Bacterial infections usually leak pus and, sometimes, blood. Fungal infections produce discolored toenails that are thick, brittle, and smell bad.
Regular cleaning and trimming of the toenails can also help reduce odor. Be sure to clean under the toenail before trimming and cutting the nail. Consider using a cotton ball soaked with isopropyl alcohol to clean around the toes and nails before bed to kill bacteria and keep your feet dry.
Getting a fungal infection on your toenails can cause the nails to turn yellow and brittle, and the bugs that cause the infection often emit a foul odor as they feed on your body. The same microorganisms that cause athlete's foot also are the cause of fungal toenail infection.
Toenail fungus or Onychomycosis usually causes the toenails to smell like cheese. The unpleasant odor is caused by the organism, tinea unguium. Other symptoms of toenail fungus include discoloration and brittleness of the toenail. This condition is common in people who wear closed shoes for long periods of time.
Nail fungus is a common infection of the nail. 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.
Treatment usually begins with your dermatologist trimming your infected nail(s), 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.
That chalky substance is likely keratin debris, which is formed when keratin protein (a.k.a. fibrous protein found in the nails and outer layer of the skin) breaks down, usually due to fungal infection. If left untreated, it can spread to other areas.
If your toenail turns black, it's most likely a bruise under the nail, technically called a subungual hematoma. You can get it from stubbing a toe or from footwear that cram your feet into the front of the shoe.
There's Brevibacteria on our feet too, and on our skin usually, and the hot weather at the moment is causing an outburst of this Brevibacterium - kind of a party on your feet, and they're releasing this chemical compound which smells of cheesy corn chips as Tad says.
“Applying Vicks VapoRub to fungus-infected toenails can clear up the notoriously hard-to-treat condition. Michigan State University clinicians found that applying the product daily to the infected nail cleared the condition in 32 of 85 patients, though it took anywhere from 5 to 16 months…”
When you cut your nails, you're breaking very strong bonds called "Disulfide bridges" which are sourced from cysteine (one of the amino acids which make up keratin). And keratin has a lot of cysteine (thus a lot of sulfur) which gives it that distinctive smell when it is cut.
Keratin granulations are dehydrated superficial layers of nail cells that result in white, rough, and uneven dry patches on the top of the nail. Prolonged use of nail polish – as well as acetone-based nail polish removers – dries out the surface of your toenails and can lead to these keratin granulations.
Thick yellow toenails are usually caused by a fungal infection called onychomycosis. This can be irritating or painful. It's less common, but the infection can affect your fingernails as well.
The wound should heal within a few weeks. Fingernails may take 6 months to grow back. Toenails may take 12 to 18 months to grow back.
Signs and symptoms of a fungal nail infection
thickening and distortion of the nail – it may become an unusual shape or texture and be difficult to trim. pain or discomfort – particularly when using or placing pressure on the affected toe or finger. brittle or crumbly nails – pieces may break off and come away ...
If toenail fungus is left untreated, it can spread to the surrounding skin on the foot, causing another condition known as athlete's foot. An athlete's foot is a condition resulting in itchy, red, and cracked skin, which can become very uncomfortable.
Many times, the color on the nail indicating fungus (yellow, black, brown, etc.) will begin to diminish as it grows out and dissipates. Delineation. Over time, the yellowing of the nail should be restricted to the part of the nail that's growing out, giving way to a clear nail at the base of the nail bed.
toe cheese (uncountable) (slang) The sticky, smegma-like substance that accumulates between one's toes in case of insufficient hygiene. Love is: learning to appreciate the smell of your sweetheart's toe cheese!
Bromhidrosis is a disease that occurs when the bacteria on your skin breaks down sweat and produces an abnormally offensive smell similar to onions or sulfur.