Even though toenail fungus conjures all kinds of awful images, it is a serious infection that should be treated immediately. What may be startling is there are many people who contract this ugly fungal infection. Since this is a fungus infection that has gone out of contro, it has to be taken seriously and treated. If you let the infection continue, then other problems could come up such as loss of finger and toenails. This fungus also can grow in your fingernails, although it usually develops in toenails. The fungus involved in this condition has a better habitat in toenails due to the limited light conditions and the moisture. Also bear in mind that toenail fungus spreads very easily from person to person, or in community conditions.

One of the initial symptoms of toenail fungus is a slight discoloration of the nail. Initially you may think your nails just have to be cleaned because of the discoloration. This discoloration is underneath the toenail, but it is impossible to clean. Thus that is one way you can remember the symptoms of the infection. You can rubbing hard but the dirty appearance does not disappear. As the infection grows, then the toenail could possibly turn entirely blackish or brown in color. There are many different products available you can find that do not require that you have a docotr's prescription.

With the continued growth of the fungal infection, the nail is going to soon start to show other signs of infection. Drastically thinner nails is highly typical with a lot of people, but not everybody experiences it. On the other hand, you'll see that there are people who develop thicker toenails because of the infection. Other signs are flaking of the nail, or the infected toenails get chipped easily. The consequence will be loss of the nail completely with serious cases. One more sign as the infection becomes more serious is a more or less foul scent emitted by the affected toenail.

Some other signs include pain which may be a serious issue with toenails and wearing shoes. What makes it hard to pick out immediately is the fact that the fungus begins to amass and grow beneath the nail. What happens is the fungus begins metabolizing the nail because it is eating the keratin protein found in the toenaail. It's possible that toenail fungus could grow in lighter areas, like fingernails, but it does best beneath toenails because of the lower light. Some of the more typical causes of toenail fungus are poor nail hygiene or even constantly wearing shoes that don't fit properly. In addition, a number of people could possibly develop an abnormal skin pH that adds to the spread of this fungus.

The best way to deter the growth of this fungus is by simple good hygiene. Since toenail fungus is a contractable condition, you have to be careful in places like public hot rooms and steam rooms at wellness facilities and similar places. Treating toenail fungus can be done either topically or with oral medications.