Fungal infection occurs through
cracks in your toe-nails or cuts in your skin. The toenail changes colour or
get thicker and may be painful. Fungal infections thrive in the warm and damp
environment of your toe-nails. Different kinds of fungi and sometimes yeast
affect different parts of the nail. Left untreated, an infection could spread
to other toenails, skin, or even your fingernails.
Symptoms
Infected nails are usually
thicker than normal, yellow to brownish in colour and generally distorted in
shape. They can break easily (friable). Sometimes a white dot shows up on the
nail that gets bigger. When fungus builds up under your nail, it can loosen and
even separate the nail from the nail-bed. The fungus can also spread to the
skin around your nail.
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Men are more prone to fungal
infections of toenails. The older you are, the better your chances are, too.
People who have diabetes, athlete's foot, or a weak immune system, who smoke,
or whose family members have it are also at a higher risk. If you spend a lot
of time in the water or you've injured your toenail, your odds for getting
toenail fungus go up.
Treatment
Consult a dermatologist as fungal
infections of toe-nails may be mistaken for psoriasis and get appropriate
treatment depending on the type fungus you have and how bad the infection is. The
dermatologist may scrape off a part of the affected area and send it to a
pathologist to determine the cause of your problem. Your doctor may try one
thing or a combination:
- A topical cream that goes directly on the nail (terbinafine, tolnaftate)
- An antifungal prescription pill (fluconazole, itraconzole, terbinafine)
- Removing the damaged area of the nail or skin
- In extreme cases, the nail may be removed completely with surgery.
Foot Care
Use soap and water to wash your
feet, and dry well, including between toes. Trim your toenails - straight
across - to keep them shorter than the end of your toe. Make sure the tools you
use are clean, too. Wash nail-cutters and files with soap and water, then wipe
with rubbing alcohol. You might be tempted to cover up discoloured nails with
polish, but don't. Your nail bed can't "breathe," which keeps fungus
from going away.
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Keep Feet Dry and Clean
Be smart about your footwear.
Choose socks that absorb the perspiration. Change them regularly. Make sure
your shoes fit well. They should be made of something that lets air move
through it, like canvas, mesh, or leather.
Know Your Toes
Take a good look at your nail
beds and the skin around your toenails regularly, at least once a month. (You
might need to use a mirror if it's hard to see your toes.) Watch for changes in
colour and texture, as well as for cuts or damage. Does anything hurt? If your
symptoms don’t improve or get worse, consult a doctor.
