You may wonder, “Is toenail fungus contagious?” Yes it is.
All types of fungus can be contagious, including toenail fungus, although it is very rare. In cases of toenail fungus, the actual fungus is living underneath the toenail and is encapsulated.
This makes it extremely hard for it to spread. Even people who have one or two toenails that are infected, have no traces of fungus in the other toes. However unlikely though, it is possible. This is why doctors don’t recommend sharing socks or shoes, or bathwater. Older people seem to be the most affected by toenail fungus. Diabetics and HIV patients are highly prone as well.
Is toenail fungus contagious? In nature, yes it is and can spread from one person to another if ignored. Showers in the bathrooms and the locker rooms are the primary places where one can easily come in contact with the pathogens. Especially if the place is uncleaned or unhygienic. People should always wear sandals while in a public shower and should also apply foot spray afterward.
The most contagious part of toenail fungus is the residual fungus that inhabits the shoe. This fungus will re-infect the skin and toenail even after they have been treated and cured. Shoes should be thrown out or sprayed with an anti-fungal spray called Mycomist to disinfect them.
Toenail Fungus has several long and fancy medical names, like Onychomycosis, Tinea unguium and Ringworm of the nail.
It is a kind of an infection caused by a fungal group known as Dermatophytes. This group is also known as Dermatophytic onychomycosis.
The sweaty atmosphere in the average running shoe make the perfect breeding ground for Dermatophytes. They feed on the keratin and protein rich nails. The keratin is the element which makes the toenail hard and gives it it’s strength.
Medical professionals have classified toenail fungus into four separate categories:
1. Distal Subungual Onychomycosis – This is probably the most common of the four, and is caused by a fungus named Trichophyton rubrum. This fungus is dangerous because it tries to cause harm to the toenail by entering the nail bed and making its way beneath the nail plate. Once there it will attempt to feed and destroy the keratin present.
2. Candida Onychomycosis – This type of fungus is generally caused by keeping the finger or toenails beneath water for an extended period of time.
3. Proximal Subungal Onchomycosis – This fungus is a kind of tinea unguium that usually attacks people whose immune systems are relatively weak and compromised. Here the fungus begins it’s attack through the proximal nail fold to the nail plate and then goes for the nail bed.
4. White Superficial Onychomycosis – This fungus appears as tiny ‘white islands’ on the nail due to the erosion of the superficial layers of the nail. Thus the name White Superficial, but this kind only accounts for a very small fraction of overall cases of Toenail Fungus.
