What Doctor Do You Go To For Nail Fungus

Treatment For A Fungal Nail Infection From A Gp

A GP can prescribe antifungal tablets. But before they give you tablets they should take a sample of your nail and have it tested, to find out what type of infection you have.

You may need to take antifungal tablets for up to 6 months.

The tablets can have side effects, including:

• headaches
• loss of taste
• feeling sick and diarrhoea

You cannot take antifungal tablets if you’re pregnant or have certain conditions. They can damage your liver.

Badly infected nails sometimes need to be removed. It’s a small procedure done while the area is numbed .

What Type Of Doctor Should I See About My Nail Health

A doctor who specializes in treating nail and skin disorders is called a dermatologist. You may see your regular doctor about your nail health concerns, and he or she may refer you to a dermatologist. You can also find a dermatologist online at www.aad.org or by calling 462-DERM.

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Are Oral Medications For Nail Fungus Toxic

The newer drugs are unlikely to cause any liver problems in patients without known liver disease. Blood tests are not needed for once-weekly treatment with fluconazole however, people taking longer courses often have their liver function tested before starting the medicine and then retested during the course of treatment. It is important to notify the doctor of all side effects while on the medication. You should tell your doctor of all current medications to prevent potential serious drug interactions.

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What Is The Best Home Remedy For Toenail Fungus

Self-care and body awareness can be key in keeping toenail fungus at bay. Wash feet with warm soapy water and pat completely dry to reduce the spread or growth of fungus on the feet. Allow feet to breathe when possible. Protect your feet and wear breathable shoes and clean socks. Change socks regularly and wash in hot water if you are struggling with toenail fungus. Over-the-counter antifungal powders used for treating athlete’s foot can also be used for treating mild cases of toenail fungus.

Avoid nail polish and pedicures that use polish or nail plate coatings. Even though you may want to conceal the discolored or warped look of an infected toenail, allowing maximum air circulation to the nail and skin of the toes is best.

Podiatrist & Foot And Ankle Surgeon Located In San Jose Ca

People rarely think about their toenails, but maintaining toenail health is as important as keeping any other part of your body well. And just like other body parts, your toenails can become injured or damaged. Experienced podiatrist Leonard Greenwald, DPM, treats nail problems in patients of all ages at his practice in San Jose, California. If a nail issue causes you pain, dont hold off seeking treatment. Call the office or book an appointment online today.

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Treatment Options For Nail Fungus

Interviewer:

Most of my conversation is usually discussing medical therapy, so things that are available by prescription only. And those come in two main forms, which are topical antifungal medications, and then oral antifungal medications. There are other surgical or procedural options, so you can remove nails as well. And then there’s starting to be more interest in technologies like lasers for nail fungus.

Make An Antifungal Foot Soak

Soaking your feet can also be a useful technique in reducing or eliminating toenail fungus. Many common household items can be used to make a healing antifungal foot bath. Mix one or more of the following with warm water and soak feet for 15 to 20 minutes. After foot bath, rinse feet with clean water and pat dry.

• Hydrogen peroxide

• Thieves oil

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Treating A Fungal Infection At Home

Sometimes, its possible to treat a fungal infection at home, although it can take a very long while and isnt always effective. If you wish to try, you will need to follow a cleansing routine daily for many months in order to suppress the infection. Some cosmetic issues related to toenail fungus can be resolved through filing off white markings and applying an over-the-counter antifungal medicine.

Causes Of Toenail Fungus

Our feet come into contact with so many microorganisms, including fungi. Your toenails are especially susceptible around damp areas where youre likely to be barefoot, including pools, showers, lakes, rivers, and locker rooms. Fungus working its way under the nailbed in these conditions is a common cause of toenail fungus issues.

Injured toenails are another cause of toenail fungus. If your nail bed is injured, whether you stub your toe or have too much pressure against the nails from shoes, it can lead to an infection.

Finally, those who suffer from chronic diseases are more susceptible to toenail fungus. This includes diabetics, immunocompromised individuals, and those with poor circulation. All of these illnesses make the feet more prone to fungal infections.

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Living With A Nail Fungal Infection

If you have a nail fungal infection, some things can help:

• Keep your nails cut short and file down any thick areas.
• Dont use the same nail trimmer and file on healthy nails and infected nails. If you have your nails professionally manicured, bring your own nail file and trimmer from home.
• Wear waterproof gloves for wet work . Wear 100% cotton gloves for dry work.
• Wear socks made of wicking material . This pulls moisture away from the skin. Change your socks when they are damp from sweat or if your feet get wet. Put on clean, dry socks every day. Put over-the-counter antifungal foot powder inside your socks to keep your feet dry.
• Wear shoes with good support and a wide toe area. Dont wear pointed shoes that press your toes together.
• Avoid walking barefoot in public areas, such as locker rooms.

Possible Causes Of Toenail Fungus

First off, how did we get to this point? What might have started with a little yellowing has turned into a full-on fungus. And you really just dont know what to do because youre not certain what caused it in the first place.

The truth of the matter here isit could have been caused by a whole number of thingspoor circulation, diabetes, psoriasis, environmental factors like keeping your feet in water too long or being in a locker room that is hot and humid most of the time, etc. The reason behind your toenail fungus could also be a combination of all these things. A fungal infection can spread and get much worse than it already is. If youre starting to see or feel these symptomsyou might want to consider going to a doctor:

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Do You Go To A Dermatologist For Nail Fungus

How do dermatologists treat a fungal nail infection? Treatment usually begins with your dermatologist trimming your infected nail, cutting back each infected nail to the place where it attaches to your finger or toe. Your dermatologist may also scrape away debris under the nail. This helps get rid of some fungus.

What Causes Toenail Fungus

It can happen to anyone at any age but is much more common in older adults. As a person ages, their nails become ever more brittle and dry, which leads to cracks in the nails that bacteria and detritus can enter through.

Toenail fungus is also caused by warm, wet environments. If you walk around with wet shoes or go without footwear when navigating public bathrooms or showers, this can lead to foot fungus issues.

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Are You Looking For A Toenail Fungus Specialist In Austin Tx

If you are looking for toenail fungus care, you should reach out to an experienced podiatrist. Austin Foot and Ankle Specialists can help. Our office provides a wide variety of advanced, effective treatment options for all kinds of painful conditions. Ready to schedule an appointment? Contact us online our Austin office at 512.328.8900.

Do I Need To See A Toenail Fungus Doctor

However, if youve tried these home remedies and youre noticing a marked increase or a lack of improvement in your symptoms, it is recommended you visit a doctor. Especially if the nail becomes painful.

If you are a person suffering from low circulation, a weakened immune system, and/or diabetes, it is also highly recommended that you skip the at-home treatments and go straight to seeing a foot fungus doctor, as you are at a higher risk of severe complications.

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When To Call A Doctor For Severe Nail Fungal Infection

Nail fungal infections can be treated without going to the doctor. They can be successfully and easily cured with over-the-counter medications. Many topical ointments, though, get a bad rap because they are thought to be ineffective in treating nail fungus. However, newer topical solutions that have 10% undecylenic acid and nail-penetrating essential oils are proven to provide effective, safe, and fast cure.

For severe cases of nail fungal infections, its best to see a doctor for best possible treatments. These include worst case scenarios of onychomycosis, in which patients deal with discomfort or increased pain and swelling, other infections, red streaks extending from the area, discharge of pus, and fever with no other cause.

Its also best to go to a doctor if the fungal infection appears to be spreading to the surrounding skin. Other people also seek a doctors advice even if their nail condition is a moderate case because the appearance of the infected nail bothers them.

A general practitioner may be able to handle nail fungal infection cases. However, it is recommended to seek a dermatologist to pinpoint the problem. A dermatologist can give proper diagnosis on skin and nail conditions, and therefore will be able to identify the fungal infection and what type it is.

When To See A Podiatrist About Nail Fungus

When to See a Podiatrist About Nail Fungus

Your local podiatrist can accurately diagnose and effectively treat an incredible array of problems that affect your feet, including nail fungus. While many people think of nail fungus as a minor inconvenience or merely a cosmetic issue, it can in fact lead to serious health problems. When left untreated by your Houston podiatrist , nail fungus can lead to permanent nail damage and infections that spread beyond your feet. While its best to visit your foot doctor sooner, rather than later, you should definitely take the time to schedule an appointment if the following factors apply to you.

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Podiatrist Toenail Fungus Specialist

Toenail fungus is an infection underneath the surface of the nail caused by fungi. When the tiny organisms take hold, the nail often becomes darker in color, debris may collect beneath the nail plate, and white marks may appear on the nail plate. The infection is capable of spreading to other toenails, the skin, or even the fingernails. The resulting fungal nails are thicker and difficult to trim making walking painful when wearing shoes. Toe fungus removal can be performed by a podiatrist.

If your condition is mild and not disturbing you, you may not require treatment. If your nail fungus is painful and has caused thickened nails, self-care steps and meds may help. Yet, regardless of whether treatment is effective, nail fungus regularly returns.

Nail fungus is called onychomycosis .

When fungus infects the zones of the skin of your feet, its called athletes foot .

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• Nails support and protect the sensitive tips of our fingers and toes.
• Common causes of nail problems include injury, infection and skin diseases such as eczema and psoriasis.
• Some conditions need professional treatment from a doctor or a dermatologist.
• People with diabetes or compromised immune systems have a higher risk of fungal nail infections.
• Toenail problems tend to be more common among older people.

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Laser Treatment For Nail Fungus

As you can see, tips for healthy feet without nail fungus can be easy to find. If you have caught nail fungus, it can be easily treated using the FDA-approved PinPointe laser. It typically only takes on treatment. Other treatments like topical solutions and oral medication are not as effective. Topical solutions have a very low cure rate. This is because the solution does not penetrate all the way through the nail bed. This is because it can lead to liver toxicity. You would need to have consistent blood tests throughout the course of taking the medication.

Our nail doctor in St. Louis, MO recommends this treatment for toenail fungus. The PinPointe Laser treatment has the highest cure rate in the market. It has no side effects and no recovery period. As a result, you can go about your daily activities right after the treatment. Also, theres no pain. If you have any signs of nail fungus, call us at 672-0625 our St. Louis, MO location. Visit our website for more information on our doctors at one of our over 150 locations.

How Do You Treat Toenail Fungus

You can discuss the different treatment options with your to find out which one is best for you and the type of toenail fungus you have.

With any toenail fungus treatment, patience is key! It takes anywhere from 9 months to a year for your toenails to grow from base to tip. This means it could take just as long for total clearing of the nail from the toenail fungus.

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If You Arent Sure Of The Diagnosis

If a podiatrist has never diagnosed you with nail fungus before, you may be incorrectly self-diagnosing your condition. There are many foot and nail conditions that can mimic the abnormalities associated with nail fungus, such as onycholysis, a hematoma under the nail, psoriasis, and paronychia. By scheduling an appointment with a foot and ankle specialist, you can be sure that youre getting the right treatment for your specific condition.

Common Causes Of Ingrown Toenails

The leading cause of ingrown toenails is improper foot care essentially, not visiting your podiatrist or trimming your toenails often enough. Cutting nails too short or leaving the corner of the nail square also makes ingrown nails more likely.

Other factors that make ingrown nails more likely include wearing too-small shoes or even the natural shape of your toenails. Athletes constantly pounding the pavement, teachers, nurses, and anyone who spends a lot of time on their feet will also be at a higher risk of developing an ingrown toenail.

In very rare cases, ingrown toenails happen suddenly, after banging your toe just in the right place or having a hefty weight fall on top of it.

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The Initial Causes What Kind Of Doctor Can Treat Toenail Fungus

If you suspect that your nails are infected with fungus, it is best to consult your doctor and get a diagnosis. Your doctor will ask you about the symptoms and conduct a thorough examination of your nails. A biopsy is required to determine the cause of the infection. Various types of fungus are found in the skin, including the toenails. Among the most common forms of nail fungus are yellow and black, with white patches surrounded by dark brown or white spots.

The infection is caused by fungus. It can spread to the skin and other parts of the body. It is very common to find a nail fungus on the foot in elderly people, and it is often not treated until the condition gets worse. The disease can even be spread to the skin. The afflicted person should see a doctor immediately if they notice any changes in the color of his or her nails.

Nail fungus can occur in the toenails. The infection occurs due to a variety of factors, including excessive moisture, soaking your hands in water, and a lack of hygiene. If the afflicted person is prone to infection, the fungus will grow in the toenails and may spread to other parts of the body. Consequently, it is essential to prevent the nail fungus from spreading to the skin

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Know Not To Be Afraid

Surgery can be nerve-wracking and scary. Nobody likes pain, hospitals, scalpels, cuts, and anesthesia. The whole idea can be very unpleasanteven reading about it can turn the stomach!

But, it is very important to remember that thousands of people have experienced nail removal and have lived to tell about it! While there may be some discomfort and pain following the procedure, if a qualified doctor or other medical professional has concluded this is the best treatment for your specific problem, let that give all the comfort it should. We are very blessed to live in a world where so many health problems can be easily corrected!

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How Can I Treat Toenail Fungus At Home

If you visit the drugstore, you can choose from a variety of over-the-counter antifungal medications. You may decide to use those or ask Dr. Yamini for his recommendations. Keep your nails clean and trimmed to help the medication penetrate.

Urea-containing creams may help you thin thickened nails so you can trim them.