Obnoxious looking, foul smelling, grimy, dark colored nails are some of the symptoms of nail fungus. To know more on nail fungus signs and symptoms, read on the article.

Nail Fungus Symptom

Do your thick, ragged, unsightly nails remind you of the grimy claws of some atrocious beast? Do you avoid going out or meeting new people for the fear of letting your nasty little nail secret out? Nail fungus is indeed an embarrassing condition that plagues millions of people worldwide and can be more serious than you usually deem it to be. Not only do these stained, jagged nails look extremely gross, they can culminate into serious concern, if not treated in time. Incidentally, most people continue to live with it for years on until the fungus begins to wear out their nails and instigate other severe complications. Understand that nail fungus is more than a nagging blight and will not go away on its own unless treated. One of the better ways to boot out your nail infection is to acquaint yourself with the key symptoms of nail fungus. Here is a little overview on the symptoms of nail fungus. Read on to educate yourself more on this.
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Signs & Symptoms Of Nail Fungus
  • Have you noticed a purple or black patch under your nail lately? Watch out, for this unexplained blotch can be a sign of more serious nail fungal infection. Nail fungus are indeed hard to hide and one of the telltale signs of this annoying blight is discoloration of nails. If your nails look yellow, brown or stained, then rush for medical aid at the soonest lest you do not wish to be stuck with a painful condition called onycholysis.
  • Do your nails look flimsy, scraggy and otherwise unhealthy? Frail, jagged nails are another symptom of nail fungus. In fungal infection, the dermatophytes invade the skin through tiny fissures or small bruise, spawning infection on your nails, if overexposed to warmth and moisture for long. This, in turn, can cause your nails to fray and disfigure.
  • One of the initial signs of impending nail infection is sudden appearance of white patches on the nail surface. While it may appear as unimportant in the beginning, know that these white patches may be indication of fungal buildup inside your nail bed or matrix. Rush to your dermatologist at the earliest sign of a white spot to avoid further complication or other secondary infection.
  • Fungal nail infections can be really atrocious, once the infection sets in. In highly severe cases, nail fungus can get worse and ooze out smelly pus. Nail fungus can be very damaging and if ignored for long can spread across the skin and infect the nail tissues too, leading to putrid emission.
  • Another unsightly symptom of nail fungus is buildup of foul smelling keratinous debris under the nail. This is another key symptom of acute fungal infection, which can lead to nail detachment at times.
  • If you have extremely thick or deformed nails, then possible you may be suffering from nail fungus. Most often fungus infection spreads from the nail skin to the nail bed causing fingernails and toe nails to turn thick and bulge or curve towards the corners.
  • Another classic sign of nail fungus is brittle nail or ‘powdery nail’ that usually shows up during the advanced stages of the infection. Prolonged exposure to fungus can cause nails to turn extremely brittle and lead to the accumulation of yellowish white powdery buildup under the nail surface. 

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