July 27th, 2010 | 
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Onychomycosis is a term used to describe a variety of toenail fungus disorders. The origin of the term is found by dividing the word in half. The word Onycho refers to nails either toenails or fingernails. The word mycosis refers to a fungal infection. Blending the two we arrive at a fungal infection of the nails. This infection can have several sources but some of them are more or less prevalent in different parts of the world. For example Scytalidium and Candida are pathogens that primarily affect people in tropical areas, while dermatophytes are the most common cause in western countries.
Dermatophytes that cause Onychomycosis include: Trichophyton interdigitale, Trichophyton violaceum, Trichophyton tonsurans, Trichophyton, soudanense, Epidermophyton floccosum, Microsporum gypseum, and Trichophyton rubrum. Trichophyton rubrum is the most common cause of Onychomycosis in the western countries. This disorder becomes more prevalent and likely to occur as a person ages.
Another factor that can increase a persons chances of contracting Onychomycosis would be diabetes. The primary reason a person with diabetes would have a higher risk of contracting this nail fungus is that the diabetes makes them more prone to infections of all kinds. Many diabetics also have poorer circulation in general but especially the legs and feet. The toes often are the most affected by the lack of circulation. Because of the poor circulation the natural immune systems have a more difficult job of fighting off infections in these areas. If the body can not fight off the infection then it stays, grows and becomes more severe.
While this disorder is not typically anything more than cosmetic for most people it can be more dangerous for those with diabetes. Over time the effectiveness of a diabetic persons immune systems lessens. Because of the lowered immunity the body has a more difficult time healing in general but wounds or skin tears or lesions heal at a much slower pace than those in a non diabetic person. As the disorder progresses the toenail becomes much thicker. This thickening makes it more difficult for a person to feel things that they normally would. This decrease in sensitivity can lead to a person tripping or falling because they can not properly feel the floor or obstructions on the floor. When a diabetic person trips or falls they can add injuries to other parts of their bodies.
Often a diabetic person will develop nerve damage in all parts of their bodies. With a decreased ability to feel properly a diabetic person can keep injuring the same places over and over. This makes the already slow healing process take even longer. It is complications like this that have led many health insurance companies able to justify extreme rate hikes for people who have what is essentially only a cosmetic disorder with few or no other medical risks. The percentage of those who have Onychomycosis may be fairly high but those who are at risk of further complications are a miniscule fraction of those who have the disorder total.
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