3 Ways to Identify Fungal Nail Infections

1. Don't Risk a Fungal Outbreak

Several factors put you at higher risk to get nail fungus. Knowing what increases your risk of fungal nail infections, helps you better determine if what's growing on your thumb nail is indeed fungus related. Nail fungus is most common in adults 60 years of age and older. People with circulatory system problems or those with diabetes are also more prone to the infection. If you have any disorder or take medication that lowers your immune system, then you may be in for an attack. Take a survey of the places you visit, as trips to the gym or swimming pool make catching a nail fungus more likely, especially if you walk on the gym floor barefoot. If your feet are often wet with perspiration from wearing heavy boots or from keeping your feet covered all the time, fungus is more likely to grow. Get some sunshine on your feet once in a while and you may lower your chances of getting a fungal infection. Fungus loves dark moist places and will take the opportunity to grow if left unchecked.

2. See How My Fungus Grows

If you think you may have a nail fungus, make an appointment to see your doctor. She may choose to identify fungal nail infections by simply looking at your nail. If you have discoloration, trapped debris under the nail, brittleness, a change in the luster, thickening, distortion, crumbling or detaching of your nail, your doctor may start treatment right away. She may decide to treat with an anti-fungal, or do further testing, but she can usually tell a nail fungal infection just by looking at your nail.

3. Scrape It to Show the Fungi

Your doctor may also take a sample of the nail to identify fungal nail infections. He does this with a simple scraping of the material on the nail with a sampling tool. He then sends the substance to a lab where it is either cultured to see what grows or examined under a microscope to identify the type of fungus. Knowing this information enables your doctor to treat the fungus more effectively with the most appropriate anti-fungal drug. Your doctor may also choose to remove the infected nail completely and let a new nail grow in its place. This new growth may take months to appear, so the top of your finger or toe will be naked and nail-less for some time--protect it appropriately.