Candidal onychomycosis

　　Candidal onychomycosis is common in children with the habit of biting their fingers, with symptoms of unclear boundaries, redness, and edema of the nail groove behind the index or ring finger nails. The symptoms of onychomycosis gradually worsen and expand, which can extend to both sides of the nail groove, but there is no pus and no acute inflammatory pain. Patients may have onychomycosis at the same time, with cloudy white spots under the nail plate, and although the nail plate surface is uneven, the nail plate is still smooth.

　　When the condition of candidal onychomycosis cannot be effectively controlled, it will cause the following complications:
　　1. Subungual abscess If candidal onychomycosis is not treated in time, the abscess spreads under the nail, and infection also occurs between the nail plate and the nail bed. The skin and nail margin around the nail groove swells and is painful, and yellowish-white pus can be seen under the nail. Some patients may have systemic symptoms such as low fever and increased white blood cells.
　　2. Empyema of the finger tip When candidal onychomycosis worsens, the infection spreads to the skin of the distal phalanx, causing swelling and pain in the finger tip.

　　Candidal onychomycosis is part of the symptoms of chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis. Some nail fungus patients are caused by candidal infection, often accompanied by chronic paronychia; it can also be seen in patients with dysbiosis caused by drug treatment or AIDS patients. The clinical symptoms are redness and swelling of the nail groove, discoloration of the nail plate, and white spots. Fungal spores and pseudohyphae can be found in the keratin under the nail plate or inflammatory secretions at the root of the nail.

　　Candidal onychomycosis can reduce its incidence rate through prevention, and specific measures include:
　　1. Take care of the skin around the nails in daily life, do not let it be damaged, and do not cut the nails too short, let alone pull 'inverted nails' with your hands.
　　2. Wood splinters, bamboo splinters, needle threads, fish bone splinters, and other foreign objects are the most prone to injure the nail groove in daily life. Be extra careful when working or busy with household chores.
　　3. Pay attention to the care of the fingers in daily life, apply some Vaseline or skin cream after washing hands and before going to bed, which can enhance the disease resistance of the skin around the nail groove.
　　4. When there are minor injuries to the fingers, apply 2% iodine tincture and then wrap with a bandage to prevent infection.
　　6. If there is pus, it should be drained in a timely manner at the hospital to prevent the spread of infection and osteomyelitis of the phalanx.
　　7. If there is pus under the nail, the nail should be pulled out to facilitate complete drainage and cure.
　　8. Choose shoes that are appropriate in size, fit, and are light and comfortable.
　　9. Trim toe nails frequently, cut them into an arc shape, leave no nail tips on both sides of the nail groove, do not cut the nail groove at will, and if the toes are pressed against each other, apply a moderate amount of disinfected cotton or soft material into the toe seam to separate them, so that the toes can develop normally and prevent the nails from being pressed into the nail groove.
　　10. Develop good hygiene habits, do not pull out ingrown toenails at will. Once ingrown toenails appear, they should be cut with scissors, and it is禁忌 to pull them out forcibly.
　　11. Do not cut nails too short. If there are minor wounds on the fingers, apply iodine tincture after applying a bandage with sterile gauze to protect the wound and prevent infection.

　　When diagnosing candidal onychomycosis, in addition to relying on clinical manifestations, auxiliary examinations are also needed. This disease can be distinguished through skin examination and biopsy. It seriously affects the daily life of patients, so it should be actively prevented.

　　Dietary considerations for candidal onychomycosis

　　1. Consume a high-protein diet: A high-protein diet is essential for maintaining healthy nails, and egg yolks are a good source of protein. Oatmeal, nuts, seeds, grains, and dairy products are rich in plant protein.

　　2. Eat more vegetables and fruits: Fruits and vegetables should account for 50% of daily food intake.

　　For early candidal onychomycosis, heat compresses, physical therapy, and topical application can be used. Iodine or antibiotics can be applied. For those with pus, a longitudinal incision can be made at the nail groove for drainage. When the infection has involved the subcutaneous tissue around the base of the finger nail, longitudinal incisions can be made on both sides of the nail groove, the epidermal sheet of the nail root can be flipped up, the nail root can be excised, and a small piece of vaseline gauze or latex sheet can be placed for drainage. If there is pus under the nail bed, the nail should be pulled out or the nail at the pus cavity should be cut off. When pulling out the nail, care should be taken to avoid damaging the nail bed to prevent the newly grown nail from becoming deformed in the future.