ANSWER: Toenail fungus is an infection that’s usually caused by a microscopic organism called dermatophyte fungus. These infections can be contagious, and they are often difficult to eliminate completely. Fortunately, for most healthy adults toenail fungus doesn’t pose any serious health risks.
Toenail fungus is a common condition that begins as a white or yellow spot under the tip of your toenail. As the infection goes deeper, nail fungus may cause your nail to discolor, thicken and crumble at the edge. Fungal infections are more likely to happen in your toenails than in your fingernails because toenails often are confined in a dark, warm, moist environment — inside your shoes — where fungi can thrive. Toes also have less blood flow than fingers, making it harder for your body’s immune system to detect and stop the infection.
The older you are, the more likely you are to get toenail fungus. That’s because as you age, your immune system changes. In addition, your nails become more brittle and drier over time, creating more cracks where fungus can live.
Treatment For Toenail Fungus Isn't Always Necessary
Toenails are made up of multiple layers stacked on top of each other. Toenail fungus can be tough to get rid of because it can get into and in between those layers. It may also sit on top of the nail or grow underneath it. In some cases, fungus can get into the cells that make the nail, called the nail matrix. That can make the fungus very difficult to eliminate because the cells manufacturing the rest of the toenail are infected.
The good news, though, is that toenail fungus typically does not lead to bigger medical problems. With that in mind, I generally encourage healthy adult patients with mild toenail fungus to not treat it or to treat it just using topical measures. For example, you can buff the nail down with a file to keep it thin, so the fungus has less of a home to live in. You should also keep the nail trimmed. If you let your toenails grow long, it creates more places for the fungus to grow.
If you want to do more than that, over-the-counter lacquers similar to nail polish are available that you can put on your toenails. Those treatments help keep the fungus from growing. Your physician also can prescribe a product that contains antifungal medicine that you apply once or twice a day to the nail to help eliminate the infection.
Tea Tree Oil
You may see ads publicizing laser treatments for toenail fungus. I usually don’t recommend them. They tend to be quite expensive, and at this time most medical insurance does not cover that type of treatment.
In some specific cases, I do suggest a more aggressive treatment plan for toenail fungus. If you have unstable diabetes or if your immune system is compromised — you have HIV, you’ve had a transplant or you’re undergoing cancer treatment, for example — then you need prompt treatment for a fungal infection. If left unchecked, the fungus may be able to spread to other parts of your body and make you quite ill.
Treatment in these situations usually involves the topical medications mentioned earlier, as well as an oral antifungal drug, such as terbinafine or itraconazole. These drugs help a new nail grow free of infection, slowly replacing the infected part. You typically take this type of drug for six to 12 weeks. But you won’t see the end result of treatment until the new nail grows in fully. With this treatment, it may take several months or more to completely eliminate the infected nail. — Dawn Davis, M.D., Dermatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.
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ROCHESTER, Minn. — Dispose of unneeded medications safely during National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, April 22. Mayo Clinic, in collaboration with the Olmsted ...The itching and burning of athlete’s foot is a common enemy lurking throughout locker rooms. But you can get this foot condition even if you haven’t been in a gym. It includes two separate infections: one that affects the skin on your feet, which is classicathlete’s foot, and another infection that affects your toenails, calledmycotic nails.
How You Can Stop Foot And Toenail Fungus In Its Tracks
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They’re both very common because exposing yourself to the fungus that causes them is easy to do. Dermatologist Pamela Ng, MD, explains what you need to know about this common condition and top ways to stop it in its tracks.
Athlete’s foot is a highly contagious fungal infection that is part of a larger family of fungal infections affecting the skin and nails. These include “jock itch” and ringworm. Because it’s a fungus, it thrives in the moist, warm climate of your gym locker room, bathrooms and showers. You get athlete’s foot by direct contact with contaminated surfaces, most commonly within these shared communal spaces, but also brewing inside your sweaty, tight-fitting shoes.
How To Get Rid Of Foot Fungus: Can Home Remedies Help?
Symptoms of athlete’s foot include a scaly, itchy rash on the feet and between toes. Mycotic nails appear discolored to a brownish-yellow and the nails become thick, brittle and separated from the nail bed. These things are more than just a cosmetic embarrassment; for some, they can become a serious concern.
“If you have diabetes or are immune-compromised, it’s important to get foot fungus issues under control, ” says Dr. Ng. “The fungal infections can cause breakdown of the skin and lead to conditions like cellulitis or foot ulcers.”
Foot fungus won’t just go away on its own, Dr. Ng says. “If you think you have foot or toenail fungus, see your dermatologist, ” she says. There are several tests that your dermatologist can perform to identify exactly what’s going on.
Getting Rid Of Nail Fungus
“It’s important to be aware that there are other diseases which can cause nail changes, ” she says. “For example, we do see things likesquamous cell skin cancersin the nail beds and even melanomas, which have a brownish or blackish discoloration.”
The best treatment for fungal nail infections is a prescription that your dermatologist can prescribe that you take every day for two-to-three months. The pill is not for everyone, since oral antifungals can interact with other medications and can affect the liver.
Fortunately if you don’t want to or can’t take a pill, there are topical solutions to treat nail fungus. Although topical medications are desirable because of the low risk of side effects and interaction with other medications, they have much longer treatment regimens.Generally, topical medications have a lower clearance rate compared to oral pills.
Home Remedies For Toenail Fungus
“Newer topical antifungals including Efinaconazole and Tavaborole have better penetration of the nail plate and so they work better compared to older topical medications, ” says Dr. Ng. She says the topical medications work best if you only have partial nail involvement.
Lasers are approved by the FDA to temporarily increase the amount of clear nail. However, the cure rates are lower than oral medications and topical solutions.
Photodynamic therapy has been used for fungal nail infections with moderate success.This involves applying a photosensitizing agent then exposing it to a light source.Dr. Ng says this procedure may not be covered by your insurance.More studies are needed to determine the true outcome of photodynamic therapy in treating onychomycosis.
Toenail Melanoma Or Fungus: How To Tell The Difference
“Unfortunately, even if your nail is cleared after treating it, fungal infections in the nails have a tendency to recur, especially if you’re predisposed to this type of infection, ” says Dr. Ng.Using a topical antifungal cream regularly after the fungal nail has been treated can prevent recurrence of the fungal infection.She says it’s also helpful to apply an antifungal spray or powder in your shoes once you have been treated to reduce the risk of recurrence.
“I like the creams better than the sprays or powders because the creams will completely coat the foot and treat the entire skin surface, ” she says. “Make sure that you get in between the toes, because that’s really where we see the most problems in those warm, moist areas.”
The best way to combat foot fungus is to reduce your exposure to it. There are simple things you can do to prevent from contracting foot and nail fungus.
Toe Fungus Causes
The greatest danger of not treating the foot or toenail fungus is that it can spread to other parts of the body, such as the hands and groin.
If for some reason you can’t treat your toenails or your feet right away, at least use an antifungal topical cream on the surrounding skin, Dr. Ng says. That will help keep it from spreading and keep the skin intact.
Foot fungus and fungal toenails are a serious annoyance, but they can also become a serious problem, especially if you have diabetes or a weakened immune system. Learn how to treat them.Toenail fungus is a common ailment that many
Fungal Nail Problems
