Onychomycosis, commonly known as nail fungus, is a fungal infection that can affect the toenails or fingernails, though it is found more frequently in the toenails. Onychomycosis is usually first detected when the patient notices discoloration in the nail e.g. yellow toenails. Those infected with onychomycosis usually do not seek treatment initially because it is often seen only as a cosmetic concern. However, left untreated the fungus will continue to feed on the nail and spread, causing the nail to become thicker, brittle, and crumble around the edges. Keratin debris will accumulate between the nail and the nail bed, causing separation (onycholysis) and potentially leaving permanent damage to the nail.
Onychomycosis is the most common nail disease in adults. Prevalence of Onychomycosis is linked with factors such as age, genetic predisposition, diabetes, and immune suppressing diseases such as HIV. Adults are 30 times more likely to suffer from onychomycosis than those under the age of 18.
There are several subtypes of onychomycosis which are classified based on the cause and progress of the infection. The primary subtypes of onychomycosis are distal lateral subungual onychomycosis, white superficial onychomycosis, proximal subungual onychomycosis, and endonyx onychomycosis. A patient may show multiple subtypes of onychomycosis. Once any subtype reaches the advanced stages of infection, it is referred to as dystrophic onychomycosis.
Distal Lateral Subungual Onychomycosis (DLSO)
This is the most common form of onychomycosis and it affects the area between the nail and the nail bed. The infection usually starts from the skin and spreads to the underside of the nail.
White Superficial Onychomycosis (WSO)
This form of onychomycosis is very rare. The fungi directly invades the nail itself, though it sometimes spreads to infect the nail bed.
Proximal Subungual Onychomycosis (PSO)
This subtype of onychomycosis is the least frequently observed subtype. The initial infection is caused by infection of the skin around the nail (the cuticle), eventually spreading to the nail itself.
Endonyx Onychomycosis (EO)
This subtype initially infects the skin, much like distal lateral subungual onychomycosis. However, rather than spreading to the nail bed, the fungus attacks the nail itself.
Dystrophic Onychomycosis
This term isn’t a separate subtype of onychomycosis, but refers to the stage of infection in which any of the above subtypes has infected the entire nail. Once the infection has reached this stage, there is a very serious risk of permanent damage to the nail. At this stage, the nail is usually very thick, opaque, and the yellow toenails have given way to a yellow-brown color. The patient may feel pain and there may be a foul odor emitted from the infected area.
Treating Onychomycosis
It is very important to treat onychomycosis as early as possible. If you notice yellow toenails or fingernails, or a white discoloration, there are several over the counter treatments that have proven effective in treating and curing onychomycosis. It is important that onychomycosis treatment is sought early, before it has had a chance to advance to dystrophic onychomycosis.
Our Toenail Fungus Treatment Recommendation
One of the best over-the-counter medications for toenail fungus treatment – and the one we recommend to patients – is Zetaclear. Zetaclear uses a two-pronged attack to fight toenail fungus and yellow toenails, including an oral spray that delivers medication to the bloodstream to weaken the fungus and a topical solution that applies an anti-fungal solution directly to the infected area.
Not only does Zetaclear work faster than any prescription drug we’ve tried for mild to moderate toenail fungus, none of our patients have reported any negative side effects. If you’re having problems with yellow toenails and toenail fungus, we’ve included a link below where you can purchase supply of Zetaclear for as low as $49.99 by ordering directly from the manufacturer. We highly suggest you give it a try.