Learn About Nail Problems (Ingrown nails, Athlete's foot, nail fungus) The fingernails and toenails help protect the fingers and toes. Nail care, the proper maintenance of fingernails and toenails, is important because it helps prevent nail problems, such as fungal nail infections and ingrown toenails. However, in some cases, nail problems are symptoms of an underlying medical condition, such as an infection throughout the body. Common nail problems include: Fungal infections
Individuals who do not take proper care of their nails have an increased risk for developing fungal nail infections, such as athlete's foot, onychomycosis or fungal paronychia. Although fungal nail infections can be spread to other people, they are not very contagious, and it is uncommon to acquire an infection from someone else. Onychomycosis is a fungal infection of the nail bed. The fungi that cause the infection prefer warm, moist environments. Therefore, patients are most likely to develop onychomycosis if their nails are frequently exposed to environments such as sweaty socks or shower floors. Because toenails are exposed to these types of environments often, they are more likely to be affected than fingernails. Fungal paronychia is a fungal infection of the skin near the nail beds, and is common among patients with onychomycosis. Fungal paronychia also is common among diabetics and those who frequently get their hands wet for long periods of time (e.g., swimmers). Biting your nails, hangnails or pushing back the cuticles also increases the risk for an infection. In addition, nail polish, nail wax and artificial nails may trap fungi, increasing the risk for infection. Athlete's foot is a common skin infection that's caused by several fungi. You can come in contact with fungi by walking barefoot almost anywhere that's warm and damp, such as the pool area or the locker room at your gym. Wearing someone else's shoes or borrowing a towel also can be risky. Fungal spores are so small that you won't know if fungi are present.
Bacterial paronychia
Although paronychia can be caused by fungus, most cases of paronychia are caused by bacteria. In bacterial paronychia, the bacteria can enter skin around the nail that has been damaged by trauma – such as nail biting, finger sucking, chemical irritants or solvents – and cause an infection. Ingrown toenails
An ingrown toenail is a common condition that occurs when part of the toenail starts to grow into the skin of the toe. Ingrown toenails occur most often on the big toe. Ingrown toenails may occur if the toenails are trimmed too short, if the toenails are unusually curved, if shoes are worn that crowd the toes or if the toenail becomes injured. Ingrown toenails are most common among older adults. This is because the nails naturally thicken with age, which changes the curvature of the nails. Onycholysis
Onycholysis is a condition in which the nail plate separates from the tissue beneath it, usually at the tip of the nail. It's more commonly seen in fingernails than toenails. You'll notice the normal white tip of the nail begins to extend toward the cuticle. The separation between nail plate and nail bed gives dirt a nice place to hide, and provides a fertile home for fungus and bacteria. The most common causes of onycholysis are trauma, when someone, perhaps playing a sport, accidentally tears the nail plate from the bed or when someone cleans too aggressively beneath the free edge of the nail. Continuous exposure to water and contact with chemicals also can lead to onycholysis. In some cases, it may reflect an underlying condition such as hyperthyroidism or psoriasis. To avoid problems, clip your nails short to reduce the chance for tearing.
Lehigh Valley Hospital P.O. Box 689, Allentown, PA 18105 - See all locations
