Antifungal Nail Polish - The Different Types And Causes Of Nail Fungus

Fungal infections of the nails are extremely common, affecting an estimated 11 million Americans. How would you know if your nails are infected? Because nail fungus infection takes time to develop, it can be hard at first to determine the presence of nail fungus. Once the infection has become well established, it's hard to miss the signs of nail fungus. Individuals with nail fungal infections tend to suffer from thick, yellowish nails that grow irregularly often manifesting ridges or spots. Their nails may also change to a black or brown in color. So how do our nails to become like this? Here's a quick overview of they more common types of nail fungus.

First, you'll need to learn the nature of fungus. Fungus will grow in any dark, moist, warm area. It will grow anywhere in our environment as well as on our skin. Nail fungus infections happen when fungi enters the nails and discovers an environment that allows it to grow and thrive. People who are prone to developing nail fungal infections may have nails that could be more vulnerable. For example, people that work in warm, damp areas could be more at risk.
One of the most common types of fungus is related to the one that causes athlete's foot. This fungus is known as tinea. The tinea fungus is sometimes found on those who have athlete's foot. This form of fungus can grow around the skin and infect the nails. Dermatologists estimate that around thirty percent of individuals that become affected with athlete's foot might also develop a nail infection.
Another common form of fungi that can cause serious infections is "Candida". Candida is a common yeast that may cause infections in skin around nails. Candida is known as a nasty type of fungus that has been known to develop into a hard to treat skin and nail infection. Yeast fungi are the most common types in the U.S..
Another common type of fungi that's responsible for many nail fungal infections around the globe is known as "dermatophyte". This form of fungi basically means "plant that lives on the skin." Dermatophyte is characterized by its small, "parasitic like" properties. Dermatophyte fungi are most common in warmer locations of the world. The fungi work by consuming keratin (the protein that is the foundation of our skin, hair, and nails), and this causes a triggered reaction in the nails to produce additional keratin. This causes the nails to thicken and eventually become discolored. When nails thicken due to infection, they might separate from the rest of the toe or finger. Dermatophyte fungi are also responsible for other common skin and nail infections, including many types of athlete's foot, "crotch rot" and ringworm.
All types of fungi flourish in damp, warm, dark environments. In order toprevent fungus from multiplying beneath your nails, keep your feet and hands clean and dry. Avoid the warm, dark, wet and filthy conditions that fungus love to reside in because once they have settled in, it can be very difficult to rid the nails and skin of fungi for good.

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