When to see a doctor. You may want to see a health care provider if self-care steps haven't helped and the nail becomes increasingly discolored, thickened or misshapen. Also talk with your health care provider if you have: Diabetes and think you're developing nail fungus.
Your health care provider may prescribe an antifungal cream, such as efinaconazole (Jublia) and tavaborole (Kerydin). You rub this product into your infected nails after soaking. These creams may work better if you first thin the nails.
If your nail gets brittle and breaks easily, it's a sign the fungal infection is changing the composition of the nail. If it becomes soft and chalky and starts to crumble away, the infection is starting to become severe.
Most fungal nail infections are not serious. However, some people may experience pain or be bothered by the appearance of their nails. Fungal nail infections may cause nails to become discolored, thick, fragile, or cracked. The nail may also become separated from the nail bed.
If you have toenail fungus, and particularly if you have toenail fungus and diabetes, it is suggested that you see a podiatrist for treatment. If left untreated, toenail fungus may spread to other toenails, skin, or even fingernails. If you suspect you have toenail fungus it is important to seek treatment right away.
Toenail fungus isn't a pressing health problem. Yet a fungal infection can ruin the appearance of your nails and cause pain as it lifts the nail away from the nail bed. And fungal infections are notoriously difficult to get rid of.
Medicare will cover treatment for fungus within your toenail. Another term for this treatment is nail debridement. To be eligible, you must have severe, debilitating pain. Evidence of several infections caused by the fungus may also qualify you.
If you let a nail fungus infection go for too long, several problems emerge. The infected nail can become misshapen and increasingly separated from your nail bed. Itching and pain are unpleasant side effects; if they're too severe, you can have trouble wearing shoes or walking.
If you have a case of toenail fungus, please do not ignore this problem. Serious complications can arise if you do not have the fungus treated, including foot pain, widespread infection, the loss of your nail and more.
If your fungus doesn't clear up at home, you should check in with a dermatologist (a skin, hair, and nail specialist) or podiatrist (a foot doctor.) They may gently scrape under your nail to get rid of some of the fungus or send it to the lab for diagnosis. They can also prescribe stronger medicines.
It begins as a white or yellow-brown spot under the tip of your fingernail or toenail. As the fungal infection goes deeper, the nail may discolor, thicken and crumble at the edge. Nail fungus can affect several nails.
Oral antifungal medications are prescribed to treat toenail fungus. These medications help the nail grow free of infection. Your podiatrist may have you apply a cream or powder that contains medicine that kills fungus. Topical nail lacquer is also used to treat toenail fungus infections.
In rare cases, toenail fungus can cause an infection called cellulitis. Without prompt treatment, cellulitis may pose a serious danger to your health.
Widespread infection.
If a toenail fungus spreads to the skin and causes it to crack, bacteria can get in. This may cause cellulitis, a condition that produces swollen, red, tender skin and must be treated with antibiotics, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
If you share a bed with another person, the fungus may transfer to them via shared linens. Wearing clean socks to bed and washing sheets regularly minimizes transmission risk.
Toenail fungus, after all, is hardly life-threatening. “It feeds on the skin; it doesn't go into the bloodstream, doesn't spread to other parts of the body,” says Dr. Richard Scher, nail specialist and professor of dermatology at Columbia University.
The fastest way to eliminate the infection is through toenail laser treatment. Laser nail therapy specifically targets the microorganisms under your nail while leaving the keratin intact. In just a few treatments, the infection can be entirely eliminated.
There are several risk factors for developing nail fungus: tight shoes; damaged nails; walking barefoot in moist areas like swimming pools, saunas, and public showers; poor blood circulation in your legs; a weakened immune system; and other skin conditions, such as psoriasis.
Created: January 14, 2015; Last Update: June 14, 2018; Next update: 2021. Nail fungus can be very persistent. Topical treatment with nail polish may take up to one year.
Invasive Fungal Infections Can Lead to Sepsis—And Have a High Mortality Rate. Approximately 15% of all infections are caused by fungi, and invasive fungal infections are an increasingly frequent cause of sepsis, particularly in critically ill patients.
The cost varies depending on the number of nails involved and severity of the infection. The national average for laser treatment is between $500 and $1200.
While there are many remedies to toenail fungus, the costs and damages do tend to rack up. It is estimated that the cost of treating one nail can range from $2000 to $10 for pills that can cause severe damage to bodily functions.
The truth is that you can go to either a dermatologist or a podiatrist to have your nail fungus treated, but it is especially important to see a podiatrist when it affects your toenails specifically.
Fungal spores can live on all kinds of surfaces, including metal toenail clippers for months. When you cut your fungal nail with your clippers, you can easily transmit the fungi to your other toenails or reinfect yourself. In fact, the CDC recommends properly disinfecting all nail tools before every use.