Nail fungus

What is nail fungus?

Sources of nail fungus infection

Nail fungus causes and risk factors

Nail fungus diagnosis

Nail fungus treatment

References

What is nail fungus?

A nail fungus infection (onychomycosis) can begin as a white, yellow or brown spot under the tip of a fingernail or toenail. As the fungal infection spreads deeper into the nail, it can show yellow, grey, brown or black discolouration. The nail can distort, thicken and develop a soft, crumbling, uneven tip. It looks horrible.

Nail fungus affects 8-10% of the adult population, and nearly 50% of those with diabetes. It most commonly affects people older than 60 years, whose circulation and immune system are not as effective as those of younger people, lessening the nail's ability to defend itself against fungal invasion.

Nail fungus can be caused by a fungus or mould infection. In tropical climates it is usually a mould infection, whereas in temperate climates a fungus usually causes the infection, including candida which most commonly affects nails that are frequently immersed in water.

Sources of nail fungus infection

• Wet shower and bathroom floors, shared foot towels, shared nail clippers, scissors and nail files. Watch out for pre-used towels or implements or the remains of water used by other infected family members, or customers at a public facility.
• Dampness or frequent immersion of the hand or foot in water.
• Dirty or infected water - walking, washing in it, or other contact.
• Going barefoot in damp public places such as swimming pools, gyms and shower rooms, having to use footbaths in such places.

Nail fungus causes and risk factors

• Sugar. People with nail fungus usually have a lot of sugar in their diet. The sugar can come from sweetened and refined foods, and sweet fruits. All the different types of sugars are harmful. (1)
• Weakened immune system and generally poor nutrition and health status.
• Aging.
• Poor blood circulation. This may be caused by diabetes or metabolic syndrome, circulatory diseases, or simply not being fit.
• Men are two and a half times more likely to have a nail infection than women.
• Humid or moist environment. Heavy perspiration causing continual dampness.
• Wearing socks and enclosed shoes that hinder ventilation and do not absorb perspiration.
• Lack of fresh air and sunlight around the feet and hands. Fungi are destroyed by sunlight, and more particularly the ultra violet rays in sunlight.
• Stress. Ongoing raised levels of cortisol weaken the immune system and increase the risk of fungal infection.
• Diabetes. Almost one half of adult people with diabetes have a nail fungal infection. (2)
• Psoriasis. According to a study (3), those with psoriasis have a 56% greater chance of nail infection than non-psoriatics of the same age and sex.
• Athlete's foot (tinea pedis). Nail fungus is not the same as athlete's foot, which affects the skin and often has a characteristic bad smell. However, skin and nail infections are often found together.
• Trauma or damage to the nail.

Nail fungus diagnosis

Similar-looking ugly nails can also be caused by nail psoriasis, lichen planus, contact dermatitis, trauma, nail bed tumour or yellow nail syndrome. It may be necessary to provide some nail scrapings or clippings to a pathology laboratory to get the correct diagnosis.

Nail fungus treatment

Finger nails take 3 to 6 months to grow their full length, and toe nails take 6 to 18 months. This means that nail fungus is very slow to treat.

First, you have to treat the cause(s) of the fungal infection. After treating the causes, you have to wait for the nail to grow out its full length because the fungus is usually embedded within the nail and is difficult to reach. Full treatment of symptoms and re-growth of a toe nail may take a year or more.

• Eliminate sugar and sweet foods and drinks. Do not eat foods with added sugar. Avoid sweet foods, desserts, sweet snacks and all foods that contain sugar. This includes sweet fruits, and in particular all dried fruits. This will not only help heal your nail fungus, but you will feel far better in many other ways. Avoiding sugar is one of the keys to healing many degenerative diseases.
• Go bare foot, or wear open sandals as much as possible. Keep your feet clean and dry. Allow dry air to circulate.
• Do not pick at the skin of or near a fungal infection with your fingers - it keeps the area infected or makes it spread faster.
• Sunlight. As much as possible on the fungus-infected hands or feet. Sunlight has many health benefits.
• Keep fit by doing aerobic exercise.
• Keep the nails short. When cutting nails, cut them fairly flat so that you do not cut deep around the sides of the nail, providing an opening for infection or an ingrown nail.
• Epsom salts. Dissolve 2 tablespoons of magnesium sulphate in 4 cups of warm water, and soak the infected nails in this solution for 15 minutes each day.
• Iodine. Put a drop on the infected nail every day. If you use Lugol's iodine, it will colour the nail dark brown and look awful. To treat nails, it is worth buying a colourless topical iodine to use in this case.
• Apple cider vinegar.
• Berberine.
• Gum turpentine.
• Kerosene.
• Borax.
• Tea tree oil, or oregano, clove or lavender essential oils. Half a drop each day on the infected nails.

References

1. Chi C.C., Wang S.H., Chou M.C. The causative pathogens of onychomycosis in southern Taiwan. 2005. Mycoses 48 (6): 413-20.

2. Gupta A., Konnikov N., MacDonald P., Rich P., Rodger N., Edmonds M., McManus R., Summerbell R. Prevalence and epidemiology of toenail onychomycosis in diabetic subjects: A multicentre survey. 1998. The British journal of dermatology 139 (4): 665-671.

3. Gupta A., Lynde C., Jain H., Sibbald R., Elewski B., Daniel C, Watteel G., Summerbell R. A higher prevalence of onychomycosis in psoriatics compared with non-psoriatics: A multicentre study. 1997. The British journal of dermatology 136 (5): 786-789.