Toenail fungus is certainly not a good theme for discussion at the dinner table. There are more people than you realize who get this type of fungal infection. Any type of fungus that grows enough to become an infection has to be treated rapidly. If you let the infection continue, then additional problems could come up such as loss of finger and toenails. Yes, it is possible to contract toenail fungus on the nails on your fingers, too. Higher humidity with low light encourages the growth of this fungus, and that is why it is referred to as toenail fungus. Toenail fungus also have to be treated because it is communicable not only to others but can spread in your body.

One of the initial symptoms of toenail fungus is nail discoloration. Many may dismiss this because it looks like slightly filthy toenails. A telltale giveaway with it, however, is those spots cannot be cleaned away. That inability to clean the dirty nail is something to keep in mind. That is something you are not going to be able to do with any type of scraping action. Left untreated, you will watch your affected nail eventually become really dark in color. There are many different treatments available you can find that do not need a docotr's prescription.

You are going to shortly find yourself having more problems to deal with if you ignore the infection. Drastically thinner nails is very common with a lot of people, although not everyone experiences it. But, some whose nail become thicker. Other symptoms of more severe problems include toenails that are chipping, cracking and easily damaged. The outcome will be loss of the nail totally with advanced cases. An additional indication as the infection becomes more serious is a slightly foul smell emitted by the affected toenail.

Unfortunately there is a discomfort factor tied to toenail fungus, and the more advanced it becomes the more discomfort there is. Keep in mind that the toenail fungus infection does not take place on the outer nail, but it does start on the nail bed below. What occurs is the fungus begins metabolizing the nail because it is eating the keratin protein found in the toenaail. Typically, toenail fungus thrives really well in humid places far from light. You can help prevent the infection from happening by taking good care of your nails, and avoid wearing too tight shoes all the time. Optimum growth conditions may come about due to a skin pH that is outside of what is considered average.

Sufficient cleanliness of your self and nails, of course, is the most effective way to keep this condition from developing. Since this is a contagious condition, you should be careful in places like public hot rooms and steam rooms at health facilities and similar places. Oral and topical skin cures are available over the counter that are efficacious.