What is a Nail Fungus?

A Nail Fungal infection occurs when fungi attack your nails through small cuts in the skin around your nail or through the opening between your nail and nail bed. The fungus attacks a fingernail, a toenail, or the skin under the nail. If you are healthy, a fungal nail infection won’t cause serious problems, however, it may look bad, hurt, or damage your nail or nail bed.

Fungal nail infection may lead to more serious problems if you are a diabetic or have a weak immune system. It is important to get your doctor involved if you think you have a nail fungus infection. Doing nothing is not the way to handle this, treatment is easy to get and, in most cases, resolves the issue.

Yeasts, molds, and different kinds of fungi can cause fungal nail infections. Most are caused by the same type of fungus that causes athlete’s foot. Fungi grow best in warm, moist places, and can spread by contact from person to person. You can get a fungal nail infection from walking barefoot in public showers or pools or by sharing personal items, such as towels and nail clippers. If you have an athlete’s foot, the fungus can spread from your skin to your nails.