Toenail fungus (onychomycosis) can be unsightly, painful and may even lead to the loss of the nail. A group of fungi called dermatophytes cause the majority of nail fungal infections. Another cause for this condition is yeast or Candida albicans. To deal with this condition, you need to learn to differentiate between the different types of toenail fungi and their symptoms.
Instructions
1. Know that there are four types of fungal infections that can affect toenails. These are distal subungal onychomycosis (the most common type), proximal subungal onychomycosis, white superficial onychomycosis and Candida nail infections. Candida nail infection more commonly affects fingernails but toenails are just as susceptible. You classify the four types of infections by the part of the nail affected by the infection.
2. Differentiate between toenail fungi by recognizing the symptoms of each type of nail infection and the organism that causes it.
3. Identify distal subungal onychomycosis by looking for these symptoms. The fungus (the dermatophye-trichophyton rubrum) infects the space between the tip of the toenail and the toe by the outer and inner sides of the nail. In the early stages, the infection can cause some of these symptoms: the nail plate to separate from the skin, the affected part of the nail changes color from white to yellow or green. The symptoms in the later stages of this condition are: the nail plate becomes hard and thick, pain and the nail plate may detach from the nail bed.
4. Examine toenails for signs of proximal subungal onychomycosis by looking for white or yellow discolorations on the nail near the cuticle. In the later stages of the infection, the part of the nail nearest the cuticle (proximal part) can begin to discolor, thicken, crumble and then spreads to the entire nail plate. The dermatophyte called trichophyton rubrum causes this infection.
5. Check for symptoms of white superficial onychomycosis by observing the outer surface of the toenail. Look for a layer of white material that sticks to the nail plate. The symptoms in the later stages of the infection are the nail plate may turn white and crumbly. The organism trichophyton mentagrophytes cause this infection and this can be the simplest of all the infections to treat with anti-fungal medication in it's early stages.
6. Recognize Candida nail infection by knowing that this infection can turn the nail plate green or yellow and the nail may get opaque. The skin around the nail can get swollen and cause pain. In the later stages of the infection, the nail may become thicker or the nail plate can detach from the nail bed.
Tags: nail plate, later stages, stages infection, subungal onychomycosis, Candida nail, later stages infection