What does toenail fungus look like in the early stages – Symptoms

Toenail Fungus: A Brief Introduction

In this article, you will understand about toenail fungus and what does toenail fungus look like during different stages, also the exact causes of toe fungus. Like a lot of our body parts, in addition to the face, the nails are also a point of attention regarding the cleanliness. The nails can interpret as a symbol of one’s concern for maintaining the cleanliness and health.

Like a lot of our body parts, in addition to the face, the nails are also a point of attention regarding the cleanliness. The nails can interpret as a symbol of one’s concern for maintaining the cleanliness and health.

Formation of nails involves a type of protein called “keratin.” Nails are vulnerable to various infections and can become extremely fragile, weak and also can lose their natural appearance. One of them is an attack of toenail fungus. Fungus attacks would alter the original form into a rougher, brittle, ridged, and makes the surrounding skin damaged. The color of infected nail becomes yellowish, brownish or blackish.

Toenails fungus is also known as onychomycosis, which is a common disease that destroys the nails. Toenails fungus is caused by one of many similar types of fungal organisms that cause mold in the bathroom. The fungus grows in warm, damp atmosphere in your shoes. These fungi belong to the group of dermatophytes. When they grow, they fall in and feed on keratin, which forms the hard surface of our toenails.

What is Toenail Fungus?

The fungus is a microscopic parasite that does not require light to thrive. Several types of fungus have their benefits, but the majority of them will only become a disease. The fungus that attacks the toenail was included in a collection of dermatophytes. The way they enter the skin is to infiltrate into small cuts or openings nails and nail’s floor. After then they began to pose a more serious problem if the nails remain in the moist state for long periods.

Fungus attacks more often occur in older adults and particularly in males. Increased age in people will also make the growth of the nails slower and even make it thicker. These conditions sometimes resulted in infected by toenail fungus. Especially for those with less attention to the nail’s care.

The fungus infected nail can be dissolved if the drug does not yield better results and eventually fall completely off the toe. In the later stage, it would be difficult to wear shoes, and the infected toes will become very painful. At this stage, the infected toenails are now capable of transmitting a dirty smell.

What are the underlying causes of toenail fungus?

Individuals result in toenail fungus. Always remember that prevention is better than cure. If you understand the reasons for the toenail fungus, you can take steps to prevent contamination.

The underlying cause of the nail fungus is exposure of feet to wet or humid conditions. Sweaty socks are one of the leading causes of toenails fungus disease. However, it is also possible to get the infection from someone else. You would be more sensitive to what would happen if you were swimming in a public place with some other unknown people or take a shower in a public place. It may also be possible for you to get a toenail fungus infection from whom you are sharing a bathroom. Presumably, if they are infected, such as having no knowledge of an infected person in a public setting.

Although having exposure to sweat and moisture is the cause of the infection, but many other factors also increase the risk of nail fungus. Being an athlete means you are more vulnerable to toe fungus disease because your feet are always sweating most of the time during the day. If you already have a fungus infection on one toenail then spreading the disease to other toenails becomes, much more likely.

Below are some other causes of toenail fungus;

1. A person whose family members are already infected with the toe fungus.
2. Individuals who often sweat while wearing shoes.
3. People with the skin disease or psoriasis.
4. Working in humid environments.
5. Those people who often walk barefoot, especially in wet places.
6. Diabetes and immune system disorders.

What Does Toenail Fungus Look Like in early stages?

What Does Toenails Fungus Look Like ?. Its shape depends on the type and causes of fungus. There are several types of nail fungus that attack humans.

1. Subungual Distal Onychomycosis

This is a very common type of toenail fungus. The characteristics of this kind of toenail fungus is a yellowish color change and thickening of one or more nails.

2. White Onychomycosis

The characteristics if someone attacked by this kind of fungus is usually growing of white marks on the nails. Usually, this condition does not last long.

3. Subungual Proximal Onychomycosis

This is a type of fungus that does not spread like other kinds of fungus. Typically this fungus is caused by dermatophytes. Characteristics is a yellowish and white color at the base of the nail.

4. Candidal Onychomycosis

This is the most severe type of toenail fungus. Because the nails give the scary impression, and this could make the toenails become decayed and have a very dark color.

Toenail Fungus Pictures

Here are some toenail fungus pictures which can help you to understand what does toenail fungus look like. These pictures show different types and stages of toenail fungus infection.

Stages and symptoms ( early and later) of toenails fungus infection

How does toenail fungus look like in the early stages of infection?. During the early stage, the infected toenails will not elicit any pain, so you may not know you have a fungus infection. If your toenails become infected, the nail color and shape from corners will start changing.

Symptoms of toenail fungus infection include skinny nails, fragile feet or easy chip. They can cause irregular colors on our toenails, yellow, brown or black. Usually, yellow or brown discoloration of the nails means a fungus attack and becomes very thick and overgrown. You can find traces of smelly under the nail.

The rapid infection of nail fungus should be treated immediately. If the infection is not treated early enough, the nails may become dull and yellow. As the infection become worse, the nails lose their shape and begin to grow thicker. At this point, the nail can begin to grow out of the nail bed. Toenail fungus infection on foot can only begin as a white or yellow discoloration on the nail surface.

Over the time, the appearance of your feet is in line with flaky skin and terrible yellow discoloration with cracks and brittle. Although toenail fungus infection is considered as an unpleasant cosmetic problem that can undermine the patient’s confidence. It is also possible that the infection compromises the victim’s immune system. Which is more prone to disease and slightly incapable of recovering from the disease.

 Simple tips to protect your toenails against fungal infection   

Having known the causes of the toenail fungus infection above, we can consider a number of preventive measures to reduce the risk of suffering from this infection.

1. Use rubber sandals when using public facilities such as changing rooms, gyms or showers.
2. After each time you immersed your feet in the water, such as showering or swimming or wet rainfalls, you should thoroughly dry your feet, and do not work around in wet socks.
3. Keep the nails short and well-groomed for fun atmosphere is present pins. A renowned salon pedicure can help.
4. If you are so physically active, preventive spraying of fungus in sock, shoes and change socks often.
5. Eat a healthy and balanced diet. The loss of physical health is one of the main reasons why the elderly are more susceptible to infections of the toenails than the youth.

Final words

After reading this article now you have enough information about what does toenail fungus look like in the early and advanced stages. If you have a sign of a fungal infection in the toenails, consult a doctor immediately. Once you’re infected, the fungus begins to grow and expand. The process of treating fungal infections of the toenails in the later stage, take quite a lot of time, months and possibly years.

Picture Credits: Wikimedia