Fungal Skin or Nail Infections

You don’t catch yeast infections. The yeast is already there. A number of factors can increase the chance of the yeast growing out of control:

• Overuse of antibiotics. Yeast must compete for the right to live on us with various other species, many of them bacteria. These bacteria, which live on the skin and in the intestine and vagina, among other places, are harmless but good at fighting off yeast. When we take antibiotics to deal with less friendly bacteria, we kill off these harmless ones as well. Yeast, which is unaffected by antibiotics, moves into the vacated spots once occupied by bacteria, and starts to grow and multiply.
• Steroids and some cancer medications weaken the immune system and can allow yeast to flourish.
• Warm, humid environments allow yeast to thrive and overgrow.
• Obesity, diabetes, and pregnancy also encourage yeast infections. Yeast generally infects intertriginous areas (areas where skin contacts skin). Overweight people have more folds in their skin. They also sweat more, and candida albicans is fond of moist skin. Moist diapers can also provide a good environment for the yeast to grow. People with diabetes have high blood glucose and increased glucose levels in other body secretions, which encourages the growth of yeast. Pregnancy causes temporary weight gain and may temporarily weaken the immune system.
• Having your hands in the water frequently or having a poorly done manicure can increase the risk of yeast nail infections.

Dermatophyte infections are potentially contagious. You usually catch them through direct contact with another person or with an animal. You can also catch them through soil contact or contact with objects that an infected person has touched, although this is less common.