Do you notice a difference in your toenails? Maybe a white spot or yellow streak underneath the nail? Has the nail thickened considerably or are the edges crumbling? A few changes in the appearance of your toenails may cause you to think that you have toenail fungus. However, that’s not always the case. What exactly is toenail fungus?
What is Toenail Fungus?
Medically known as onychomycosis, toenail fungus is an infection that gets through the cracks of your nails or cuts in your skin, causing discoloration and other unsightly symptoms. How can you tell if you’re suffering from an onset of toenail fungus? Firstly, infected nails are usually thicker than the other nails, crumbling at the edges, and distorted in shape.
It usually starts as a small white or yellow spot under the nail that gets bigger. The darker discoloration is caused by debris build up under the nail. When fungus builds up underneath, the infected nail can loosen and separate from the nail bed. Milder conditions usually don’t need treatment. However, if the infection is left untreated for too long, it can worsen and spread to neighboring toenails, skin, or even your fingernails.
You can get toenail fungus when you’re exposed to warm, moist environments. That is where fungi thrive best. This includes public showers, locker rooms, and pools. Wearing shoes when your feet are still wet can also lead to toenail fungus.
Toenail Fungus Statistics
Toenail fungus is more prevalent than fingernail fungus and is a fairly common condition that affects between 35 and 36 million Americans at any given time. However, only 6.3 million of them have been officially diagnosed by a podiatrist or medical practitioner, and only 2.5 million received actual treatment. An estimated 2 to 18% of people worldwide are affected by toenail fungus, with the number translating to 35 million people worldwide. Toenail fungus also accounts for 50% of all nail diseases, with incidents increasing every year.
Age is a predisposing risk factor for toenail fungus and the chances of getting it to increase as you get older. 25% of adults experience some type of toenail fungus by the time they are 40, and 50% have had at least some sort of toenail fungus by the time they reach the age of 70. Studies have also shown that men are 1.7 to 3.0 times more prone to getting the condition than women. Reasons for this is not clear but may involve social and/or genetic factors.
Among fungal infections, the most difficult to treat by far is toenail fungus, with a high chance of recurrence despite successful initial treatment. In fact, 1 out of 4 people who experience successful treatment suffer from nail fungus recurrence. People with a genetic predisposition to toenail fungus or those who belong to a specific population (such as the elderly, diabetic, etc.) are likely to experience nail fungus recurrence.
