Ash fingernails are usually caused by fungi infections, poor hygiene practices, skin diseases, low immunity and chronic exposure to humid environments。
Fungi infections: ash fingernails, medically known as carcasses, most commonly due to fungi infections. These fungus, which include skin fungus, yeast and fungus, enter the nails of the fingernail, causing damage to the nail structure and changes in colour and shape. Fungi prefers warm and humid environments, so that skin around fingernails that is infected with fungi can easily spread to the nail itself。
Poor hygiene practices: poor hygiene practices, such as poor hand washing, prolonged wear of wet footwear, can lead to the breeding of microorganisms around fingernails and increase the risk of fungi infection. The sharing of personal effects, such as towels and slippers, may also lead to the spread of fungi between humans, thus triggering ash fingernails。
Skin diseases: skin diseases, such as rash, silver crumbs, may cause damage to the nail structure, weakening the nails and increasing vulnerability to fungi. The impairment of skin barriers caused by these diseases also provides an opportunity for fungi intrusion。
Low immunity: groups with low immunity, such as the elderly, diabetics, people living with hiv, etc., are more vulnerable to fungi infection due to reduced physical resistance to pathogenic microorganisms. People with chronic use of immunosuppressants are also among the high-risk groups。
Long-term exposure to humid environments: people who work or live in long-term wet environments, such as swimming coaches, cleaners, etc., are kept wet because of frequent exposure to moisture, which provides a good growth environment for fungi. In this environment, fungi are more likely to reproduce and infect nails, leading to the occurrence of ash nails。
Good personal hygiene should be maintained in daily life, hand-washing, clean skin, avoiding long periods of immersion in water, wearing air-breeding footwear and not sharing personal effects with others, in order to prevent ash fingernails。
