Maintaining Healthy Toenails

Stopping the spread of fungus and spreading your toenail is the key to improving their appearance.

Despite the fact that toenail fungus isn't an urgent health problem, it can ruin your nails and cause pain as the nail lifts away from the nail bed. And it is extremely difficult to get rid of fungal infections. Fungal toenails are most often treated rather than cured and should be managed rather than treated.

What Causes Nail Fungus Infections

Fungal infections of the toenail, or onychomycosis, are caused by microbes that thrive in damp, warm conditions. In the air, fungal spores can grow if they come in contact with a receptive surface like your toenail. The fungal debris accumulates under the nail bed and thickens it over time. It can lift off the nail bed if it accumulates too much fungal debris. A raised nail won't reattach to the nail bed, and a new nail will not grow from that part of the nail bed. However, from the root at the base, the nail will continue to grow.

Fungi In The Toenails: How To Diagnose Them

A nail can become thick and yellow with age alone, and psoriasis can cause the skin and nails to flake. Injury can cause bruising under the nail. Even nail polish contains chemicals that can discolor the nail. You should consult a healthcare professional as soon as you notice your toenail changing, not after it becomes gnarly and raises off the nail bed.

In order to determine whether your toenail distortion is caused by a fungus, you must have a lab test on scraping from your nail. Misdiagnosing toenail fungus may lead you to try over-the-counter treatments that won't work.

Toenail Protection

Here are some tips for treating fungal infections or preventing them.

Cotton soaks up moisture far better than acrylic, which is why socks with acrylic fibers work so well at wicking away perspiration.
A daily application of antifungal foot powder is recommended.
Be sure not to wear shoes that restrict airflow or that are too tight around your nails.
When you are at the gym or in the pool, wear sandals or flip-flops to avoid catching an infection.

Infection Of The Toenails

An antifungal drug must penetrate the nail and the nail bed to be fully effective in treating fungal infections. There are many different types of antifungal drugs, ranging in cost and effectiveness.

The same brushes used for polish can be used to apply antifungal preparations to and under the nails. While they might improve the appearance of fungal nails, they are not a cure for them. There is no clear winner.

All of these products need to be applied daily, and they may take up to a year to take effect. Efinaconazole (Jubia), tavaborole (Kerydin) and ciclopirox (Penlac) are effective. They may be able to treat early, superficial fungal infections because they kill fungi on the nail's surface. In studies, their cure rate averaged around 35%. If they are filed down, they may penetrate deeper into the nail or nail bed.

Medication oral. In FDA-approved studies, itraconazole (Sporanox) and terbinafine (Lamisil) eliminated fungus within 10 months for 55% to 70% of people, but fungus returned within a few months for 15% to 20% of users. In addition, itraconazole interacts with a number of other drugs and can damage the liver. Therefore, your doctor will check your liver function at the beginning of treatment and again after six weeks. You should also avoid alcohol and the sun if you take these drugs. You may find these medications beneficial if you have diabetes, vasculitis, or another condition that could be worsened by fungi, but otherwise, the risks may outweigh the benefits.

You can contact our office at 949-588-8833, or visit our website at https://www.ocfootdoctor.com. Our offices are in Laguna Hills, Irvine, Mission Viejo, Aliso Viejo, Lake Forest, Foothill Ranch, and Costa Mesa.

📲 949-588-8833

🏢 24331 El Toro Rd, Suite 370 Laguna Woods CA 92637

🏢Irvine Medical Arts Building 113 Waterworks Way, Suite 250 Irvine, CA 92618

🌐 https://www.ocfootdoctor.com/

The information contained above is intended for general reference purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice or a medical exam. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health professionals before starting any new treatment. Health information on this website MUST NOT be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease without the supervision of your doctor.