Fungal infections of the nails are extremely common, affecting an estimated 11 million Americans. How would you know if your nails are infected? Because nail fungus infection takes time to develop, it can be hard to diagnose at first to determine if it's really nail fungus. Once the infection has become well established, it's hard to miss the signs of nail fungus. Those with nail gungus disorders have a tendency to suffer from thicker, discolored nails that grow out irregularly often manifesting ridges or spots. Their nails may also turn black or brown in color. So what causes our nails to become like this? Here is a brief explanation of they most common types of nail fungus.

First, you'll need to learn the nature of fungus. Fungus grows in any warm, dark and moist area. It will grow everywhere in our environment as well as on our skin. Nail fungus infections will occur when the fungus enters the nails and discovers an environment which allows it to thrive and grow. Individuals who are prone to developing nail fungal infections may have nails that have a history of being vulnerable. For example, individuals that work in warm, damp locations may be more at risk.

One of the most common types of fungi is related to the fungus that causes athlete's foot. This fungus is known as "tinea". The tinea fungus may be present in individuals who have athlete's foot. This type of fungus can grow around the skin and penetrate the nails. Dermatologists estimate that approximately 30% of those affected with athlete's foot can also develop a nail infection.

Another common type of that has been responsible for serious infections is "Candida". Candida is a common yeast that may cause infections in skin around nails. Candida has been branded as a nasty form of fungus that may develop into a difficult to treat skin and nail infection. Yeast fungi are the most common types in the U.S..

Another common type of fungi that is responsible for millions of nail fungal infections around the world is known as "dermatophyte". This type of fungi basically means "plant that lives on the skin." Dermatophyte is characterized by its small, "parasitic like" properties. Dermatophyte fungi is most common in warm areas of the world. The fungi work by consuming keratin (the protein that makes up our hair,skin and nails), and this causes a triggered reaction in the nails to produce extra keratin. This is responsible for causing the nails to thicken and eventually becoming discolored. When nails thicken due to infection, they've been known to separate from the rest of the toe or finger. In addition,Dermatophyte fungi are also the cause of other common nail and skin infections, including some types of athlete's foot, ringworm and "crotch rot."

All types of fungus flourish in warm, dark and moist environments. To prevent fungi from multiplying underneath your nails, keep your feet and hands clean and dry. Stay away from the warm, dark, wet and dirty areas that fungus love to reside in because once they have settled in, it can be quite difficult to rid the skin and nails of fungi forever.