“Onychomycosis” is the medical term for a fungal nail infection, but it may be easier to just call it what it looks like: “toenail rot.”. Nail fungus can make your toe nails and even your fingernails look like they are rotting away when the nails turn an unsightly yellow and become unnaturally thick.

Nail rot is more than a cosmetic problem. It is not inherited. Onychomycosis is contagious. Never ignore a nail fungus infection and hope it will go away on its own. Recent studies show that certain non-prescription nail fungus remedies can be very effective if the early infection is not ignored or covered up.

Toe nail infections are more common, but nail rot can also occur on the fingernails. Thick, discolored (yellow, brown, or black) nails are an indication of a nail fungus infection. “Toe nail rot” is not an accurate description, even though that is what it may appear like to the toe nail fungus patient.

The fungi that cause the infection invade the skin through small cuts or separations between the nail and the nail bed. Most infections occur with repeated exposure to damp environments, such as locker room showers. Sources of infection can include public showers and swimming pools, old shoes with closed toes, or even home showers that are not cleaned often enough and that are used by other people with fungal infections.

Athlete’s foot, which is an infection of the skin, is caused by the same fungi as toenail rot.

Fungal infections of the nails can spread from one nail to all of the nails, and the longer the infection grows, the harder it is to cure. If you catch a nail rot infection early, you may be able to treat it with a non-prescription nail fungus treatment. However, because of the damage that can result from long-term infection, it is very important to seek medical help and to obtain access to prescription drugs rather than just relying on home remedies, if you are not quickly successful with a natural remedy.

Several oral prescriptions medications are available. These include itraconazole, fluconazole and terbinafine. Remember that it takes many weeks of daily treatment to cure a nail fungus infection with oral medication, so do not stop taking the prescribed medicine early just because your nails start to look better and you think your “nail rot” is cured. The appearance of the nail can improve even though the infection is still present. For a permanent “toenail rot” cure, the medicine must be taken long enough to kill all of the fungus.

Oral prescription treatments for nail fungus can have serious side effects, so be sure to discuss your options completely with your doctor before you agree on a course of treatment. Other medical treatments that your doctor might recommend include daily use of an antifungal nail lacquer (ciclopirox), or a topical cream with an active ingredient such as econazole nitrate. An untreated case of nail fungus could lead to surgery to remove the badly damaged nails.

Early nail fungus treatment is always best, followed by care to prevent re-infection by avoiding repeated exposure to the sources of infection. If you want more information about toenail rot and its treatment, there are a number of informative articles at the Med News You Can Use Nail Fungus Articles Archive.