foot before it can infect the nails.
• Extra care should be taken for the feet and nails with diabetes or low immunity while good blood circulation is ensured by exercise.
• Find a good salon, take your tools along, avoid artificial nails, and reduce the nail polish.
• A healthy lifestyle supports a strong and resilient immune system.

Diagnosis

Nail fungus diagnosis usually involves visual inspection and laboratory testing. Breaking down the processes into steps:

1. Visual Examination: A qualified healthcare provider will check the external surface of the affected nail for discolorations, thickening, brittleness, distortions, and separations from the nail bed. 

2. Laboratory Tests: Nail samples are collected and sent to laboratories for confirmation of a fungal infection. 

• KOH Examination: Here potassium hydroxide (KOH) applied on the nail sample dissolves keratins making microscopic visualization of fungal elements easier under a microscope. 
• Fungal Culture: A fungal culture might help in the identification of the specific fungus causing the infection-aiding in choosing the best treatment. 
• Periodic acid–Schiff (PAS) stain: This is another type of stain that can be used for the identification of fungal organisms. 

Remedies: 

For nail fungus, treatment options include oral antifungal medications (given by a healthcare provider for severe or resistant instances), topical antifungal treatments (such as creams, ointments, or nail lacquers), and surgeries like debridement (trimming the fingernails) or laser treatment. To stop the spreading of fungus, it's also critical to maintain proper hygiene of the nails, keep feet dry and clean, wear breathable stockings and footwear, and refrain from exchanging personal goods like footwear or clippers with others.

Benefits of Nail Fungus Treatment

Nail fungus treatment brings a host of advantages, some of them purely medical and some being cosmetic. These are worthy of consideration:

• Relief Pain and Discomfort: Untreated, the disease has been creating strong discomfort as its ugly side takes over nail features; however, treatment takes out symptoms of discomfort. 
• Preventing Spreading of the Infection: Through treatment, the fungus is prevented from spreading to other nails or skin. 
• Lessened Risk of Secondary Infections: Treatment of such fungal infections helps avoid bacterial infections in already affected nails.
• Protection from Diabetics: Fungal infection of nails in diabetics must be treated to avoid complications, including infections like cellulitis and ulcers, involving skin and tissue surrounding the nails. 
• Restoration of Nail Aesthetics: Treating nail fungus helps restore nail appearance to normal, thus restoring confidence and self-esteem.  
• Socially Less Stressful: Improving the aesthetic appearance of the infected nails reduces embarrassment and anxiety in social situations.  
• More Freedom in the Pursuit of Activities: With relief from pain and discomfort, nothing would limit you. 
• Prevention of further complications: It'll kill the fungus before it can spread. 
• Intensification of Well-Being: This would only enhance the general well-being by getting rid of psychological distress.

Treating nail fungus usually takes a long time, and the treatment approach varies with the severity of the nail infection. Below are some common modalities of treatment: 

Consultation and Evaluation: The patient consults with a healthcare provider, usually a dermatologist, who evaluates the nails and confirms the diagnosis of nail fungus. The severity of the infection and the extent of nail involvement are assessed during this consultation.

Treatment Plan Development: Based on the evaluation, the healthcare provider develops a personalized treatment plan tailored to the patient's needs and the severity of the infection. The plan may include one or a combination of treatment options, such as topical or oral antifungal medications, and procedural interventions.

Oral Antifungal Medications: In cases of moderate to severe nail fungus or when topical treatments are ineffective, oral antifungal medications may be prescribed. These medications are taken by mouth and circulate throughout the body to attack the fungus from within.

Common antifungal medications, such as terbinafine and itraconazole, are used to effectively treat moderate to severe infections by stimulating the growth of a healthy nail that replaces the infected one. Treatment is given in the course of weeks to months and may require regular liver function checks due to the likelihood of side effects.

Topical Antifungal Medications: If the infection is mild to moderate, the patient may be prescribed topical antifungal medications, such as creams, ointments, or nail lacquers, to apply directly to the affected nails. These medications work by penetrating the nail and targeting the fungus.

Topical antifungal agents like ciclopirox, efinaconazole, or tavaborole are applied directly onto the infected nails. Although effective for mild to moderate infections, topical antifungals may take too long to treat when compared with oral medications. In some cases, topical and oral antifungal therapy would be combined for treatment. Thinning the infected nail before topical application is beneficial.

Procedural Interventions: In addition to medications, procedural interventions such as debridement (trimming and thinning the nails), laser therapy, or photodynamic therapy may be recommended to target the fungus more directly and promote healthy nail growth.

• Nail Removal: This is where your doctor surgically or chemically removes the infected nail. The removal of the infected nail should not give rise to new healthy nails, but it should allow the growth of new ones. This treatment is less common than medication therapies.

• Laser Treatment: Laser treatment is a treatment option where the fungus is killed using energy from a laser. Studies suggest that there are promising results from this treatment; however, there is a need for more research regarding its long-term effectiveness and the cost involved.

Follow-Up Visits: The patient attends regular follow-up visits with the healthcare provider to monitor treatment progress, assess the effectiveness of the medications or procedures, and make any necessary adjustments to the treatment plan.

Nail Care and Hygiene: Throughout the treatment process, the patient is advised to practice good nail care and hygiene to prevent reinfection and promote healing. This may include keeping the nails clean and dry, wearing breathable footwear, avoiding nail trauma, and using antifungal products as directed.