What is Toenail Fungus? 

Toenail fungus, commonly known by physicians as Onychomycosis, affects about half of Americans by the time they reach age 70.

Symptoms of toenail fungus include a yellowing, thickening, or crumbling of the nail. The condition will usually start out as a couple of streaks or dots under the nail bed, yellow to white in color. Those streaks or dots are bits of the nail fungus; they will usually infect your entire at later stages of the condition.

Fungal infections can affect the fingernails as well but are much more common in the toenails. Toenail fungus is also much more difficult to treat, this is due to the toenails being kept in a dark, warm, moist environment in ones shoes and socks.

What causes Toenail Fungus?

The nail fungus infection may be due to a dermatophyte, yeast, or nondermatophyte mould.

Dermatophytes:

Dermatophytes are the most common cause of nail fungus. These dermatophytes are the organisms that lurk in damp areas such as swimming pools, shower stalls and public gyms.

The 3 most common Dermatophytes that cause nail fungus are:

-Trichophyton rubrum
-Trichophyton mentagrophytes
-Epidermophyton floccosum

If your nails happen to come into contact with Dermatophytes it does not mean you will necessarily be infected with nail fungus. Usually a Dermatophyte will find its way in through some sort of trauma to the nail. For example, if you stub your toe and then walk barefoot across a dirty floor. It is always a good idea to keep an eye on an injured nail to make sure it heals properly. Any signs of infection should be disinfected immediately; otherwise you are simply giving the Dermatophytes an invitation to come on in and start the nail fungus party!

Yeast:

Doctors have known for a while that there is a strong connection between yeast and nail fungus. Yeasts live naturally in the human body and can survive anywhere there is moisture; your nail beds are the perfect host! Although fingernail and toenail fungus are not life threatening they may be a sign of other health problems; if you have nail fungus it could me you have an overgrowth of yeast in other parts of your body (usually in the intestinal track).
 
One form of yeast which is commonly associated with fungal infections is Candida Albicans; this yeast lives in the mouth and intestinal tract but can also infect other parts of the body such as the skin, hair and nails. Candida Albicans which is present in about 80% of the human population will usually never result in any harmful effects, but an overgrowth of this yeast can cause many different conditions including Candidal Onychomycosis (nail fungus caused by yeast). Please see the special section on how to control yeast by clicking "Sugar, Carbs and Yeast".