Frequently Asked Questions about fungal nail infections

16.JUN.06

• Q: Can a fungal nail infection mimic other diseases?

• A: Fungal nail infections can look like a majority of other nail diseases. This is the reason why a fungal culture is required before starting any treatment.{{more}}

Fungal nail infections are very often interpreted as being nail anomalies consecutive to frictions of the nails inside the shoes, in which case an antifungal treatment is ineffective.

• Q: How frequent are nail fungal diseases?

• A: Fungal nail infections are the most frequent forms of nail diseases, affecting ten percent of the population (approximately one out of ten people).

• Q: Are fungal nail infections contagious?

• A: Nail fungal are contagious. It therefore recommended to avoid walking barefoot and to use one’s own towel.

• Q: What is the usual course of fungal nail infection?

• A: A mycosis on one nail can spread to the other nails, but also to other regions of the body (between the thighs and the buttocks in particular).

• Q: How can one prevent onychomycosis or avoid

relapses?

• A: Avoid walking barefoot in public places (swimming pools, sauna, hammams, sports halls, the doctor’s office.).

Heat and moisture are fostering factors. For mycosis pedis, it is necessary to avoid carrying sport shoes except for sports, to wear shoes with a leather inner sole, to use cotton socks and an anti-perspiring spray with 20% of aluminium chloride in case of excessive perspiration. For hand mycosis, avoid washing hands too often or without adequate protection (cotton or rubber gloves).

Do not stop the treatment until COMPLETE recovery. It is also advised to watch for and treat rapidly all possible relapses, which are frequent, a crack in the interdigits being an early warning sign.