Introduction
The term nail fungus (onychomycosis, tinea unguium) is used to describe a fungal infection of the fingernails or toenails. Nail fungus is a harmless but frequently occurring disease. In most cases nail fungus is caused by so-called dermatophytes.
These fungal species feed mainly on carbohydrates and the keratin found in nails. In addition, this infection can also be caused by various yeasts or molds. The responsible fungi are transmitted by smear or contact infection.
The transmission can take place directly from person to person or indirectly via the common use of inanimate objects. Especially contaminated surfaces play a decisive role in the transmission of dermatophytes. For this reason, those people who frequently spend time in swimming pools, saunas, communal showers or sports changing rooms are particularly at risk.
In addition, the risk of developing nail fungus increases with age (especially after the age of 65). In this age group about every second person suffers from nail fungus once or several times. The reason for this is the fact that the condition of the nail substance changes over the years.
Nails of fingers and feet become increasingly brittle, porous and susceptible to fungal infections. In addition, the decreasing immune strength with age also plays a decisive role in the development of nail fungus. Besides the elderly, athletes and patients suffering from diabetes mellitus are often affected by nail fungus. Also those drugs that weaken the immune system can contribute to the development of fungal infections.
Symptoms
The symptoms that occur in the presence of a nail fungus depend primarily on the type of infection. In medicine, a distinction is made between five forms of this fungal infection. In general, it can be stated that with a mild course of each of these nail fungus forms hardly or no symptoms occur.
For this reason, the causative pathogen can proliferate over a long period of time rather than being recognized as such. With patients who suffer from a nail fungus, different areas of the nail substance can be affected. To the typical affected areas belong In most cases the fungal infection begins at the front edge of the nail. From there it often spreads over the entire nail plate towards the nail root and finally also affects the nail bed. The classic symptoms are:
- The nail root
- The nail bed
- The solid nail substance itself.
- Whitish or yellow discoloration of the nail plate
- Strong thickening of the nail substance
- Inflammatory processes in the area of the nail bed and the surrounding skin areas
- (in a very advanced stage) brittleness of the nails and chipping of entire nail layers
