How Does Toenail Fungus Look Like
According to medical terminology, toenail fungus is the gradual corruption of your nails at the hands of dangerous bacteria. This medical condition is contagious, and you may transfer it to other people or your other toenails and fingernails. It starts with a slight discoloration of the nail bed and a gradual thinning of the edges of your nails. If left untreated, the entire tissue may become black, brittle and detached. The surrounding skin is also affected as it slowly turns worn and flaky.
Can I Wear Nail Polish If I Have Toenail Fungus
You may feel tempted to cover up a discolored toenail with nail polish. But if youre using a topical antifungal, you probably shouldnt use polish. Your healthcare provider may tell you not to wear it in any case.
Nail polish traps in moisture from your nailbed . Because fungi thrive in moist environments, wearing nail polish may make a fungal infection worse. However, your nail continues to grow with or without polish.
Injuries To Your Feet Can Encourage Toenail Fungus
Foot injuries happen to anyone. If youre athletic, work outdoors, serve as a combat soldier, or have a job that requires being on your feet a lot, its possible youre getting foot injuries more often than normal.
Wearing shoes that constrict your feet and feel tight means youre sweating, trapping in heat, and not having enough room to move. Your feet cannot breathe properly.
If youre wearing this type of footwear for many hours with an injury, your nail bed can become prone to cracking. This causes the toenail to lift from the bed, creating further problems and opening the door for toenail fungus to seep in.
If youre noticing pain thats emerging from your toenail beds, evaluate your feet and see how they look. Take note of the above-mentioned symptoms, such as color, smell, and what the bed itself looks like.
Even if you cant change the circumstances, you can seek out footwear thats comfortable and offers you greater protection. Look for ways to avoid further foot injuries, so you arent making yourself vulnerable to further toenail infections.
This is the first step in helping your nails recover and preventing further growth that spreads across your feet.
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How To Catch Nail Fungus Early
You likely have an image in your mind of what toenail fungus looks like. The symptoms are pretty classic:
- A yellowish or brownish color
- Thickening of the nails
But what if we told you that, by the time you see these signs, the fungus has already had plenty of time to set up shop and bury itself deep within your toenails?
It takes a lot of time for symptoms such as those above to appear. And lets be honest: even when the main symptoms start to appear, we tend to have a habit of overlooking it, or just hoping it goes away on its own at least until it becomes too significant of a problem to ignore.
We are not judging here. It is a very common and very human behavior.
Nevertheless, the fact remains that the sooner a fungal infection is diagnosed and addressed, the faster and more effective treatments tend to be. And when it comes to toenail fungus, the early signs are definitely not as obvious as what they end up becoming.
Catching and treating a fungal infection at its earliest stages can save you plenty of time and trouble, so we highly recommend paying attention to your feet and periodically checking for these first symptoms..
What Is The Most Effective Treatment For Toenail Fungus
The most effective toenail fungus treatment for you will largely depend on your symptoms and situation. Your healthcare provider will consider several factors before recommending a treatment plan. Theyll customize a treatment plan for you.
Overall, oral antifungal medications may offer the most treatment potential. Pairing oral drugs with topical antifungal medication may make treatment more effective.
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How Can I Prevent A Fungal Rash
In some people, fungal rashes tend to come back even after treatment. Recurring infections may be due to genetics you may be more prone to developing these infections. These steps can help prevent a rash from recurring or developing in the first place:
Good foot hygiene
- Change your socks and wash your feet regularly. Avoid shoes made of plastic, which doesnt breathe.
- Dont walk barefoot, especially in places that may be wet, such as gym showers and locker rooms.
- When cutting your toenails, cut straight across the nail. If you have an ingrown toenail, you may need to see a podiatrist to care for it. And if you have a fungal nail infection, dont use the same nail clippers on healthy nails and infected nails.
Proper medicine use
- If your healthcare provider prescribed a cream , use the medicine as long as directed. Even after you can no longer see the rash, the fungal infection may still be there, so keep applying the cream as long as your provider recommends.
- Your healthcare provider may recommend the same course of treatment for all the members of your family. Often, people living together can pass an infection back and forth. Treating everyone will help make sure the infection is truly gone.
- Talk to your healthcare provider about whether you should use an antifungal cream regularly on your feet and nails to help prevent infections.
- Using antifungal powder in your shoes every day may help prevent athletes foot.
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What To Do If You Have Toenail Fungus
If you have tried the over-the-counter methods mentioned above and still arent able to eradicate your toenail fungus, its time to visit us at Red Mountain Footcare. Let our professionals determine the proper way to treat your hard-to-treat fungus and get you the relief you deserve. Call us for an appointment today!
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Nail Fungus: Polish Cream Or Tablets
Nail fungus can be very persistent. Topical treatment with nail polish may take up to one year. Tablets for treating fungal nail infections usually have to be taken for several weeks or months. They are much more effective than topical treatments, but they have more side effects.
Brittle nails and a whitish-yellowish or brownish discoloration are typical signs of nail fungus. The nails may also become thicker and change shape. The affected part of the nail sometimes detaches from the nail bed. The treatment options for nail fungus include nail polishes and creams as well as tablets. Nail polishes and creams are available in pharmacies without a prescription.
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When To See A Doctor About Toenail Fungus
If you are experiencing persistent toenail fungus or pain is present, you may need to see a specialist. A dermatologist or podiatrist may be able to assess your symptoms and send a small sample of the affected toenail or flesh to a laboratory to be analyzed as there are various types of fungi and yeasts that cause onychomycosis. Knowing the specific cause of your foot fungus can help identify what route to take to treat your condition.
Nail changes can also be caused by underlying conditions, like psoriasis and diabetes, so its important to seek professional medical advice if your condition persists or worsens. Bacterial and fungal infection of skin in diabetes patients often result in hospital admissions, and in severe cases, can result in amputations. If you are at a higher risk for infection, you should skip home remedies and seek professional medical treatment.
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On My First Visit Dr Patel Diagnosed The Problem As Plantar Fasciitis And Began Treatment
I was dealing with nearly unbearable pain in my left foot. I was barely able to get through each day. I was sure my neuropathy was the problem. I went to a local podiatrist who told me the only problem I had was the neuropathy in my feet and I needed to see a neurologist. After conferring with my family doctor he referred me to Dr. Sanjay Patel.
On my first visit, Dr. Patel diagnosed the problem as Plantar Fasciitis and began treatment. After following Dr. Patels advice I no longer have pain in my left foot.
Is Toenail Fungus Contagious
At first blush you may think toenail fungus is more of a cosmetic issue than an urgent concern, until winter turns to spring and you find the perfect pair of trendy sandals. You look down at your feet and notice your toenails look discolored. Now what?
Three quick questions no doubt will come to mind. How do I get rid of this? How did I get it in the first place? And is it contagious?Dr. Jarna Rathod-Bhatt andDr. Rahul Bhatt, our skilled podiatrists atApple Podiatry Group, are here to explain annoying toenail fungus and to help you get back to clearer, healthy nails as soon as possible.
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Fast Facts On Nail Fungal Infection:
- Microscopic fungi in the nail cause the condition.
- It can affect both fingernails and toenails but is more common in feet.
- Diagnosis is carried out by examination of the debris under the nail.
Treating nail fungus infections can be a long and expensive process. There are oral antifungal medications, topical ointments, and alternative therapies. Over the counter creams and ointments are available, but they have not proved very effective.
Oral medications for nail fungus infection include:
- greater clinical effects than the prescribed antifungal medication ketoconazole.
Other alternative medicines used to treat nail fungal infections include Australian tea tree oil, vinegar, listerine, and grapefruit seed extract. However, there is no scientific evidence supporting the use of these products.
Laser Treatment Is Available
Here at Apply Podiatry Group, we can usually provide same-day treatment for toenail fungus. Although we offer traditional treatment options like topical creams, oral antifungal drugs, and medical nail polish, we can treat particularly stubborn cases of toenail fungus with an advanced in-office laser procedure called PinPointe FootLaser®.
PinPointe uses laser technology to penetrate the nail to effectively clear the infection festering underneath. Treatment sessions take about 30 minutes. Your clearer, healthier nails may be just a few short treatment sessions away.
You can also ask us about KeryFlex® nail-restoration treatments for covering your nail while its being treated.
If youre experiencing toenail fungus symptoms and want to learn how our top-ranked podiatrists at Apple Podiatry Group can help, contact us for a toenail fungus exam.Book an appointment while youre online now, or you can call one of our offices in Arlington or Irving, Texas.
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How Is Toenail Fungus Diagnosed
Onychomycosis is diagnosed mainly by appearance. There are a few conditions, like psoriasis, that can make the nails get thickened and brittle, but the vast majority of the time it is caused by fungus. Back when the medications used to treat toenail fungus were especially toxic and expensive, I would send off a clipping of the nail for culture, but the culture took several months to yield a result. Now that the medications are cheaper and safer, I usually dont send for culture.
How Are Thick Toenails Treated
Although not all cases of toenail fungus need treatment, thick toenails may be a symptom of worsening fungus.
Several methods are available to treat your toenails. You can try some home-based treatments first and then talk with your doctor about prescription-based options. Topical and oral medications are the mainstays of therapy.
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How Do Doctors Diagnose Toenail Fungus
In most cases, doctors can diagnose toenail fungus by examining your nails. Sometimes, doctors take a nail clipping or scrape some nail debris to send to a lab.
The lab will examine the sample and identify the specific organism causing the infection. This may be necessary to tell the difference between toenail fungus and skin conditions, such as psoriasis, which can look similar.
What Does A Toenail Bruise Look Like
The color of your toenail is a good indicator of whats going on. Toenail bruising usually starts off as a dark red and turns purple, then dark rusty brown, and finally, it turns black.
And If the dark spot in the nail looks shiny, you can still see through the nail around the colored spot to the nail bed, and the discolored spot is uniform in color , then its most likely a bruise.
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How Can A Customer Tell If A Salon Is Clean And Fungus
You cant tell just by looking! Nowadays, most salons meet stringent health regulations. There are regulations galore to be licensed, but theres no way for customers to visually assess. You can, however, look at customer reviews online, ask to see the nail salons license or check to see if theyre accredited by the Better Business Bureau.
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How Do I Get Athletes Foot
Athletes foot commonly spreads through skin-to-skin contact or contact with a flake of skin. It spreads in areas used by large groups of people, like locker rooms, swimming pools and saunas.
It can also spread through contact with an infected surface. You can get athletes foot by sharing towels, socks or shoes with someone who has athletes foot.
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How To Get Fungus Off Toenail
cleans up all devices in between clients. Even if all of the proper precautions are drawn from a cleaning perspective, germs, infections, fungi these things are all over. home remedies for toenail fungus. white toenail fungus. Miest states do not shave 24 hours ahead of time and donât have your cuticles cut. Ask that they just either leave your cuticles alone or carefully push them back.
Symptoms Of Fungal Nails
The good news is that if you catch it early enough, it can be fairly easy to eradicate toenail fungus and save your nails from further damage.
So how do you catch it in the early stages?
Well, inspecting your nails every day is the first step. Especially because toenail fungus can be present a very long time without causing noticeable symptoms.
Here are things you should look for when you examine your nails:
- Darkening or discoloration of the affected nail
- White or discolored spots that arent from an injury
- Thickening or distortion of the nail
- Unusual white or yellow streaks in your nail
- Crumbling along the edges or tips of the nail, particularly where its discolored
- Redness and swelling
- Foul odor emitting from the nail
- Pain when walking or wearing shoes
- The nail starts to separate from the nail bed
If you notice one or more of these symptoms in your toenails, dont wait for them to go away on their own the infection will most likely continue to grow and spread .
Instead, get them diagnosed right away so the fungus can be eliminated quickly and before it causes visible damage to your nail.
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Is It Possible To Prevent The Recurrence Of Nail Fungus
Tinea pedis, also known as athletes foot or foot fungus, can cause recurrence of fungal nails. Therefore, it is important to manage this condition. One can apply over-the-counter antifungal medicines such as clotrimazole or terbinafine cream as directed to affected skin. Keeping footwear and socks clean can be helpful. You can also use portable UV light sanitizers to disinfect shoes.
A Pharmacist Can Help With Fungal Nail Infections
Speak to a pharmacist if the look of your nail bothers you or it’s painful.
They may suggest:
- antifungal nail cream it can take up to 12 months to cure the infection and does not always work
- nail-softening cream it’s used for 2 weeks to soften the nail so the infected part can be scraped off
The infection is cured when you see healthy nail growing back at the base.
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What Causes Nail Fungus
The most common fungi involved in fungal nail infections are Trichophyton rubrum and Tricyphyton mentagraphyte. These fungi like warm, moist environments, such as shoes. Public areas like gym locker rooms, shower rooms and swimming pools are common areas of exposure to fungi. The feet have less blood circulation, making it harder for your immune system to fight off the fungi your feet are exposed to. Learn more about the causes, preventative measures and how to get rid of toenail fungus by visiting our FAQ page.
