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Dermatophytes And Nail Fungus: Five Symptoms Of The Infection

Do you know what dermatophytes are and why they are considered causes of nail fungi? Here are some of its most common symptoms.

Dermatophytes are mainly the source of nail fungus. These are some types of creatures that thrive in wet places like swimming pools, shower rooms, and other public places. Three of the most common types of this nail fungus cause are trichophyton rubrum, trichophyton mentagrophytes, and epidermophyton floccosum.

Generally, dermatophytes have no ability to affect you directly. In most cases, it attacks you if you have an open wound on the surface of your skin or nails. It is important that you must not walk barefooted in wet places or in any dirty floor to avoid contamination.

It is also better if you will let your wound heal first before exposing it to damp areas where fungi mostly thrive. If you suspect of symptoms of contamination, you must have to disinfect quickly. In such a manner dermatophytes will have no chance to attack your skin and nails.

Toenail fungus and dermatophytes

The most common toenail fungal infection that is caused by dermatophytes is known as onychomycosis. This type of nail contamination can also affect your fingernails though it is more predominant in the toes. This is the reason why toenail fungus is highly transferable. The worst scenario is it may affect the different body parts as well.

Symptoms of dermatophyte infection

If you want to know how you may get affected by dermatophytes, here are the symptoms associated with the disease. The symptoms vary as to the stages that you are undergoing:

1.    Where it starts. The first sign of dermatophyte infection commonly begins at the remote edge of your toenails which can later spread widely if not given immediate treatment. Your small and big toenails are the ones most susceptible to fungus infection.

2.    What happens at its onset? At the onset of fungal infection, you will notice that the color of your toenails begin to change. There are tiny marks of white or yellow color that appears below your nails. As soon as the infection becomes severe the color of your nail will turn into dull yellow, brown or black.

3.    Other nail color changes. With onychomycosis, your nail color turns into white instead of the usual yellow or brown. The exterior parts of your nails turn dull, fragile and crumbly.

4.    Changes on the nails’ surface. Contaminated toes turn heavier, crumbly and weak. In serious cases, your nails develop thickly that it is very hard to clip on your nails. This may result to total damage of your nails.

5.    Contaminated toes. Beneath the contaminated toes, you will notice that there are keratinous fragments which are similar to grime. The build-up of usually makes your nails swell. The most obvious symptom of toenail fungus is bad odor beneath the contaminated nails.

Toenail fungus can hamper your daily movements. You will find it hard to wear shoes, especially when you walk. This kind of problem is more prominent in adults than in children. In most cases, it can only be determined by a licensed doctor or podiatrist.